A Journey from Fairy Houses to Fearless Play with the Magic of Vision Therapy

Author: Hayley Martin

 

Some kinds of magic are easy to see, the shimmer of a firefly, the way a snowflake lands so perfectly on a mitten, or the golden glow of a sunset. But other kinds of magic are quieter, hidden in unexpected corners of our lives.

One such magic lives in vision therapy for children, a gentle, powerful process where the eyes and brain learn to work together. Where sight is coaxed into harmony, and where children rediscover the courage to step into the world with confidence and joy.

This is our story.

A Mother’s Discovery. From Timid Steps to Braver Strides

Before my daughter ever visited a pediatric optometrist, I simply thought she was cautious by nature.

She never jumped on her bed. She avoided the slide. She didn’t run or tumble or dash through the yard. At the playground, while other children soared and scrambled, she clung to my hand and whispered, “Mama… what should we do?”

I always answered, “Let’s play!” Not knowing the playground felt like a world of uncertain edges and dizzying depths.

Instead, we built fairy houses. Tiny shelters tucked under trees, crafted from petals, twigs, and leaves. I thought it was her fascination with fairies. And it was… but not entirely.

Fairy houses were calm. Predictable. Safe. There were no ladders, no rushing feet, no uneven terrain. Just stillness. That’s what she needed. What her eyes needed. I just didn’t know it yet.

Understanding Amblyopia. A Hidden Vision Problem

What I didn’t know then was that my daughter had amblyopia.  Amblyopia is sometimes referred to as “lazy eye.”  However, what I learned through vision therapy is that the weaker eye is not lazy at all.  

It’s simply quieter.

The real issue is that the stronger eye becomes too bossy, taking over while the other eye fades into the background. The brain, trying to simplify things, starts ignoring the quieter eye altogether. However, with the right kind of care, like glasses, and vision therapy, the brain can learn to listen again.

But amblyopia doesn’t just blur one eye, it disrupts depth perception, making the world feel unstable, uncertain, even frightening.

For my daughter, that meant:

• Hesitation on stairs
• No interest in playground equipment
• Lack of comfort in crowds and busy spaces
• Trouble catching balls or running on uneven ground (in fact, running in general)
• Feeling uneasy around other children, who, by their very nature, move unpredictably, often running up without warning. For a child struggling with depth perception, that kind of sudden motion felt overwhelming
• Clutching tightly to my hand, wherever we went. I didn’t realize it at the time, but she was using me as her anchor, helping her navigate a world that didn’t quite feel steady or clear

So, what she wanted to do at playgrounds made sense.  She stayed low, stayed still, and stayed safe.  And we built fairy houses.  Many, many fairy houses.

What Is Vision Therapy and How Does It Help?

Vision therapy for amblyopia is like physical therapy, but for the eyes and brain. Through carefully guided exercises, it helps strengthen the weaker eye, rebuilds visual pathways, and restores balance between both eyes.

It’s not a quick fix, but it is powerful. Over time, it can dramatically improve depth perception, hand-eye coordination, and, most importantly, a child’s confidence.

For us, it looked like:

• Eye Tracking Activities: Help the eyes follow moving objects smoothly and accurately
• Near-Far Focusing: Trains the eyes to shift focus between different distances
• Saccadic Eye Movement Drills: Improves the ability to quickly shift gaze between targets 
• Binocular Vision Training: Teaches the eyes to work together instead of separately
• Balance & Spatial Awareness Exercises: Because amblyopia affects depth perception, her vision therapist often integrated gross motor play that helped my daughter better understand physical space.
  

Over the course of a few months, I watched something truly magical unfold. Her confidence grew, quietly at first, like a flower stretching toward the sun. And with each new step, each brave climb, each burst of laughter, I could see her beginning to believe in the strength of her own two eyes.

From Fairy Houses to Fearless Play

One afternoon, many months into therapy, something changed.

We went to the playground.

And this time, we didn’t build fairy houses.

She climbed the ladder.
She ran across the bridge.
She slid down the slide, hair flying, laughter echoing.

She played. Fearlessly. Freely. Joyfully.

That was the moment I truly understood the magic of vision therapy. It didn’t just sharpen her sight, it gave her the confidence to live fully.

 

Life Beyond the Therapy Room: A Grateful Heart

To this day, I am incredibly grateful to my daughter's vision therapist.  The novelty of my daughter moving through the world confidently after completing vision therapy will never wear off.  I am eternally grateful.  Although we completed vision therapy over 2 years ago, I often still send short notes of gratitude and updates to my daughter’s vision therapist, such as:

• A video of her dancing her heart out on stage at her ballet’s school performance of The Nutcracker
• A photo of her playing soccer with her kindergarten team, chasing the ball with joy, unafraid of the game, and no longer anxious about the swirl of children rushing past her
• A photo of her racing across uneven hay bales at a fall festival
• A snapshot of her riding a bike, something once unthinkable
• A picture of her climbing a tree
• A video of her in a bouncy house with several other children

Vision therapy didn’t just help my daughter see, it gave her what she never knew she was missing. A childhood.

Not a quiet childhood, tucked safely on the sidelines. But a messy, magical one, painted in scraped knees, skinned elbows, and the brave kind of laughter that comes from finally joining in.

And for me, it was like exhaling after holding my breath for years. Watching her run, climb, and join in without hesitation filled me with a happiness I can barely describe. She was finally living like a child should. She felt free, confident, and unburdened.

With the visual skills to keep up and the courage to explore, she was no longer standing on off to the side. She was in the middle of the magic, where she’d always belonged.

A Gentle Reminder for Parents

If your child seems hesitant to run, play, or navigate their environment, it may not be shyness. It may be something deeper.

Amblyopia in children can go unnoticed, especially when children don’t know how to explain what they’re seeing (not seeing).

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Vision therapy can restore depth perception and visual coordination
Early detection is key, routine eye exams catch what school vision screenings miss
The right support can turn uncertainty into fearless movement

But perhaps the most important thing I learned is that sometimes, along the way, you realize that fairy godmothers and godfathers do exist, though they don’t wear capes or carry wands.

Dr G came first, calm and incredibly supportive. He gently tested, measured, and saw what others had missed. He gave us the gift of understanding, of finally knowing why the world felt so uncertain for her.

And then came Miss Lisa, our Vision Therapist. She was kind and patient, greeting us every week with games that seemed like play but were secretly designed to rebuild my daughter’s vision, strengthen her confidence, and stitch magic back into her everyday life.

Together, they didn’t just change her sight, they gave Evelyn her happily ever after.

To learn more about vision therapy, check out our The Magic of Vision Therapy: A Guide for Parents Navigating Their Child's Vision Struggles article.

Support Her Journey with Frames She’ll Love

If your child is beginning vision therapy, the right pair of glasses can make all the difference. At Once Upon a Charm, our frames are crafted to feel like keepsakes, whimsical, lightweight, and ready for every brave step.

Step into a world of wonder with our beautiful glasses designed for growing girls who see magic in everyday moments.

Adorn them with our whimsical charms, each one a sparkling symbol of her style, spirit, and story.

Because the right glasses don’t just help her see better, they help her see her live better.