Behavioural Optometry
Factual Information for Parents, Professionals and Community
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Evidence-based practice is a important principle for ACBO Member optometrists. They undertake rigorous and extensive post=graduate training and consider the latest in research and evidence from the leaders in the fields of optometry and medicine.
Career Stories
Lisa Bakker
Senior ACBO Member
Ross and I began Eyes At Narangba 16 years ago and have always worked with a Behavioural mindset, which means looking at how people see as well as what they see. Vision has such a big impact on quality of life! We have been doing in-office Vision Therapy for 13 years now and in the last 6 years have also expanded to Ortho-K.
My passion at work is helping those struggling at school, particularly in Primary School, and with neurological cases such as Parkinson’s and TBI. I work in closely with local Ophthalmologists, GP’s, teachers, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Tutors and Chemists to help those with visual functioning and processing concerns.
Although the concepts brought up in the ACBO Fellowship were not new to me, it really benefited me to have clear options in offering treatments. I have come to many ACBO conferences over the years, but in the Fellowship I needed to research the concepts rather than just sitting at a conference. This has given me more clarity and confidence in the ACBO mindset in looking at vision as so more than VA.
The time I spent with other Fellows, discussing cases and concepts, was invaluable, and the depth of knowledge amongst Fellows is far greater than I first anticipated. I felt, still feel, like I have so much to learn, and aim at continuing to read and research how to best look after the varying needs of my patients. No matter how much I learn, it doesn’t take long before there is a patient sitting in my chair that does not quite fit the norm and I need to research more to fully help them. The Fellowship helped me gain the toolset to know where to start in continuing to expand my skills in aiding my patients and the community of Colleagues to be able to discuss difficult cases with to gain new perspectives.
The ACBO Fellowship was invaluable to my career.
Martin Diep
Senior ACBO Member
I currently work at See Optometry in Victor Harbor SA, a scenic corner of the world surrounded by whales and penguins (and Antarctic winds!). The demographic is heavily skewed towards lots of young children and lots of people of retirement age, and so I see a large range of different clients through my door.
Since starting my journey into behavioural optometry in 2015, I have developed a special interest in vision and brain injury and its rehabilitation. I am particularly drawn towards the untapped potential that optometry has in firstly detecting these visual problems, but then also providing therapy as part of a multidisciplinary team. There are so many aspects of vision that we get taught as part of the process to be qualified in the first place, but the more I continue down this journey, the more I realise how much we weren't taught at university. The more I learn, the more I understand just how much I don't know - and here I was thinking 5 years of university was all I needed!
From the fellowship process, I have learnt so much regarding the huge scope that optometry actually encompasses and behavioural optometry occupies a much needed niche in the market that no other profession has the knowledge or the skills to service.
I have come to realise the pervasiveness of the visual process; from birth till death, vision is the dominant sense and optometry is the profession that has the potential to change lives. I used to think behavioural optometry was only about learning difficulties and amblyopia, but there is so much more; sports vision, traumatic brain injury, syntonics, autism and child development and developmental delays - these are just the tip of the iceberg of what we can manage as optometrists. I don't even have enough time to be bored of my job anymore!
I have been a primary school teacher for 20 years. In the last 6 years I have specialised in Literacy Intervention. I have been referring patients to my mentor, Behavioural Optometrist, Liz Muller for 15 years. After a few of my students had an assessment and started vision therapy…. I questioned its validity and decide to investigate further. After observing one of my students as a vision therapy patient, I realised that this was MY missing piece of the puzzle. I could not start training in Vision Therapy fast enough!
I work as a teacher during the week and as a vision therapist on Saturdays. It is one of the most rewarding experiences. It has enhanced my teaching skills, given me knowledge that I would not have gained in my teaching practice alone, and most importantly, I love working with my VT patients and their parents.
Erica Vandy
Vision Therapist