THE FUTURE OF OUR PROFESSION

This past week I had the privilege to speak about our Academy to students at The Ohio State University and the Southern College of Optometry. While I have had the honor of teaching optometry students throughout my professional career, it is always special to travel to other parts of the country and have the opportunity to speak with optometry students. They are inquisitive, bright, articulate, excited about the profession they have chosen and passionate about the future of our profession. I attempted to enlighten them to the values and benefits of Academy Fellowship to their personal and professional lives as optometrists, clinical educators, career academics, or vision scientists.

Many students join our Academy as student members. Some schools have developed Academy Student Chapters to promote student membership and the values of life-long learning promoted by Academy Fellows. Increasing numbers of student members participate at a higher level and attend our annual meeting. During the annual meeting, student members have the opportunity to achieve Student Fellowship by attending a broad range of programs including lectures, Section and SIG symposia, the awards program, and the business meeting. Yes, we even had to enlarge the room for our business meeting to meet this enthusiasm of our future colleagues.

While my fellow board members and I continue our tradition of visiting each school and college of optometry every other year, the day to day work of making students aware of the benefits of student membership and facilitating the transition of student members to candidate members is accomplished by our Faculty-Student Liaison Committee under the leadership of Dr. Etty Bitton. She and her committee members ensure that the next generation of optometrists understand the benefits and importance of Academy Fellowship. We are most grateful for the service of these dedicated Academy volunteers.

Dr. Etty Bitton, Committee Chair, University of Montreal
Dr. Richard Trevino, RSO
Dr. Robert Dister, UCBSO
Dr. Mayra Rullan, IAUPR
Dr. Susan Kovacich, IU
Dr. Aurora Denial, NECO
Dr. Andrew Gurwood, SALUS
Dr. Mary Flynn Roberts, ICO
Dr. Gregory Nixon, OSU
Dr. Tammy Than, UAB
Dr. Raymond Maeda, WESTERN
Dr. Jennifer Bulmann, UMSL
Dr. Lee Eunice Myung, SCCO
Dr. Latricia Pack, NSUCO
Dr. David Berntsen, UH
Dr. Kathryn Richdale, SUNY
Dr. Andrew McLeod, MCPHS
Dr. Daniel Arnett Taylor, SCO
Dr. Matthew Lampa, PUCO
Dr. Julie Rodman, NOVA
Dr. Kristine Dalton, WATERLOO
Dr. Amy Dinardo, MCO-FSU
Dr. Kaila Osmotherly, Arizona

A TABLE FOR EIGHT

At our Academy Banquet last October, the theme of my comments centered on mentorship. I shared my wish with those in attendance that the most significant mentors in my life could join me at the front table, so I could thank them for their contributions to the bit of success I have had in both my personal and professional lives. I would have also relished the comments they would have made to me as I stepped forward to lead this prestigious organization. What would be their sage advice that would propel me into a productive two-year term of effective leadership and accomplishments as our Academy prepares to enter its second century of service to the Fellowship and our profession?

Sister Virginia Marie, who was a most inspiring teacher, guided me toward the enjoyment of seeking knowledge and instilled a quiet confidence in a shy and awkward boy. Mr. Moy challenged me to develop analytical skills and developed my excitement for the study of science. Dr. Robert Alexander Schooley was, no doubt, the most influential mentor of my young life. He was an exemplary teacher, effective motivator and extraordinary mentor. In his quiet and unassuming manner, he set a high standard of academic achievement mixed with the ability to be an advisor and friend without compromising his role as teacher. He was a most gifted lecturer. His anatomy, histology, and endocrinology lectures were just superb! He presented the material in a clear and logical manner, building from basic concepts to the more intricate, weaving them into an understandable product while expertly sketching effective diagrams on the overhead projector. The result was a masterpiece in clarity of thought and comprehension. He provided me with my first teaching opportunities and under his guidance these skills were enhanced. His influences led me to my career in clinical teaching.

Joining the mentors of my youth would be the mentors of my professional education. Dr. Tony Adams has been a consistent source of guidance throughout my profession life. During my clinical observations as a first year optometry student, he taught me the use of the direct ophthalmoscope and the importance of solid clinical thinking. Later as Dean to a clinical faculty member and again as Editor to a new member of the Editorial Board, he challenged me to adapt, think in new directions and be more effective in my clinical thinking and scholarly activities. Dr. Mert Flom provided lessons in critical thinking, experimental design and writing as my optometry thesis advisor. He was an accomplished teacher and introduced me to the Academy. During my residency, Dr. Albert LeMoine, Jr. challenged my clinical skills, my clinical thinking and my problem solving abilities. Our after-clinic discussions of the issues of the day were enlightening and thought provoking life-long lessons. Joining them would be Dr. John Stanley, who provided me the guidance and the path to develop the clinical teaching program that has been my professional career and accomplishment.

