This ability, known as convergence, must be extremely precise. As children read, their eyes must move smoothly across the page then accurately down to the beginning of the next line. Many teachers refer to this as eye teaming. A breakdown in this skill may have names such as convergence excess, convergence insufficiency or binocular dysfunction.

Dr. Joe Falbo has developed vision therapy programs for each of these conditions. He has treated thousands of children since 1987. This treatment is similar to physical therapy. In these custom designed programs, over fifty different visual tasks are used to build each student’s skills. Pennsylvania certified teachers direct the student through various high-tech computer tasks and powerful desk tasks.

Programs begin by demonstrating to students how their reduced eye teamwork ruins their academic or sports performance. The student then begins to rebuild these skills by wearing special 3-D glasses while he/she performs tasks such as reading, completing special software games, and many others.

Each of the techniques challenges the participant to achieve higher and higher levels of visual proficiency. While most patients are students, numerous others are adults before they are properly diagnosed.

Dr. Joe lectures to school districts across western PA. His work has been featured in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Observer Reporter and on KDKA-TV News, WTAE radio and KQV radio.

In most cases the student attends training sessions twice weekly for a period of six to nine months, with progress noted after about eight weeks.