Susan Evans, OD
Vision Therapy & Pediatric Resident
Southern College of Optometry
The OEPF LRVP course is an incredible five-day course that offers comprehensive information on theory, testing techniques, and vision therapy activities for patients with learning related vision problems. Dr. Harris, one of the possible course instructors, guided optometrists and therapists through the complete framework for providing vision therapy, while masterfully weaving in practice management and patient care tips acquired from 30 years of private practice.
Two days of the course are spent on the theories related to learning related vision problems. How a child is "labeled" by teachers, doctors, and parents can have a dramatic impact on a child's future success. Often, schools group children by their apparent strengths and weaknesses. Thus, over time, the strengths get stronger while the weaknesses only get weaker. Dr. Harris also discusses how many labeled as "attention deficient," "hyperactive," or "dyslexic" may simply have a learning related visual problem, treatable with vision therapy.
Next, Dr. Harris goes through the appropriate tests needed to diagnose learning related visual problems. He offers six main tests necessary to assess a patient's oculomotor skills, reading eye movements, visual attention, visual motor integration, and concentration. He also discusses "early exit points" for each test. This is incredibly useful for patients that are severely struggling to complete our performance testing, when we already know a visual problem is present.
Another two days are spent walking through the vision therapy techniques on the LRVP grid. Course attendees get to actively participate in each therapy activity and discuss ideas for how to increase or decrease difficulty levels according to the needs of each patient. On the LRVP grid, patients begin by interacting with concrete, real objects before moving to the abstract, two-dimensions of words on a page. It's amazing to see therapists and optometrists who have been offering VT for years learn new ways to use their own equipment, like the marsden ball, chalkboard, and metronome.
The combination of theory, testing, and technique make this course invaluable for any optometrist or therapist who wants to expand their existing therapy curriculum and offer truly life-changing vision therapy care.
Vision Therapy & Pediatric Resident
Southern College of Optometry
The OEPF LRVP course is an incredible five-day course that offers comprehensive information on theory, testing techniques, and vision therapy activities for patients with learning related vision problems. Dr. Harris, one of the possible course instructors, guided optometrists and therapists through the complete framework for providing vision therapy, while masterfully weaving in practice management and patient care tips acquired from 30 years of private practice.
Two days of the course are spent on the theories related to learning related vision problems. How a child is "labeled" by teachers, doctors, and parents can have a dramatic impact on a child's future success. Often, schools group children by their apparent strengths and weaknesses. Thus, over time, the strengths get stronger while the weaknesses only get weaker. Dr. Harris also discusses how many labeled as "attention deficient," "hyperactive," or "dyslexic" may simply have a learning related visual problem, treatable with vision therapy.
Next, Dr. Harris goes through the appropriate tests needed to diagnose learning related visual problems. He offers six main tests necessary to assess a patient's oculomotor skills, reading eye movements, visual attention, visual motor integration, and concentration. He also discusses "early exit points" for each test. This is incredibly useful for patients that are severely struggling to complete our performance testing, when we already know a visual problem is present.
Another two days are spent walking through the vision therapy techniques on the LRVP grid. Course attendees get to actively participate in each therapy activity and discuss ideas for how to increase or decrease difficulty levels according to the needs of each patient. On the LRVP grid, patients begin by interacting with concrete, real objects before moving to the abstract, two-dimensions of words on a page. It's amazing to see therapists and optometrists who have been offering VT for years learn new ways to use their own equipment, like the marsden ball, chalkboard, and metronome.
The combination of theory, testing, and technique make this course invaluable for any optometrist or therapist who wants to expand their existing therapy curriculum and offer truly life-changing vision therapy care.
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