COVID-19 and Vision Therapy: An Academic Experience

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required unprecedented changes to health care delivery. The University Eye Center (UEC) at the State University of New York College of Optometry has a robust vision rehabilitation practice. However, during the pandemic via state mandate, it could no longer provide in-office care. Development of novel approaches to manage patients with binocular vision disorders, especially to care for the vulnerable traumatic brain injury and pediatric patient populations, was essential and required rapid response. This included a combination of launching telehealth visits and a home-based vision therapy app, as well as innovative programs developed internally. While telehealth is not a substitute for in-office vision therapy, the combination of multiple platforms enabled the UEC to continue patient care despite a stay-at-home order during the pandemic.