The Team

DeAnn Fitzgerald, O.D. is President of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), an inter-disciplinary group of professionals dedicated to providing patients who have physical or cognitive disabilities as a result of an acquired brain injury with a complete ocular health evaluation and optimum visual rehabilitation education and services to improve their quality of life. 

Dr. Fitzgerald has been providing eye care to eastern Iowa since graduating from Pacific University School of Optometry in 1984. She runs a busy primary care clinic where she diagnoses and treats ocular disease and evaluates patients with brain injury. In 2007, she opened a multi-disciplinary clinic, Cedar Rapids Vision in Motion, which provides low vision services, along with concussion (diagnosis, management, and treatment), traumatic brain injury, stroke, and neurodegenerative disease (dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease) rehabilitation. By using total brain and body techniques with an emphasis on vision, vestibular and proprioception with auditory cues her clinic helps individuals achieve broader improvement in function. She recently launched her sports vision and concussion clinic, Active Evolution Studio.

Dr. Fitzgerald has a special interest in sports vision performance and concussion.  She attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where she played softball and basketball. At Pacific University, she went to the NCAA softball nationals two years in a row. She taught pitching and batting clinics and was umpire in chief of softball tournaments for high school students. Dr. Fitzgerald also played semi-professional softball in the 1980’s. 

She has helped facilitate over 20,000 baseline testing for concussion in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the surrounding communities. Active Evolution Studio utilizes their Sports Vision Performance protocol to train the area amateur and professional teams in hockey, basketball, arena football, and soccer. Working with Metro Youth Football, which has 1,400 young people playing football annually, Dr. Fitzgerald has helped implement a baseline screening protocol with nearly 100% athlete participation. Her pre-season baseline and post-concussion care protocols have attracted attention from the National Football League.

Dr. Fitzgerald has lectured nationally about neuro-rehabilitation and concussion. She is CIC certified in ImPACT, which is a web-based product used in concussion management. 

Dr. Fitzgerald is a member of American Optometric Association (AOA), Iowa Optometric Association (IOA), Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF), and International Association of Functional Neurology and Rehabilitation (IAFNR).

 Sensory Stepping Stones, LLC is a therapeutic clinic specializing in informational processing / sensory processing issues with children, teens, and adults. We take a holistic and unique approach to understand and help get to the root causes and symptoms of a behavior. Using alternative therapies and interventions we help the "whole" person become more successful, confident, and prepared to live and thrive in their world - behaviorally, emotionally, academically, and socially. We offer FREE consultations both in office and by phone/zoom.

Dr. VanHoy is the only developmental optometrist in Indiana who has achieved both her fellowship in the College of Optometrist in Vision Development as well as the College of Syntonic Optometry. She was also an optometric consultant to an autism center serving young adults with autistic spectrum disorder in Kuwait in 2013 - 2015.

"When I decided to become an eye care specialist, I made a commitment to pursue the best education possible. But I knew that my learning would not stop after graduation. The science of eye care is constantly changing, so I take continuing education classes to ensure that my patients get the latest and most effective treatments possible."

STRONG EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CARE YOU CAN COUNT ON

A.B.: Optometry, Indiana University, 1969
O.D.: Indiana University School of Optometry, 1971
Board Certified: Specialist in Vision Therapy
Certified: As a Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Specialist

 MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF EYE CARE EXPERIENCE

"Before going into practice for myself, I took time to work directly with well-respected eye care professionals. The experience I gained in learning how to care for patients one-on-one was far more valuable than anything I was taught in a classroom."

Captain: U.S. Army Medical Service Corps
Served as Optometrist:
William Beaumont Army Medical Center, 1971-73
People’s Health Center, Indianapolis, 1973-75
Indiana Boy’s School Optometry Clinic, 1975-79
Health Optometry Clinic, 1975-77
Team Optometrist: Indianapolis Indians Baseball Team, 1986-91
Indiana Vision Improvement, Now... Eyes For Wellness, 1973-Present

 SHARING KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS

"It’s important for me to give back to the community by sharing what I’ve learned. Whether I’m teaching a class full of future doctors, meeting with fellow professionals, or explaining vision therapy to a parent’s group, I’m glad to know that others can benefit from my experience."

Former Instructor: Occupational Therapy Department, Master’s Degree Program, University of Indianapolis
Lecturer: Indianapolis Preschool Council, Columbus Regional Hospital Rehabilitation Department, Crossroads Rehabilitation Center, State Convention For Occupational Therapy
 

State Director: College of Optometrists in Vision Development 2008, Optometric Extension Program Foundation 1990-94
Member: American Optometric Association, Indiana Optometric Association, Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association, College of Syntonic Optometry, College of Optometrists in Vision Development
Board Member: Indiana Optometric Board of Examiners, 1986-92; College of Optometrist in Vision Development 2001-04
International Examiner: COVD 2004-05
Trustee: College of Syntonic Optometry 2001-2010
President: College of Syntonic Optometry 2011-2016

Certified Sensory Learning Practitioner: Certified by the Sensory Learning Institute 2016

Serving patients of all ages and health conditions with an emphasis on autistic spectrum disorder and post-concussion vision syndrome

Dr. Carl Garbus graduated from the Southern California College of Optometry in 1980. He opened two private practices in Valencia, Family Vision Care Optometry and Family Vision Care Optometry Neuro Vision Rehabilitation. Currently the practices emphasize care for children and adults with vision deficits from traumatic brain injury, stroke and developmental and learning problems.

Dr. Garbus has hospital privileges and consults at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara and Henry Mayo Hospital in Santa Clarita. In addition, Dr. Garbus works with the following rehabilitation centers; Centre For Neuro Skills, Solutions At Santa Barbara and the Brain Injury Specialists. He has made various presentations and in-services to optometric societies, occupational therapy groups, and PTA groups regarding vision problems. Another area of interest is working with children who have learning problems. Autism is on the rise and these children have many vision issues that need to be addressed. Family Vision Care has a new office that is equipped to help children who have autism. Dr. Garbus was president of the Los Angeles County Optometric Society in 1993 and is currently serves as vice president on the board for the Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA). He will be president of the organization in 2010.