Special Feature
Neuro-Visual
Optometry has
power to impact
more lives
By Jody Johnson-Pettit
The future of the eyecare industry is evolving.
An optometry practice in Etobicoke, Ont., is
looking beyond basic vision care to a full-scope
family practice.
“We try to support the whole family, not just
patients with visual issues,” says Dr. Stelios
Nikolakakis, a neuro-visual optometrist at
Mind’s Eye Neuro-Visual Optometry. “We are all
about preventative care and discussions around
nutrition, UV protection, stress reduction and
proper sleep is part of our education.
“It seems that the eye industry is changing
dramatically and providing a niche in the practice
is almost necessary. The practices that focus on
neuro-visual optometry and dry eye clinics tend to
be thriving.”
Mind’s Eye Neuro-Visual Optometry is a full-
scope practice, with ocular wellness exams
and neuro-visual care. The practice dispenses
spectacles and contact lenses and refers
patients for laser refractive surgery, but most
of their prescribing is done with a neuro-visual
perspective.
With the expanded practice in neuro-visual
optometry, Mind’s Eye is able to impact the lives
34 Optical Prism | October 2019
The three neuro-visual optometrists at Mind’s Eye Neuro-Visual
Optometry are, from left to right, Dr. Vivienne Chan, Dr. Stelios
Nikolakakis and Dr. Mario Di Cosmo.
of many more patients and uncover underlying visual
system issues between the eyes and the brain that can
have physical, mental and emotional effects.
“When we do a full neuro-visual evaluation of a
patient, we provide a 21-point checklist of their visual
system, sort of like a mechanic does a checklist when
evaluating a car,” says Dr. Nikolakakis. “This allows
us to look at the visual system as a whole and helps
determine the type of prescription we use, that is
customized to that individual. This information
then gets utilized by our neuro-visual opticians to
customize the lens design to the prescription.”
He says Mind’s Eye matches the visual demands of the
patient with customized lenses.
“We can measure how much support the patient has
from a focussing perspective at near, coupled with how
much need there is for close viewing, i.e. computer,
phone, digital device. We help support the visual system
to allow for ease of use of these devices,” he says.
“Should someone need further support with dry eye
or nutritional therapies that are beyond our ability to
provide, a referral is made to a colleague.”