Curtis R. Baxstrom, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, FNORA, the immediate past president of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) has made a strong statement of position;
Patients who suffer a traumatic brain injury often have a team of rehabilitation professionals assisting in their recovery, and given that nearly 90% of these patients have a visual dysfunction as a result of their injury, it is very important for an optometrist to be part of that rehabilitation team.
As optometrists, we have the ability to guide therapeutic rehabilitation but also to use specialized tools that can only be prescribed by an eye care professional, such as lenses, prisms, selective occlusion, and tints or filters.
In addressing the visual issues as part of the rehabilitation team, we can often help a patient succeed in other areas of therapy and speed up their return to normal function.
Curtis Baxstrom is well known, and inspirational, to Behavioural Optometrists in NZ as he has presented here many times.
