SPINE-TINGLERS

 

 

By now, you’ve all heard about the record-breaking Annual Meeting figures from San Francisco; 212 new Fellows, more than 5,800 registrants, 48,079 hours of continuing education credit, and rumor that it was the biggest single optometric meeting ever staged. What those numbers don’t tell you, however, is about the little spine-tingling moments that occurred throughout the meeting. Here’s what I heard and observed.

A large room was packed with scientists and clinicians (identifiable because they were laughing at Tom Norton’s oldest jokes) as they hung on Jane Gwiazda’s every word during her first public presentation of the COMET 2 results. The heroic work, completed through the auspices of the ophthalmology-optometry joint venture, the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigators Group, showed a modest (0.25 D) difference in myopia progression in low myopes with high accommodative lag and near esophoria when corrected with progressive addition lenses.

Gil Pierce from Ohio told me that his nearly best moment at the meeting was a hallway conversation with a former student. The student related how compromised she felt in her current position where she was being discouraged from engaging in public health education of her patients about their general health problems. He assured her that she was living up to her training and to the Academy’s pursuit of excellence in persisting and continuing to teach her patients about their diabetes and hypertension.

At the AOF luncheon, Don Korb praised Kelly Nichols’s recent work as the chair of the International Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Work Group for the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society. He said her work made him proud to be an optometrist, as he pledged $25,000 to the AOF to support work in dry eye. The room swelled with pride.

Joan Stelmack was disappointed that she couldn’t get into the standing room only session presented by Thom Freddo, “Understanding the Clinical Significance of Common Retinal Lesions,” but that means that many attendees were treated to Thom’s world class teaching. Better luck next year, Joan!

Steve Eyler, co-chair of the Merton C. Flom Leadership InSight Program, introduced each leadership training session with the vision, “The Academy. Leadership is taught and expected here.”

The Optometric Glaucoma Society premiered Joe Lovett’s film, “Going Blind” on November 15 to an appreciative crowd of researchers and clinicians dedicated to helping the very patients portrayed in the film.

Kovin Naidoo simply stunned the record-breaking Awards Program crowd with his description of his anti-apartheid activities in South Africa and challenged the assembly to help him and Brien Holden with the modest sacrifice of the many to help stamp out preventable blindness worldwide. At the same event, watching the impeccably well-spoken and brilliant Prentice Medal awardee, Earl Smith, tear up when he acknowledged the influence and support of the Academy was a spine-tingler of the first order.

Plan right now to attend Academy 2011 Boston (October 12-15) and every Annual Meeting thereafter. The Academy: it’s where optometry’s best spine-tingling moments happen.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM ACADEMY 2009 ORLANDO

I have to admit that I am still on a high after last month’s annual meeting in Orlando. There are many people to thank for its success. First of all, there are over two hundred Fellows who serve in the volunteer structure of the organization on various committees who all help develop various parts of the annual meeting program. Second, we need to thank our section leaders who developed so many intriguing and cutting-edge symposia. Third, our Executive Director, Lois Schoenbrun, and her phenomenal staff most definitely deserve our accolades. Fourth, we are so appreciative to our many corporate supporters and exhibitors, and certainly we want to thank the over 4,500 attendees that made this the third largest meeting in Academy history.

The work of everyone collectively created a highly energetic meeting with an outstanding education program. Perhaps this was a great meeting because most of us were all housed under one roof. Perhaps this was a great meeting because our Lectures and Workshops Committee and our Scientific Program Committee were able to blend the latest of scientific discoveries with traditional CE. Perhaps it was the combined OGS/AAO meeting Wednesday morning that exposed our attendees to world-renowned speakers they could only hear at an Academy meeting. Perhaps it was the stimulating Plenary Session with Mike May and Ione Fine; they captivated the audience with Mike’s philosophy of life and Ione’s explanation of what it took for Mike to learn to see after so many years of sight deprivation. Perhaps it was the prestigious Awards program, or the terrific exhibit hall, or the alumni receptions. Or perhaps, it was all of these things and much more.

