Best Optometry program for speacializing in vision therapy?

[pinkroadrunner]

Hi,
I am wondering what optometry programs have strong vision therapy programs or does it not matter and something that I would learn more about in residency?

I am a 33 year old and am going back to school for optometry since vision therapy changed my life and gave me the ability to read without text-to speech software and more recently the ability to see 3D from time to time. I know that I want to specialize in vision therapy. I have a design/programming background have developed some at-home treatments that have helped me with my vision and would like to help others.

I have family in Birmingham, so I was considering UAB and also Nova since I live in Florida. I am also considering cost since I am going back to school as an older student, have two dogs, and making a career switch.

Thank you in advance for your advice!

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[UnicornOpt]

There is no best school for this subject. You'll probably get 8 units of VT education in any curriculum. If you choose not to do any VT in your rotation sites, then it is very well possible that you can get graduate without practicing VT on a real life patient, but if you choose to do VT locations, you'll quickly pick it up as you'll have that patient base. VT isn't very hard, and I think a residency specifically in it is pretty unnecessary. - all you need is a manual and patient base to practice on to build your confidence and flow, but the actual amount of critical thinking and skill involved is little. My two cents.

 

[SmileWithYourEyes]

Hi Pinkroadrunner,

I actually work as an optometric assistant in a vision therapy office in southern California and am thrilled that you had success as a patient and are interested in pursing it as a specialty. According to the doctor I work under (who is also a residency coordinator), schools that are strong in binocular vision/vision therapy programs are SCCO/MBKU, SUNY, and Pacific. Schools will have different approaches and attitudes for VT (love or hate from what I understand). Feel free to message me if you want to ask anything else! I know these schools aren't close to you at all but I hope this helps

 

[Loptometriste]

Take a look at Southern College of Optometry. They have a very active and diverse vision therapy department. The students have a good deal of vision therapy evaluations and therapy session experience in 3rd and 4th years. There are opportunities for research and sports vision screenings. Patients will be range aged 0-100 with vision therapy and rehabilitation.

Also, your programming background will come in handy.

I'm glad vision therapy has changed your life.

 

[Loptometriste]

Also, become involved as a student no matter which school you attend. Go to COVD, OEP, and NORA meetings. Read their journals. Soak it in!

 

[optometrygirl29]

IAUPR has a VT clinic so you get real life experience not just didactic education but clinical experience as well.

 

[AcademicEyes]

I agree you'll likely get VT experience as part of the curriculum for many programs, and many programs will have rotation sites that focus on VT. You could contact the admissions staff at UAB and NOVA (or any other school) and ask to be connected to current third or fourth year students so you can ask them directly what their VT experience is like.
Alternatively, many schools will have student representatives posted on their websites with their emails listed so you can contact them directly.

I think the best way to know how much VT you actually get is to ask someone who's currently going through it or has recently gone through it and compare the experiences since curriculums can change so often.
For example, at school I attend the class after me is getting about half as much experience in BV/VT as my class did.