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DMAs dean of the College of Optometry, I am in awe of the mar-velous changes that continue to occur throughout NovaSoutheastern University, thanks to the visionary and entre-preneurial spirit of university and Health Professions Divi-sion (HPD) leaders. Many new programs have beenapproved and implemented, providing educational oppor-tunities to an ever-increasing and evermore diverse studentbody. Several of these programs fall within the HPD andhave come about as a response to the health care needs ofthe communities in which we are situated.

Research initiatives are increasing as well, with more grantproposals being submitted and approved. While the continu-ous proliferation of research and educational programs sig-nal NSU’s extraordinary growth, one of the most exciting andvisible marks of that growth is how technology has been in-tegrated into so many aspects of the educational experience.

In the College of Optometry, for example, we teach online,we test online, and when in the classroom, innovative tech-nology tools (think iPad) are being used to convey informa-tion and confirm that this information has been received.Technology also is part of our community service and out-reach activities, as evidenced in the activities of the college’sEye Care Institute.

The use of technological advances extends to some of thecollege’s research projects. One such study focuses on theuse of E-Readers by low-vision patients in an effort to de-termine which products will provide them the best readingexperiences. The results of such a project are far-ranging,

impacting practice in other fields such as geriatrics, oph-thalmology, occupational therapy, and psychology.

In October 2010, The Eye Care Institute celebrated the open-ing of a satellite clinic at the Kids in Distress (KID) facility inWilton Manors. This project came about as a result of an in-vitation from KID to run a clinic on its premises so the childrenwho participate in its programs would be able to receive thekind of eye care they deserve. A lot of planning and hard workon the part of Eye Care Institute administrators as well as fac-ulty and staff members brought this project to fruition, andthe clinic is now fully operational. This clinic has been outfit-ted with the most up-to-date equipment and technologicallyadvanced systems, just as all of the Eye Care Institute loca-tions have regularly replaced older equipment with the latestmodels or newer technologies.

Indeed, from the moment students are accepted into theprogram, they begin to use SharkLink (the university’s in-tranet portal) to manage their enrollment and financial aidand connect with their new classmates. The university alsosupports the use of social media such as Facebook and Twit-ter to create an inclusive environment.

While the juggernaut pace of technology is apparent to all,Nova Southeastern University and the College of Optometrystrive to be progressive, continually seeking to make use ofthe latest advances. We continue to look forward to foster-ing an educational environment in which transmission of in-formation is instant, recordable, and measurable for thebetterment of our instructional programs and our students.

David S. Loshin, O.D., Ph.D., FAAODean’s Message

ean’s essage

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Dean’s Message....................................................................1Chancellor’s Communiqué .................................................3News Briefs............................................................................4Special Olympics...................................................................7Student News ........................................................................8Johnny Morette—Humble Beginnings..............................10Student Organizations.......................................................12NOPMA Spotlight................................................................14Dr. Heidi Wagner Faculty Profile ......................................15Faculty News .......................................................................17NSU Overview......................................................................19Cover Story—The Eye Care Instituteat KIds in Distress ..............................................................21Florida Optometric Association........................................24Technology in Education ...................................................25Research..............................................................................28NSUCO Faculty Members Honored ..................................30Alumni..................................................................................32Residency Report ...............................................................38Partners in Education ........................................................42Calendar of Events...............................................back cover

Table of ContentsCO�EDITORS

Scott Colton, B.A., APRBarbara Karpel, M.S.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSMichael Bacigalupi, O.D., M.S.

Mark Dunbar, O.D.Gregory Fecho, O.D.

Barry J. Frauens, O.D.Michael J. Giese, O.D., Ph.D.

Jenalyn Jotie, OD3David S. Loshin, O.D., Ph.D.

Wes McCann, OD3Pamela R. Oliver, O.D., M.S.

Nicole Patterson, O.D.Sherrol A. Reynolds, O.D.

Linda Rouse, O.D.Lori Vollmer, O.D.

ART DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNERBrandee Evans

Cover Story—Kids in Distress...a community vision

NSUCO and the Special Olympics...helping special needsathletes succeed

The Doctor of Optometry Program at the Nova Southeastern University College

of Optometry is fully accredited by The Accreditation Council on Optometric

Education (ACOE). The ACOE (243 N. Lindbergh Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri;

telephone number 800-365-2219) is the accrediting body for professional degree

programs offered by all optometric institutions in the United States.

Nova Southeastern University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of

the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur,

Georgia, 30033-4097; telephone number: 404-679-4501) to award associate’s,

bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees.

Nova Southeastern University admits students of any race, color, sex, age,

nondisqualifying disability, religion or creed, sexual orientation, or national or

ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally

accorded or made available to students at the school, and does not discriminate

in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and

loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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Chancellor’s Communiqué

Because of the endless stream of stories being gen-erated by the news media about the ongoing discus-sions related to the passing of last year’s Health CareReform Act, many people across the country are won-dering what the end result is going to be for them andtheir families once all the political wrangling is done.

When you get right down to it, however, the reality isthat health care reform has actually been going on forthe past decade with or without the intervention ofpolicymakers, insurance companies, drug manufac-turers, hospitals, and other interested parties. That’sbecause the real evolution in health care is, and hasbeen happening, at the educational level.