If you missed this meeting, I can only tell you that you missed one of our very best. For those who were there, I hope you are looking forward to San Francisco next year as much as I am, and for those who weren’t, just take a look at the section symposia created for this year that you missed:

• Binocular Vision, Perception and Pediatric Optometry – The section held a standing room only event with the highlight being from Jonathan Holmes of Mayo Clinic who showed that patients who had IXT varied in their manifestation of their strabismus across the day in an individually-specific manner. The program provided new research data and was clinically applicable.  

• Low Vision – The section held two symposia during the meeting. The first symposium, “Visual Field Loss in Low Vision: Measurement, Clinical Implications & Interventions” began with Ronald Schuchard discussing the difficulties in measuring fields in individuals with unstable fixation and Kia Eldred informing attendees of the field loss and visual neglect found in patients with traumatic brain injury. Susan Leat and Alex Bowers described how visual field loss leads to alterations in mobility and driving performance. The symposia ended with Eli Peli speaking about his research concerning visual field expansion devices. The section also held its first evening symposium, “Nyctalopia: Finally Hope!” and it was certainly appropriate for the time slot. Low Vision Diplomate Chair John Musick explained how to clinically differentiate night vision problems commonly seen by the primary care OD from more serious conditions causing true night blindness. Diplomate Vice-Chair Roanne Flom discussed the latest in low vision technologies in the management of patients suffering from nyctalopia. Byron Lam, Director of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s Center for Hereditary Eye Disease, gave a presentation on advances in the treatment of retinal degenerations including gene therapy, retinal artificial implants, and cell based therapies (neurotrophic factors, stem cell) and nutritional supplementations.

• Optometric Education – This section presented a symposium on “The Challenging Student: Common Challenges and the Role of the Faculty” that was designed to give educators an overview of common mental health and learning disorders with an emphasis on attention deficit disorder. Myles Cooley gave a presentation on the overview of common mental health conditions and learning disabilities. Elizabeth Heiney presented on the challenges associated with ADHD and David Damari presented on the Americans with Disabilities Act and its implications for optometric education. The symposium focused on the role of the faculty and the impact on optometric education.

• Primary Care – The section symposium, “Evidence Based Medicine – Applications for Early Diagnosis and Treatment,” was presented by Diana Shechtman, W. Lee Ball, Jr., Andrew Gurwood, and Marc Myers to a full room of interested attendees.

Next year promises to be even better; so please put it on your schedule now: Academy 2010 San Francisco – November 17-20. You won’t want to miss another great meeting!
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SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Academy 2010 San Francisco is less than two weeks away. I sincerely hope you are going to be there. San Francisco is a terrific city, and Moscone Center West is a great venue for the meeting.

For the scientists that will attend the meeting, both the Scientific Program Committee, chaired by Ruth Manny, OD, PhD, FAAO, and the Research Committee, chaired by Lyndon Jones, PhD, FCOptom, FAAO, have worked tirelessly to provide a program rich in papers, posters, and symposia. Please don’t miss the AAO/ARVO Symposium: Normal and Abnormal Ocular and Visual Development, sponsored by the Vision Science Section, and the Monroe J. Hirsch Research Symposium: Ocular Genetics: From Laboratory to Clinical Practice and Back Again.

The Lectures and Workshops Committee, chaired by Tammy Than, MS, OD, FAAO, has worked diligently to provide you with a multitude of traditional CE lectures. Many of the lectures are being given by first time presenters, and there are more one-hour presentations available to give you ample opportunity to get education on a host of specialty interests. Handouts are already available on our Personal Program Planner.

You also don’t want to overlook the opportunities made available by our various section symposia:

• Management of Refractive Error in Children (Binocular Vision, Perception & Pediatric Optometry)
• Collagen Crosslinking and New Treatments for Keratoconus (Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies)
• The Lawrence G. Gray Neuro-ophthalmic Disorders (Disease)
• The Disease Section evening symposium
• Congenital Achromatopsias: Genetics, Psychophysical Testing, and Clinical Intervention (Low Vision)
• Scholarship: A Practical Guide to Enhance Faculty Success (Optometric Education)
• Primary Care Section/Ocular Nutrition Society Joint Symposium
• Vision 2020: Assessing the Past and Planning for the Future (Public Health & Environmental Optometry)

If you are a clinician, and if you haven’t taken the time to sit in on any of the scientific program offerings mentioned above, you are missing learning opportunities on new discoveries that may soon evolve into novel treatment modalities for your patients.

