Brain Injury and the Vision System: More Than Meets the Eye – Focus on Adult Populations

Presenter:  Dr. Cheryl Letheren, B.Sc. OD FAAO

Thursday, May 11, 2017

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Edmonton, Alberta

This workshop is designed to enhance your knowledge of the anatomy of the vision pathways and neuro-optometric theories. In particular, the enriched strategies, practices and hands-on approach gained from this workshop will expand your understanding of development, behaviour, motion and, most of all, what your patient actually sees and recognizes from the world around them. Participants will review various cases, assessments and treatments. Whether you work in orthopedics, mental health, oncology or geriatrics, this vision workshop will help you develop new and impactful skills needed to improve the occupational performance of your clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and be aware of the signs and symptoms of visually based problems after brain injury;
• Gain a deeper understanding of the Big Six and their many treatment techniques that may be quickly incorporated into practice. The Big Six will include diplopia in all forms; visual Field defects such stroke-based and ambient field collapse in concussion; attention issues; multi-tasking dysfunction; post-trauma vision syndrome and visual midline shift syndrome;
• Discuss vision and related diagnosis to include injury such as whiplash or concussion, stroke, aneurysm and diseases such as MS or Parkinson’s;
• Review assessments, treatments and cases showing new treatments such as software programs, optometric vision therapy, prisms, lenses, counselling, Field Expansion;
• Gain an appreciation of neuro-optometric theories and practice comprising:
  • development, behaviour, motion and, most of all, what your client actually sees and understands from the world around them,
  • therapists enhancement/engagement in collaboration with an optometrist, and forming relationships with other health professionals, and
  • guide client referrals and practical treatment options.

Break refreshments included. Lunch is on your own. Certificates of attendance will be issued to all participants.

About the Presenter

Dr Cheryl Letheren has had more than 14 years of experience with vision rehabilitation. She has been on staff at Parkwood Hospital, a rehabilitation facility, for the last seven years, seeing acute in-patient and out-patient brain injury, complex care and stroke patients; she also acts as a consultant for adult concussion patients. Recently, Dr. Letheren has been trained in ImPact, a concussion assessment tool. She helped to form the first multidisciplinary team to assess and treat brain injury patients in a hospital setting in Canada. Most recently, Cheryl has been completing the three part program, Neuro-Visual-Postural Therapy by Dr. W. Padula, a world expert in brain injury.

In her private office, Dr Letheren does consults for patients with chronic conditions, motor vehicle injuries, head injuries, developmental conditions, learning disabilities and concussions in adults and children. Together with her highly qualified vision therapist, who is an internationally trained Optometrist herself, Dr Letheren provides assessment and treatment for binocular vision problems, strabismus, amblyopia, learning difficulties, autism, and sports vision as well as concussions and head injury.

Dr. Letheren earned her fellowship with the American Academy of Optometry in 1995. She has completed the Optometric Extension Program’s core curriculum courses, the vestibular integration course and primary reflex integration program and is a member of OEPF. She is a member of and fellowship applicant for the College of Vision Development, a behavioural vision association, and has attended numerous courses in brain injury and learning development. She is a member of and fellowship applicant in NORA, the neuro-optometric rehabilitation association, which is a multi-disciplinary association for brain injury rehabilitation, and has completed the clinical skills program.

Dr. Letheren is the former chief of optometry for TLC, the Laser Centre in London, Ontario (1995-2000). She is a graduate of Western University in physiology and has her Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo. She did additional training at the school of Optometry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr Letheren has been in private practice in central London for over 24 years.