Take a moment and reflect upon those who have contributed to your success. Who would fill the seats at your table? Stop! Take a moment today to reach out to them and express your appreciation for their guidance. Do it now, before there are more open seats at your table.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPTOMETRY AWARDS

One of the most special sessions of our annual meeting is the Awards Program on Friday morning. Our Awards Committee, under the able leadership of Chris Johnson, selected this year's honorees from a highly competitive group of nominees. For each of the awards there was much discussion as to the relative merits and achievements of many of the nominees. Although many deserved recognition, the committee was forced to narrow its choice to the most commendable among the nominees. Please join us in Seattle at 8:00 AM on Friday, October 25th to honor our award winners.

Gordon E. Legge, PhD, of the University of Minnesota will receive the Charles F. Prentice Medal and will present the Prentice Lecture. This is the Academy's highest award for a distinguished career and accomplishment in research. His studies include the role of vision in real world situations including reading, spatial navigation, and object recognition. His significant contributions in understanding problems encountered by people with low vision have earned him our most cherished recognition of excellence in research.

David B. Elliott, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO of the University of Bradford will receive the Glenn A. Fry Award and will present the Fry Lecture. His studies cover numerous topics including the assessment and management of patients with cataract, clinical contrast sensitivity and glare testing, vision related quality of life issues, and the visual control of gait and posture.

Pete Kollbaum, OD, PhD, FAAO of Indiana University will receive the Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award. This award honors a young distinguished investigator and Dr. Kollbaum's work primarily in contact lenses, includes laboratory studies with translational clinical care implications to clinical patient care research, has earned him this honor.

Sandra Block, OD, MEd, FAAO, will receive the coveted Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award due to her significant involvement in the Special Olympics Lions International, the American Public Health Association, Prevent Blindness America, and Chicago Public Schools promoting better interprofessional relations for optometry.

George Woo, OD, PhD, FAAO will receive the American Academy of Optometry-Essilor Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Optometry for his establishment, leadership and development of the outstanding optometry program at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, contributions to the development of optometry in the Pacific Rim, and then adapting those skills to promote optometry throughout the world.

Murray Fingeret, OD, FAAO will be honored with the inaugural Vincent Ellerbrock Clinician Educator Award for his outstanding teaching within our Lectures and Workshop Program for so many years.

Louis Catania, OD, FAAO will be honored with the Eminent Service Award for his many years of contributions to the Academy and the profession.

Barbara Junghans, BOptom, PhD, FAAO will be honored with the Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education for distinction in teaching within the University of New South Wales optometry program.

Michael Harris, OD, JD, FAAO and Anthony Cullen, OD, PhD, FAAO, will be honored with Lifetime Fellowship Awards for their commitment and service to the Academy.

Krystal Schulle, OD, will be honored for her paper on optics as a student at the University of Houston with the Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics. She spiked the competition as first author of "Repeatability of On- and Off-Axis Eye Length Measurements Using the Lenstar" which was published in Optometry and Vision Science.

The Garland W. Clay Award is given to the authors of the most cited paper published in Optometry and Vision Science over the past five years. Padmaja Sankaridurg, BOptom, MIP, PhD, and co-authors Leslie Donovan, BOptom, Saulius Varnas, PhD, Arthur Ho, PhD, FAAO, Xiang Chen, MS, Aldo Martinez, PhD, FAAO, Scott Fisher, BscPsych, Zhi Lin, MSc, Earl Smith, III, OD, PhD, FAAO, Jian Ge, MD and Brien Holden, PhD, DSc, FAAO will be honored for their paper, "Spectacle Lenses Designed to Reduce Progression of Myopia: 12-Month Results."

Please join me in congratulating this most distinguished group of our colleagues, our 2013 American Academy of Optometry Award winners!

