LowVision.com - Your Low Vision Resource Center

1. The Role of Occupational Therapy in Working with Older Adults with Low Vision
An exciting new specialty for occupational therapists is low vision rehabilitation. In 1991, the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration changed its definition of physical disability to include Visual Impairment, opening the door for occupational therapy to assess and treat the rehabilitation needs of millions of Medicare recipients who have a primary diagnosis of visual impairment (other than adult brain injury). AOTA has recognized low vision rehabilitation as one of the top 10 emerging practice areas in the new millennium, and has established a low vision specialty. Low vision rehabilitation is necessary in nearly all practice settings, and can offer short-term treatment plans that fit into many facility’s business models. This course addresses the critical shortage of OTs and OTAs in this field by helping them understand how to provide low vision rehabilitation services within an existing or new practice. The faculty includes leading professionals in Occupational Therapy. Course outline located below.

2. Low Vision Rehabilitation for the Primary Care Optometrist
This online course provides a comprehensive overview of what is needed to create a state-of-the-art low vision practice within an existing opthamology or optometry practice. Upon completion of this educational activity, the attendee will be able to identify patients who are good candidates for low vision care; evaluate space, equipment, staffing/training needs and reimbursement policies related to adding low vision to an existing practice environment; and list resources for referral options for those patients who need vision rehabilitation services beyond what is offered in the private office. The faculty includes leading professionals in Optometry. Course outline located below.

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The Role of Occupational Therapy in Working with Older Adults with Low Vision Course Schedule:

8:00 - 9:15 PDT
Optometric Assessment and Treatment
Bill Takeshita, OD, FAAO

• Anatomy and physiology of the eye
• Ocular pathology
• Interpreting medical reports and test results
• Visual function measurement
• Understanding the impact of scotomas and PRLs
• Vision enhancement
• Ophthalmology/optometry and occupational therapy working together

9:15 - 9:45 PDT
Low Vision Optics and Optical Devices
Bill Mattingly, MA, ABOM, HFOAA

• Basic optics of low vision devices
• Advantages and disadvantages of low vision optical devices, including magnifiers, spectacles, telescopes, telemicroscopes and absorptive lenses
• Application of low vision devices for reading, writing, TV viewing, mobility, driving, and glare

10:00 - 9:45 PDT
Low Vision Optics and Optical Devices
Bill Mattingly, MA, ABOM, HFOAA

• How to Find the Best PRL (Preferred Retinal Locus)
• Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope Imagery of Scotomas and PRL’s
• Maximizing the Use of PRL’s

9:45 - 2:00 PDT
Assessment and Training in the Use of PRL’s

Jennifer Kaldenberg, MSA, OTR/L, SCLV, CLVT and
Sue Berger, MS, OTR/L, BCG

• Impact of visual impairment on occupational performance
• Background information, terminology and demographics
• Occupational Therapy Low Vision Screening - acuity, contrast, visual field
• Occupational Therapy Low Vision Evaluation - areas of occupational performance
• Occupational Therapy Intervention Strategies
• The Medicare system - documentation, billing (state to state regulations)
• How to develop relationships with referral sources
• Resources for continuing competence
• Q&A

Course Date/Time:
August 24, 2007
8:00pm - 2:00pm OR 2:00pm-8:00pm (U.S. Pacific Daylight Time)
9:00pm - 3:00pm OR 3:00pm-9:00pm (U.S. Mountain Daylight Time)
10:00pm - 4:00pm OR 4:00pm-10:00pm (U.S. Central Daylight Time)
11:00pm - 5:00pm OR 5:00pm-11:00pm (U.S. Eastern Daylight Time)
(Please note the applicable time schedule for your time zone)

Seminar Fee:
$195.00 ($225.00 after August 10th, 2007)

Registration:
Please call LowVision.com to register at: (800) 826-4200 x238

Information:
For additional course information, please call (800) 826-4200 or email us at: OTCourse@LowVision.com

To request a free Low Vision Catalog Please Call (800) 826-4200

Note: Seminar fee payment date is determined by postmark date of payment, or date of fax or telephone call if payment is made by credit card. No refunds will me made within two weeks of the applicable seminar date. We reserve the right to cancel the seminar and refund full payment for due cause. The seminar is for the sole benefit of the profession of occupational therapy, and is not open to other professions, the public or salespeople.

