The Occupational Therapy Department at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation conducts research in vision integration that has led to the development of evidence-based individualized care plans for neurological patients in all phases of recovery.

Steve F. Van Lew, PhD, OTR/L, clinical director of occupational therapy, currently leads research regarding sensory processing in adults with concussions and identified vision as a significant area to examine in this context. Specifically, researchers are examining the prevalence of sensory processing deficits in people who are recovering from concussion to identify correlations between these deficits and quality of life and everyday function.

Margaret A. Waskiewicz, MS, OTR/L, a unit supervisor at NYU Langone’s Concussion Center, specializes in vision rehabilitation and works with patients who have concussion and traumatic brain injuries. Her research has found that occupational therapists should include eye movement assessments as part of their evaluation process.

This collective body of work has led to substantial advancements in screenings and patient treatment plans. At Rusk Rehabilitation, occupational therapists conduct detailed vision assessments, including formal oculomotor, convergence and divergence, and visual field screenings. In addition, occupational therapists assess functional vision, including people’s ability to perform reading activities and engage safely within their environments. Treatment plans may include both remediation and compensatory treatment techniques to maximize functional vision potential for each patient.