SEATTLE IN OCTOBER: STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE

For the past thirty years, I have had the pleasure of attending the annual meeting of our Academy. These meetings have been the highlight of my professional life. Academy meetings have improved my clinical practice, enhanced my knowledge in order to better teach my students and residents, and enriched my personal life through the development of life-long friendships with Fellows from many states and countries. Our Academy has been my personal professional compass, guiding me in my career as I continually strive to provide excellence in patient care and teaching. The 92nd annual meeting of our American Academy of Optometry promises to be another exciting educational experience. Our Lectures and Workshops Committee, under the guidance of Gay Tokumaru, has put together an outstanding program on a range of topics that provide the opportunity to both enhance your knowledge and apply that knowledge toward improved patient care. Presently, our Scientific Program Committee, lead by Michael Twa, is reviewing the abstracts of new discoveries, studies, and insights in clinical optometry and vision science. The submissions they select will be presented in our papers and poster sessions, which is at the heart of our mission as we provide Today's Research for Tomorrow's Practice. In addition, our Sections and SIGs have developed unique symposia with focused presentations from experts on timely topics with direct clinical application. Our Plenary Session will highlight the advancements in stem cell research with potential new ocular treatments in both corneal and retinal disease, led by international leaders in these fields. Our Awards Program includes the Glenn A. Fry and Charles F. Prentice Lectures where distinguished international leaders in ophthalmic research will outline their significant advancements of knowledge in eye care and vision science. Our Residents Day program provides a review of interesting cases and their management in both oral case reports and clinical posters. The highlight of our meeting is clearly the ability to meet, greet, and catch up with friends and colleagues from across the nation and the world, as well as the opportunity to greet our class of new Fellows at the Fellowship Banquet on Saturday evening. Please make plans to join me in Seattle from Wednesday, October 23 through Saturday, October 26, 2013. Make our meeting YOUR meeting, as we challenge ourselves to strive for professional excellence.

TRAVELS TO BOSTON AND MALAGA

Boston was the site of the most recent meeting of our Academy's Board of Directors. It was also marathon weekend in Boston. We shared our hotel with many of the runners who had come with their families to watch mom, dad, sister, or brother run in the big race on Monday. Young children were inquiring why mom or dad did not choose the treadmill with warmth of the workout room, rather than the cold and damp weather outside for their Friday work out. Some of us even wandered over to the finish line a few days before the event to grab an evening meal.  

 

The city was alive with the anticipation of the celebration of this famous race where participation is valued as much as winning. We departed on Sunday; some of us early in the morning, others later in the day after walking the streets filled with runners completing their pre-race rituals. We were all shocked by the news that such a celebration and family gathering was violated by such a tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those whose loved ones were killed or injured in this senseless act of violence.

 

After I left Boston I headed to Malaga, Spain, the site of the combined meetings of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics, the European Council of Optometry and Optics, the World Council of Optometry (WCO), and the Spanish General Council of Optometry. This coalition of meetings brought together over 300 optometrists and opticians from over 40 countries. I primarily attended the European  Academy of Optometry and Optics meeting.  

 

I met with many of our European colleagues and had the opportunity to have thoughtful discussions with many of our European Fellows. Our Academy Fellows hold key leadership positions in the European Academy of Optometry and Optics, with Paul Murphy succeeding Roger Crelier as President, as well as Ellen Svarverud, Annemieke Coops, and Marten Fortuin serving on the Board of Directors. Among those honored with Fellowship in the European Academy were American Fellow Andrea Müller-Treiber and Fellow Candidate Caroline Christie.

 

Tim McMahon primarily attended the WCO meeting and will serve as one of the North American representatives on the WCO Governing Board for the next two years. Academy Fellows are well represented within the WCO, with Susan Cooper succeeding Tone Garaas-Maurdalen as President and George Woo completing his term as Immediate Past President. In addition, Pete Kehoe is the new Treasurer replacing Richard Wallingford, who has served in that role for the past six years.  

 

Other Fellows serving in leadership roles include Committee Chairs Jerry Lowther for Education and Kovin Naidoo for Public Health, and Uduak Udom and Carly Lam who serve on the WCO Governing Board. Brien Holden gave a rousing keynote address at the European Academy of Optometry and Optics meeting and was honored with the Distinguished Service Award of the World Council of Optometry.

 

Our Fellows are engaged in service to optometry throughout the world.
[To Top]

THE PASSING OF A GENERATION

Over the last 30 years, I have provided eye care to America's veterans. Early in my career the mainstay of my patients were WWII veterans. Over the years, I have been honored to serve those who participated in many of the major conflicts of that struggle: Pearl Harbor, Corregidor, Batan, Midway, Guadalcanal, Sicily, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Bougainville, New Guinea, Omaha Beach, Saipan, Battle of the Bulge, and Iwo Jima. They never spoke of their individual contributions or thought of themselves as heroes. They just did their duty as best they could. Their spirit was characterized by a Marine who lost an eye in combat and had glaucoma in his only eye. When I was about to complete the request for the VA to purchase his eyeglasses he told me, "Just put my prescription on that other form, I can buy my own glasses. Save that one for those who need it!"

