About Us

The Fix We Couldn’t Find — So We Built It

The Struggle We Know Too Well

We didn’t set out to build a program. We set out to help our own children.

Michelle, a veteran educator and reading coach, watched three of her four children hit invisible walls when it came to reading. Even with years of teaching experience, she couldn’t explain what was going wrong — or why traditional methods kept failing.

For Michelle, this became more than professional. It became personal. Her kids weren’t lazy. They weren’t falling behind on purpose. Their eyes just weren’t moving the way they needed to.

And no one had ever told her that it could be fixed.

Coach M is amazing. We found her through friend of friend and couldn't be happier. My daughter enjoys her sessions and has not once complained about doing them.

We have seen a huge difference, and her progress has been amazing. We would highly recommend this program and love it so much.

My daughter has made huge strides in her reading thanks to Michelle’s help at Eyes Up Reading. She really knows what she’s doing and my daughter looks forward to her lessons.

Then Came Annica.

For Annica, a mom and future reading coach, the frustration was building.

Her son Damian was clearly smart, but reading had become a daily battle. Every effort ended in confusion, exhaustion, and doubt.

“I knew he was intelligent, but nothing was clicking. I was on the verge of testing for dyslexia or something deeper. We needed answers.”

Those answers came through Dr. McMurray.

During a simple assessment, he noticed Damian’s eyes weren’t working together the way they should — a convergence issue, something no one had ever checked for before.

The Science Was Personal

For Dr. Eldon McMurray, the journey started much earlier.

He didn’t learn to read until the third grade. School was a battlefield — full of effort, frustration, and the quiet weight of not being “like the other kids.” At the time, no one recognized the signs of ADHD or dyslexia, they only saw a kid who seemed distracted or behind.

“Graduating from high school in 1975, I couldn’t imagine going to college. School was that hard for me.”

— Dr. McMurray

And yet, he did. He pushed through. Graduated. Then kept going.

Over the next 40 years, Dr. McMurray would earn a Doctorate of Education in Reading, teach, lead, research, and write — helping thousands of students and training hundreds of teachers to do the same.

And yet, even with all that success, one question kept nagging at him:

Why were so many bright, capable kids still falling through the cracks?

The Genesis Moment

He went back to the research, determined to prove his theory: that reading was the same process for everyone, that with the right curriculum, any student could succeed.

“I set out to prove that all kids' eyes saw the same thing. What I found was that I was wrong — in the best way possible.”

— Dr. McMurray

That moment led to the innovative Reading Vision Coaching curriculum that Eyes Up Reading employs today.

Through studies in eye movement, attention, and visual processing, he discovered that many struggling readers didn’t just need better strategies, they needed stronger eye-muscle coordination.

Their eyes weren’t tracking properly. And no one was addressing it.

This was his Genesis Moment — the spark that launched a completely different way of supporting struggling readers.

He began developing a system to retrain the small muscles that control eye movement, helping both eyes work together smoothly, pioneering the breakthrough Reading Vision Coaching approach.

The result? Improved attention, comprehension, and reading fluency — often for the first time.

From Struggle to Confidence — For Life

Through those initial efforts, the Reading Vision Coaching system was born… a practical, science-backed approach that fixes the root issue behind so many reading struggles.

This same method has helped hundreds of children go from stuck and shut down — to fluent and proud.

No more tears at reading time

No more guessing

No more feeling broken

My daughter just read and memorized the Declaration of Independence.

I'm so glad I decided to start my son on [reading] vision (coaching) early, and because of all the hard work, he really enjoys reading (and I even catch him reading big books "just for fun!!!").

(Coach Michelle) created an environment that was not overwhelming for my son, and was always very encouraging when he was trying new things. At 6 years old, my son just finished his first chapter book, all on his own.

What We Believe

We believe kids aren’t broken.

We believe parents deserve real answers.

And we believe reading doesn’t have to be a fight.

Eye tracking can be strengthened.

Focus can be built.

Lasting confidence can be restored.

Who We Are

Dr. Eldon McMurray

Founder, Researcher, Educator, Doctor of Reading

Dr. McMurray is not an eye doctor. Instead, he is a reading doctor, earning his Doctor of Education in Reading in April 2006. Dr. Eldon L. McMurray has taught reading on all educational levels, from grade school to graduate school. He is a university professor, a textbook co-author, a scholar of brain-active learning, a researcher of best practices for teaching and learning effectiveness, and an award-winning educator. He served as the co-director of the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence at Utah Valley University.

He completed his Doctorate of Education in Reading at Brigham Young University in 2006. Following this, his postdoctoral research interests have focused on investigating and treating ocular-motor function, specifically the eye tracking during reading. This post-doctoral work has led to the development of the breakthrough approach known as Reading Vision Therapy used at Eyes Up Reading.

He has taught Reading and Critical Thinking, Power Reading and Learning Strategies, and Speed Reading at Utah Valley University, as well as developmental reading at Mt. Hood Community College, Literacy Foundations at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, and Brigham Young University.

Eldon has co-authored several textbooks, including "Accelerated Reading and Learning for Students and Professionals", "The Peer Mentor Companion", was a National Advisor to "Becoming a Master Student, 11th and 12th editions", and wrote his Doctoral dissertation on the "Impact of Metacognitive Reading Instruction on Student Self-efficacy".

