An Introduction to Low Vision Rehabilitation for Occupational Therapists

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About the Course:
This basic introductory course is intended to familiarize the OT practitioner, who may not have received low vision education or is not comfortable intervening with this population, with current evidence-based information related to the management of patients with low vision. The course content is designed to increase the reader’s understanding of and ability to generalize concepts into the OT process when working with patients experiencing occupational performance deficits due to low vision. OT practitioners will need to pursue further education if they wish to specialize in low vision rehabilitation.

Learning Outcomes:
  • Distinguish between the terms visual impairment, low vision, blindness, and legal blindness.
  • Describe how age-related eye diseases can impact occupational performance and quality of life in patients who have them.
  • Describe the roles of members of the low vision rehabilitation team.
  • Identify evidence-based tools to assess patient factors in individuals with vision loss.
  • Differentiate between the generalist and specialist occupational therapy practitioner’s role in low vision rehabilitation.
  • Describe modifications and adaptive strategies to enhance the safety and independence of patients living with low vision, which can be incorporated into the occupational therapy plan of care. 

About the Author:
Orli Weisser-Pike OTD, OTR/L, CLVT, SCLV, CAPS, FAOTA, is an assistant professor of occupational therapy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She has over 20 years of clinical experience in a wide variety of settings and has for the past 17 years specialized in treating people disabled by vision loss. In 2013 she received the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Recognition of Achievement Award for Leadership and Advancement in Low Vision; in the same year she received the AOTA Jeanette Bair Writer's Award for her article in OT Practice on caregivers of people with low vision. From 2004 to 2006 she served on the AOTA Low Vision Specialty Certification Panel that developed standards for the Specialty Certification in Low Vision (SCLV), launched in 2006, and was a portfolio reviewer for applicants seeking SCLV recognition from 2006 through 2018. Orli was an item writer and co-chair of the Subject Matter Expert Committee in Low Vision Therapy of the Academy for Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) between 2010 and 2020 and is presently the Secretary of the Board of Directors of ACVREP. In addition to her post-professional doctoral degree in occupational therapy earned in 2013, Dr. Weisser-Pike has certifications in low vision therapy, aging in place, and neurointegrative functional rehabilitation and habilitation. She was inducted into the AOTA Roster of Fellows in 2019 for leadership in low vision practice, education, and scholarship.

How to Receive Credit:
  • Read the entire course online or in print.
  • Depending on your state requirements you will be asked to:
    • Complete a mandatory test (a passing score of 75 percent is required). Test questions link content to learning objectives as a method to enhance individualized learning and material retention.
  • Provide required personal information and payment information.
  • Complete the mandatory Course Evaluation.
  • Print your Certificate of Completion.

Disclosures:

Resolution of Conflict of Interest
The contributors to this course have no conflicts of interest relative to its content. Colibri Healthcare, LLC implemented mechanisms prior to the planning and implementation of the continuing education activity to identify and resolve conflicts of interest for all individuals in a position to control content of the course activity.

Sponsorship/Commercial Support and Non-Endorsement
It is the policy of Colibri Healthcare, LLC not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.
©2020: All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without the expressed written permission or consent of Colibri Healthcare, LLC. The materials presented in this course are meant to provide the consumer with general information on the topics covered. The information provided was prepared by professionals with practical knowledge of the areas covered. It is not meant to provide medical, legal, or professional advice. Colibri Healthcare, LLC recommends that you consult a medical, legal, or professional services expert licensed in your state. Colibri Healthcare, LLC has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that all content provided in this course is accurate and up to date at the time of printing, but does not represent or warrant that it will apply to your situation or circumstances and assumes no liability from reliance on these materials. Quotes are collected from customer feedback surveys. The models are intended to be representative and not actual customers.