Visual Symptoms Treatment Center

Dr. Neil Margolis is a Neuro Developmental Optometrist in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He has specialized his practice over the last 25 years towards the evaluation and treatment of tracking, binocular vision skills and visual information processing for students of all abilities and ages. He has achieved Fellowship status in the American Academy of Optometry and College of Vision Development. He has two graduate level optometric degrees and has also completed a postgraduate optometric residency. He has been personally honored with two prestigious awards by the international neuro optometric rehabilitation association for his contribution to the field of concussion/stroke rehabilitation working with both children and adults. He was also awarded the annual award by the Illinois pediatric brain injury support group. His work on visual rehabilitation has been repeatedly published in journals and included in a landmark multidisciplinary textbook on visual rehabilitation.

Dr. Margolis has lectured to the teachers and therapists of the Special Education District of Lake County, most school districts in the northwest suburbs and to the rehab staff of most major rehab hospitals in Chicagoland. His work has been referenced in many published books on child development or adult rehabilitation. Dr. Margolis is honored to currently serve on the advisory board for three private schools in Illinois; Giant Steps, Soaring Eagles and Midwest Center for Gifted Education and is an advocate for children with vision related learning difficulties. He is happiest at work helping children or adults achieve their potential or concussion survivors achieve “normal”. 

Dr. Michael DeStefano is the newest neuro-developmental optometrist at Visual Symptoms Treatment Center. Dr. DeStefano’s professional interests include helping struggling students achieve academic success, caring for patients with traumatic brain injuries/concussions, visual snow syndrome, and myopia control.

He received his Bachelor of Science in biology and his Bachelor of Arts in Italian at Loyola University Chicago, where he graduated with high honors. Dr. DeStefano received his Doctor of Optometry degree from Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Optometry, where he was valedictorian of the school’s inaugural class and a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society.

Dr. DeStefano is highly involved in patient advocacy, research, and treatment of visual snow syndrome. He is one of five optometrists in the United States--and the only optometrist in the Midwest--who is partnered with the Visual Snow Initiative, an organization dedicated to helping those with visual snow syndrome.

He also dedicates time to working with gifted children at the Midwest Academy for Gifted Education (MAGE), where he helps highly intelligent but sometimes struggling students reach their full academic potential through vision therapy.

He credits his extensive knowledge in vision therapy from working as the founder and former president of Midwestern University’s chapter of College in Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) as well as other neuro-optometrists while in school.  He is still active in COVD as well as the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association, in addition to other professional organizations.

He currently resides with his wife, Lisa, in Elk Grove Village. Dr. DeStefano was born and raised in Palatine, just three miles from the office.

When Dr. DeStefano isn’t seeing patients, he typically spends time with his wife and Italian family, golfing, or working out. He considers himself a kid at heart, as he enjoys watching the Chicago Cubs, playing video games, and collecting trading cards.

Most importantly, he enjoys serving patients every day and looks forward to helping you or a loved one.

Dr. DeStefano’s Professional Memberships

• Illinois Optometric Association
• American Optometric Association
• College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD)
• Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA)
• Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society

Dr. DeStefano’s List of Accomplishments, Honors, Awards, and Involvement:

• Winner of VSP's Practice Excellence Scholarship for leadership and advancement of private practice optometry
• Two-time winner of Midwestern University's Optometry Quiz Bowl
• Essilor Optometry Student Bowl national competitor
• Two-time winner of Midwestern University's Spirit of Service
• Award, an award given to those who demonstrate a commitment to serving others
• Dean's list throughout every semester of college
• Researched the link between traumatic brain injury and abnormal pupillary light responses (alpha omega pupil)
• Scored at the 99.8th percentile (top 0.2% among all US and Canada test-takers) overall on the Optometry Admissions Test
• Four-time Colombian Club of Chicago Scholarship winner
• Italian American Executives of Transportation Scholarship winner
• Four-time William J Cook Scholarship winner
• Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization Scholarship winner
• Cegliesi Italo-American Association (CI-AMA) Scholarship winner
• Le Italo-Americane di Oggi (LIADO) Scholarship winner
• UNICO Ralph Torraco Memorial Scholarship winner
• Two-time representative for OptoPrep national optometry board exam preparation program
• Recipient of Allergan’s JumpStart Award for young optometrists achieving practice excellence