The Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association
Enhancing neurologic recovery through vision rehabilitation.
The Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) was formed in 1990 by a group of optometrists who met to collectively share their experiences in diagnosing and treating neurologically and cognitively injured and disabled patients. The group consisted of Vincent Vicci, OD; Gus Forkiotus, OD; Dan Gottlieb, OD; John Streff, OD; Todd Davis, OD; John Thomas, OD; and William Padula, OD.
In 1992 the first international NORA symposium was held in Atlanta, Georgia. In attendance were optometrists, physicians, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, orientation-mobility specialists, and other health care professionals who are involved in treating individuals with vision problems due to brain injuries. NORA now has an annual meeting for eye care and other health care professionals.
NORA Medical Board
Executive Board
President
DeAnn Fitzgerald, OD
Vice President
Charles Shidlofsky, OD, FCOVD
Secretary/Treasurer
Tanya Polec, OD, FCOVD, FNORA
Advisory Board: Patti Andrich, MA, OTR/L, COVT, CINPP; Shirley Blanc, OD, FNORA; Susan Daniel, OD; Shirley Ha, OD, FCOVD; Gina Kim, MOT, OTR/L, CBIS; Melissa Zarn Urankar, OD, FAAO; Executive Director, Gary Esterow
THE MISSION
NORA focuses on three main pillars:
Increase awareness of the need for and knowledge of where to find neuro-optometric rehabilitation services.
Advance professional knowledge and understanding of neuro-optometric care and promote research in visual science.
Encourage a team approach between health care professionals who provide rehabilitative services and those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.
what is NEURO-OPTOMETRIC REHABILITATION?
NORA describes neuro-optometric rehabilitation as an individualized treatment regimen for patients who have visual deficits as a direct result of physical disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and other neurologic insults, such as acquired strabismus, diplopia, binocular dysfunction, convergence and/or accommodation paresis or paralysis, oculomotor dysfunction, visual-spatial dysfunction, visual perceptual and cognitive deficits, and traumatic visual acuity loss. In neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapy, practitioners use therapeutic prisms, lenses, filters, and occlusion to help stimulate parts of the brain that are not functioning to their highest potential due to interruptions caused by a brain injury.
RESOURCES
Need a neuro-optometrist to refer patients to or to work with yourself? Try NORA’s provider finder:
bit.ly/NORA_findaprovider. Download educational flyers for your practice at bit.ly/2NORd77. Interested in joining? See the sidebar below.
Join the NORA Network
Membership in NORA is based on a calendar year that runs from January 1 to December 31 annually. New members are welcome at any time. Simply create an account online, fill out an application, and submit your dues.
Learn about member benefits and more at:
noravisionrehab.org/join
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