In addition, we are calling all private practice Fellows:
The Academy is moving forward with the formation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and one such group needs your support and help. The “Fellows Doing Research” (FDR) SIG will be created at the upcoming Academy meeting. Barbara Caffery, OD, PhD, FAAO, is working towards identifying a group of private practitioners to perform clinical research in their practices. Fellows of the Academy represent the best in eye care and we believe that we are ideally suited to gathering data that will further the clinical understanding of common eye diseases.

Please join Fellows Doing Research (FDR) on Thursday November 18, 2010 from 3:30 to 4:30pm in the Intercontinental Ballroom B at the Intercontinental Hotel to review the organization and vision of this SIG, and to discuss some of the clinical questions that we are interested in researching. After the meeting, Fellows who are interested can sign up (we require 25 signatures) to be a part of this new innovative group.

Our ability as Fellows to improve the quality of eye care for all patients is underutilized. This group is being organized to fill a need in the eye care community. All Fellows who are interested in close observation, detailed grading and recording and the joys of doing meaningful research should join us for this discussion. We need energy, ideas and dedication. Come and bring a friend.

I’m excited about this year’s annual meeting and hope you are as well.

See you in San Francisco!
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PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE FOR ACADEMY 2010 SAN FRANCISCO

It’s hard to believe that we are so close to the annual meeting. We were only just together in Orlando! We are about six weeks out from the meeting and registration is 25% ahead of where we were at this time last year. This comes as no surprise as San Francisco always attracts more attendees. I can’t imagine that this meeting won’t recapture the title for the Academy’s largest meeting ever just like the last time we assembled in San Francisco.

Have you had an opportunity to look at the educational offerings available this year in San Francisco? You might have a hard time deciding which of the many courses you want to take. Use the Personal Program Planner to manage your schedule at the meeting.

Remember that our meeting is Wednesday through Saturday with fantastic courses each day. Academy 2010 San Francisco is All CE, All the Time®! You can earn CE at scientific papers and poster sessions, at the Plenary, at the Awards Program, at all symposia, and of course, from traditional CE lectures.

Be sure to stay for the Saturday courses -- you will learn a lot in the amazing educational opportunities offered. One of the most popular Grand Rounds presentations occurs at Residents Day; you can earn up to seven hours of CE if you attend this all day Saturday program that is filled with terrific case presentations and posters by current residents. I always learn something new and am impressed with the depth of knowledge these young doctors have to share.

In addition, eight hours of CE lectures are available on Saturday – you’ll be finished by 4:30 pm. The day is packed with outstanding speakers including Drs. Melton & Thomas, Fingeret, Cummings, Classé, DePaolis, Gailmard, Malloy, Myers & Gurwood, Richer, Shechtman and Szczotka-Flynn. You will hear never-before presented lectures on topics including New Horizons in Glaucoma, Congenital Achromatopsias, Clinical Grand Rounds, Ocular Emergencies, Pediatric Nystagmus, Practice Management, Glaucoma Surgery Update, OCT, Contact Lens Complications, and Ocular Motor Disorders.

Enjoy the fourth day of the meeting in San Francisco with top notch lectures, then grab a bite to eat and hurry back to class at 12:30 pm – these must-hear lectures will fill up fast! Book your flight home for Sunday and stick around for CE Saturday afternoon and the Annual President’s Banquet Saturday evening to celebrate the new Fellows and Diplomates – you won’t want to miss it!

I am really looking forward to once again renewing old friendships, and establishing new ones. I hope you are, as well.

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HONORING ACADEMY HISTORY

As many of you know, the history of the Academy intrigues me. Those of you who share this interest will be delighted to know that your board has recently taken steps to honor one of the true stalwarts of the Academy. We were all saddened this year to lose Mert Flom, OD, PhD, FAAO. He has a prominent place in the history of this organization, and his passion for the Academy was only exceeded by his passion for the study of leadership. Today’s leadership programs are the fruit of Mert’s labor. Many of today’s optometry leaders have taken Mert’s courses, and many would acknowledge that their leadership style has been influenced by what they learned from these courses.

