Vision Education Seminars

Vision Education Seminars sponsors continuing education courses for occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, and educators of the visually impaired.

This website is designed as a resource for information about vision, vision rehabilitation and vision therapy.

 
Vision Education Services
 
 

Understanding and Managing Visual Deficits: A Guide for Occupational Therapists

Suggested Audience
This seminar is designed for therapists and assistants (occupational, physical, speech) who work with either the pediatric, acquired brain injury or the elderly population, and teachers (preschool, special and early education, visually impaired).
Course Description
This seminar is designed to help therapists develop a comprehensive understanding of vision and how vision can impact on the therapy process. A three component model of vision will be presented stressing the importance of optical, visual efficiency and visual information processing disorders. A screening battery that allows therapists to test for the most common vision problems will be presented. Treatment options will be discussed at length including both compensatory strategies and rehabilitative techniques (vision therapy). A therapy sequence for eye movement and visual processing disorders will be presented. Case studies will be used throughout the presentation. Testing and intervention techniques presented will be applicable to the pediatric, acquired brain injury and elderly populations.

11.5 hours of continuing education credit (1.15 CEUs)

Learning Objectives
  • Understand the complexity of the visual system
  • Identify the 3 major components of the visual system
  • Describe how various vision deficits affect performance in play, learning, work and sports
  • Administer a screening battery to identify common vision disorders that can affect therapy
  • Understand the various treatment approaches available
  • Plan and implement compensatory strategies to manage vision problems interfering with therapy
  • Plan and implement direct intervention to manage vision problems interfering with therapy
Day One
8:30-4:00
Designed for those who are interested in developing a comprehensive understanding of vision, how to screen for vision problems and how vision deficits may affect performance.
I.Three Component Model
II.Acuity, Optics, Disease
III.Visual Efficiency Problems Binocular vision (eye teaming) problems
Accommodative (focusing) problems
Ocular motility (eye movement) disorders
IV.Visual Processing Problems Laterality and Directionality
Visual Form Perception
Visual Memory
Visual Motor Integration
V.Vision Problems by Population Learning Disabled population
Developmentally delayed population
Brain Injury population
Elderly population
VI.Screening For Visual Problems Screening for: Acuity, Optical Problems
Visual Field Deficits
Accommodative Disorders
Binocular Vision Disorders
Eye Movement Disorders
Visual Information Processing Disorders
Day Two
8:30-4:00
Designed primarily for therapists who want to learn how to manage vision problems in therapy.
VII.Optometric Treatment Use of Lenses, Prism, Vision Therapy
VIII.Intervention Techniques for Therapists Helping the patient to compensate for visual deficits
IX.Direct Intervention Techniques including Vision Therapy
Pediatric Population
Brain Injury Population
Elderly Population
Purpose
This 2-day workshop will provide you with practical applications that you can use immediately to achieve results

Course Reviews

The materiel provided in this two=day workshop gave a great overview of the components of visual functioning, difference of remediation and compensation and normative data for screenings to help with generating referrals to get work-up/therapy/intervention. The lecture was informative and utilized intelligent humor, too! Mitchell was very generous with treatment ideas, compensation strategies, practical information. Fantastic workshop that empowered me immediately!

Alison Courson, OTR/L - National City, CA

Professionally and personally, this has been the most informative and applicable workshop I've taken in years.

Sherri Toft, OTR - Sumner, WA

Overall, I have to agree with past and current OT colleagues that this is an incredibly engaging, yet informative and practical workshop. I just keep thinking "why didn't I learn this in school?" I acquired a serious tool in my professional toolbox.

Patty Gonzalez - Redondo Beach, CA

I thought this was an excellent workshop that provided useful information on treatment of vision in any setting as it related to OT.

Stephanie Ramser, OTR - Ann Arbor, MI

This presentation was very well organized. You thoroughly covered all topics effectively combining both evaluation and treatment of both children and adults.

Carmela Battaglia, OTR - Pittsburgh, PA

This class was one of the few classes that I did not have to fight with staying awake. I already had a pretty good base, but it helped to clarify and it was nice to see some of the techniques I am already ding. It also helped with what an OT can and cannot do.

Warrie Walser, Wichita, TX

It is so refreshing to have our profession (OT) valued by a professional of your caliber. It would be so nice to have a course similar to yours offered in OT school instead of a few short lectures on this topic. I will be taking lots of valuable information from this course back to my rural practice where I work with all populations. Thank you for all of the resources, forms, and activities we can use immediately.

Heidi Bitney, OTR/L - O'Neill, NE

I am a PT and gave >30 years experience working with a variety of diagnoses and age groups. I attended this seminar for increased awareness in the area of visual deficits. Eve tough the workshop is geared toward OT treatment, many of the techniques can be incorporated into the PT scope of rehabilitation.

Mary Smith, OT - Ventura, CA

Great workshop - very practical and useful information. You were very easy to listen to and the handbook and resources were very helpful.

Lisa Nathanson, OTR - Erie, PA

I really liked this presentation because the notes and presentation slides were very organized and Mitchell was brilliant to include "auditory" and "visual" beaks. I also liked the fact that he allowed question sin between so that they could be dealt with immediately. Very appropriate for OTs and this workshop definitely met all objectives. It was really great and fun!!

Sarah Yeow, OTR - Singapore

Dr. Scheiman's presentation was very engaging and informative. Great audiovisual skills and use of technology. Great information that can be applied in the hospital setting.

Roger Kim, Long beach, CA

The workshop was excellent! I have learned more practical information in 2 days than I learned in many other conferences I have been to in the past.

Julie Constable, OTR - Moon Township, PA

Vision Education Seminars
151 Summit Lane
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

800-985-1752
visionedseminars@comcast.net

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