While over 16 million Americans served in WWII, there are only a little over a million of them still living. Last month a very special WWII veteran passed away, my Dad. He was a devoted family man who with my mother created within our home a place of unconditional love and support, a place to retreat from the realities of life, a place to tend to scars from the challenges of life, and a place to nurture self-confidence. While deeply saddened by the loss of this remarkable man, I am truly blessed for the many years of this wonderful life he shared with me and the remarkable life he gave to me. He quietly and effectively set a standard of integrity, love and devotion to family, warmth and respect to friends and acquaintances, which I will honor as I make my meager attempt to emulate him. He was a man of few words; he quietly set an example of how to live. His only words of advice to me came as I was departing on my honeymoon. He simply said, "Take good care of her."

Our Academy has also experienced a passing of a generation as none of the present board members have any direct knowledge of our early Academy leaders. It is only our mentors, many of whom we have lost over these past few years, who had the benefit of knowing some of the legendarily early Academy leaders such as Carel Koch. We must build on the legacy of these past leaders and chart the course for the future of the Academy and our profession. This past generation has provided us with this wonderful profession of modern optometry. Perhaps we could benefit from the example of this passing generation by being a bit more self-less in our actions and working toward the common good of the profession as we heed my father's words of advice, "Take good care of her."

[To Top]

GIVING RECOGNITION TO THE BEST OF THE BEST: THE ACADEMY AWARDS

We all appreciate a kind word or a note of recognition for our efforts and accomplishments. Particularly when the acknowledgement is from someone we admire or value in a special way. When professional achievements are honored by a respected group of accomplished colleagues, this is usually the source of exceptional pride. Thus, our Academy seeks to honor those who have achieved noteworthy levels of sustained excellence with significant contributions to the profession of optometry or the field of vision science. Chris Johnson and the Awards Committee will soon begin deliberations to identify those who will be honored at our Awards Program on Friday, October 25, 2013 in Seattle, WA.

This cannot happen, however, without first identifying those individuals who deserve our thanks and recognition for their high level of devotion and attainment. So take this opportunity to review the criteria for our awards and nominate qualified and deserving individuals. Their contributions have gone unappreciated long enough! The deadline for the submission of nominations for our Academy and American Optometric Foundation awards is April 1, 2013.

In addition to our traditional awards listed below, the Academy has a new award—the Vincent Ellerbrock Clinical Educator Award.

Vincent Ellerbrock Clinician Educator Award – recognizes a distinguished clinician who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to the Academy’s Lectures and Workshops Program. Individuals considered for this award will be widely recognized by both Academy peers and the profession for their clinical expertise and willingness to share their knowledge for the benefit of improved patient care. Awardees are required to be active in direct patient care. Additional contributions to the ophthalmic literature relative to sharing clinical knowledge may also be considered.

***

Charles F. Prentice Medal Award - recognizes a distinguished scientist or clinician scientist in recognition of a career-long record of advancement of knowledge in vision science. The recipient need not be a Fellow of the Academy nor an optometrist.

Glenn A. Fry Award (AOF) - given to a distinguished scientist or clinician scientist (typically mid-career stage) in recognition of the quality, significance, impact, and relevance to optometry of his or her current research contributions. The recipient need not be a Fellow of the Academy nor an optometrist.

Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award - recognizes an outstanding young scientist or clinician scientist (usually in the first 6 years of their career) who has shown exceptional promise to conduct independent research directly related to etiology, prevention, detection, diagnosis, or management of clinical ocular disorders. The recipient need not be a Fellow of the Academy nor an optometrist.

Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry - recognizes an individual(s) or organization whose direct efforts and contributions have resulted in unquestionably significant and extraordinary advances in optometry and eye care internationally.

William Feinbloom Award - presented to an individual who has made a distinguished and significant contribution to clinical excellence and the direct clinical advancement of visual and optometric service and thus, the visual enhancement of the public. The recipient need not be a Fellow of the Academy nor an optometrist.

Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award - awarded to a person who has made outstanding contributions to the enhancement and development of relationships between optometry and other professions. The recipient need not be a Fellow of the Academy nor an optometrist.

Eminent Service Award - honors those who have rendered extraordinary and/or distinguished long-term service to the Academy.

Honorary Fellowship - honors individuals who are not Academy Fellows for distinguished contributions to the Academy and/or the science and art of optometry.

Life Fellowship - recognition to Fellows who have rendered distinguished service to the science and art of optometry.

Also included, but nominated by deans and presidents of the Schools and Colleges of Optometry is the Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education (AOF) and the Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics (AOF).

May we have your nominations, please?

[To Top]