What a difference a year makes. March 2020 will forever be stamped as a time of deep uncertainty for all of us providing services within our community. Tears were shed, pivots were necessary, and business owners were forced to cultivate skills of adversity-tolerance in ways that couldn’t possibly have been previously imagined.

For our team, 2020 saw an incredible expansion of our online vision training programs, sparked by the embrace of several new- age virtual training platforms and tools (see: Tools for Online Vision Therapy). We published articles (see: Online VT Article), we lectured and learned (see: I Heart VT Conference), and we spent far more hours on screens than our eyes could have possibly evolved to tolerate (see: Optimizing Online Visual Efficiency).

Hidden amongst the flurry that was this passing year are a number of exciting updates from our clinic – the most significant being our long-awaited move to our expanded downtown Kelowna home. Offering significantly expanded square footage, and featuring a dedicated “learning lounge” for continued hosting of international Vision Therapy & Rehabilitation events, our new packing district locale represents the world-class vision training centre our community deserves.

Outside of our Kelowna HQ, March 2021 marks the 18-month anniversary of our satellite treatment centres in both Vernon and Nelson BC (see: Our Treatment Network – How Does it Work?). Many thanks to the local advocates within these beautiful towns who have championed us to grow beyond our Kelowna roots.

Technologically, Okanagan Vision Therapy has also made a colossal leap forward, acquiring the world’s most advanced and engaging treatment option for amblyopia (lazy eye) – (see: Vivid Vision)! Vivid Vision, in conjunction with appropriate
eye patching and Vision Therapy protocols, provides incredibly engaging, powerful and nuanced treatment of this pervasive binocular vision disorder. Feel like taking the system for a spin? Let us know – we’d be happy to spend some time immersing you in this world of therapeutic virtual reality.

Last, but certainly not least – our team is excited to announce our newly defined Neurodiversity Department – headed by Catherine Brandon, OT; an occupational therapist with over 10 years experience working with pediatric populations here in Kelowna (stay tuned for next month’s blog, detailing further).

While 2020 certainly provided challenges for all of us, this year stands to emerge as one of excitement, collaboration and growth. Thank you all for allowing us to do the work that we do for our community – we truly couldn’t do it without you.

Until next month,