When you look at the health care professionals thatare working today, most of whom are wonderful prac-titioners, many of them were trained in different erasand with different educational paradigms that haverequired them to stay abreast of the times from a pro-fessional, educational, and technological standpoint.For example, just look at some of the clinical tech-niques involved in surgery that have advanced dra-matically thanks to the use of robotics and theconception of minimally invasive procedures.

All elements of health care have been progressing andtransforming over the years. That’s why it’s so inter-esting to witness how the various professions that en-compass the health care system from a collegialinterchange point of view are being much more com-municative and transitioning to an interdisciplinaryand holistic view of the patient.

One of the health care buzzwords of the moment isthe term “medical home,” which involves a coordi-nated approach to delivering primary health carethrough a team partnership that ensures health careservices are provided in a high-quality and compre-hensive manner that includes immediate, chronic, andpreventive care. In this paradigm, a primary careprovider, which could be a physician, physician assis-tant, nurse practitioner, or clinic, leads the interdisci-plinary medical home through support and directionof the client, family, clinic staff, community agencies,and specialists. I’m proud to say this is an approachwe have successfully implemented here at NovaSoutheastern University’s Health Professions Division.

Our teaching model at the Health Professions Divi-sion, which allows our students to be exposed to andcollaborate with other university programs (e.g., psy-chology) as well as our various HPD program compo-nents, illustrates that we’re really at the forefront ofwhat the U.S. medical landscape is eventually goingto look like at all levels. In the future, I believe therewill be fewer traditional tertiary care hospitals andmore extremely high-tech, high-morbidity tertiarycare institutions as well as more of what we call 24-hour medical and surgical interventions. In addition,enhanced communication will be created, which willmitigate the time elements relative to delivering care.More importantly, it will bring a continuum of care tothe patient and provide the patient with improvedquality of life.

I don’t mean to imply that we, as a nation, are not pro-viding good health care to the people. We are. But astime progresses, I think you’re going to see an en-hanced health care system that is much more holisticand collaborative in nature. A very significant asset tothis approach is that patients will receive therapeuticoversight and intervention quickly. By doing thisthrough the medical home approach I discussed ear-lier, people will be introduced to wellness programs,which leads to prevention. I really think that’s wherewe’re headed.

Yes, there’s a lot of noise about the policymaking ele-ments of health care reform, but that’s exactly whatit is―noise. The reality is that when you really exam-ine what’s happening in health care, you see exactlywhat the policymakers are intending to do. Thequickest way to reduce health care costs isthrough prevention and wellness, which leads to ahealthier population.

We have been involved in teaching this comprehen-sive, interdisciplinary, and holistic type of care to thestudents enrolled in our various HPD colleges formany years. That’s why I would be remiss if I didn’texpress my gratitude to our deans, who are the aca-demic leaders of their colleges, and to the numerousother individuals who are the driving forces behindthese curricular changes. They deserve all the creditin the world for stepping up to the proverbial plateand recognizing the needs of the future.

A Message from the Health Professions Division Chancellor

Frederick Lippman, R.Ph., Ed.D.

The College of Optometry is proud that, as a unit within the Health Professions Division and the university, we

can say that our faculty and staff members are a stable, dedicated, and loyal group of employees. This year, the

college celebrated 19 milestone anniversaries at the annual “I Believe in NSU” Assembly and Employee

Recognition event held February 9. The honorees listed below include faculty, administrative staff, and Eye Care

Institute staff.

BriefsNEWS

NSUCO COMMEMORATES EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES

Jeanne De Caro--------------------------------25 yearsAndrea Janoff, O.D. -------------------------15 yearsBarbara Karpel, M.S. ------------------------15 yearsArnie Patrick, O.D.----------------------------15 yearsJoseph Pizzimenti, O.D. -------------------15 yearsSimon Shteynberg ---------------------------15 yearsBai-chuan Jiang, Ph.D. ---------------------10 yearsPerla Najman, O.D.---------------------------10 yearsSherrol Reynolds, O.D. --------------------10 yearsKenneth Seger, O.D. ------------------------10 years

Yin Tea, O.D. -------------------------------------10 yearsMichael Bacigalupi, O.D. -------------------5 yearsJill Cabana ------------------------------------------5 yearsHelen Capote -------------------------------------5 yearsJane Hidalgo --------------------------------------5 yearsMaria Orozco-------------------------------------5 yearsNicole Patterson, O.D.-----------------------5 yearsJacqueline Rodena, O.D.-------------------5 yearsZoeanne Schinas, O.D. ----------------------5 years

The Florida Optometric Association Charities awarded the college a $200,000 for the purpose of pur-chasing equipment for the new Kids in Distress clinic located in Wilton Manors. This clinic falls within TheEye Care Institute and will serve children who do not currently have proper access to eye care.

Coventry Health Care of Florida has selected the College of Optometry to receive a Coventry CommunityGrant in the amount of $5,600 to fund comprehensive eye examinations at no charge to qualifying pa-tients. In providing these funds, the Coventry organization recognizes the college and its Eye Care Insti-tute for their commitment to the community.

