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Course Description

Expand Your Expertise in Vision Rehabilitation with Leading Experts

Advance your skills in vision rehabilitation with this dynamic recorded conference experience. This self-paced, on-demand course features leading experts sharing innovative strategies, hands-on activities, and real-world case studies — all designed to elevate your therapeutic practice. Whether you're aiming to improve visual efficiency, develop spatial awareness, or refine visual processing techniques, this course equips you with practical tools to create meaningful client outcomes. Learn on your schedule, revisit sessions as needed, and gain insights to transform your vision therapy approach.


Session 1: Setting the Stage for Vision Rehab

Begin with a foundational review of essential vision concepts and terminology. Designed for intermediate-level therapists, this session builds a shared clinical language to prepare you for the deeper dives ahead. Includes key insights into recognizing dyslexia through the lens of vision rehab.


Session 2 – Vision Efficiency and Spatial Mastery

Part A: Eye catching activities for spatial awareness, reflex integration and visual information processing

Explore the crucial connections between spatial awareness, primitive reflexes, and visual processing. This session addresses complex visual challenges like field cuts, inattention, and compressed visual fields, highlighting how non-integrated reflexes affect function. Learn to integrate central and peripheral vision, reflexes, and visual processing to improve balance, posture, and overall outcomes. Designed for vision rehab professionals, this course provides actionable, budget-friendly interventions.

Part B: Eye-catching Activities for the Remediation of Visual Efficiency Skills

Over half of the brain is dedicated to vision, influencing nearly every aspect of daily function. This 4-hour session dives into visual efficiency, covering saccades, pursuits, vergence, and accommodation. Through activities, video examples, and interactive discussions, you’ll learn to design and adapt activities that strengthen visual efficiency within occupational therapy practice. Participants will leave with targeted treatment plans and modification techniques to meet unique client needs. Ready-to-implement strategies ensure enhanced therapeutic outcomes across all ages.


Session 3 – Interactive Case Studies and Roundtable

Case Studies:

This 3-hour session offers interactive case studies, covering clinical reasoning, goal-setting, and intervention strategies for pediatric and neurological cases. Participants are encouraged to discuss and deepen their understanding, refining their clinical approach.

Roundtable Discussion:

Reflect on the conference insights, share experiences, and collaborate on future educational needs in this closing session, connecting with instructors, hosts, and fellow attendees.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • S1 Identify the anatomy and physiology of the visual system
  • S1: Contrast the function of the dorsal and ventral streams
  • S1: Discuss refractive status and the lenses used to correct these conditions
  • S1: Execute an assessment of ocular motor and near vision focusing
  • S1: Identify signs of dorsal stream dysfunction
  • S1: Differentiate dyslexia from ocular motor dysfunction
  • S2A: Identify three areas of vision that can be treated to improve visual efficiency.
  • S2A: Describe how to grade treatment in each skill area of eye movements, vergence, and accommodation to improve vision efficiency.
  • S2A: Develop a goal for motor vision functional activity.
  • S2A: Apply guidelines for grading intervention activities to effectively progress your clients.
  • S2A: Explain fundamental concepts for effective clinical reasoning when providing visual efficiency skill remediation.
  • S2B: Differentiate the characteristics between field cuts, inattention, neglect and compressed visual fields and initiate compensatory and remedial approaches to address deficits through occupational therapy interventions
  • S2B: Initiate compensatory and remedial approaches to address deficits through occupational therapy interventions
  • S2B: Identify how primitive reflexes impact visual skills and examine how to integrate or reintegrate those reflexes for functional return, regardless of age
  • S2B: Analyze how visual information processing impacts balance and establish functional VIP treatment plans for improved overall performance in life roles
  • S2B: Create successful visually loaded treatment sessions that can be graded according to client’s level of function
  • S3: Demonstrate a framework for developing a treatment plan to improve visual skills affecting function
  • S3: Develop activities to improve visual skills
  • S3: Identify through interview and objective assessment vision-based root causes of functional deficits

Suzanne Briggs

OTD, OTR/L

Suzanne Briggs, OTD, OTR/L, has been practicing occupational therapy in acute, inpatient rehabilitation, and outpatient throughout her 20-year career. Her area of focus is rehabilitation after neurological events, including vision rehabilitation. She currently works at Centura Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic in Colorado Springs, CO. She provides services to children and adults who have experienced acquired brain injuries or other physical/neurological concerns.

Suzanne received her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Salus University in 2023 with a certification in remedial vision rehabilitation. Suzanne graduated Summa Cum Laude and received the Alumni Association Award for Top Graduate. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and is interested in research involving remedial vision and acquired brain injury. She is also a member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), which facilitates the collaboration of multiple disciplines for successful outcomes for patients with neurological diagnoses. Suzanne was trained in NDT and is SAEBO certified.

