Developmental Optometrist Info from Calgary Peds Meeting

Calgary Ot peds meeting
April 30 2012

Dr. Charles boulet developmental optometrist shared info.
Has background in education and behaviour
Working on study with vision in relation to learning

Dr. Charles is done the online introduction to vision therapy class. Will send information shortly. You can sign up for free at learningmanagement.ca

Key points : check all kids for visual screening before grade one. More to Vision then just eye sight. School vision screening poor.
If near sighted sig advantage - better in school.  higher Ed. You live in bubble as distance all blury. As move up close to see learn to focus and develop good vision. Vision ideally suited for near work.
Farsighted will pass through screening as can see distance

1.5 diopters need to work ++ hard to read - often don't see as child looking down. see behaviours. See headaches. Etc.

Need to ax:
1. Refraction - light bending capacity of eye - do dry and wet
2. Muscle function /motor control assessment
     - gross motor - keeping eyes pointed together and work apart ( will complain of letters moving) - convergence insufficiency where eyes try to pull together on same target (ie words)  but can't
    - fine - tracking. Pursuit movement. Stacatic pursuits - drop lines. Repeating lines. Sequence read is message get so if jumping around then message mixed up
3. Posture
4. Strabismus
5. Pursuit movements

Drops make eyes relax and can see true vision as can change eye

Acuity is a milestone marker only


Pediatric eye disease investigators group: study to look at when strain to focus causes child to have eyes turn in.

Goal to remove obstacles to learning

Cml pursuit need start smooth around K but if not smooth by end of gr 1 a problem
Look one spot then other - 6-8 cycles before child fatigues - either swift or prob ( undershoot or overshoot and correct) indicates sig difficulties w motor coor

If address gm will automatically start to address gross motor ocular motility needs

If see pursuit difficulties i
Work on whole body gross motor
If poor Stacatic then need visual training
Staccads are higher level function where as pursuits are base

Library of activities online
Www.learningmanagement.ca
Www.tx.dvvc.ca

Activity examples
Bpqd page - find the letter to help with letter recog and reversal
Saccadic training -

Strabismus - need to try to Rx muscles first before surgery

Archieslaw.com -  movies

Refer all kids for vision assessments.  Not all kids need vt but good to rule out other vision needs too

Focus his program more on cognitive   Starts w meditation. Yoga.

Meditation technique
Sit at table. Dim light. Light candle. Focus on candle and visualize candle.     Now look at candle count to five and build up time.
Can add in breathing. Feel breath go in and release while looking at candle. Pay attention to point breath in and where breath out.
Build the tolerance
Over time can teach to visualize to slow down

Alt meditation
Get to look at your one eye and focus for 10 seconds - can then use
When out in community

We need to slow kids down