2001 Conference

2001 Conference

Bloomington, Minnesota

ANN held its second conference at the Holiday Inn Select International Airport in Bloomington, Minnesota (Twin Cities area) on June 22-24, 2001. Our keynote speaker was Dr. Richard Hertle, M.D.

The conference was a tremendous success and we had approximately 100 people that attended. The first conference in 1999 had approximately 65 attendees and was made up of a 50-50 mix of adults with nystagmus and parents of kids with nystagmus. The 2001 conference attendees were still about 50-50 but the difference with this conference was the fact that we had a number of families that brought their children. This added yet another dimension to the networking, since parents could see other kids with nystagmus.

Conference Agenda

Friday, June 22

• 4:00: Reception
• 6:30: Dinner and Opening Remarks by Alan Burstein, Ann Inc. acting President
• 7:30: Panel presentation on Nystagmus and driving Michael Arm: “In pursuit of a driver license,” Sue Redepenning: Instructor with Drive Safe

Saturday, June 23

• 8:00: Dr. Byron Newman, OD “The Eyes Have It,” An update on visual conditions that people with Nystagmus need to learn about.
• 9:15: Breakout Sessions
  • Dr. Jen Hensil, OD, “Low vision rehabilitation … more than just magnifiers”
  • Mr. Phillip Trobaugh: an Attorney specializing in IDEA “Top Ten Things You Need to Know About IDEA”
• 10:30: Breakout Sessions
  • Mr. Rich Gieschen: State Services for the Blind, “Assistive Technology- What’s New in Blindness and Low Vision
  • Mr. Marshall Tanick: an Attorney specializing in ADA “Top Ten Things You Need to Know About ADA”
• 11:30: Lunch
• 1:00: Keynote Address Dr. Richard Hertle, MD “Nystagmus In Infancy and Childhood: Understanding, Diagnosis, Treatment and Visual Implications”
• 3:00: Breakout Sessions   
  • Dr. Kevin Frankeberger, Ph.D., CFRE, Nystagmus and the Professional Setting: Tricks of the “trade” in dealing with those Board meetings, cocktail parties, media interviews and so on.
  • Panel discussion: Neurotin, Botox, and other drugs therapies used to treat Acquired Nystagmus (AN) and Congenital Nystagmus (CN)
    • Dr. Jen Hensil, OD (moderator)
    • Mr. Steve Abeles (AN, Neurotin)
• 4:15: Breakout Sessions
  • Children and Teens:
    • Mr. John Knox moderator (Panel Discussion)
    • Children’s issues (ages 2 to 12), participants: Children, Parents, and some CN adults
    • Teen issues (ages 13 to 20), participants: Teens, CN young adults
  • Alternative medicine: Biofeedback, Chiropractic, Hypnosis, Herbs, Acupuncture…Adult issues

Sunday, June 24

• 9:00: ANN, Inc. member meeting followed by closing remarks