Rachel Snell, assistant to the deans, once again joined classical music superstar Andrea Bocelli’s vocalteam along with other members of Master Chorale of South Florida (MCSF) when he performed at theBank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, on February 14. Snell, who previously sung and toured withseveral United Kingdom choirs, has been singing with MCSF for two years.

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Fact File

LIN ZHANG, M.D., M.S.Dr. Zhang is serving as a teaching assistant on optics at the Col-lege of Optometry. Dr. Zhang graduated from Tianjin MedicalUniversity in 2010, where she majored in optometry and oph-thalmology. She then worked as an ophthalmologist at TianjinEye Hospital and Institute before spending the past two yearsconducting clinical research on refractive correction and wave-front aberrations. She also participated in several grant appli-cations on both the local and national level in China.

In addition, several of her academic papers were published inboth Chinese and English academic journals, including one thatwas published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Scienceon March 5, 2010, concerning the geometric characteristics andproperties of the posterior corneal surface in normal and post-operative eyes.

JINHUA BAO, M.S.Jinhua Bao, a teaching assistant on ophthalmic optics and a re-search assistant in the field of vision science under Dr. Bai-chuanJiang’s supervision, is a Chinese visiting scholar who beganworking with the college in January 2011. Back home, Baoserves as a lecturer in the School of Optometry and Ophthal-mology at Wenzhou Medical College (WZMC) in China, which iswhere she received her optometry degree in 2006.

In her position at WZMC, she teaches a course on ophthalmicoptics and serves as a co-principal investigator in the VisualFunction and Visual Performance Laboratory and the Sports Vi-sion Laboratory, which conduct clinical and laboratory researchof vision, accommodation, and aberration to the eye, as well aseye-hand coordination, peripheral awareness, and anticipationability. In addition, she has published more than 10 research pa-pers in academic journals.

BriefsNEWS

Two Chinese Scholars Visit NSUCO

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Following are the NSUCO STUEY Award nominees:

Student of the YearWesdon McCann (OD3)

Administrator of the YearJosephine Shallo-Hoffmann, Ph.D., FAAO

Cocurricular Adviser of the YearMichael Bacigalupi, O.D., M.S., FAAO

Graduate Organization of the YearNational Optometric Student Association

(As this issue of The Visionary went to press, the National OptometricStudent Association was named Graduate Organization of the Year

at the April 12 ceremony.)

BriefsNEWS

NSUCO Earns Four STUEY Nominations

The College of Optometry was recognized in fourcategories when nominations were announcedfor the 12th Annual NSU Student Life AchievementAwards (STUEYS), which were held April 12 at6:00 p.m. in the Miniaci Performing Arts Centeron campus.

The individuals and organizations nominated forthe STUEYs represent every area of universitylife. Each nominee embraces and demonstratesthe seven core values of inclusion, leadership,scholarship, service, commitment, integrity, andinvolvement. Five finalists in each category are se-lected, with the winners being announced at theawards ceremony.

McCann Bacigalupi

STUEY NomineesShallo-Hoffmann

Special Olympics

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More than a decade ago, the Special Olympics established aprogram entitled Special Olympics Lions Club InternationalOpening Eyes (SOLCIOE) to provide health care to individu-als with intellectual disabilities. Few of the 7.5 million peoplewith intellectual disabilities receive adequate eye care. Infact, many have never even visited an eye doctor.

SOLCIOE was created in response to the fact that this vul-nerable population needed quality vision care but was oftendenied treatment or had limited access. Special Olympicsfound a correlation between the hands-on training and pro-found insights that health care providers gain through theHealthy Athletes program. The students and faculty mem-bers of Nova Southeastern University stepped up to theplate within a year of the SOLCIOE program being initiated inFlorida. Faculty member Dr. Pamela Oliver became a clinicaldirector for Florida in 2003 and an executive clinical directorfor the state in 2006 to help promote the program at NSUand throughout the state.

While providing a comprehensive 15-station vision and eyehealth evaluation, refractions and free prescription eyeglasses, and/or sport safety goggles when needed, NSU op-tometry students learn firsthand the urgency of overcomingdiscrimination and neglect in health care training and serv-ices. The experiences these students gain through their per-sonal interactions with Special Olympics’ athletes also inspirethem to care for special-needs patients in their own com-munities, and to involve their medical colleagues in HealthyAthletes. Alumni have continued to volunteer with this pro-gram, and two have gone on to become clinical directors fortheir states—Dr. Nicole Dillavou (’00) in North Dakota andDr. Denise Smith (’01) in Texas.

Over the years, NSU students have helped to evaluate hun-dreds of athletes and have played a part in educating the ath-letes, parents, and coaches about the importance of regulareye care while also enlightening and altering the attitudes ofeye care professionals about the vision care needs of peoplewith intellectual disabilities. In fact, one parent remarkedthat her child had never received such “an amazingeye examination.”

SOLCIOE is a program of Special Olympics International, inconjunction with the American Optometric Association, andis sponsored by private donations. Special Olympics Inter-national founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who recentlypassed away, was the 1998 recipient of the American Opto-metric Association’s Apollo Award, which is given to a non-optometrist for his or her efforts to promote quality eyecare. NSU students will continue to fulfill Shriver’s vision ofbreaking the barriers of uneasiness on the part of practi-tioners and bringing competent and caring volunteer healthcare to this underserved population.

