We knew something wasn’t right with Preston’s eyesight from the beginning, so at about 5 months old he was referred to an ophthalmologist.  Soon after our visit, we were referred to Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) of Indiana. 

VIPS is a free service to children 3 or under who are blind or visually impaired.  They provide visual therapy, support and lots of guidance.  VIPS is funded entirely by grant funding and donations.

I still remember the day I called the office, Meredith answered the phone.  I started to talk breaking down in tears, as I had no idea what my baby’s future would be or how to cope.  It seems like yesterday that she was reassuring, kind, compassionate and very helpful.  From that moment forward I knew that VIPS would change our lives.

Annie came to our house to do an assessment.  I learned a lot that day, some good and some hard to hear.  Preston had a cortical visual impairment (CVI) which affects the processing of visual information.  Annie came with lots of goodies for Preston, information for days and the support that I so desperately needed.  When she left I thought, you know what this will be hard, but we will get through it.

As we started our sessions with our therapist David, I soon realized that CVI affects so much in a child’s world.  The light outside was irritating, loud noises could be overwhelming and even certain colors affect processing of information.  With a lot of practice and guidance, we have made it through.  (Well at least through a few doors.)