Dr. Miki Lyn Zilnicki on Vision, Balance and Everyday Life
In this series our physical therapists interview providers practising in the community. Dr. Zilnicki is an outside guest, not a member of the Greiner Physical Therapy staff.
Vision is more than seeing 20/20.
Dr. Peter Imperato, a senior physical therapist at our Speonk clinic, sits down with Dr. Miki Lyn Zilnicki, an optometrist and co-founder of Twin Forks Optometry & Vision Therapy in Riverhead. She graduated with honors from the SUNY College of Optometry and completed a residency in vision therapy and rehabilitation, with a focus on children and on patients recovering from traumatic brain injury. She is a guest on this series. She does not work for our practice and does not see patients at our clinics.
Most of her patients fall into two groups: children who are struggling with reading or school, and adults who have not felt right since a concussion. The conversation covers what an optometrist actually does, why her evaluation takes an hour or more instead of a quick glasses check, and how a vision problem can show up as dizziness, eye fatigue, double vision that comes and goes, or discomfort in a busy store, even when eyesight tests at 20/20.
Our therapists have referred patients to Dr. Zilnicki when dizziness or other symptoms did not fit a typical pattern. If dizziness or unsteadiness is what brought you here, our balance therapy and concussion pages explain how we work on it in the clinic.
The full interview.
Recorded for the Spotlight Series. A good one to watch if your child battles homework every night, or if something has felt off since a concussion.
What the two of them get into.
Avoidance is a symptom
Stopped driving on the expressway, avoiding big stores, or quietly giving up reading? Dr. Zilnicki says avoiding things like these can be a sign that a full vision evaluation is worth having.
Tired eyes are not normal
Eyes that tire quickly when you read, closing one eye to focus, or seeing double now and then are not just part of getting older, she says. You should be able to read comfortably for half an hour or more.
Kids who fight homework
When a capable child battles every night to sit and read, she suggests ruling out vision first. A full evaluation looks at how the two eyes work together, not only whether a child can see the board.
Get Your Balance Checked
If dizziness, unsteadiness or lingering concussion symptoms keep getting in the way, an evaluation is the place to begin. Every session here is one-on-one with a licensed physical therapist, start to finish.
No referral is needed in New York for up to 30 days or 10 visits. If anything in your evaluation points to a vision problem or means you should see your physician first, we will tell you.
You’re all set.
We’ll reach out within one business day to confirm your appointment. If you need to speak with us sooner, call us directly.