Making a Difference:NSUCO AND

SPECIALOLYMPICS

BY PAMELA R. OLIVER, O.D., M.S., FAAO �DIPL.�ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF OPTOMETRY

SiteStudent Newseye

WCPage 8

August 25, 2010, proved to be a special day forthe 98 NSUCO students who were presentedwith their white coats at a special ceremony.

This group of students represents an outstand-ing collection of young people from across NorthAmerica. There are 32 gentleman and 66 ladies inthe NSUCO class of 2014 that come from 21 dif-ferent states as well as Canada and the Bahamas.Their diverse undergraduate backgrounds in-clude University of Miami, University of Florida,Florida State University, University of CentralFlorida, University of North Carolina, Universityof California, Rutgers, Louisiana State University,and the University of Virginia with degrees in bi-ology, nutrition, chemistry, zoology, neuro-science, business, and accounting.

The White Coat Ceremony involves the formal“cloaking” of optometry students in their whitecoats, which are the traditional garments wornfor over 100 years by health care professionals.These types of ceremonies originated at the Uni-versity of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicinein 1989, but the first full-fledged ceremony tookplace in 1993 at Columbia University College ofPhysicians and Surgeons.

BY MICHAEL BACIGALUPI, O.D., M.S., FAAOASSISTANT DEAN FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

WELCOMES NEW STUDENTSWWHHIITTEE CCOOAATT CCEERREEMMOONNYY

The inaugural NSU Optometry WhiteCoat Ceremony took place in 2005 and hassince become an annual tradition. By es-tablishing this meaningful ritual at the be-ginning of the optometry program, wehope students will become aware of theirresponsibilities from the first semester oftraining. The ceremony is intended to im-press upon them the importance of thedoctor-patient relationship. It encouragesstudents to truly accept the obligations in-herent in the practice of optometry including

• to be excellent in science• to be compassionate• to lead lives of “uprightness and honor”

The ceremony is designed to clarify forstudents that a physician’s responsibility isto take care of patients as well as to carefor patients. The students recite the Opto-metric Oath for the first time at the WhiteCoat Ceremony. The next time they will re-peat this oath is at their graduation whenthe degree of Doctor of Optometry is offi-cially conferred.

The 98 students who comprise the classof 2014 have now officially entered our pro-fession. They come with outstanding aca-demic credentials, and I am confident theywill all contribute to our profession in a verypositive manner for many years to come.

student news

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Pinar Haytac (class of 2015) conducted a study titled “An Open-Label Eval-uation of the Degree of Accommodation in Pseudophakic Patients Bilater-ally Implanted with Monofocal Intraocular Lenses.” The study wasperformed on patients with Crystalens, Crystalens HD, and Tecnis One IOLs.Testing involved accommodative measurements on the COAS high-defini-tion wavefront aberrometer, which captures 75 images over 12 seconds.Additional tests included visual acuity at distance, intermediate, and near,topography, pupil size, and amplitude of accommodation on pushdowntest. She had the honor of having the study presented at the XXVIII Con-gress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in Paris,France, in 2010. The study will also appear at ASCRS and ARVO this May.Pinar’s current research involves the usage safety of bromfenac ophthalmicsolution post two-week FDA approval. “Research is a way of expandingone’s knowledge and contributing towards future advancements in thefield,” she said. “I would like to thank Dr. William Trattler for his continuedsupport and mentorship in the development of my research skills.”

SiteStudent Newseye

The following NSUCO students and graduates were awarded travel fellowshipsto the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) 88th Annual Meeting

held November 17-21, 2010, in San Francisco, California:Jenalyn Jotie (OD3) –EssilorRuth Smith (OD4) – Essilor

Vadim Guy (OD4) – Carl Zeiss VisionSara J. Henney, O.D. (2010 alumna) – Carl Zeiss Vision

On March 11, an excited contingent of 25third-year students traveled by bus toTallahassee to participate in FloridaOptometric Association Legislative Day.While visiting the Capitol, NSUCO studentslearned how a bill becomes law and spentquality time with several state legislators.Their participation in Legislative Day isimportant because the profession ofoptometry benefits when its practitionersunderstand legal processes and canadvocate for a wider scope of practice.

STUDENTS ATTEND LEGISLATIVE DAY

NSU College of Optometry students joined nine other schools at the World Sight Day Challengeat the American Optometric Association Meeting in Washington D.C., raising more than $6,600.

JM

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HUMBLEBEGINNINGS

LEAD TO LIMITLESSFUTURE FOR OD3

JOHNNY MORETTEBY SCOTT COLTON, B.A., APR, CO�EDITOR, THE VISIONARY

It’s a heartwarming story that’s been told countless times invarious iterations throughout the years, yet it’s one that con-tinues to exemplify why the United States is the “land of thefree, and the home of the brave.”

