Mary DeYoung-Smith, CO, COMT

Mary DeYoung-Smith, CO, COMT is a Certified Orthoptist at Children’s Eye Care of Michigan with more than four decades of experience in pediatric and adult strabismus, amblyopia, double vision, and disorders of eye movement and binocular vision.

Mary was the Program Director of Children’s Eye Care’s Orthoptic Training Program and a longtime clinical educator at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. Throughout her career, she has helped educate and mentor orthoptic students, ophthalmology residents, pediatric ophthalmology fellows, and medical students in strabismus, ocular motility, and pediatric ophthalmology.

Her contributions to the profession extend well beyond Children’s Eye Care. Mary has held national leadership positions with the American Orthoptic Council, contributed to clinical research, and published and presented on pediatric ophthalmology and orthoptic topics. In 2021, she received the Lancaster Award, the highest honor awarded by the American Association of Certified Orthoptists for outstanding contributions to the field of orthoptics.

Orthoptic Expertise

• Pediatric Strabismus Testing — specialized measurement of eye alignment and eye movements in infants, children, and adolescents
• Adult Strabismus & Double Vision Testing — detailed sensorimotor testing for adults with eye misalignment and double vision
• Amblyopia (Lazy Eye) Testing & Follow-Up — visual acuity and alignment testing as part of physician-directed care
• Sensorimotor Examinations — detailed measurements of ocular alignment, motility, and binocular function
• Infant & Pediatric Vision Testing — age-appropriate methods for measuring vision in babies and young children
• Orthoptic Education & Training — educating and mentoring orthoptic students and physicians-in-training in strabismus, ocular motility, and pediatric ophthalmology
• Patient & Parent Education — helping patients and families understand testing and physician-directed treatment plans

The Role of an Orthoptist

Certified Orthoptists are highly trained eye care professionals who specialize in the evaluation of eye alignment, eye movements, and binocular vision. At Children’s Eye Care, our orthoptists work closely with pediatric ophthalmologists and adult strabismus specialists, performing specialized testing that helps physicians diagnose and manage conditions such as strabismus (eye misalignment) and amblyopia (lazy eye).

Orthoptists are especially skilled at evaluating infants and young children, using age-appropriate techniques to measure vision and eye alignment even when a child is too young to read an eye chart or describe what they see.

This collaborative approach is an important part of the specialized pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus care provided at Children’s Eye Care.

Experience & Orthoptic Training

Mary earned her Bachelor of Science in Ophthalmic Technology from Wayne State University and completed her postgraduate orthoptic training at Kresge Eye Institute of Wayne State University. She became both a Certified Orthoptist and Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist in 1982.

Education has been a major focus of Mary's career. She has provided clinical instruction at Children’s Hospital of Michigan since 1996, teaching strabismus, ocular motility, and pediatric ophthalmology to ophthalmology residents, pediatric ophthalmology fellows, and medical students. She became an instructor in the Children’s Eye Care Orthoptic Training Program in 2012 and served as its Program Director from 2020-2026.

Mary has also contributed to important clinical research throughout her career. She has served as a clinical examiner for Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) studies, Luminopia amblyopia studies, and the National Eye Institute's Prism Adaptation Study. Her published research has included work involving esotropia and pediatric visual acuity testing.

Her dedication to orthoptic education has earned her the Scobee Teacher Award three times, in 2015, 2016, and 2019. In 2021, Mary received the Lancaster Award, recognizing her outstanding lifetime contributions to orthoptics.

Mary has also dedicated significant time to advocating for children and people with visual impairments. Her community leadership has included serving as President of the Michigan PTA, serving on the National PTA Field Service Committee, and has served as a Trustee of the Greater Detroit Agency for the Blind and Visually Impaired.