Optometrist Bethesda, MD - Eye Doctor Maryland - Vision Doctor Washington DC Metro

About MyVisionFirst

MyVisionFirst is dedicated to enhancing lives through vision improvement.

Our practice offers a holistic approach to family vision care and visual wellness, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral, sensorimotor, neuro-rehabilitative, and learning related vision problems for all ages ranging from infants to senior citizens.

We provide Vision Therapy (VT) & Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation and Optimization Services

We pride ourselves on providing technology enhanced premium vision care and rehabilitation, utilizing the most up to date practices and state of the art equipment and procedures. While many of the patients we treat are children and adolescents, about half of our VT practice is comprised of adults with visual dysfunction.

A large component of the practice involves the evaluation and treatment of those with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), concussion, stroke, sensory integration dysfunction, and sensory processing issues.

MyVisionFirst is a leader in the field of Neuro-Optometry specializing in holistic functional vision care and complex visual cases.

Meet The Team

Dr. Bryce Appelbaum, OD, FCOVD

Founder & CEO

Dr. Appelbaum is on a mission to change the way the world views vision. He believes there is more to vision than just 20/20 eyesight and has developed programs to retrain the brain to revise the eyes.

Dr. Appelbaum has been featured on the front page of USA Today, on CBS, in the New York Times Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, and as the cover story of OT Advance. He was the 2022 recipient of The Future of Health Award at the Mindshare Leadership Summit and has shared the stage with Dr. Joe Dispenza, Marie Forleo, and JJ Virgin. Dr. Appelbaum is a frequent podcast and media guest, having recently been interviewed on MindBodyGreen, Chris Kresser’s Revolution Health Radio, and Cynthia Thurlow’s Everyday Wellness.

Dr Appelbaum is a pioneer in neuro-optometry passionate about unlocking life’s potential through vision. His expertise includes reorganizing the visual brain post-concussion to return to learn and return to life, remediating visual developmental delays interfering with reading and learning, and enhancing visual skills to elevate sports performance.

He is the founder and CEO of VisionFirst, with a private practice specializing in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation and offices in Bethesda and Annapolis, Maryland. He is also the founder and CEO of ScreenFit, the revolutionary online vision training program designed to minimize the damage of digital devices on vision, reduce symptoms, and promote healthy visual habits for extended screen use.

Dr. Appelbaum has worked with hundreds of professional athletes, numerous professional and collegiate sports teams, and countless amateur athletes to transform raw talent into honed performance through vision. These athletes include:

NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and NWSL players
Professional golfers, volleyball and tennis players, race car drivers
Olympic fencers, gymnasts, swimmers, skiers, archers, and shooters

Dr. Appelbaum also helps teams consider who to draft or sign as a free agent based on assessing a player’s visual potential and identifying how far off they may be from operating at that ceiling. Dr. Appelbaum is a board-certified Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Southern College of Optometry. He completed his undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis where he majored in psychology and pre-medical studies and graduated with clinical honors from The Illinois College of Optometry. He is certified in Corneal Refractive Therapy/Orthokeratology, a specialty contact lens approach to slowing down nearsightedness and improving eyesight as an alternative to refractive surgery. Dr. Appelbaum is a frequent podcast and media guest often discussing:

The Misdiagnoses and Missed Opportunities of Vision: Why healthcare has it all wrong about the eyes
The new pandemic: Why screens are ruining our eyes
Is it ADD/ADHD or a Hidden Vision Problem?
Why eye patches and eye muscle surgery are a major disservice to your child?
Why knowing the difference between eyesight and vision could change your life
Vision Therapy: The missing piece to concussion recovery

MyVisionFirst Leadership Team

Dr. Katherine Cioffi

Vision Therapy Director

Dr. Cioffi is highly trained in the vision therapy space, known for providing exceptional care with a personal touch.

As clinical director of Vision Therapy, Dr. Cioffi ensures that each patient’s unique needs are addressed with individualized treatment programs.

Dr. Cioffi is truly passionate about the transformative power of vision therapy for all ages and is dedicated to establishing long-lasting relationships with each patient.

Dr. Raha Fahimi

Comprehensive Care Director

Dr. Fahimi is a compassionate and highly skilled optometrist with a passion for providing exceptional eye care to her patients. Dr. Fahimi’s extensive expertise encompasses comprehensive eye examinations, vision therapy best practice, contact lens fittings, and the diagnosis and management of various eye conditions. Her warm and caring approach creates a welcoming environment where you can feel comfortable discussing your vision concerns and receiving tailored solutions to enhance your visual wellness.

Dr. Tiari-Jay Fernandez

Associate Doctor

Dr. Tiari-Jay “TJ” Fernandez is passionate about changing lives through vision therapy and neuro-optometric rehabilitation. Her passion for vision therapy started very early on as a patient herself. She is committed to providing personalized treatment plans to help each patient reach their individual visual goals and optimal visual performance. Dr. Fernandez makes it a priority to help each patient along their journey to learn the tools needed to reach their full potential.

Dr. Ashmita Sharma

Associate Doctor

Dr. Sharma is an optometrist graduated from Drexel University with a specialization in Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease and Brain Injury Rehabilitation. Driven by a passion for overcoming challenges, Dr. Sharma is committed to empowering her patients through vision therapy, emphasizing hope and the potential for improvement over accepting limitations.

Sheila Levine

Patient Success Manager

Sheila has been with Appelbaum Vision and now MyVisionFirst since 2000 and is the scheduling coordinator, patient advocate, and general manager. She takes pride in her critical role and is passionate about making sure each family feels valued and supported in our office.

Megan Diment

Operations Manager

Megan is dedicated to making sure that our current and future patients have everything they need to succeed. She takes care of the operating needs of our practices to make sure everything runs smoothly and you have a seamless experience with MyVisionFirst.

Amanda Appelbaum

Lead Health Coach

Our In-House Health Coach Amanda is an expert in optimizing nutrition, lifestyle, and behavior modification to support your vision and overall health goals. Learning how to take care of and support your body and mind is essential to maximizing your treatment.