Practice History

Dr. Roger Dowis began providing vision therapy services to the Boulder community in 1976 at the Boulder Vision Center. In 2001, he sold the main office location to his associate to enter into a vision therapy and rehabilitation only practice. Dr. Dowis opened the first vision therapy referral center in the state of Colorado: “Dowis Vision Therapy Center,” later in 2001. Dr. Dowis fully retired in 2019, although he still is an active member of our staff training meetings. His legacy of helping develop children’s vision and enhance adult visual performance will continue through the Dowis Vision Therapy Scholarship.

Dr. Jen Simonson began training in vision therapy in 2000, working as a vision therapist in Westerville, Ohio at Professional Vision Care. She continued working as a vision therapist once accepted into optometry school. Dr. Simonson also worked in the Ohio State University College of Optometry Binocular Vision and Pediatrics Clinic in 2001 and became a Research Assistant in the department in 2002. Dr. Simonson completed externship training at the Vision Development Center in La Jolla, CA and at Family Vision Care in San Diego, CA in 2003. She is a 2003 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Optometry. Dr. Jen Simonson practiced as an associate for five years in Centennial, Colorado at Highline Vision Center. She completed her post-doctoral Fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD) in 2006. Dr. Jen Simonson became the director of clinical services at Boulder Valley Vision Therapy in 2008.

In 2013, Dr. Simonson launched the Opto App and designed the Stereoscope for iPad with Gerull Labs, Inc. In 2016, Dr. Simonson published her first children’s book “My Perfect Vision” in June. In December 2016, her second book “My Double Vision” was published. July 2017 saw the publishing of Dr. Simonson’s third book, “My Jumbled Vision” and the following year “My Mismatched Vision.” Over 1000 copies of these books have been sold. In March 2020, Boulder Valley Vision Therapy center was moved to a newly renovated building at the corner of 28th Street and Valmont Rd.

In 2023, FCOVD certification will be renamed the FOVDR – Fellowship in Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation to more accurately include the work done to improve function in patients who experienced injury. On October 12, 2023 Dr. Simonson completed a second fellowship, FAAO, which is Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.