Course Information

This course is designed for:

Allied health providers (OT, PT, SLP) who work with individuals with neurological injuries (stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s, SCI)
Optometrists who are interested in working with neurologically impaired patients and with an allied health team.

Note: Although the content will be geared primarily to the adult population the principles and approach can be adapted to a paediatric population,

Course Format:

The course will be a combination of lecture, videos, demonstration and some hands on practice.

Objectives:

Understand visual dysfunction after neurological injury and its impact on function.
Increase expertise and comfort with identifying and addressing visual dysfunction after neurological injury.
Ensure multi-disciplinary approach to vision rehab strategies
Consistent approach to visual screening/assessment and identify need for referral to neuro-optometry
Teach strategies to incorporate vision rehab into your clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

Outline of course content (still in development so subject to change)

Vision system – definitions, theory, anatomy etc
- Visual processing – spatial vs focal
- Vision’s role in movement
- Vision Action System – oculomotor, accommodation, convergence
What happens after neurological injury
- Structural issues,
- Cranial nerves
- Post Trauma Vision Syndrome
- Visual Midline Shift Syndrome
- Visual Inattention & Homonymous Hemianopsia
- Photophobia and the role of light
Functional impact of vision dysfunction
Vision/Vestibular Assessment & Screening
Treatment
- Role of Allied Health vs Optometry
- Principles of Vestibular Rehab
- Principles of Vision Rehab
- How to prioritize and progress
- Binasal occlusion
- Use of Prism
- Proprioceptive treatment
- Strategies for reading & screens
- Oculomotor retraining exs
- Vestibular retraining exs
- Balance & multi-tasking retraining
- Perceptual Retraining
- Visual Motion Sensitivity Retraining

Vision Rehabilitation After Neurological Injury – Ottawa, ON Feb 28th, 2026