Doctors - Contrast

Welcome to the DOCTORS area of the ADVISOR website. The site has been designed to share ideas and information while encouraging interactivity among Parents, Teachers, and Doctors. The information is presented too each group based upon their preferences. Please offer any feedback or suggestions you may have that will help us to further develop the website for the benefit of all viewers. Enjoy your visit to ADVISOR.

Attention Doctors of Children with Visual Impairments
ADVISOR User Opinion Survey
We need your help to evaluate the ADVISOR project. This brief 30 question survey evaluates the effectiveness of the web site in providing information for the blind and visually impaired. Your responses will help to improve and update this resource.

23rd Annual New England Regional Seminar
"Taking Care of Children...Taking Care of Ourselves"
Presented by: The New England Regional Seminar For Families of Children With Visual Impairments Ages 0-7
April 29, 2006
8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA
Click here for brochure | Click here for registration

Quick Links

Electrophysiology

This presentation is based on the ADVISOR presentation by Ron Hansen, Ph.D. Dr. Hansen is a Research Associate in Ophthalmology at Children's Hospital Boston. He explains the Electroretinogram and Visual Evoked Potential diagnostic tests. The presentation used patient case studies to further illustrate the need for these tests, and further what the test results can tell us.

Low Vision Devices
This presentation is based on Barry Kran's presentation at the ADVISOR workshop. Barry Kran is the Optometric Director at the Perkins School for the Blind. This presentation documents the technology, both high and low tech involved in assisting the examination and diagnosis of low vision patients. It discusses the services provided for children and adults at the Individuals with Disabilities Service as well as some case studies.

Optical Management of Low Vision
This presentation is based on Kathy Miller's presentation at the ADVISOR workshop. Kathy Miller is an opthamologist at Children's Hospital Boston. The purpose of this presentation is to illustrate the management of low vision by using a case study. It follows the progress of a child born with a congenital cataract, up to age 11, detailing his treatment and the methods used to accomodate his needs.

Visual Fields Interactive Homepage!
This interactive webpage was developed by Dr. Luisa Mayer at Children's Hospital Boston. It interactively demonstrates the visual fields and related defects.

Differentially Able... Rather than Disabled
A powerpoint presentation by Lotfi B. Merabet from the Laboratory for Magnetic Brain Stimulation BI Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School and The Boston Retinal Implant Project at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Center for Innovative Visual Rehabilitation, Boston MA.

Medical Assessments Overview
This presentation is based on Dr. Anne Fulton's presentation at the ADVISOR Workshop. Dr. Fulton is an ophthalmologist at the Children's Hospital in Boston. Its purpose is to give an overview of different eye conditions and what doctors look for in diagnosing such conditions.

Developmental Assessment: Role of the Teacher of Visually Impaired/Deafblind
This presentation is based on Tom Miller's presentation at the 2005 ADVISOR Workshop. It is designed to unite the roles of doctors and teachers of the visually impaired. It will help doctors better understand how the teachers of the visually impaired (TVI's), teachers of the deafblind, and orientation and mobility specialists apply medical information in the 'real world' of education for the visually impaired/deafblind.

Common Eye Disorders:

Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)
is a temporary or permanent visual impairment caused by the disturbance of the posterior visual pathways and/or the occipital lobes of the brain...

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
is a disease of the retina, the light sensitive membrane covering the inside of the eye. It affects small prematurely born babies...

Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (ONH)
is a congenital condition in which the optic nerve has not developed properly; it is too small...

Optic Nerve Atrophy (ONA)
is a permanent visual impairment caused by damage to the optic nerve...

Albinism
Vision problems in albinism result from abnormal development of the retina and abnormal patterns of nerve connections between the eye and the brain...

Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)
is a genetic disease described in 1869 by a German ophthalmologist, Dr T. Leber. The disease, which has onset within the first six months of life, is a form of retinopathy characterised by blindness or severe visual impairment.

Assessment Chart
Professional assessments made by educators, paraprofessionals, and eye care specialists charting the possible pathways a child with visual impairments experiences during treatment and education

Practice Guidelines
A list of references for Doctors on the correct guidelines of practice.

Basic and Applied Anatomy of the Eye
This online resource features dynamic web pages that detail the anatomy of the eye and explains vision loss and eye conditions through interactive tutorials.

Vision 2020 E-Resource Monthly Site News
Vision 2020 e-resource is an online collection of comprehensive resources for eye care programmes around the world. It shares valuable tools that help assess, plan, implement and manage high quality, efficient, and sustainable eye care programmes in the developing world.

Publications

Research
Current descriptions of ophthalmic research projects conducted at the Children's Hospital Boston and affiliated programs.

Children's Hospital Ophthalmology Program
The Ophthalmology department at the Children’s Hospital, Boston is a referral center for the New England States and beyond. It offers a full array of state of the art diagnostic services for infants and children with visual impairments, and is involved in the management of complex visual disorders. In addition to 7 full time pediatric ophthalmologists, professional personnel include leaders in the assessment of visual functions in infants and young children, and an experienced pediatric optometrist who specializes in the care of low vision patients. The common diagnoses among these children are cortical visual impairment, optic nerve hypoplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, ocular malformations and albinism. (link to Information-FactSheets)

- Low Vision Program
- Retinal Program
- Visual Program

Training
The training program at the Children's Hospital Boston offers educational and practical guidance to residents, post-doctoral candidates, university students and visiting professionals. They participate in daily clinical and research activities including patient office visits, surgical procedures and research projects. The integrated use of Information Technologies and the Internet increases access to resources and facilitates training.

News and Announcements:

Article of Interest!
Visual development in preterm infants. Madan, A. Jan J.E., Good, W.V.Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology. 47(4):276-280 )2005).
Anatomical vulnerability of the preterm brain, clinical studies of visual development, VEP, and the rational for measuring multiple visual functions are covered in this article which examines visual development in the premature infant.

2004 Web cast Series on Cortical Visual Impairment with Dr. Lea Hyvarinen
Sponsored by the VIISA Project, SKI-HI Institute, Utah State University
Go to http://www.ksar.usu.edu/leacvi for more info

PAST ARTICLES OF INTEREST