Over the centuries, millions of immigrants have come to thiscountry in pursuit of a better life. Two such people were theparents of third-year NSUCO student Johnny Morette, who mi-grated to the United States in the late 1970s to start a familyand provide their offspring with an abundance of opportunitiesthey never would have access to in the poverty-strickenisland nation.

“You can imagine how hard it is to raise nine kids in onehouse,” said Morette, who was born in Boynton Beach, Florida,as the third of nine children and was the first person in his fam-ily to attend college. “My dad has always worked two jobs as arestaurant cook and has always been our provider and protec-tor. He’s my hero because he’s always wanted us to have every-thing he and my mom didn’t have.

With his mom remaining at home to raise her children untilthey were old enough to take care of each other, Morette wasbrought up in a nurturing environment where his parentsstressed the importance of hard work―and role-modeled thatbehavior on a daily basis. These were life lessons Morette tookto heart when it came to his academic pursuits at SantalucesCommunity High School in Lantana, Florida, where he gradu-ated in the top five percent of his class.

FOCUSING IN ON OPTOMETRYFor someone who is so passionate about optometry today, it’san eye-opening actuality to learn that Morette didn’t even con-sider a career in the field until he was a junior pursuing his Bach-elor of Science degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology atthe University of Florida. “I had no desire to even go to collegeuntil I was in high school, but I knew I wanted to do something

in the health field,” explained Morette, who prides himself onbeing a well-rounded individual. “I was very involved in highschool and participated in a lot of community service activitieslike going to the library after school to teach kids how to reador tutor them in math.”

Although Morette had no idea his destiny lay in optometry, itseemed the universe was trying to tell him otherwise from anearly age. “When I was about 10, I was playing outside near abeehive and actually got stung on my left eyelid,” he said. “Ihad an allergic reaction, and my eye swelled shut for two days.Then, during a basketball game in my freshman year in highschool, I got poked in the eye under the eyelid by someone withlong fingernails. Both times I was taken to an emergency room,so I never even stepped foot in an optometrist’s office until Iwas 15 to get glasses.”

Because his high school grade-point average was so stellar,Morette received both a Florida Bright Futures and a PalmBeach Community College scholarship, which helped free hisparents from the burden of paying for tuition. However, therewas still one major hurdle for Morette to overcome. “When Igot to the University of Florida in 2002, I still didn’t know whatI wanted to do,” he admitted.

After settling on applied physiology and kinesiology, Moretteexperienced a well-timed epiphany during his junior year whilehe was involved in a student organization called the MinorityAssociation for Pre-Health Students. “During our meetings, anumber of different health programs would speak to us abouttheir professions, and one day it was optometry,” explainedMorette, who liked what he heard. “I decided to take the nextstep and shadow several optometrists in the Gainesville area,including at the VA hospital.”

It proved to be a prudent decision, providing Morette withwelcome clarity about why optometry would be a perfect fit inhis overall life plan. “As I was weighing my options, I realized

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the hours you work in the optometry field are great be-cause you don’t have to be on call all the time. Thatmeant I could work in a profession I enjoy and still havetime for God and family. Growing up, my parents couldonly come to one of my basketball games, which I un-derstood because they were so busy working and rais-ing nine kids. Just as my parents wanted the bestfor me, I want to be there for my family in everyway possible.”

EYE ON NSUWhen it came time for Morette to make a decision

about which optometry schools to apply to, there wasonly one name on his obviously very short list: NovaSoutheastern University. “I wanted to be near my par-ents and siblings, which is why coming to NSU was myfirst choice,” he explained. “I also knew that going tograduate school was going to be tough, so I wanteda certain comfort level by having my family close byfor support.”

Because he lacked several of the prerequisites nec-essary to begin the matriculation process at NSU’s Col-lege of Optometry, he participated in the one-yearPreparatory Optometry Program, which is coordinatedthrough NSU’s Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences.“I actually found it to be quite beneficial because ithelped me make a smooth transition from undergrad-uate to graduate school,” he said.

Once he became an NSUCO student in 2008, Morettehit the ground running, joining a number of student or-ganizations, including the Florida Optometric StudentAssociation and the National Optometric Student As-sociation (NOSA). “I fell in love with NOSA, which iswhy I decided to become president of the organiza-tion,” said Morette, who will be starting his clinical ro-tations in May. I love NOSA because it’s a leadershiporganization that does community outreach, such aseducating high school students about optometry anddiscussing topics such as how diabetes can affect the

eyes. Every June, NOSA also participates in the College of OsteopathicMedicine’s Jamaica medical mission trip, which I help organize by col-lecting drugs and doing fund-raising.”

With the start of his clinical rotations looming, Morette will spendhis final year in optometry school doing a three-month rotation at theMalcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida, followed bythree months at Clayton Eye Center in Morrow, Georgia, before re-turning to South Florida to conclude his NSUCO training at the uni-versity’s various Eye Care Institute clinics.

So just what does the future hold for this driven young man once hegraduates in 2012? “Actually, I’m still thinking about my options,” headmitted. “Do I want to do a residency or go directly into the work-force? Knowing how ambitious I am, I’ll probably do a residency be-cause there is still so much I can learn. My goal is to do a residencyfocusing on ocular diseases because it fascinates me to learn aboutthe different diseases that affect a person’s vision. As far as my long-term plans, I see myself owning my own practice somewhere in SouthFlorida but also getting back into the academic environment andteaching because I served as a teaching assistant when I was at theUniversity of Florida and really enjoyed it.”

