Pre-Course Reading

OEPF Clinical Curriculum -- Readings

Step One (Please complete and return prior to your first course)

Technical Survey (Optometrists Only) 

  1. Instructions
  2. Answer Sheet & Questions

Step Two (Please complete and return prior to your first course)

Pre-Course Survey (Optometrists Only) 

  1. Pre-course survey

Step Three (Please read before attending your first course)

Pre-Course Readings (All Attendees)

The Evolution of a Model and A Model of Vision  (Read The Evolution of a Model first.) are included to introduce you to our approach to teaching.  These two papers describe the process for much of what comes in the courses and we hope you understand that we instructors evolve in our thinking much like we hope you will.  We hope to take you on a compressed journey through the evolution of our thinking.  We will begin an area by showing you where we were at one time in our development.  Then we present the unanswered questions that became the foundation for looking at things in a different way. We will then present our understandings now and include new information for where we might go in the future.

The Evolution of a Model was presented at the Skeffington Symposium in Washington DC in the early 1980’s.  This paper charts the development of Paul Harris’ model of vision from what he assimilated from his years at SUNY (1975-79) until the time of the writing of the paper.  Much of the change came as a result of a presentation by Dr. Robert A. Kraskin and involvement in the Washington DC based OEPF study group, the Institute for Behavioral Optometry.  A Model of Vision was initially presented at the Skeffington Symposium in Washington DC and then adapted for the JOVD.

The following articles have been put in the recommended order to be read:

 

  1. Harris, Paul, "The Evolution of a Model", Skeffington Symposium

    • This paper was presented at the Skeffington Symposium in Washington DC in the early 1980’s.  This paper charts the development of Paul Harris’ model of vision from what he assimilated from his years at SUNY (1975-79) until the time of the writing of the paper.  Much of the change came as a result of a presentation by Dr. Robert A. Kraskin and involvement in the Washington DC based OEPF study group, the Institute for Behavioral Optometry.

  2. Harris, Paul, "Perspectives on Behavioral Optometry -- A Model of Vision", JOVD

    • This paper was initially presented at the Skeffington Symposium in Washington DC and then adapted for the JOVD.

  3. Harris, Paul, "Visual Conditions of Symphony Musicians", JAOA, Volume 59, Number 12, 12/88
    • This paper describes the development of astigmatism based on the relationship between posture and vision.  The most important concept in this paper is the relationship between visual conditions and what the person does in life. 
  4. Harris, Paul, "Additional Topics to Original, Visual Conditions of Symphony Musicians"
    • When the above article was written it included additional information that was edited out during the pre-publication period.  This pre-reading contains this additional material in order to help make the concepts more complete.
  5. Harris, Paul, "The Prevalence of Visual Conditions in a Population of Juvenile Delinquents", OEPF, Curriculum II, Volume 61, Number 4, January 1989
    • This paper, while dated, is included here because the article includes fundamental discussions of the examination process including specific descriptions of the testing sequence, lighting conditions, targets, and instructional sets.  The appendix of this paper was first written as a step-by-step “How-to” guide for the Optometric Center of Maryland.   The paper introduces the concepts of the “Visual Virgin” and embeddedness, as well as other new topics covered in the Art and Science course.  
  6. Williams, GJ, Kitchener G, Press LJ, Steele GT, Vision: A Collaboration of Eyes and Brain
    • This paper was created jointly by the authors and was adopted by the American Optometric Association as a position paper. It is a well-documented and succinct in showing that their vision is much more than just sight and gives insight into the degree that the eyes and brain are in full partnership in helping the visual process emerge.