We are proud to announce that the Academy’s leadership courses will be known from now on as the Merton C. Flom Leadership InSight Program. We are fortunate to have two very capable leaders, Linda Casser, OD, FAAO, and Steven Eyler, OD, FAAO, who continue to build upon Mert’s leadership legacy. The Leadership InSight Program remains unsurpassed by any other found in optometry. There are lessons to be learned that will serve you well in any setting where leadership needs to be part of your skill set. This may include your own practice, a job setting, or in any organization, whether professional, civic or religious. Mert would tell you that leadership can be learned, and if you haven’t taken one of these courses, now is a good opportunity to do so. I would encourage you to register now before they are filled.

I would also like to highlight another annual meeting event based on history. As a matter of fact, the program is all about history of the Academy and optometry. I am referring to a program presented by another stalwart of the profession, Irving Bennett, OHS, OD, FAAO. Do you know about the Optometric Historical Society? It is an organization that meets to discuss the early days of the profession. Join the Reminisce-IN of the Optometric Historical Society on Friday, November 19 at Academy 2010 San Francisco immediately following the Annual Awards Ceremony. The theme of the meeting this year will be “The Ups and Downs of Optometry’s Relationships with Organized Medicine and with Organized Opthalmology.” If you plan to attend, please email Dr. Irv Bennett. I assure you that you will have an enjoyable time listening to early events that formed our profession.
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RECOGNIZING ACADEMY AWARD RECIPIENTS

When our Academy was formed 88 years ago, it was done in order to give our fledgling profession a scientific base. It has accomplished that many times over, and today our Fellows are recognized throughout the world as preeminent authorities in their given disciplines. There can be no better way for an organization to recognize their members who have further helped advance our knowledge base than to publicly honor them for their outstanding contributions.

Fortunately for the Academy and the American Optometric Foundation (AOF), there are numerous individuals nominated every year who are most worthy of such recognition. It is the Academy’s Awards Committee that is charged with the difficult task of selecting the recipients for these very deserving recognitions. Chris Johnson, OD, PhD, FAAO, Chair, and his colleagues on the Academy Awards Committee have once more brought us a slate of outstanding individuals who will this year receive the affirmation of their colleagues as representative of the best-of- the-best.

While it is an honor for each award recipient to be recognized in this way, it is our honor as members to have them represent us. It is our obligation to demonstrate our appreciation by attending the program that will recognize them. For those who have not experienced the Award’s program before, there are unique lectures provided by the Prentice Medal and Fry Award winners that are always educational and thought provoking, and you will receive one CE credit for attending the two hour program.

Won’t you please join me in San Francisco on Friday Nov. 19, 8-10 AM to extend our congratulations to all of this year’s worthy award recipients? They are as follows:

Charles F. Prentice Medal Award: Earl L. Smith, III, OD, PhD, FAAO

Glenn A. Fry Lecture Award (AOF): Nathan Efron, BScOptom, PhD, DSc, FAAO

Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award: Alex R. Bowers, PhD, FAAO, MCOptom

American Academy of Optometry – Essilor Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Optometry: Kovin S. Naidoo, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO

William Feinbloom Award: Joan A. Stelmack, OD, MPH, FAAO

Carel C. Koch: Thomas F. Freddo, OD, PhD, FAAO

Garland W. Clay Award: Birgit Lackner, MD, Gerald Schmidinger, MD, Stefan Pieh, MD, Martin A. Funovics, MD, Christian Skorpik, MD
"Repeatability and Reproducibility of Central Corneal Thickness Measurement with Pentacam, Orbscan, and Ultrasound"
OPTOMETRY AND VISION SCIENCE Volume: 82 Issue: 10

Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education (AOF): Richard Meetz, OD, MS, FAAO

Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies Awards

Schapero Lecture Award: Joseph T. Barr, OD, MS, FAAO

Founders’ Award: Nick Stoyan, NCLC
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THANK YOU FOR TELLING US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK - PART 2!

Last month I wrote to thank those of you who took the time to complete the Annual Meeting survey, and to report back to the membership the results of that survey. This month, I thank those who responded to the Membership Benchmarking Survey. Once again, you provided invaluable information for your Board of Directors and staff, as we work to provide the best possible education and programming for our members and the profession.