Thanks to the loving and loyal support he received from his parents,Morette hopes to one day repay them for all their heartfelt efforts.“What keeps me going is knowing that I’m doing all this for my par-ents,” he explained. “They worked too hard to put me in the positionI’m in today. My dad still works two jobs, and my mom is a full-timemaintenance worker at Jupiter Medical Center. Until I was a senior inhigh school, I never worked because my parents wanted me to focuson school. They sacrificed to give us a better life. Now it’s my turn toreturn the favor.”

“What keeps me going isknowing that I’m doingall this for my parents...”

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OPTOMETRY’S STUDENTGOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION �SGA�

The SGA kicked the year off with the Back-to-School Beach Bashon Fort Lauderdale Beach. The event included a barbeque, a vol-leyball tournament, and door prizes. Over 200 students at-tended, representing half the College of Optometry. The eagerlyanticipated annual Eyeball, which took place on March 26, is adinner/dance social event codenamed “Fire and Eyece” thatbrings together all years of optometry students along with fac-ulty and staff members for a night of excitement. This year, theevent was held at So Cool Events in Miami and included an all-you-can-eat gourmet buffet, ice bar, and other surprises onlythose in attendance could experience.(President: Wes McCann)

COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRISTS IN VISION DEVELOPMENT �COVD�

This year, the COVD hosted three guest lecturers and arranged aunique shadowing opportunity for its members. Maria Mandese,O.D., FAAO, NSUCO assistant professor, was the first speaker ofthe year and discussed management of binocular disorders in pa-tients with traumatic brain injury. The second speaker, Larry Lam-pert, O.D., shared his experiences working in private practice andusing sports vision therapy to help many of today’s famous ath-letes improve their performance. COVD members also had an op-portunity earlier in the year to visit Dr. Lampert’s practice. Ourmost recent event was the Tour de Optometry featuring guestspeaker Kara Heying, O.D., who is a member of the COVD Exec-utive Board. Dr. Heying spent a day touring the optometry schooland spoke to students and residents about the “3D’s of Seeing3D” using today’s technology as a way to demonstrate the im-portance of binocular vision. The COVD hopes to end the schoolyear with a final guest speaker and one last visit to a local pri-vate practice.(Co-Liaisons: Davina Kuhnline and See Vang)

NSU OPTOMETRY PRACTICEMANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION �NOPMA�

Over the last six months, NOPMA has hosted five meetings andtwo symposiums. These sessions have featured successful pri-vate practitioners, including two of our own NSU alumni, and theCEO of an information-sharing network and consultant to Amer-ica’s leading practices. NOPMA recently launched Project Fore-sight, which is a competition sponsored by Wal-Mart Health andWellness that involves writing a business plan that incorpo-rates Wal-Mart’s core values. Plans for NOPMA’s final meetings

of the year are still in progress, but may include a provider fromVision Service Plan, which is the nation’s largest eye care benefitsorganization, and/or a joint meeting with either NOSA or OSAOD.(President: Jenalyn Jotie)

BETA SIGMA KAPPA �BSK�Beta Sigma Kappa is an international honor society with deeproots in the optometric profession. Founded in 1925, the organi-zation has promoted academic excellence and leadership as wellas supported many scientific endeavors through its grant andscholarship programs. The NSUCO chapter of BSK stays active infulfilling the organization’s mission through several activities.Among these is the tutoring program, which provides tutoringservices in all optometric as well as basic science courses andlabs. BSK also prepares NSU’s second-year optometry studentsfor clinic by administering a mock preclinical proficiency exami-nation in preparation for the real exam. Members of the honorsociety are also rewarded with a certificate of membership,which they receive during the annual Induction Ceremony. Con-gratulations to all the new BSK members for the 2010-11school year.(President: Valerie Croteau)

FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN OPTOMETRISTS �FCO�The Fellowship of Christian Optometrists has begun the fund-raising process for its upcoming mission trip to Honduras in lateJuly. This is the group’s second trip in the last three years to Hon-duras. The group will be teaming up with the local optometrymissionaries to aid with exams, VBS, and visit with local or-phans. FCO is also back on track with monthly meetings this se-mester and has added biweekly morning devotionals/prayer toits regimen. Regular meetings have brought about a fellowshipbetween its members and newcomers, allowing the members tobecome closer friends and readily reach out to fill the needs offellow students.(President: Blake Hutto)

STUDENT VOLUNTEERS INOPTOMETRIC SERVICE TO HUMANITY �SVOSH�

SVOSH traveled to South America during spring break 2010,where students spent three days working in Ica, Peru, providingfree eye exams and glasses to about 1,300 patients. After threedays of volunteering, students went sand boarding in Ica and vis-ited Cuzco, where they explored Machu Picchu.(President: Shannon Evans)

THE 2010�11 ACADEMIC YEAR HAS BEENTRULY EXCITING AND EVENTFUL. ALL OF OUR

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELYBUSY PLANNING AND HOSTING EVENTS AND FUND�

RAISERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A NUMBER OF OURSTUDENT GROUPS HAVE PROVIDED HIGHLIGHTS

OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FORTHIS EDITION OF THE VISIONARY.

