Brain Glasses Help 8th-Grader Overcome Dyslexia Symptoms

For Cole Rees, who struggled with dyslexia during much of his elementary-school years, “it was always three steps forward and five steps back.” But just before Cole was about to enter eighth grade, he was evaluated at the Mind-Eye Institute in Chicago’s north suburb of Northbrook and prescribed a pair of therapeutic eyeglasses that “almost immediately” proved “life-changing,” says his mother, Chasidy, of Quincy, Ill.

So much so, in fact, that his eighth-grade report card came back with A’s and B’s.

“We took photos of the report card and sent copies to his grandparents and other family members. This was the first time Cole’s school report did not contain comments from teachers about how he was struggling and where he needed to improve,” Chasidy recalls.

Cole’s brain glasses, uniquely prescribed by the Mind-Eye team, were designed to address his peripheral eyesight, in addition to his central eyesight. The peripheral eyesight is typically used for judging moving targets, and the central eyesight is primarily used for identifying details. Both systems have to be coordinated during reading.

“The Mind-Eye optometrists told me Cole’s dyslexia was the result of a disconnect between brain function and peripheral retinal signals,” Chasidy commented.

“Children – and adults — who have trouble with basic reading skills, cannot remember what they are reading or what is read to them, fumble when reading aloud, unnecessarily fidget, or exhibit difficulties focusing and concentrating may require more than an eye examination to check eye health and the clarity of their eyesight,” explains Deborah Zelinsky OD, founder and executive research director of the Mind-Eye Institute. “Patients might have underdeveloped visual skills, or imbalanced ones. Perhaps, central and peripheral eyesight are not interacting appropriately or, in the case of Cole, eyesight and listening abilities are uncoordinated, thus affecting his ability to visualize.”

Visual processing skills are essential to all aspects of learning – for both children and adults, Dr. Zelinsky emphasizes. The term “visual processing” refers to the brain’s almost-instantaneous ability – consciously and non-consciously – to take in external sensory signals (from eyesight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch), combine them with a person’s internal sensory signals (such as head position and muscle tension) and then synthesize – process — the information, allowing a person to react and respond normally to his or her environment.

“If brain circuitry is not synchronized because it is simply under-developed or disrupted by injury or disease, people can become confused about their surrounding environment, have limited perception and awareness, and experience difficulties in learning,” Dr. Zelinsky says.

The Mind-Eye Institute has achieved worldwide recognition for the use of therapeutic eyeglasses, lenses, prisms, and filters to vary the amount, intensity and angle of light that passes through the retina. The retina is part of the central nervous system and a primary portal through which information enters the brain in the form of light-generated electrical signals.

“By manipulating light with eyeglasses – ‘brain’ glasses, we are often able to reduce symptoms and restore comfort to patients needing to rebuild visual processing skills compromised by brain injury, head trauma, stroke, and other neurological disorders,” says Dr. Zelinsky. “Our unique, patented, optometric testing; scientific-based approaches; and advanced visual skill-building also help develop new processing capabilities in patients with dyslexia, attention disorders, and other learning deficiencies.”

By the time Cole reached fourth grade, “we noticed his learning difficulties were affecting all aspects of his education. He retained little comprehension of what he just read. He would have to re-read multiple times. Also, while reading, he would add in words that seemingly made sense but actually were not there because his visualization was inefficient. Teachers and counselors would place him into intervention programs where he would do well, graduate out, and, then within a matter of weeks, be struggling again,” Chasidy relates.

Cole’s struggles impacted his writing as well. “He could not adequately transfer information from his brain to a piece of paper,” Chasidy states. “He would finish only half a written project or report, which, of course, affected his grades.”

At this point, “Cole’s confidence had hit rock bottom,” says Chasidy. “His friends would finish reading far more quickly than he could. He tried engaging in sports and other school activities, but if he had to read instructions, he would shut down, become embarrassed, and not want to continue.”

The family eventually hired a tutor, and “within 15 minutes of working with Cole, the tutor told us he likely had dyslexia and should receive a global evaluation,” Chasidy remembers. The follow-up evaluation proved the tutor to be correct.

Cole’s challenges continued into seventh grade. Chasidy says she was “spending a lot of sleepless nights searching the Internet and trying to determine next steps to help my son succeed.” The answer finally came in the form of a newspaper article sent Chasidy by a girlfriend. The article was about the Mind-Eye Institute. “I read it and instantly felt this would work for Cole,” Chasidy says. She quickly made an appointment and arranged plans to travel the estimated 300 miles to Chicago.

The extensive testing done by the Mind-Eye team during Cole’s first visit was “mind-boggling,” Chasidy says. “Until then, I had not realized the extent to which dyslexia had been affecting Cole.”

Cole received his first pair of therapeutic Mind-Eye glasses in August 2021, and “we began noticing positive changes almost immediately,” Chasidy says. “Teachers were sending me messages, indicating Cole’s comprehension was so much better and that his reading had improved. He used to require extra time to take tests because the tests had to be read aloud to him. But teachers were now reporting Cole was declining that option and taking tests in the same way as the other students in class.”

Cole is now wearing his third pair of Mind-Eye glasses, and the changes have been “phenomenal,” reports Chasidy. “He is doing exceptional work and increasing his reading speed. What the Mind-Eye team has done has been life-changing for Cole and for all of us as a family.”

Cole agrees. “Ever since I have received the [brain] glasses, I am doing much better in school. My reading has gone up. I no longer have to wonder why I cannot read like all the other kids in my class.”

Although Cole has experienced significant symptomatic relief, his results are not always the norm nor are they guaranteed for every patient. Check out the Mind-Eye Institute website at www.mindeye.com for additional information.