NAACP Resolution on Vision Therapy

AURORA, Ohio, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A routine visit to the
eye doctor resulted in a national resolution that was passed by the NAACP at its
100th Anniversary Convention held in New York City, endorsing optometric
vision therapy as a way to help some prisoners become productive members of
society.

When Charles Brittingham, President of the Wilmington, DE Branch of the
NAACP, went for his yearly eye exam, he was amazed to learn how vision
problems can impact academic performance, contribute to high school dropout
rates, juvenile delinquency and prison recidivism. Once he learned how these
vision problems can be treated, and read what parents and children had to say
about how their lives were changed academically, behaviorally and even
emotionally by receiving optometric vision therapy, he knew he had to do
something.

Working together with his optometrist and life NAACP member, Dr. Alton A.
Williams, Brittingham wrote a resolution that was passed unanimously by the
NAACP Delaware branch. The resolution acknowledged the role that vision
therapy can play in reducing the high rate of recidivism and encouraged members
to "take aggressive action to have Vision Therapy included in all re-entry
programs for formerly incarcerated persons." But that wasn't enough for
Brittingham, he wanted to make sure that this issue received national attention.

Christine Waters, Education Committee Chairperson, NAACP Freeport Roosevelt,
Long Island, NY, spoke in support of this resolution, "...current research indicates
that approximately 1 in 4 children has vision disorders that interfere with their
ability to learn. The problems can exist and yet teachers and parents are not
aware of them. The symptoms mimic attention deficit disorder, and so I move
that... we adopt this resolution." In addition, Waters proposed amendments that
focused on prevention, which were also passed unanimously.

Waters, a teacher at Barnum Woods in East Meadow, NY with 30 years of
experience in elementary education, knows firsthand the impact that vision
problems can have on a child's education. Nine years ago vision therapy changed
her son's life. He used to complain about headaches, and struggle with completing
class work and homework. She had no idea that he was seeing double images
when he tried to read. Like most children, he had no idea that wasn't normal
vision. Once his vision problem was corrected through vision therapy he became
more confident and was able to complete required tests, class work and
homework. This past May he graduated from the University of Hartford with a
Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts and Music Education. Without vision therapy this
would not have been possible.

The NAACP resolution calls for its members and units to educate the community,
elected officials and correctional facilities about the merits of optometric vision
therapy in helping to reduce the recidivism rate in some prisoners thereby
increasing opportunities for persons reentering society.

According to the American Optometric Association, over 60% of children who
have difficulty with learning have undiagnosed vision problems which are not
detectable by routine vision screenings. Dr. Carol Scott, a developmental
optometrist from Springfield Missouri and President of the College of
Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), shares, "Considering that 85
percent of all juvenile delinquents nationwide have reading difficulties, it is vital
that everyone support the NAACP and ensure that not only are juvenile
delinquents and prisoners screened for learning related vision problems, but all
children who have any difficulty with learning; even the bright underachievers."

"I applaud the NAACP for acknowledging vision therapy as a valid treatment for
the outcomes it is able to achieve," said ophthalmologist and NAACP member
from Delaware, Dr. Bruce Sumlin, "Optometric vision therapy makes sense. It is
very similar to other kinds of treatment and therapies we provide in the medical
disciplines which help to develop neural connections in the brain."

John B. Ferguson III, MD, a Delaware ophthalmologist who has been in practice
for over 34 years, was not always a strong believer in vision therapy. When asked
what made him change his mind, Dr. Ferguson shared, "Among ophthalmologists,
vision therapy has been thought to be reserved for certain eye muscle disorders. I
was unaware, and I believe many other ophthalmologists are also unaware, of the
significant effects that these eye muscle disorders have on the attitude and
behavior of some children. I thought that at the most these children, if left
untreated, might experience headaches or read less efficiently. However, I had
the opportunity to speak with children and the parents of children who went
through vision therapy and I was very impressed by the dramatic and positive
academic and behavioral changes they experienced."