SOME OF THE TIME IT JUST TAKES EXPERIENCE
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Just Add Seasoning
Dr. Henshaw has been practicing optometry for more than 40 years. That kind of experience doesn’t happen overnight—it’s earned. We call it seasoning. Just like anything done well, great eye care improves with time. Dr. Henshaw’s decades of hands-on clinical experience have shaped a thoughtful, skilled approach to vision care that only years of real-world practice can provide. Take a closer look at the seasoning behind his care. |
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Dr. Henshaw’s seasoning began with five formative years in the U.S. Army, serving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center during the Vietnam War—an experience that shaped his discipline, precision, and lifelong commitment to patient care.
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Although military and other institutional optometry were not the right fit for him, Dr. Henshaw continued to season his clinical skills through a local study group of developmental optometrists. Among them was Dr. Bob Kraskin, whose vision therapy work famously helped President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughter, Lucy, overcome a visually related learning challenge.
That experience became a turning point. It deepened Dr. Henshaw’s understanding that optometry can truly make a difference in a patient’s life—not simply prescribe stronger and stronger glasses year after year. Through years of hands-on learning and collaboration within this advanced study group, his approach to care matured beyond routine eye exams.
As a result of this ongoing professional seasoning, Dr. Henshaw earned Fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD), a distinction held by doctors who specialize in vision therapy and developmental vision care.
That experience became a turning point. It deepened Dr. Henshaw’s understanding that optometry can truly make a difference in a patient’s life—not simply prescribe stronger and stronger glasses year after year. Through years of hands-on learning and collaboration within this advanced study group, his approach to care matured beyond routine eye exams.
As a result of this ongoing professional seasoning, Dr. Henshaw earned Fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD), a distinction held by doctors who specialize in vision therapy and developmental vision care.
After completing his service in the U.S. Army and opening a private optometry practice in Lodi, Dr. Henshaw took an important step in deepening his real-world experience: he became a vision therapy patient himself. He sought care from Sacramento optometrist Dr. Marvin Schwartz, whose work was influenced by Dr. Bob Pepper, a respected consultant to the Portland Trailblazers basketball team.
Dr. Henshaw believed that to truly help patients, he needed to understand their journey firsthand. That decision proved transformational. The results were remarkable—his athletic performance improved, his concentration peaked, and his overall visual efficiency increased significantly. Most striking, his nearsightedness, which began at age 14, was reduced by approximately 75%, even though reducing nearsightedness was never the goal of his vision therapy.
This personal experience further seasoned Dr. Henshaw’s approach to optometry, reinforcing his belief that vision care can do far more than prescribe stronger glasses—it can enhance how you function in the real world every day.
Dr. Henshaw believed that to truly help patients, he needed to understand their journey firsthand. That decision proved transformational. The results were remarkable—his athletic performance improved, his concentration peaked, and his overall visual efficiency increased significantly. Most striking, his nearsightedness, which began at age 14, was reduced by approximately 75%, even though reducing nearsightedness was never the goal of his vision therapy.
This personal experience further seasoned Dr. Henshaw’s approach to optometry, reinforcing his belief that vision care can do far more than prescribe stronger glasses—it can enhance how you function in the real world every day.
To further season his clinical skills, Dr. Henshaw immersed himself in advanced vision therapy education. He attended numerous vision therapy seminars led by Dr. Bob Pepper (yes, there really is a Dr. Pepper). He even traveled to Oregon for an intensive week of vision enhancement therapy under Dr. Pepper’s direct care. Believing that true experience comes from walking the same path as his patients, Dr. Henshaw continued to learn by doing.
Each year, he also attended the San Jose Visual Training Seminars, where the pioneers and giants of vision therapy shared their latest clinical insights. These meetings began with a Friday research forum in which doctors presented original papers. Dr. Henshaw presented many, but one in particular stood out--Vision and the Bible. That presentation became the seed for his book, What Would Jesus See?—A Developmental Optometrist’s Journey Through Vision Care with an Eye on the Bible. Visit our Promotions section to learn how to obtain a copy.
Each year, he also attended the San Jose Visual Training Seminars, where the pioneers and giants of vision therapy shared their latest clinical insights. These meetings began with a Friday research forum in which doctors presented original papers. Dr. Henshaw presented many, but one in particular stood out--Vision and the Bible. That presentation became the seed for his book, What Would Jesus See?—A Developmental Optometrist’s Journey Through Vision Care with an Eye on the Bible. Visit our Promotions section to learn how to obtain a copy.
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Seasoned by Experience in Advanced Light Therapy
Years ago, Dr. Henshaw traveled to Colorado to expand his clinical skills by studying Syntonics Light Therapy—a specialized vision treatment requiring advanced training and experience. That seasoning proved life-changing when the techniques he mastered enabled him to detect a hidden pituitary tumor, ultimately saving a patient’s life. Continuing to refine and deepen this expertise, Dr. Henshaw later completed advanced follow-up training in San Diego and earned the distinction of Fellow of the College of Syntonic Optometry, further seasoning his ability to deliver real-world, life-impacting vision care.. |
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As his seasoning deepened, Dr. Henshaw learned directly from Dr. Ken Gibson of Wisconsin, a pioneer in vision processing and vision therapy. Dr. Gibson’s work revealed a critical truth: vision processing skills are tightly connected to learning and academic performance.
Through this experience, Dr. Henshaw saw firsthand that many children labeled with ADD, Dyslexia, or learning disabilities may not actually have those conditions. Instead, they struggle with undiagnosed vision processing problems that interfere with how the brain interprets what the eyes see. Learning personally from Dr. Gibson added an essential layer to Dr. Henshaw’s seasoning. That knowledge led to the transformation of many children—and even adults—who had long struggled to learn, unlocking abilities that traditional testing and treatment had overlooked. |