Suzanne developed a passion for remedial vision rehabilitation when working with acquired brain injury patients who had vision limitations. This passion led her to further her education in remedial vision. Suzanne has developed the remedial vision program at her clinic and provides treatment in collaboration with neuro-optometrists. Her patients also benefit from her extensive mCIT, stroke recovery, and concussion knowledge. Suzanne has presented as a guest lecturer at local brain injury support groups, universities, and hospital professionals.

Suzanne provides her patients with evidence-based treatments to improve vision limitations and improve vision-related function. She plans to use her degree to advance the support of occupational therapy’s role in remedial vision rehabilitation through research, education, and successful patient care.


Alicia Reiser

PPOTD, MS OTR/L, ADHD-CRP

Alicia Reiser, PPOTD, MS OTR/L, ADHD-CRP graduated from Misericordia University in 2001 with her Master’s degree and found her passion shortly thereafter within the neurological population. After several years in inpatient rehab centers, she transitioned settings to outpatient where she established her love for vision and wanted to learn more. She obtained her clinical doctorate in vision remediation from Salus at Drexel University (Philadelphia College of Optometry) in 2018 and grew her private practice to treat those with concussion and other brain-based diagnoses. She works closely with optometry and uses a collaborative approach when treating visual inefficiencies, using an integrative model to improve her patient’s brain, body, function and life.

Locally, she is on the Cedar Crest College Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program Advisory Board. Her published research includes Concussion-Related Vision Disorder Practice Patterns in Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Curricula Patterns for Acquired Brain Injury-Related Vision Disorders for Entry-Level Programs. Most recently, she has co-authored 2 chapters in Dr. Mitchell Scheiman’s Understanding and Managing Visual Deficits: A Guide for Occupational Therapists. Alicia is an ADHD certified rehab provider and has a special interest in those with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Financial Disclosure: Alicia Reiser has an employment relationship with NeuroOT Consulting. She receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course and paid royalties on sale of authored books from Amazon. She is an affiliate for TruVaga Vagus Nerve Stimulator.



Amber Fessler

OTD, MS, OTR/L

Amber Fessler, OTD, MS, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist of eighteen years residing in Rapid City, SD. She
graduated from the University of Mary with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2004 and completed her
Doctorate of Occupational Therapy with a specialty certification in Remedial Vision Rehabilitation from Salus University in
2020. Amber has a diverse clinical background in pediatrics having worked in early intervention, public school, outpatient,
and vision therapy clinic settings. Currently, she is the owner and occupational therapy practitioner of a private practice
focusing on pediatrics with learning-related vision deficits in close collaboration with optometry doctors. She is a
contributing author for book chapters in the upcoming 4th Edition of Understanding and Managing Vision Deficits: A Guide
for Occupational Therapists and published research on occupational therapy and optometry collaboration in the care of
pediatric patients in the Vision Development and Rehabilitation journal.


Michelle Mioduszewski

MS, OTR/L

MICHELLE MIODUSZEWSKI, MS, OTR/L, has been professionally presenting since 2005 for healthcare organizations, continuing education contracts, and other venues. She also consults for legal, education, and professional situations. Currently, Ms. Mioduszewski owns and operates Niagara Therapy, LLC, a team-oriented practice based in Erie, PA that offers OT, PT, and SLP to adults and children with neurological concerns.
She has been the AOTA Administration and Management Chairperson for the Rehabilitation and Disability Special Interest Section, National MS Society Board of Trustees, and is a National MS Society Partner in Care Designation. She was the youngest person to receive the Delta Sigma Award from the Marguerite D’Youville College Honor Society and was named 40 under 40 by the Erie Reader.
A published writer by AOTA Press, she also teaches on topics such as leadership, stress management, IASTM, Neuro-Rehab/Neuro-Handling, vision rehabilitation, cognition, spasticity, ergonomics and complex wheelchair evaluations. Some attendees have said, “Your dynamic personality kept me engaged...She was very approachable, professional, and made the lecture feel at ease… Knowledgeable, energetic, and interactive…”