BY OD3 WES MCCANN, SGA PRESIDENT

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONSMAINTAIN ACTIVE AGENDA

Page 13

THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATIONOF OPTOMETRY STUDENTS �CAOS�

The CAOS’ main goal is to increase student awareness about cur-rent issues and challenges facing the profession of optometry inCanada and to encourage strong communication and involve-ment between students and their future coworkers. The organi-zation kicked off its year with the Third Annual CanadianThanksgiving Dinner on October 11, 2010. Fellow classmates andfriends were able to enjoy this Canadian holiday, together, shar-ing their favorite dishes in a potluck-style dinner. Early in February,the CAOS hosted a webinar with Stacey Liles from the AOA andtwo O.D.s who recently graduated from U.S. schools and are nowpracticing in Canada. This webinar allowed CAOS members totake part in a presentation explaining the process and challengesof transferring accreditation to Canada, obtaining a U.S. visa ifplanning on staying in the United States, and a question-and-answer session to address any questions students had about op-tometry in Canada.(Co-Presidents: Wes McCann and Nina Gupta)

AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC STUDENT ASSOCIATION �AOSA�NSU’s American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) has amain purpose to improve the visual welfare and health of the pub-lic, to promote the profession of optometry, and to enhance theeducation and welfare of optometry students. An example ofwhat that means at our school is over $15,000 in scholarships andreimbursements to fund over 150 students travel and accommo-dations at the annual optometry meeting this past year, keepingstudents updated on organized optometry, and providing friendlyacademic competition outside the classroom. At NSUCO, eachand every student doctor is automatically a member of this vitalorganization and can take advantage of all the networking andannual benefits the AOSA has to offer. Fund-raising, scholarships,and free benefits help instill, to all students, the impact of organ-ized optometry at a national level. Our “family” of optometric stu-dents spans from Fort Lauderdale to all corners of North America.(Trustees: Vicky Wong and Victoria Trieu)

A HEARTFELT THANKSI would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all our students whoare making this year one of the best ever at NSUCO. The lecturehall brings us together out of necessity, but as Dr. Michael Baci-galupi told the first year class in September, it is the work doneoutside of the classroom that truly “bonds” us together toachieve greater successes.

Pictured are the 2010-11 NOPMA Executive Board officerswith guest speakers Dr. Ben Gaddie and Dr. Scot Morris,

who hosted the annual Optometric Student PracticeManagement Symposium in October 2010.

From left to right: Davina Kuhnline, Kara Heying, O.D., FCOVD, Deborah Amster, O.D., FCOVD, and See Vang.

Page 14

The NSU Optometry Practice Management Association’s (NOPMA)primary mission is to help students prepare for and make the transitionfrom textbook and clinical education to real-world optometry. Since itsinception in 2007, NOPMA has grown to over 140 members. The or-ganization also has evolved in many ways, including the expansion ofits executive board to include a Webmaster and a historian, the de-velopment of an online membership form, and the use of Facebookto invite and inform members about events. These positive changes,along with the hard work and creativity of the executive team, havecontributed to NOPMA’s 55 percent increase in membership over lastyear’s roster.

NOPMA, which has a vision to plant the seeds for future optometricsuccess stories, aims to inspire each member to accomplish his or herprofessional goals, with the hope that a few (or many) will return asalumni to share their success stories with NOPMA. Steve Bussa, O.D.,who founded NOPMA, and Duane Mohon, O.D., are both NSU alumniwho discussed the challenges of building their private practices ear-lier this year.

Our meetings have featured consultants and experts from all as-pects of the eye care profession. For example, NOPMA’s Annual Op-tometric Student Practice Management Symposium in October 2010was hosted by Dr. Ben Gaddie, Dr. Scot Morris, and Jan Cory, vice pres-ident of sales at Luxottica. Various practice management topics werecovered at the symposium, including effective ways to market one’soptical practice. In November, Dr. Kelly Kerksick, director of profes-sional services at Vision Source, shared how she opened her practicein Columbia, Illinois, shortly after graduation and explained the bene-fits of becoming a member of the Vision Source network.

NOPMA ended 2010 with a talk from Al Cleinman, CEO of CleinmanPerformance Partners (CPP), a leading consulting company to Amer-ica’s most successful practices, who delivered a seminar on the topic“Controlling Your Destiny: The Entrepreneurial Optometrist.” Third-year students who attended this presentation were eligible to apply

for the Graduate Connections Grant, which allows one winner per op-tometry school the opportunity to network with Cleinman Perform-ance Partners’ multimillion-dollar practices. NOPMA is pleased toannounce that NSU’s Graduate Connections Grant recipient is its veryown events coordinator, Ruth Smith.

