Chester County student Nathan Koenig was a smart and articulate child, enjoying both hearing and telling stories, writes Alison McCook for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  

When he started school, he quickly began to have trouble with reading and writing. After bringing home multiple class worksheets blank, he was diagnosed with a learning disability.  

It took years for his family to learn what was really going on with Nathan, and it wasn’t a learning disability. The true diagnosis was hard to find because Nathan always passed his school’s vision screening.

However, school-based vision tests miss 75 percent of vision problems in children, according to the American Optometric Association.  

With her son continuing to struggle in school, Laura Koenig joined various Facebook groups for parents with dyslexic children. From there, she heard of “vision therapy,” which clicked for her as she realized her 10-year-old couldn’t tie his shoes or ride a bike either. 

It was determined that Nathan had a severe form of ocular motor dysfunction, meaning his eyes darted around, unable to stay along a line of text. As he continued vision therapy, his reading level dramatically improved, as well as his other motor-focused abilities. 

Koenig is now passionately supporting legislation championed by State Sen. Chris Gebhard, which would require a comprehensive eye exam when children are involved in any public school, as well as additional tests in fourth and eighth grade. 

Senate Bill 780 was introduced last year, then stalled in committee, and may likely be reintroduced next year. 

Learn more about Nathan Koenig’s story and Senate Bill 780 at The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on VISTA Today in December 2024.