I have asked Lois Schoenbrun, our Executive Director, to share the results of the surveys with our members. I am sure you will find the information she has provided to be very enlightening.

In this issue of President’s Calling, I want to let you know the outcome of the Membership Benchmarking survey.
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MEMBERSHIP BENCHMARKING SURVEY

The Academy has not conducted a general membership survey in nearly ten (10) years. This makes comparative data unfortunately not available, but we do plan to conduct annual surveys in the future.

3,824 invitations were sent to Fellows and Candidates. Two reminders were sent. A total of 1,331 members completed the survey – more than ¹⁄₃! This is a terrific response rate.

30% of respondents have been Fellows for more than 20 years. 63% are male (71% of Fellows are male) and 34% are over 55 years of age.

41% of respondents said they did not attend Academy 2009 Orlando. (This is significant because the more unique individuals we hear from, the better we can serve our members and the profession.) However, 79% said they do plan to attend Academy 2010 San Francisco! Look for a big attendance!

We asked what the barriers were to attendance, and the reasons were varied: family obligations, health issues, location, scheduling conflicts, and a big one – cost. Cost is always an issue, and I want to share with you that we take very seriously the need to keep costs down as much as possible. But to give you a frame of reference... At Moscone Center West, one gallon of coffee costs $92, about $6 per cup! The nearby hotels, where we are holding some events, are even higher, at about $120/gallon, or $8 per cup! I like to remind folks, just half-joking, that “Two gallons of coffee equal one computer!”

Our meetings are costly to produce, and we try our best to keep those costs down, so that registration fees can remain reasonable. Why not then hold our meetings in lower cost cities? First, because generally they are not large enough to accommodate our meeting. And second, because you have told us with high registration numbers that you like certain cities. The trade-off is higher cost.

We negotiate outstanding hotel rates. Yet we hear complaints every year that we’re not doing our jobs, because you found a better rate online, or paid less at the same property for another meeting. Yes, both are entirely possible, yet not a reflection on how well we negotiate. “Revenue management” is the term that hotels use for determining when and at what rate hotel rooms will be advertised and sold. In this on-line world, some sleeping rooms will always be available online at a cost lower than what we can negotiate. And hotel rates vary greatly by time of year, day of the week, and any number of other factors. We know that you want the best rates you can possibly get. Please remember, though, that if the Academy does not fill its room block (the minimum required in our contracts), we pay hefty attrition penalties. Your stay at a contracted hotel makes a real difference in keeping our costs down.

We asked what you would like to see MORE of at Academy meetings. Responses ranged from the Australia Party (IT’S BACK!) to excellent suggestions for improving either our education or the logistics of our meeting. The sheer number of suggestions for improving our education speaks volumes about what is important to our members. My favorite response to this question? “A little bit more of everything.”

One of the toughest issues to address is time. Many respondents noted that they want more time during the meeting – less overlap of good classes, more time to communicate with colleagues, more time for the exhibit hall, more time for special events for diplomates, etc. And yet the primary reason that attendees come to the meeting is the great education. Your suggestions for balancing the two are welcome!

93% said they are “Very Satisfied” or “Somewhat Satisfied” with the recognition associated with being a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.

We asked what services could be provided to improve membership benefits. 411 people made suggestions. Thank you. Many of you want on-line resources, and some want regional meetings.

Not surprising, we also got an earful about Board Certification – both pro and con. And generally most who commented about Maintenance of Fellowship were positive.

And finally, 96% said they were “Very Satisfied” or “Somewhat Satisfied” with the service provided by Academy staff. It’s always gratifying to hear appreciation of the staff!

Thank you again for responding to the surveys. We are always here and eager to know your thoughts. We recognize that membership in the American Academy of Optometry is a matter of pride, and want the Academy’s annual meeting to reflect the excellence that our members bring to their practices and other professional roles.
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THANK YOU FOR TELLING US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK!

In the past few months, the Academy has conducted two surveys with high response rates – a post-annual meeting survey and a membership benchmarking survey. You took the time to tell us, in detail, what you thought about our education, the venue, and how we can improve. You told us what you want from your Academy. Both surveys provided important and valuable feedback, and I want to let you know that your Board of Directors and staff take very seriously what you have to say.

