Faculty Bio
Low Vision in Older Adults: Foundations for Rehabilitation
Roy Gordon Cole, OD, FAAO
After graduating from the Southern California College of Optometry in 1972 and practicing privately in San Bernardino, California, until 1977, Roy Gordon Cole moved to New York and became a faculty member of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry, where he attained the rank of professor. He taught physical optics and ophthalmic optics and had a special interest in the areas of educational technology and computer applications in client care.
Dr. Cole was also active in the Low Vision Service at the College. In September 2000 he retired from SUNY and joined the staff at The Jewish Guild for the Blind, where he currently is director of vision program development. His particular areas of interest are models of care of vision rehabilitation and distance learning. Dr. Cole also has a private practice limited to low vision care in Brooklyn, NY.
Dr. Cole is an active member of the Low Vision sections of both the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Academy of Optometry and has served on the executive council of the Low Vision Section of the AOA. He is also a Low Vision Diplomate in the Academy. He has lectured extensively, published a number of articles and chapters on topics in low vision, and co-edited two books in Mosby's Optometric Problem-Solving Series: Functional Assessment of Low Vision and Remediation and Management of Low Vision.
Gordon Rovins, MS, CEAC
Gordon Rovins is a nationally certified environmental accessibility consultant at The Jewish Guild for the Blind in New York City. He has over 20 years of experience in working with people with disabilities, primarily in residential settings. He was director of Joselow House, a residential facility serving adults with developmental disabilities who are blind that was formerly operated by The Guild.
Since 1987 he has also worked as an accessibility and modification consultant providing training and information to a variety of agencies on the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Federal Housing Amendments Act. He has advised agencies on designing facilities specifically for older adults, people with AIDS, people with vision impairments, and people with other disabling conditions. Mr. Rovins is currently the coordinator of environmental access and research at The Guild, providing low vision training for The Guild's innovative SightCare Program.
Alison Schonfeld, OTR/L
Alison Schonfeld graduated from the Medical College of Virginia. She has been practicing occupational therapy for 11 years in New York, concentrating her practice on treating patients with neurological deficits and low vision dysfunction. Alison has lectured locally to occupational therapy students at Long Island University in the areas of neuroanatomy and vision assessment and treatment, and she has lectured nationally at the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association's Annual Conference, the New York State Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, and at the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Annual Meeting.
Author of Screening Adult Neurological Populations: A Step-By-Step Manual, Alison additionally holds a seat on the Rehabilitation Committee for the Multiple Sclerosis Society in New York City.