Optimal Vision Performance: Enhancing Visual Function from Development to Rehabilitation to High Level Athletic Skill

Friday September 21, 2018 - Sunday September 23, 2018

CVTC 2018 Brochure

Registration is now open for the 2018 CVTC featuring past-President of COVD Dr. Kara Heying! Twelve hours of CE offered in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

Register Here:

https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=2444336

Breaking through Boundaries

Part 1 of the presentation will focus on the vision and learning testing strategies and therapeutic interventions specific to children with general binocular vision disorders, tracking delays, and visual abnormalities that are compounded due to other learning disabilities, autism, dyslexia and attention deficits. They will explore the early intervention protocols for the very young children in their practice that they utilize for establishing better visual development despite developmental delays, strabismus or risk of amblyopia.  These protocols are coined “early intervention vision therapy” and delivered in a very specific manner for maximum outcome.  Strabismus surgery co-management and professional opinions regarding their pre and post-operative therapeutic care will be discussed.  In addition, the use of visual evoked potentials, exploration of yoked prism and use of tints for improved remediation and performance, and integration of nutrients and supplements will be explored.  Coordination of care with clinical and educational psychologists, reading teachers, occupational therapists, counselors and chiropractors will be investigated.

Part 2 will focus on how we incorporate sports vision both in and outside of our office setting.  We have been fortunate to have extensive experience with D1 and D3 level athletic programs in our state, and will give you a glimpse into how we deliver the very exciting performance work we do with these highly successful teams.  More awareness for vision therapy is necessary when developing relationships with area colleges and universities, and we will share our strategies and triumphs in opening the minds of medical doctors, athletic trainers, coaches and student athletes.  Conclusions on how the technology and tools available for sports vision are not a replacement for the knowledge of a developmentally trained optometrist and strategies for aligning yourself with more local programs will be discussed.  We will also present a practice management plan for adding more sports vision work into your vision therapy practice, and help you create a template for empowering coaches as the first line of defense for undiagnosed vision problems.  We recognize that sports vision is an enormous underutilized pathway to reducing the amount of undiagnosed vision problems in our country.

Part 3 encompasses our role in the multi-disciplinary care of the traumatic brain injured patient.  As a busy primary care practice, we believe in fully educating our patients about the role the developmental optometrist has in the rehabilitation of these complex clinical cases.  We will describe the pitfalls we encountered in developing such procedures and the current success of our baseline testing program called PEP (Prepare, Equip and Protect).  This elective fee for service add-on is offered by all our doctors to all our patients during their comprehensive vision examination.  Additionally we will discuss our clinical and therapeutic methods for sorting out the visual and vestibular etiologies for dizziness.  We will incorporate hands-on demonstrations, review specific post-concussion and ABI cases and share our best referral successes for treating additional vestibular, medical or cervical needs of these patients.

Bridging science and common sense for better outcomes, improved clinical care, development of professional relationships and patient experience.

Dr. Kara Heying graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry in 1998.  Upon graduating, Dr. Heying received highest honors in the area of pediatric clinical training and also received the Cribb Scholarship for exemplary patient care performance. After graduating, she returned to her home town of Cedar Rapids, IA and began in private practice. Building upon her interest in children’s eyecare, she developed an emphasis within the private practice she joined including children’s vision care and vision therapy.

Today, she is a fellowship trained Developmental Optometrist with the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), serves as a past president of COVD, and consults on VT related services through the Williams Consulting Group. She is married and has 3 daughters.

Featured Lecturer:

Dr. Kara Heying

Cedar Rapids Eye Care

4207 Glass Rd NE

Cedar Rapids, IA 52402