The Faculty:

Jennifer Kaldenberg, MSA, OTR/L, SCLV, CLVT is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Vision Rehabilitation at the New England College of Optometry and the Director of Occupational Therapy at their clinical affiliate, the New England Eye Institute. Her primary teaching responsibilities include instructing in the Geriatric Low Vision Course as well as teaching the role of OT in vision rehabilitation. She has earned specialty certification in low vision from the AOTA and is a certified Low Vision therapist through ACVREP. She was a member of the AOTASB low vision panel. She is currently involved in research in the area of the impact of the environment on visual function. She has spoken both locally and nationally and has published on subjects related to low vision rehabilitation.

Sue Berger, MS, OTR/L, BCG is a clinical assistant professor at

Boston

University in the Department of Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Counseling and a doctoral student in Gerontology at the

University of

Massachusetts,

Boston. Her clinical practice and research focuses in the area of gerontology, specifically with older adults living with vision loss. Her current research involves exploring the relationship between low vision and functional disability along with understanding the adaptation process to vision loss Sue was an AOTASB panel member for board certification in gerontology and is currently a reviewer for this AOTA certification process. She is also a member of the Roster of Accreditation Evaluators for the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). She has spoken nationally and internationally on low vision rehabilitation.
Bill Takeshita, OD, FAAO is a past adjunct professor of the University of Missouri at St. Louis College of Optometry and is presently an adjunct professor of the Southern California College of Optometry. Dr. Takeshita frequently teaches courses in low vision and vision development to optometrists, ophthalmologists, and allied professionals from Australia, Japan, South Africa, Thailand, and Singapore. Dr. Takeshita also serves as a guest faculty member for occupational therapy programs at California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Dominguez, and the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2004, Dr. Takeshita was forced to retire from practice after he ironically lost his own vision due to a retinal degenerative disease. His personal experience of transitioning from a fully sighted eye care professional to a legally blind individual provided him with a unique perspective and understanding of how vision impairment affects the lives of millions of Americans. Since his retirement, Dr. Takeshita works closely with numerous school districts, regional centers, and agencies that serve the visually impaired in Southern California. Presently, Dr. Takeshita is the Chief of Optometric Services at the Center for the Partially Sighted where he lectures and trains optometric interns and resident doctors on low vision. In addition, Dr. Takeshita is the Director of Low Vision Services at the Braille Institute of America and also is a consultant to numerous agencies that serve the blind and visually impaired.
William B. Mattingly, MA, ABOM, HFOAA is Vice President of Optelec U.S., part of Optelec International, which is the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of low vision optical and blindness products. Bill is an ABO Master in Ophthalmic Optics and has a Master’s Degree in the field of Low Vision and Blindness Rehabilitation. He was the low vision clinic coordinator for six years at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation Department of Ophthalmology in La Jolla, CA, and has also participated in clinical optical rehabilitation for eleven other low vision clinics. He has taught daily living skills and orientation and mobility and has been an Adjunct Professor in Special Education at San Diego State University. He presently serves on the Education Committee of the Vision Council of America (VCA), and is on the Steering Committee of the VCA Low Vision Division. Bill lectures throughout the United States on low vision rehabilitation. Among his publications are “Advanced Low Vision Optics” in the Journal of Ophthalmic Nursing and Technology and co-author of “Low Vision Magnifiers � Their Optical Parameters and Methods for Prescribing” in Optometry Vision and Science.

