Hello and welcome to our site. My story begins many years ago when I was born as a premature baby. My early start contributed to the multiple learning difficulties I experienced at school. I remember how much time I spent trying to concentrate and learn. I was not the only member of my family struggling - my older brother was diagnosed with learning disabilities and with the help of vision therapy progressed well at school and today is a well respected medical specialist. This was all the motivation I needed to enroll as an optometry student.

In my third year of optometry I was encouraged by my lecturers to study children's vision. As I began to research the subject further I came to understand my own learning difficulties. My initial experience working with patients showed me what could be achieved without the need for medical intervention. As time went by I realised that the whole brain system could be reorganised via the visual system to function more efficiently.

This inspired me to complete a Doctor of Optometry (O.D) at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia, graduating with Honours in Paediatric Optometry. I was privileged to work with the worlds best in areas of learning disabilities, partial sight, visually and mentally disabled people.

I returned to South Africa and taught at the Optometry school in Children's Vision and Low Vision. In the 80's I moved with my family to Sydney, Australia to set up my own practice.

Initially I experienced a resistance by authorities in Australia to recognise the existence of learning disabilities, which was preventing children in schools from receiving correct remediation where necessary. I campaigned for better diagnosis therapy and after years of lobbying the Australian College of Behavioural Optometry instigated a fellowship exam. As one of the initial fellows I assisted by lecturing students completing their masters course in Behavioural optometry.

Today I am often invited as the guest speaker at various schools, learning difficulty conferences, P&C committees and other interest groups.

A highlight of my career was working as a volunteer at the Olympic and Paralympic 2000 eye clinic. I enjoyed this work tremendously and was faced with a myriad of new challenges.

At present I serve on the management committee of SPELD New South Wales (Special Help Learning Disabilities) and am on the board of management of Learning Links.

I hope you find our site easy to navigate. The site is part of our goal to provide teachers, remedial therapists, parents and children with easy access to information about the world of behavioural optometry. We welcome you to make any suggestions that will improve our site and content.

I am available to answer any questions you may have, just click on Ask David a Question and you will receive my reply within days or contact me at my practice which is located in St Leonards in North Sydney. Click on Contact Us for maps and location details.

Kind Regards

David Evian

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