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Dr. Tew’s Vision and Learning Story

I always performed well in school, yet reading was consistently a challenge. From third grade through my senior year of high school, no matter how much effort I put in, I seemed to earn the same result—a “B” in every English-related class. Growing up in Oldham County, I was fortunate to be part of an excellent school system and supportive community, but I didn’t fully understand the root of my struggles until I reached college.

As I began pursuing a path in the medical field, I enrolled in pre-med courses and explored various specialties through shadowing opportunities. One experience, in particular, changed everything. I had the opportunity to shadow an optometrist, and I was immediately drawn to the impact of his work—especially when watching children experience clear vision for the first time. Their reactions were unforgettable, and my interest in optometry quickly grew.

After spending more time in the office, the doctor offered to perform an eye exam for me. I mentioned that I had always been told I had better-than-20/20 vision and had never needed to see an optometrist. He responded simply, “Then you’ve never had a comprehensive eye exam.”

During the evaluation, he asked questions that immediately resonated with me: Did I lose my place while reading? Skip or reread lines? Avoid reading altogether? For the first time, things began to make sense. Although I could see clearly, my visual system was not functioning efficiently—especially for sustained reading tasks.

It took nearly twenty years to uncover the reason behind my difficulties. The difference was profound. If you compared my ACT reading score—which was quite low—to my Optometry Admission Test score, where I achieved a perfect reading score, it would be hard to believe they belonged to the same person.

Returning to Oldham County now allows me to give back to the community that shaped me. I’m proud to offer services like vision therapy—care that was not previously available locally—and to help others find answers and solutions much sooner than I did.