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Low Vision Rehabilitation for the Primary Care Optometrist Course Schedule:

Part 1: The benefits of providing low vision

• The demand for low vision will increase as the American population ages
• Low vision is a unique aspect of optometry that is not threatened by commercial optometry or ophthalmology
• Low vision utilizes the training of optometrists, including visual science, optics, pathology, vision therapy, and dispensing
• The social and financial benefits of providing low vision rehabilitation to the community

Part 2: How to get started

• The low vision examination
• Distance and near visual acuity
• Low vision refraction
• Relative size, distance, and angular magnification
• Calculation of magnification demand
• Spectacle mounted low vision aids
• Optical low vision aids
• Electronic low vision aids

Part 3: Non-optometric recommendations

• Independent living skills services
• Orientation and mobility
• Social support services
• Psychological counseling
• Low vision aids training and vision therapy

Part 4: What the optometrist needs to get started

• Equipment to perform low vision examination
• Diagnostic optical aids
• Assistive technology and video magnifiers
• Forms and applications
• Billing information
• 30 minute Q&A to follow after the course (not required for CE Credits)

Registration Information:

Course Date/Time:
August 2, 2007
8:00pm - 2:00pm OR 2:00pm-8:00pm (U.S. Pacific Daylight Time)
9:00pm - 3:00pm OR 3:00pm-9:00pm (U.S. Mountain Daylight Time)
10:00pm - 4:00pm OR 4:00pm-10:00pm (U.S. Central Daylight Time)
11:00pm - 5:00pm OR 5:00pm-11:00pm (U.S. Eastern Daylight Time)
(Pick one of the two offerings that works for your schedule. Please note the applicable time schedule for your time zone)

Seminar Fee:
FREE OF CHARGE!

Registration:
Please call LowVision.com to register at: (800) 826-4200

Information:
For additional course information, please call (800) 826-4200 or email us at ODCourse@LowVision.com

Note: The seminar is for the sole benefit of optometrists and is not open to other professions, the public or salespeople.

The Faculty:
Dr. Bill Takeshita OD, FAAO, FCOVD is a low vision optometrist who works with children and adults with severe vision impairment. Dr. Takeshita performed his undergraduate studies at UCLA before receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Science and a Doctorate Degree in Optometry from the Southern California College of Optometry. Dr. Takeshita is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

Dr. Takeshita developed the first pediatric optometric low vision program in Southern California in 1988 at the Center for the Partially Sighted, a non-profit multi-disciplinary low vision rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, California. The Children’s program at the Center has grown to be one of the largest pediatric low vision clinics in the western United States, treating children with neurological vision impairment, optic nerve hypoplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, and amblyopia. Dr. Takeshita has lectured extensively on the topics of low vision rehabilitation, vision development, and vision and learning. Dr. Takeshita is a past adjunct professor of the University of Missouri at St. Louis College of Optometry and is presently an adjunct professor of the Southern California College of Optometry. He frequently teaches courses in low vision and vision development to optometrists, ophthalmologists, and allied professionals from Australia, Japan, South Africa, Thailand, and Singapore. Dr. Takeshita also serves as a guest faculty member at California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Dominguez, and the University of California, Los Angeles.

In 2004, Dr. Takeshita was forced to retire from practice after he ironically lost his own vision due to a retinal degenerative disease. His personal experience of transitioning from a fully sighted eye care professional to a legally blind individual provided him with a unique perspective and understanding of how vision impairment affects the lives of thousands of Americans. Since his retirement, Dr. Takeshita works closely with numerous school districts, regional centers, and agencies that serve the visually impaired in Southern California. Presently, Dr. Takeshita is the Chief of Optometric Services at the Center for the Partially Sighted where he lectures and trains optometric interns and resident doctors on low vision. In addition, Dr. Takeshita is the Director of Low Vision Services at the Braille Institute of America and also is a consultant to numerous agencies that serve the blind and visually impaired.

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