I have asked Lois Schoenbrun, our Executive Director, to share the results of both surveys with our members. I am sure you will find the information she has provided to be very enlightening.

In this issue of President’s Calling, I want to let you know the outcome of the Annual Meeting survey. Watch for the July issue for information about the general membership survey.
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ANNUAL MEETING SURVEY
This year 1,254 attendees responded, more than triple the response rate from the year before, and more than ¹⁄₃ of those surveyed! 57% were under the age of 44, and 25% of the respondents are not (yet!) members. Both of those statistics tell us that the respondents represent our future!

There are three primary reasons that individuals attend our meetings. No surprises here. You go for the networking, to earn CE credits, and for the high quality speakers.

Respondents were “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with the registration process (96%), the overall quality of the speakers in the Lectures and Workshops program (90%), and the overall quality of the education (93%).

But while satisfaction with the education was very high, there is always room for improvement. Your suggestions have been forwarded to the volunteers who plan the education, and will be taken into account as these individuals plan future programming.

We learned that half of attendees did not go to the Scientific Program – either paper sessions (46%) or posters (53%). We do not know why. We have been trying for several years to integrate the Scientific Program with traditional CE in the hope that attendees would realize that there is significant cutting-edge material that can be learned and applied to their patient care. If you have suggestions as to how we can better achieve this, please let us know.

77% said they were “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with the venue (the convention center) and 64% said the same about the location (resort). But the significant minority who were not satisfied with the location were consistent in their comments. You said you felt trapped and isolated, like you “couldn’t get off the island.”

We heard you loud and clear.
So although the majority of respondents were favorable, those who were not made their point. We have cancelled our contracted Orlando meeting at the same location in 2014, and are moving it to a new location. (City to be announced soon – contracts are still in negotiation!)
We learned that most had favorable things to say about the low-tech barcode system for tracking CE credits. It worked. The system will remain the same for 2010.

24% visited the exhibit hall EVERY DAY. Just 9% did not visit the hall at all during the meeting.

You expressed frustration with aspects of our corporate events. As a result, we have changed how they will be managed. The biggest change, a result of your comments, is that registration for the events is now part of the on-line meeting registration. Sign up when you register, and you will receive your breakfast or lunch ticket(s) with your badge.

And finally, you said BRING BACK THE AUSTRALIA PARTY, so we did! The Australia Party is back in its proper place and time – Friday, November 19, at Moscone Center West.

We are very pleased that 84% of respondents plan to attend Academy 2010 San Francisco! We look forward to seeing everyone November 17-20!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2010

This month, we celebrate the accomplishments of the most recent graduating class of optometrists. If you happen to be one of these new doctors and you are reading this message, the Academy wants to be among the many to congratulate you.

The Academy has long recognized that learning doesn't end with graduation. It is life-long. From the Academy's beginnings in 1922, Academy Fellows have gathered every year at the annual meeting to listen to the latest scientific discoveries and to learn to apply that new knowledge to the care of their patients. They also learn more during the year by reading articles in the leading optometry journal, Optometry and Vision Science.

The Academy is committed to providing the life-long learning you need throughout your career through continuing education at its annual meeting. The Academy is pleased to inform all graduates that the Membership Committee intends to convert graduating students at all U.S. and Canadian schools and colleges of optometry into Candidates for Fellowship and waive the first year of dues. Each spring starting in 2008, graduating students at each school and college attend a short presentation given by their Academy Faculty Student Liaison. During this presentation, you receive a packet with information about the Academy and Fellowship along with an invitation to become a Candidate for Fellowship. In 2009, this program really took off with 112 optometry graduates becoming Candidates. This is twice as many graduates as we had in 2007 (65 Candidates) or in 2008 (64 Candidates).

Due to the steadily increasing number of women graduating with a doctorate of optometry in the US each year, we have been tracking the number of female Fellows. The profession of optometry in the US had a steady increase of 5% of women optometrists each year for the last decade. For the past three years, the increase in the percentage of female Fellows either matched or exceeded the growth of the profession; 19% in 2007, 5% in 2008 and 7% in 2009 respectively. We encourage graduating students to become Candidates for Fellowship immediately upon graduation so that they can hone their clinical skills throughout the process of becoming a Fellow.