Robert Constantine

OTR\L

Robert Constantine, OTR\L is a 1997 graduate of University of Alabama at Birmingham Occupational Therapy program where he was awarded the Charles Brooks Award for Creativity. He has practiced in home health, and skilled nursing contexts and spent 9 years as the clinical specialist in brain injury at the West Florida Rehabilitation Institute where he developed a passion for evidenced-based treatment, sharing information and the functional effects of the visual system. Beginning in 2013, he enjoyed a 3 year tenure at an optometry practice where he learned techniques working closely with low vision, pediatric and adult optometrists. He has received Clinical Level 1 and 2 training offered by the Neuro-Optometric Rehab Association. He was also instructed in sports vision training working with the High Performance Vision Associates, a national group of optometrists that offer sports vision screenings to elite athletes. He developed specialized Drag Racing Glasses and has worked with NHRA Sportsman and Professional Drag Racers. He continues to provide vision rehabilitation services to pediatric and adult patients at the Pearl Nelson Center and Kindred at Home in Pensacola, Florida. Robert has been a national and international presenter for since 2016. His courses are engaging and full of personal experience and the latest evidence-based research.
Financial Disclosure: Rob receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. Non-Financial Disclosure: None

20 Minutes
Vision vs Sight
40 Minutes
Anatomy
20 Minutes
Refraction
40 Minutes
Common Vision Diagnoses
45 Minutes
Assessing Ocular motor skills
15 Minutes
Visual Perception assessment
15 Minutes
Dorsal Stream Dysfunction
30 Minutes
Recognizing Dyslexia
15 Minutes
Questions
15 Minutes
OT's role and scope in Visuo-Vestibular Interventions
30 Minutes
Peripheral and Central Disorders: What's the Connection to Vision?
65 Minutes
Models of Treatment
40 Minutes
Models of Treatment - Visual Field cuts, inattention, and neglect
10 Minutes
Models of Treatment - Fixation, Visual Efficiency, Gaze Stabilization
10 Minutes
Models of Treatment - Visual Memory, Discrimination, Analysis, Motor Integration
15 Minutes
MultiSensory Integration Theory: How does this all work together?
60 Minutes
Primitive Reflex Integration
40 Minutes
Primitive Reflex Integration - Peds - Development and Tx
15 Minutes
Primitive Reflex Integration - Adults - Re-emergence and Tx
40 Minutes
Peds and Adult Treatment
15 Minutes
Questions
30 Minutes
Session 2 - Theory
60 Minutes
Session 2 - Saccades/Pursuits
30 Minutes
Session 2 - Accommodation
30 Minutes
Session 2 - Accommodation cont.
60 Minutes
Session 2 - Vergence
30 Minutes
Session 2 - Audience participation
45 Minutes
Session 1 - Case Study 1 - clinical reasoning, goal development and interventions
45 Minutes
Session 1 - Case Study 2 - clinical reasoning, goal development and interventions
765 Minutes
Session 2 - Case Study 1 - clinical reasoning, goal development and interventions
45 Minutes
Session 2 - Case Study 2 - clinical reasoning, goal development and interventions
60 Minutes
Roundtable Discussion
16.0 Hours
Total

Delivery VIA:

  • Online - This course is offered in an online, on demand format.

Contact hours pre-approved for:

  • 16 Hours
  • CIAO is an AOTA Approved Provider #4119 (1.6 AOTA CEUs)
  • CIAO is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. AOTA Course approval ID#10799
  • This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (16 PDUs)
  • CIAO is an Illinois Approved Provider for PT/PTA Continuing Education
  • CIAO is recognized as an Approved Provider for PT/PTAs by the NYSE Dept State Board for PT
  • This activity is provided by the Texas Board of PT Examiners Accredited Prov #2502009#TX
  • This activity meets continuing competence requirements for PT/PTA license renewal in TX
  • The assignment of Texas PT CCUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by TPTA or TBPTE
  • The Physical Therapy Board of California recognizes CIAO Seminars as an Approval Agency to Approve Providers Offering Continuing Competency Courses
  • The Physical Therapy Board of California has determined that CIAO meets the standards set forth in section 1399.95 of the CA Code of Regulations
  • CIAO is a Rule Approved Provider for the Florida Board of Physical Therapy
  • CIAO is an Approved Provider for the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy
  • Approved for:
  • 16 Hrs. PT/PTAs in IL, TX (APTA TX #2502009 for 16 CCUs), CA(CIAO25-135)
  • 19 Hrs. OT/COTAs, PT/PTAs in FL (CE Broker #20-1238722)
  • 19.2 Hrs. PT/PTAs in NY
  • 16 Hrs. Registered with CEBroker for OT/COTAs in AL, AZ, GA, LA, MS, SC, TN
  • 16 Hrs. Registered with CEBroker for PT/PTAs in AZ, GA, OK, SC, TN

Course meets requirements for:

  • PT/PTAs in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, MT,
  • PT/PTAs in NE, NH, NC, ND, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY
  • OT/COTAs in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT,
  • OT/COTAs in NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY


  • The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.




    CIAO Automatically reports to CE Broker for Florida Occupational and Physical Therapists and Assistants. Florida SLPs can either use the ASHA CE Participant Form (Bubble Sheet) or self-submit through CE Broker.



    CIAO is recognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)


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