VT Works

I am part of Dr. Kenneth Ciuffreda’s lab at SUNY State College of Optometry.  I help mentor students, assist in evoked potential clinic help in current research projects, give several lectures to students on binocular vision, vision therapy, dealing with special needs patients, etc.

I was looking for a  job after graduating college and was sent on an interview.  I arrived at the proper address, the name on the door was correct, but underneath the name was the statement “Developmental Optometrist”!  I had  no idea what that meant so went in to apologize for the mistake.  I explained to the Dr. in question (His name was Dr. Tole N. Greenstein).  I, being ignorant, asked him what a developmental optometrist did.  He began a fascinating description of various vision issues that interfered with the ability to obtain and retain information from printed matter at near work distances. I was enthralled!  We never talked about the job.  After a very interesting hour his wife came in and asked if they were ever going home.

I left thinking I had learned new and compelling information.  That was on a Saturday.  The next day (Sunday) Dr. Greenstein’s wife, Miriam, called me and asked if I could come to work the following day (Monday). I, of course, said an excited “YES”.  I didn’t know what the job was, what it paid, etc.  It turned out that what he needed was a front office person to schedule appointments, keep books, make sure patients paid their bill, etc.  I was sure I was not qualified to do those thing, especially ask patient to pay bill.

Dr. Greenstein’s response to that was:  I think you might be more interesting in the special part of my practice that deals wiht children who are healthy and normal but struggle with learning to read, to do math, and in general who are not doing well in school.

He then began to explain to me how the visual system operates and what can be done by Optometry to repair and/or enhance a system that was malfunctioning.  We never discussed the job but the following day his wife called and asked “—–Can you come to work tomorrow?”  I said “yes” not really knowing what that meant.

As it turned out, Dr. Greenstein began teaching me the theory and applications of Optometry to rehabilitate visual systems.  I was fascinated and spent hours listening, reading and learning.

I fell in love with the profession with each passing day and positive response from the patients I was fortunate to see.  Dr. Greenstein was a patient mentor and introduced me to the Optometric Extension Program (OEP),  I attended my first OEP Congress after having been at work only a few months.  Dr. Greenstein introduced me to Dr. AM skeffington,  who was greeting attendees as they entered the lecture hall.  Dr. Skeffington took my hand and said (as only he could),  “If you want to leave this profession you must do so now, or forever by enthralled”. 

How true those words were.  After working with Dr. Greenstein for several years, I was introduced to Dr. Ralph Schrock and was offered a position in his busy therapy practice.  I learned so much from both of these amazing optometrists.

About one year after beginning my work with Dr. Schrock, an optometrist named Dr. William Ludlam came to lecture for 3 days at the San Diego Behavioral Vision Seminar.  His presentations were amazing and compelling and after a few months of bi-coastal correspondence I moved to New York and married Dr. Ludlam.  I did vision therapy in the private practice of Fisher and Ludlam, and learned more and fell more in love with the power of Optometry to better the lives of patients.

Dr. Ludlam was offered a position at Pacific University College of Optometry in Forst Grove, OR. which he accepted.  This was wonderful for me as my parents and extended family lived in Oregon.

I worked at Pacific helping in labs, working with students and spent a great deal of time helping to develope and use a new tool know as the “Visually Evoked Cortical Response/Potential”.  We had a private practice in Hillsboro Oregon as well as the full time work at Pacific University.

I travelled and lectured with Bill for several years.  His voice began to show signs of strain which we thought was from fatigue and over use.  The problem was much worse.  He had a previously undiagnosed brain tumor which took his life far too soon.  I stayed affiliated with the practice, now owned by another OD, for several years.

One never knows the path life may take.  I met another brilliant Optometrist and researcher (Dr. Kenneth Ciuffreda) and am now back in New York working with him at SUNY College of Optometry.  We are working in brain injury rehabilitation and I have the wonderful opportunity to work with students as well.

In 1980, I sat for the Vision Therapist Certification in New Orleans.  I remember being very nervous about the interview but as it progressed I became more at ease as the questions were about my involvement in the profession in the profession I had come to love.  I thankfully passed the exam!  I have since had the honor of mentoring many therapists through the certification procedure.  I am daily thankful that I work in this profession.  Optometry changes lives!!!!

Diana touched so many lives, and helped so many grow into better Vision Therapists. Her legacy will certainly live on in so many of us. If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to read the kind words offered by Dr. Leonard Press earlier today. My sincerest condolences to Diana’s family and friends.