News from the AOA's Blog

From left, Dr. Bohman with staff members Becky Gaitten, Barb Jahn, and Michele Kimes.

Central Ohio practitioner Charles E. Bohman, O.D., has developed an innovative way to provide eye care for the economically disadvantaged while still seeing as many paying patients as possible in his busy practice: use canceled appointments for charity care.

The simple-but-effective method of scheduling charitable eye care has become central to a “free clinic” that Dr. Bohman offers in his practice. Free eye care has become increasingly important to a community hit hard by the recent recession, Dr. Bohman notes.

“One day I was cleaning out my clothes closet in preparation for a trip to the local Goodwill store when an idea came to me,” Dr. Bohman recalls. “I realized that I was ‘throwing away’ two or three optometric appointments every week due to last-minute cancellations. I decided to offer those unused appointments to anyone who needed but could not afford eye care.” Read the rest of this entry ?

Jack Hale, O.D., inside the exam room at the Sunnyside. Wash., practice he’s had for more than 60 years.

Vision USA is a special program in which Jack Hale, O.D., participates in and what he views as an important public service. At age 88, he still attends to his office six days a week “until the light looks dim at the end of the tunnel,” he said. He donates on average 20 exams a year through the program, though the number is sure to be a lot higher considering that Dr. Hale often provides exams to those in need for free even when it’s not part of the program.

Dr. Hale has a long history. He became a professional journalist at age 14, writing sports, regional and local news for a weekly newspaper. He still has his first check to prove it.

After graduating from college, Dr. Hale enlisted in the Air Force. He was sent to Colorado State College for special training before action in the Pacific during World War II. After returning, he enrolled in two Portland colleges simultaneously in order to finish requirements for professional school. While in college, he wrote freelance feature stories for the Oregonian. Read the rest of this entry ?

Maj. Chung

As growing numbers of American military personnel return from service overseas with traumatic brain injury (TBI), the U.S. Army Medical Department, with the support of its new Vision Center of Excellence, is launching an educational drive this month to ensure soldiers with TBI-associated eye problems are diagnosed and referred for comprehensive, functional eye examinations and rehabilitative care.

The new Army TBI Vision Rehabilitation Program will be outlined during the first-of-its-kind Vision Rehabilitation Symposium, Feb. 16-17, on the campus of the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Baltimore, Md.

The Army TBI Vision Rehabilitation Program consists of educating optometrists and rehabilitation providers such as occupational therapists about the common vision problems related to TBI.

The concept is to provide coordinated multidisciplinary care, with optometrists diagnosing visual problems and then working with the rehabilitation providers to administer the prescribed therapy. Read the rest of this entry ?

The Southern California College of Optometry received an endowment pledge of $200,000 from Dr. Morris and Arleen Applebaum. The gift will support the Dr. Morris and Arleen Applebaum Lectureship Endowment and name the on-campus Pre-Clinic Lab (C-216) in their honor. They are shown with SCCO President Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., Ph.D., at right.

The Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO), has received an endowment pledge of $200,000 from Morris Applebaum, O.D., and his wife, Arleen. 

The gift will support the Dr. Morris and Arleen Applebaum Lectureship Endowment and name the on-campus Pre-Clinic Lab (C-216) in their honor.

A 1968 graduate of SCCO (then known as the Los Angeles College of Optometry), the gift recognizes Dr. Applebaum’s many years of service and contributions to SCCO and the optometric community.

“The college is most grateful to the Applebaums for their generous and significant pledge that will enhance and sustain its optometric program,” noted SCCO President Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., Ph.D.  “Professor Emeritus Applebaum has devoted his career to the profession of optometry and this pledge will do much to strengthen the educational program at his alma mater.”

The endowment pledge to the college is based on a long friendship between Drs. Applebaum and Alexander. 

Back in the early ‘80s, Dr. Alexander applied for a faculty position at the college and it was Dr. Applebaum who conducted the interview. Read the rest of this entry ?

Dr. Knueppel works with a young child.

AOA Sports Vision and Vision Rehabilitation Section member Kellye Knueppel, O.D., is the clinical director for Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes program for Wisconsin.

Knueppel volunteers to provide Special Olympics athletes with vision exams at Special Olympics events. Dr. Knueppel and her staff at the Vision Therapy Center set up mobile clinics at the events.

She has prescribed more than 3,000 pairs of eyeglasses and sports vision goggles during her time with the program.

In December, the group volunteered at the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes MedFest. MedFest is a Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® screening program that facilitates the required standard sports physical examination for current and prospective Special Olympics athletes. Read the rest of this entry ?

Austin Lifferth, O.D., partnered with a software engineer to create an iPhone app that estimates patients’ risk for developing glaucoma.

Previous story: After going through the regular hassle of hunting down his risk calculator, Kentucky practitioner Austin Lifferth, O.D., decided he needed a new way to estimate his patients’ risk factors for glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Dr. Lifferth contacted software engineer Zachary Smith, and they partnered to create a new iPhone/iTouch “app” called “P.R.E.D.I.C.T” (Patient Risk Estimator Directing Individual Care and Treatment). Read the rest of this entry ?

Joseph D’Amico, O.D., with one of his Latin American patients.

Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH)/ International named Joseph D’Amico, O.D., its 2010 Humanitarian of The Year.

Best known for two decades of work bringing eye and vision care to remote areas of Nicaragua and other Central American nations, Dr. D’Amico has also been instrumental in developing VOSH’s organizational infrastructure in New England and recruiting others to humanitarian optometry, according to VOSH International President Greg Pearl, O.D.

Dr. D’Amico has been directly responsible for introducing badly needed eye and vision care to remote areas of Nicaragua, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico as well as the eastern European nation of Armenia – often by forging innovative alliances and successfully recruiting a range of sometimes unlikely volunteers, Dr. Pearl said. Read the rest of this entry ?

Norman Haffner, O.D., Ph.D., has contributed to the public health community through his work as chair of the American Academy of Optometry’s Section on Public Health and Environmental Optometry, service to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Special Medical Advisory Group, university instruction and other advancements.

With the start of its Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and certificate programs in November 2010, Salus University is working to raise the profile of optometry and other health care professions within the public health workforce. The university, which includes the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) among its four colleges, has a new initiative under way in connection with its new public health program: the establishment of the A. Norman Haffner Endowed Chair in Public Health Policy.

The A. Norman Haffner Endowed Chair in Public Health Policy is the university’s tribute to the contributions and legacy of Norman Haffner, O.D., Ph.D., whose name is synonymous with optometry and public health policy.

Dr. Haffner is the founding president of the State University of New York (SUNY) State College of Optometry and former vice chancellor of SUNY.

“Dr. Haffner’s leadership within the public health community provided an invaluable bridge to the optometric profession and vice versa,” said Anthony F. Di Stefano, O.D., MPH, vice president for academic affairs.

From its inception, Dr. Haffner was the chair of the American Academy of Optometry’s Section on Public Health and Environmental Optometry for a period of 23 years. Read the rest of this entry ?

With the upcoming elections, the AOA News would like to recognize the optometrist legislators representing their constituents, communities and their profession in our state capitals.

• Rep. James McClendon Jr, O.D., from Alabama District 50 (Republican)
• Rep. Edward P. Hernandez, O.D., from California District 57 (Democrat)
• Sen. Pete Brungardt, O.D., from Kansas District 24 (Republican)
• Rep. J. David Crum, O.D., from Kansas District 77 (Republican)
• Rep. James F. Morrison, O.D., from Kansas District 121 (Republican)
• Sen. David R. Heitmeier, O.D., from Louisiana District 7 (Democrat)
• Rep. Richard J. Ball, O.D., from Michigan District 85 (Republican)
• Rep. Terrence M. Swinger, O.D., from Missouri District 162 (Democrat)
• Rep. Steven D. Tilley, O.D., from Missouri District 106 (Republican)
• Sen. Robert L. Hawks, O.D., from Montana District 33 (Democrat)
• Rep. Arthur J. Corvese, O.D., from Rhode Island District 55 (Democrat)
• Rep. Deborah A. Long, O.D., from South Carolina District 45 (Republican)
• Roxann L. Robinson, O.D., from Virginia District 27 (Republican)

In addition, the following optometry-related family members serve in the state legislatures:

• Rep. Stephanie Malone from Arkansas District 64 (Republican) is the niece of U.S. Congressman John Boozman, O.D.
• Rep. DuBose Porter from Georgia District 143 (Democrat) serves as House Minority Leader and is the son and brother of optometrists.
• Rep. Andy Anders from Louisiana District 21 (Democrat) is the father of Bridget Anders Milliken, O.D.
• Rep. Gary Odom from Tennessee District 55 (Democrat) serves as House Majority Leader and is the executive director of the Tennessee Optometric Association.
• Sen. Bette Lasky currently represents New Hampshire District 13 (Democrat) and is the wife of Elliot Lasky, O.D., an optometrist practicing in Nashua.

Other optometrists serving in elected state offices include:

• Mike Kreidler, O.D., former Democratic U.S. Congressman from Washington state is serving his third term as the elected state insurance commissioner.

The Illinois Eye Institute (IEI) launched Chicago Vision Outreach, a pilot initiative that will improve eye care for patients in desperate need, just a few months ago. The program connects optometrists to underserved patients who

Mary Burgos, a third-year student at ICO, assists in patient care. The ICO students and doctors who participate at the IEI clinic at Alivio Medical Center are bilingual or are fluent enough to conduct an eye exam. This was very important to the administrators of the clinic given the patient population is predominantly Hispanic.

suffer from vision and eye care problems often caused by chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

This community-focused initiative, which will dramatically increase accessibility to eye care to many Chicago residents, is supported by a total of $350,000 in private grants.

“We identified thousands of underserved patients who desperately need eye care in Chicago,” said Leonard Messner, O.D., executive director of the Illinois Eye Institute (IEI). “This initiative brings eye care directly to people suffering most, and who are least likely to receive it.”

IEI Primary Care Education Coordinator and Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) Assistant Professor Elizabeth Wyles, O.D., is one of the optometrists who opts to spend her Friday mornings at the clinic.

Part of what makes Dr. Wyles an exceptional practitioner for these needy patients is her fluency in the Spanish language. Read the rest of this entry ?