Dr. Samantha Slotnick practices Behavioral Optometry, a holistic approach to vision care. Her practice, Mind-Body-World Optometry, is in lower Westchester County- Scarsdale, NY. When conducting primary eye and vision care exams, Dr. Slotnick prioritizes the individual’s needs and goals to prescribe glasses that are not only customized to a person’s visual demands, but also to their lifestyle needs. With an eye towards prevention, she addresses signs of long-range concerns, addressing the source of the problem, not just the symptoms. Specializing in vision therapy and rehabilitation services, Dr. Slotnick helps patients learn how to make efficient, effective use of their eyes and of visual information:
-With young children, she takes a developmental approach, building visual processing skills so that they understand themselves, the space of the world around them, and how to interact with both. This helps to cement the building blocks of learning, developing the perceptual skills children need to absorb information in a busy classroom setting, to problem-solve, and explore their own creativity.
-With older children and young adults, she helps them achieve comfort and fluidity in their visual skills: focusing, eye-teaming, eye tracking, and peripheral awareness. Whether they are treated with glasses and/or vision therapy, these patients reduce their energy demands for focusing and eye coordination, which helps them enjoy greater freedom for cognitive processing.
-“Children of all ages” are welcomed, as Dr. Slotnick offers support to adults and children with such specialized issues as strabismus (eye turns), amblyopia (lazy eye), and the visual skills and visual processing effects of acquired brain injury.
-When working with Patients with Special Needs, Dr. Slotnick employs creative thinking and problem-solving skills to help these patients maximize their potential and continue to raise the bar.
-A firm believer in a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care, Dr. Slotnick coordinates with professionals in support of her patients. For patients with learning-related vision problems, she co-manages with rehab and educational team members such as teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists and psychologists. For patients with medically-oriented issues, she consults with ophthalmologists, strabismologists, neurologists, neuro-ophthalmologists, as well as primary care physicians involved in her patients' care. Dr. Slotnick has a diverse background, with undergraduate roots in behavioral psychology as well as physical chemistry, and post-graduate training in behavioral optometry and vision science. This dual training in art and science is the foundation for her thorough, balanced approach to patient care, maintaining attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture. Ongoing involvement in both functional and anatomical vision research is another aspect of Dr. Slotnick's pursuits. After obtaining her doctorate in Optometry from SUNY State College of Optometry, she completed a residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation, also at SUNY, along with advanced studies in Vision Science. She brings a functional perspective to the vision research team at Manhattan Vision Associates Institute for Vision Research. She is an Adjunct Assistant Research Professor at the SUNY State College of Optometry, with expertise in Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomograph (SD-OCT) technology. The combination of her physical optics background and her knowledge of the visual system has supported a range of clinically-based research projects with “high-tech” ophthalmological devices. Among these is a multi-disciplinary SUNY Eye Institute collaboration, funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, utilizing SD-OCT technology to explore a retinal biomarker for Parkinson Disease. An accomplished lecturer and author, Dr. Slotnick leads seminars and workshops on vision training for patients with Strabismus. She recently co-authored a chapter in the book _Visual Diagnosis and Care of the Patient with Special Needs_, entitled “Optometric Management of Functional Vision Disorders.” With advanced post-graduate clinical and academic work, Dr. Slotnick has attained Fellowship in two Academic organizations: The American Academy of Optometry, and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Dr. Slotnick sits on the Peer Review Board of Optometry and Vision Development, the quarterly publication of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. She is on the organizational board of the Eastern States Optometric Congress, providing an annual educational program dedicated to vision therapy and vision development. She provides independent education and case consultation services via online conferencing. Dr. Slotnick is also an active member of the New York State Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. Above all, Dr. Slotnick renders holistic care with dedication and concern for her patients' well being.
