Orli Weisser-Pike, OTR/L, CLVT, SCLV

Orli Weisser-Pike is the Assistant Director of Low Vision Services at the Hamilton Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center and College of Medicine. Aside from her clinical duties, her job includes instruction of occupational therapy students as well as ophthalmology residents. She is credentialed by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) as a certified low vision therapist (CLVT), and has specialty certification in low vision (SCLV) from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

In the past four years, Orli founded the first outpatient low vision rehabilitation program through an occupational therapy department in the mid-south region for the area's largest hospital system, at Baptist Rehabilitation Germantown. Orli was a member of AOTA’s low vision specialty certification panel, and she worked with ACVREP on redevelopment of the new CLVT examination. She is a current member of ACVREP's low vision certification committee; a reviewer for AOTA applicants seeking specialty certification; and a mentor for ACVREP low vision therapist candidates. She is also Chairperson of VisionQuest Memphis. Orli graduated in 1996 from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, with a Bachelor’s of Science in occupational therapy.

Service:

2006-present  Member, ACVREP Low Vision Therapy Certification Committee 

2006-present  Reviewer, AOTA specialty certification  

2006-2009      Chairperson--VisionQuest Memphis  

2006-2008      Chair elect, VisionQuest Memphis  

2004-2006      Secretary, VisionQuest Memphis

2004-2006      Panel member, AOTA Specialty Certification Low Vision

2006--present Guest lecturer, University of Tennessee, Occupational Therapy Department

2006              Reviewer, Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology  

2004              Team member, CLVT item development, ACVREP

Presentations:

2008

AOTA Annual Conference and Exposition:

Occupational Therapy Practitioners in the Land of Low Vision and Blindness Rehabilitation: Navigating the Maze

2007

International Macular Degeneration Support Group:

                    What is Low Vision Rehabilitation? (click here to view the online presentation)

2006

American Academy of Ophthalmology (representing AOTA):

                    The introduction of low vision as a subspecialty in occupational therapy

American Foundation for the Blind Josephine L Taylor Leadership Institute:

                    The Low Vision Rehabilitation Continuum of Care  

AOTA Annual Conference and Exposition:

Using Optical Devices in Low Vision Rehabilitation

Enabling Reading and Writing in the Older Adult with Low Vision

2005

American Optometric Association Low Vision Rehabilitation Section (representing AOTA):

                   The Role of Occupational Therapy in Low Vision Care

Memphis Eye Society:

SmartSight: The American Academy of Ophthalmology Initiative in Vision Rehabilitation

Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association:  

    Occupational Therapy and Low Vision Rehabilitation

West Tennessee Division of Mental Retardation Services:

    Homemaking Solutions for People with Low Vision

Poster presentations:

2005

Vision 2005, London, UK:

The importance of writing in low vision rehabilitation of the older adult

Publications (non-refereed):

Weisser-Pike, O. (2005) The importance of writing in low vision rehabilitation of the older adult. International Congress Series, Volume 1282, September 2005, pp. 331-336

Warren, M., Bettenhausen, D., Kaldenberg, J., Sokol-McKay, D., and Weisser-Pike, O. (2006) Low Vision Rehabilitation: A Reflection on Specialized Practice. OT Practice, March 20, 2006, pp. 19-23.