The Membership Committee is also advertising this program on the Academy's Facebook page. We are looking for Fellows who would be willing to send us short descriptions of why Fellowship has benefitted them in private practice. These quotes will be included on the Academy's Facebook page with information about the Conversion of Students to Candidates Program. In addition, we are always looking for enthusiastic Fellows in private practice to assist Faculty Student Liaisons with presentations at various schools and colleges by briefly speaking about how the Academy and Fellowship has benefitted them in their private practice. If you want to send a quote for the Academy Facebook page or if you would be willing to speak about the benefits of Fellowship at your local school or college of optometry, please contact the Chair of the Membership Committee, Melissa Bailey, OD, PhD, FAAO.

N.B.: Due to recent issues with spam-type uses of the Fellow directory, the Academy blocked member emails from appearing in the online directory. If you would like to include your email in the Academy online database, please login at http://www.aaopt.org/login/login.asp. Under "My Account," select "Update Profile" and "Directory Settings" on the left hand corner. Select "Publish my email address in directories."
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THE ACADEMY’S DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

I have been asked frequently, “How can I become more involved with the Academy?” It is a testament to our membership that so many Fellows want to become involved. Although more than two hundred Fellows are appointed to various committees within the Academy’s volunteer structure, there are many more individuals interested in volunteering than there are positions available. This is the proverbial “double-edged sword”! While we don’t have assignments for everyone that wants to volunteer, I would like to thank all those who have expressed interest and all those that currently serve. Committee assignments run concurrently with the two-year term of the Board of Directors. The current term will end this year in San Francisco and there will be a call for volunteers for the next term in the near future; please keep an eye out for further information and let us know at that time if you want to volunteer.

In the mean time, there is one committee that always needs our collective help, and that is the Academy’s Membership Committee. Members are the life blood and reason for existence for any organization. Please help the Academy by encouraging a colleague, committed to lifelong learning, to become a Fellow. Also, if you feel you have a creative idea that would help the Membership Committee recruit more members, please email Melissa Bailey, Membership Committee Chair. I’m sure she would be grateful to hear from you. Another way for you to become more involved in the Academy is through our Sections. If this interests you, attend the Section business meetings at the annual meeting and let the Section leadership know that you are interested. Our Sections publish newsletters and more information is available about each of them on the Academy’s web site.

Your enthusiasm and support of Academy programs is vital, and I encourage you to try to become involved. Your Academy experience will be enriched if you do, and your contribution will make the Academy’s programs better for all of us. Let’s make the Academy stronger than ever!
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OPTOMETRY AND VISION SCIENCE ONLINE

The Academy’s commitment to life-long learning doesn’t begin and end with the Academy annual meeting. It goes on all year long with each published volume of our journal, Optometry and Vision Science. The journal is not only for academics and researchers; I encourage all of my clinician colleagues to spend some time with each and every issue. Not one month goes by that I don’t pick up some clinical pearls that help me with patient care. It may be further insight into contact lens solution compatibility with particular brands I use or latest research related to theories of myopia development or efficacies of treatment using a new drug, but there is always new knowledge that helps make me a better practitioner.

I want to tell you about some of the new features of the Academy’s journal Optometry and Vision Science online. Our editor, Tony Adams, and his editorial board do a great job for us, and have even made it easier to access these latest discoveries by making every article available online. We are living in a world that is increasingly tied to information overload. The Academy is working to get you the information you need in formats that make it easy for you! We send out the monthly OVS Announces email to give you pithy information about current journal articles. The journal’s publishers are now going that extra step further, by giving you access to articles published ahead of print.

1. Go to the Academy OVS webpage
2. Select “Log-in” on the top of the page, where it says “Attention Members.”
3. Enter your login information.
4. Select the “Optometry and Vision Science (Members Only)” link.

Optometry and Vision Science now provides online access to journal subscribers and Academy members. It still showcases the latest, cutting edge research that you have come to expect, now with easier access. Additionally, OVS began an entirely new electronic publishing platform that personalizes and expands features for readers, including E-publications ahead of print issue and supplementary movie materials online.

