Alannah Wellborn works with students who can have 20/20 vision, but that doesn't rule out vision-related learning disabilities.

Wellborn directs the Vision Therapy Project, a nonprofit organization in Casper that works with students who have issues with their vision, though not in the way you might think.

"It has nothing to do with glasses," Wellborn said. "If it's a tracking issue, maybe their eyes jump or are jerky."

Students with a vision-related learning disability have trouble focusing their eyes during activities, or when they look from a chalkboard back to their paper.

Maybe their eyes don't "turn in" as they should during reading, which means students miss seeing letters or whole words. Such issues often lead to academic problems, Wellborn said.

Wellborn will lead an informational meeting for anyone interested in learning more about the project at the old Jefferson Elementary School at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The Vision Therapy Project will use $335,000 to work in seven Casper-area schools this fall. The funds will pay for full-time vision specialists and occupational therapists to help students develop skills to correct their vision problems.

"Which in turn, should really help their academics," Wellborn said.

Teacher training also is covered by the funds.

Park Elementary took part in a Vision Therapy pilot project during the 2006-07 school year, said principal Doris Waddell. Teachers were trained to identify students with vision problems, and the students later attended a program to help increase vision skills. Around one-third of the school's students were screened for vision problems.

The students who worked with Wellborn in the program showed significant improvement by the end of the year, Waddell said.

"At the end of the year, [Wellborn] did a post-screening, and she could she show the difference," Waddell said.

Wellborn said Park's students did very well in the development program.

"By the end of the year, there was a tremendous improvement made," she said. "The Park teachers actually saw the improvements."

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com.

To learn more

If you're interested in learning about the Vision Therapy Project, an informational meeting will be held at the Natrona County School District's special education building, at 500 S. Jefferson, at 4 p.m. Thursday. For reservations, call the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee at (307) 234-5311.