NORA in the News

Optometrists are in an ideal position to provide both primary care and neuro rehabilitation for Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury patients. NORA Poster chair Melissa Zarn-Urankar, OD, FAAO offers advice on five key exam findings which indicate a patient would benefit from referral to a neuro-optometrist who has expertise in the assessment and treatment of visual disturbances associated with damage to the central nervous system in the January 2020 issue of Optometry Times.

Optometry, like many medical professions, is being reshaped by the specialization trend. Many optometrists, particularly those in private practice, have responded by developing specialties to address specific patient needs. NORA President Susan Daniel, OD is profiled in this piece on Specialized Optometry in the November issue of Vision Monday.

Many optometrists think of a referral to a neuro-optometrist as a last resort or something that is suitable only for life-threatening conditions such as a suspected brain tumor. The reality is that most optometrists have patients in their practice who could benefit from a neuro-optometry referral. These patients might be athletes who have had a concussion, adults who have experienced whiplash in a car accident, elderly people with balance issues, or seemingly healthy children who are struggling in school. Article by NORA Advisory Board member Tanya Polec, OD, FCOVD. Published September 2019 Modern Optometry.

FDA recently issued a warning to the public not to use tools such as smartphone- or tablet-based apps that claim to help assess, diagnose or manage head injury. NORA urges consumers to follow the FDA’s warning not to use unapproved or uncleared medical devices to help assess or diagnose a concussion on their own and we strongly urge consumers who may notice any changes in their vision following a concussion or some other head trauma not to ignore them and immediately contact their eye care professional to determine the cause of the vision change. Published April 23, Primary Care Optometry News

While the new CDC guidelines for managing mild traumatic brain injury in children cite vestibular-oculomotor dysfunction as a part of concussion syndrome, the CDC failed to mention optometry’s role and those of many other integral health care providers that must be included in the comprehensive care of these vulnerable patients. NORA VP DeAnn Fitzgerald, OD and NORA Secretary/Treasurer Charles Shidlofsky, OD, FCOVD are among experts interviewed for this article, published in the January, 2019 issue of Primary Care Optometry News.