For those of you who have an Internet-enabled mobile device, you can also navigate your mobile web browser to the OVS journal website and browse articles in the palm of your hand! The mobile version has many of the same features as the hardcopy version: search, current table of contents, full text view, image handling, abstracts, featured articles and much more! All you need to do is navigate your mobile web browser to the journal website and you’re there! The content is optimized just for your mobile device.

Now, you have no excuse not to read the journal. It’s as close as your PC, Blackberry, or iPhone.
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NOMINATE YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR ACADEMY AWARDS!

It may sound boastful to talk about the many notable contributions that so many Fellows of the Academy have made over the years to the optometric profession and to vision science. No matter what year you earned your degree, much of the knowledge you were taught came from the brilliant minds of individuals who recognized the importance of the Academy. I think this may be one of the reasons we joined the Academy: to “hang” with these optometric stalwarts. If you want to become a better tennis player or golfer, then you associate with those that are the best in the business to learn from them. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to “hang” with and learn from these devoted professionals who are in the Academy Fellowship.

Let us reward these special colleagues with recognition and appreciation. Affirm the benefit we derive from those who have contributed so much to the scientific base of our profession, and to our own knowledge base. This is the role of the Awards program at the annual meeting.

Our dedicated Awards Committee is charged with identifying the exceptional individuals deserving of your Academy’s recognition. Chris Johnson, PhD, FAAO, Chair of the Committee, will attest to the difficult task of selecting each recipient, as there are so many who are worthy within our ranks. However, the committee needs your help! Nominate your colleague for one of the Academy’s awards.

To learn more about the different awards, please visit the Awards web page. Please take the time to review the purpose of the various awards, and nominate the colleague you feel deserves recognition. Please help us continue the strong tradition of our prestigious Awards program. Nominations are now open for Academy 2010 San Francisco’s Awards program.

Next week, we will be launching an online submission system for the nominations process. Be on the lookout for an email explaining how to use it!

You may also send your nominations to the Academy office to the attention of Helen Viksnins, Director of Education and Member Relations (helenv@aaoptom.org). The deadline for nominations is Thursday, April 2, 2010.

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VISION RESEARCH GETS $230 MILLION BOOST IN 2009

First, let me encourage you to pay your 2010 dues if you have not done so yet! By paying your dues today, you’ll help us save some trees and put your dues dollars to work on worthy projects instead of printing and mailing paper statements.

Next, let me tell you about some exciting news about funding being directed towards vision research! The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) is a non-profit advocacy organization comprised of a coalition of 55 professional, consumer and industry organizations involved in eye and vision research. NAEVR's goal is to achieve the best eye and vision care for all Americans through advocacy and public education for eye and vision research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute (NEI) and other federal research entities.

NAEVR was formed in 1997 as an affiliated organization of the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) to carry out advocacy activities of the coalition. The organization has had a presence at our annual meeting for many years. Many of you have stopped by their “Contact Congress” booth and have had the opportunity to speak with NAEVR’s Executive Director, James (Jim) Jorkasky. Jim has played an integral part in helping optometry obtain funding for many worthwhile research initiatives at nearly every school or college of optometry in the country.

Jim has reported recently released NIH data. Between the regular/ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) NEI funding and Department of Defense (DOD) extramural research awards, vision research funding has increased by an unprecedented $230 million! Just from NEI-ARRA funding alone, optometric researchers received $5.4 million of the $142 million awarded to date, or about 4 percent, which is consistent with that received in regular appropriations. Jim anticipates those numbers will continue to increase. The attached chart shows the $5+ million in funding for optometry research.

In 2009, NAEVR coordinated both House and Senate resolutions that acknowledged the 40th anniversary of the NEI and designated 2010-2020 as the decade of vision. Jim says, “With the start of 2010 and this bolus of increased funding, we are on the threshold of an exciting decade of research to prevent blindness and restore vision.”

While NAEVR considers itself a “friend of NEI,” I hope you recognize James Jorkasky and NAEVR as a “friend of the Academy and the profession” and as our advocate for vision research funding. If you would like more information about NAEVR, please visit their website. Please stop by the NAEVR booth to contact your congressman later this year when we all meet again in San Francisco; your voice could greatly benefit the field of optometry!

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