Eldon was forced to take an early retirement from his teaching profession after he was diagnosed with several health issues. During his recovery, he began exploring new ways to continue contributing to those who might need his reading expertise. He discovered the best way to achieve this was to start an online service to help children and adults with eye-movement problems similar to ambylopia (lazy-eye) and strabismus (cross-eyed), or symptoms similar to dyslexia and ADHD, who wished to improve their reading skills. This includes students who are struggling readers and may be falling behind in their studies, adults who want to improve their reading skills or feel they are not good readers, and parents who want to help their children read more effectively. This includes homeschool parents who feel that they lack the expertise to teach their children to become excellent readers. Dr McMurray has the training and experience to assess eye-tracking problems or other issues that may be keeping children or adults from excelling in reading. This includes eye exercises and the development of eye coordination, as well as several reading drills.

At Eyes Up Reading, we are dedicated to helping as many people as we can, so when we charge for coaching, we keep the prices as low as possible, currently $39 for a 30-minute session for children and youth (ages 4-17), and $59 per session for adults (ages 18+). We are well aware that those who need our help the most are often unable to afford it. We actively seek patrons to help families. Our genuine desire is to help others, and we feel very blessed by the support of those who are already part of our journey. We provide an online Reading Vision Assessment where Dr. McMurray meets with students through a simple online Zoom meeting. He observes the eye movement patterns, listens to your child read, and can assess most eye-tracking problems that your child might be experiencing. He can then answer any questions you have and offer help or information that you can use to improve your or your child's reading. The assessment takes 15 minutes. It works best if the computer camera is positioned at eye level.

Michelle Novak

Reading Vision Assessment Specialist, Senior Certified Reading Vision Coach, Homeschool Mom

In 2022, I enrolled two of my children in Dr. McMurray’s vision-based reading program and simultaneously began training to become a certified reading vision coach. As a homeschooling parent with a deep commitment to education, I was amazed at the progress my children made—reading became smoother, easier, and far more enjoyable. This breakthrough inspired me to expand my role from mom to mentor, helping other families identify and overcome hidden vision-related obstacles that often go undetected in traditional academic evaluations.

My name is Michelle Novak, known to my students and families as “Coach M.” I’m a certified reading vision coach with a passion for supporting struggling readers through targeted, evidence-based methods that address the root causes of reading difficulty — especially issues with eye tracking and convergence. My professional background blends over a decade of hands-on homeschooling experience with specialized training in vision coaching support, allowing me to tailor lessons to a child’s individual learning style and developmental needs.

Before discovering Dr. McMurray’s program, I tried numerous curriculums and techniques with my own children. Despite strong verbal skills and a desire to read, my children continued to struggle with fluency and recognition, even after eye doctors confirmed they had 20/20 vision. It wasn’t until I connected with Dr. McMurray that I understood how eye-alignment and muscle-coordination can dramatically affect a child’s reading experience. What I once thought was a learning delay turned out to be a correctable visual processing issue.

This approach has transformed not only my children’s academic success, but also my professional focus. I now coach families across the country, helping parents gain clarity and confidence in supporting their children’s reading journey. My coaching sessions are one-on-one, highly personalized, and grounded in both science and empathy.

Outside of my coaching work, I live with my husband and four children on a working cattle ranch in Humansville, Missouri. After relocating from Minnesota several years ago, our family has embraced a hands-on lifestyle—raising grass-fed beef, chickens, pigs, ducks, and horses. What started as a personal health journey has grown into a homestead fueled by continuous learning, resourcefulness, and a commitment to wellness.

I bring this same mindset to my coaching practice: thoughtful, thorough, and always focused on equipping families with tools that truly make a difference.

Annica Jump

Brenna-Jean Hardy

Jade Nell

Meggie Weston

Jennifer Thompson

Why We Built This for You

If you’re here, you’ve likely tried everything.

You’ve watched your child try harder than anyone realizes.

You’ve seen the shutdowns, the doubt, the “I hate reading.”

We built this because we’ve lived it.

And we want to give your family what we never had:

The truth.

The fix.

The moment it all begins to click.

Schedule Your Reading Vision Assessment Today!

Your story is our story.

We understand how challenging it can be to watch your child struggle with reading. Kids deserve to read with confidence and ease.

Dr. McMurray has a doctorate in education and extensive research experience in ocular-motor function, ensuring personalized, effective reading vision coaching. We can address the eye movement skills and reading skills simultaneously.

Schedule a 15-minute online Reading Vision Assessment with Dr. McMurray or a Reading Vision Assessment Specialist.

Enroll in one-on-one coaching with a Certified Reading Vision Coach.

Watch your child make measurable progress while learning to love reading.

If your child is struggling with reading, choosing our program is the right step forward. Schedule your assessment now.

Enrolling in our program could mean the difference between:

Your child reading with confidence, enjoying books, and excelling academically, with you feel relieved and proud as they develop a love for reading

vs.

Your child continuing to struggle with reading as you feel anxious and helpless as opportunities for learning and growth are missed.

We were in your shoes not too long ago.

We're looking forward to your future testimonial... and who knows, you might even want to become a future Reading Vision Coach.

Schedule Your Reading Vision Assessment Today!

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Eyes Up Reading does not provide clinical diagnosis or prescription from state-licensed optometrists or ophthalmologists or orthoptists. We do not provide optometric vision therapy. We do not treat diagnosed visual disorders, strabismus, or amblyopia. We do not treat dyslexia, ADHD, or learning disabilities. Instead, we provide tutoring/educational intervention and we address visual-skills related to reading, particularly life-long eye-tracking issues that often contribute to most reading challenges.

If you need clinical vision therapy, please see a licensed professional.

Statements made within testimonials are the words and perspectives of the individuals sharing their stories and do not represent medical or optometric diagnoses, treatment claims, or professional medical opinions made by Eyes Up Reading. Testimonials shared on this website reflect the personal experiences and observations of individual students and families. Individual experiences and results may vary.