On November 12, 2010, 19 Residents from the State University of New York (SUNY) State College of Optometry visited The Vision & Learning Center at Family Eyecare Associates, P.C., in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, to participate in a day long seminar on Amblyopia as a Window to Neuroplasticity in the Visual System:
Amblyopia as a Window to Neural Plasticity in the Visual System 2010
The Residents from the SUNY system represent not just Pediatrics, Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation, but include Ocular Disease, Cornea and Contact Lenses. Their placement ranges from Institutional Practice to the Veterans’ Administration Hospital System. As you’ll note in the PowerPoint, the emphasis is on the application of research in amblyopia to clinical practice. Amblyopia is now viewed as a developmental disorder of spatial vision that has implications for neuroplasticity of the visual system through the lifespan. The topic therefore cuts across all lines, and serves as a way of maintaining a broad view of the visual system with opportunities to apply the full range of optometric knowledge.
This year, the first in which I am serving as a site supervisor for the Private Practice Residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation under the auspices of the Southern College of Optometry, gives the seminar which I’ll be conducting with the assistance of our Resident, Michelle Brennan, O.D., added significance.
I hope you find the PowerPoint to be a useful educational reference.
Enjoy!
Leonard J. Press, O.D, FCOVD, FAAO
The VisionHelp Blog 
Beautifully done, excellent powerpoint presentation. I’m certain the seminar was a great success!
Thanks, Barry. They’re an excellent bunch,and if you haven’t done your Friday seminar with them yet, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the interaction as well.
Hi, Lenny—great job! We need more of this in optometry. Ken Ciuffreda
Thanks, Ken. Barry does a program yearly with the SUNY Residents in his office as well. I’m optimistic that as more quality private practice residencies are added, particularly in areas in proximity to Colleges of Optometry, this type of synergy will become more commonplace.
Wonderful! I am so glad you are able to be a part of our resident programs at SUNY. The VT residents loved it.
Thanks, Esther. I’m never quite sure who loves it more, me or them, but suffice it to say that I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It is such a joy to interact with the caliber of Residents that SUNY has. Thanks to you and the faculty who interact with them for helping shape such a phenomenal year of post-graduate growth.
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Great presentation Lenny. How wonderful for you to share your resources with colleagues. We should do more of it.
My pleasure, Ida, and thanks for the kind words.
Hi there – My daughter is 4.5 and recently diagnosed with Amblyopia (Nov 2010). Her eyes don’t ‘see’ together and she’s reliant upon her left eye as her right eye has approx 10% vision – as described by the Opthamologist to try to help me understand the difference in her vision.
She’s been fitted for contact lenses and wears them every day. During the daily 2 hour patching therapy I am usually able to get her to do approx 1 hour of puzzles/games/colouring/playing with Sylvanian Families toys (miniature toys with tiny accessories). As you can imagine, her attention span at 4.5 years is limited.
Her contact lens prescription is
Right Eye +8.00 / -2.25 x 010
Left Eye +4.00 / -0.75 x 180
My question to you is ‘what is vision therapy / push-pull therapy’ as opposed to patch therapy and where can I access this for my daughter here in Adelaide, South Australia?
We just had her check up and whilst the vision in her right weak eye has improved, the two eyes aren’t ‘seeing together’.
I do hope you can help me find some resources to give my daughter the best chance of improving her vision.
Kerri,
You can find a directory of providers here.
Thank you Len – much appreciated.
my pleasure
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