Twelve NOPMA members, including the entire executive board, at-tended the Ultimate Practice Management Conference at the Marriottin Hollywood, Florida, in early January 2011. Dr. Don Teig, a sports visionspecialist with a successful group practice in Ridgefield, Connecticut,has generously donated complimentary student registrations toNOPMA members for the last four years, which usually cost $600 for li-censed optometrists to attend. This year’s conference lineup includedformer Major League Baseball player and manager, Bucky Dent, andDr. Mike Rothschild, who explained how he applied the Ritz Carlton’slegendary customer service strategies to build his practice.

In February 2011, NOPMA launched Project Foresight, a national com-petition sponsored by Wal-Mart Health and Wellness, which involvestwo-member teams designing a business plan for an optometric prac-tice that incorporates Wal-Mart’s core values. This year, five NSUteams have made it to the final round and are competing for a $1,000prize at the school level. NSU’s winning team will be able to competeat the national level for a grand prize of $20,000. In May, Wal-Mart willannounce the ten finalist teams to compete nationally. NOPMA hopesthe Project Foresight competition will be a big win for NSUCO,highlighting the college’s strong business and practice man-agement programs.

Additionally, NOPMA has plans in the works for final meetings witha provider from Vision Service Plan , which is the largest not-for-profitvision benefits company in the United States, and/or a joint meetingwith either the National Optometric Student Association or the Opto-metric Student Association for Ocular Disease. 2010-11 has been an ex-citing year for NOPMA, and we look forward to inspiring generationsof optometry’s future leaders to achieve success in the years to come.

BY OD3 JENALYN JOTIE

ABOVE: NOPMA 2010-11 members enjoy lunch at the SeventhAnnual Ultimate Practice Management conference at the Marriott in

Hollywood, Florida. RIGHT: The NOPMA 2010-11 executive boardwith club adviser Dr. Chris Woodruff and guest speakers

Dr. Steve Bussa and Dr. Graham Rasanen.

Planting the Seeds of Success: NSU Optometry Practice Management Association

Page 15

When the time came forHeidi Wagner, O.D.,M.P.H., FAAO (Dipl), to

zero in on a career choice, she knew shewanted to pursue one thatincorporated her interests in eithermath or science.

During her investigative process, Dr.Wagner, who serves as professor andchair of the college’s Department ofClinics, discovered that a career inoptometry would be a perfect fit for anumber of reasons. “Optometry wasappealing to me because it would allowme to combine my academic interestswith a people-oriented primary carediscipline,” said Dr. Wagner, who grewup in a small town called Mansfield,Ohio. “My brother-in-law and a familyfriend were practicing optometrists andprovided me with additional exposureto the profession.”

With her decision now made, Dr.Wagner forged ahead with gusto,participating in a concurrent enrollmentin both the College of Arts and Sciencesand College of Optometry at The OhioState University, earning her Bachelorof Science degree in 1984 and herDoctor of Optometry degree in 1986.Fortuitously, it was during her days asan optometry student that Dr. Wagnerwould meet the man who would soonbecome her husband, practice partner,and colleague at NSU’s College of

NEWSFacultyPRIVATE PRACTICE GIVES WAY TO ACADEMIC CAREER FOR DR. HEIDI WAGNERBY SCOTT COLTON, B.A., APR, CO�EDITOR, THE VISIONARY

Optometry―Chris Woodruff, O.D.,M.B.A, FAAO, who serves as anassociate professor in the college.

After graduating from optometryschool, Drs. Wagner and Woodruffimmediately put their O.D. degrees togood use by opening a private practicein Dr. Wagner’s hometown and gettingmarried on September 6, 1986. “Ourfirst day of practice was exactly sevenweeks following graduation,” said Dr.Wagner, who is the proud mother oftwo daughters―16-year-old Alexandraand 14-year-old Alyssa, who arecurrently enrolled at NSU’s UniversitySchool. “My father extolled the virtuesof self-employment, so his perspectivecontributed to my interest in choosing aprivate practice setting immediatelyfollowing graduation.”

In addition to running a practice, Dr.Wagner spent one day a week workingoutside it, first in a rural optometricpractice, then as a clinical preceptor atThe Ohio State University College ofOptometry, and later as a provider in ahealth maintenance organization.However, after spending several yearsin private practice, Drs. Wagner andWoodruff decided the time had cometo make a drastic change bothprofessionally and geographically.

“After six-plus years, I decided I did notwant to remain in private practice, andmy husband decided he did not want toremain in my hometown,” sheexplained. “With some encouragementfrom my husband, I secured a facultyappointment at SoutheasternUniversity of the Health Sciences (theprecursor to Nova SoutheasternUniversity) in North Miami Beach,Florida, in 1993. I initially chose this

opportunity because I had enjoyedearlier experiences working withstudents in a clinical setting, and therewere opportunities for professionalgrowth associated with anew program.

“At the time, I speculated that thiswould be a steppingstone to otheropportunities, rather than a permanentcareer shift,” she added. “In retrospect,I believe that a career in an academichealth care setting has been a good fitfor me because I enjoy the variedactivities related to teaching,scholarship, and service and because Ienjoy working with students.”

As she’s worked her way up the ranksfrom instructor and associate professorto full professorship in 2009, Dr.Wagner has been involved in an arrayof academic and clinical areas. “Myteaching assignments during my earlyyears at the college included working inthe optometric theory/methods andcontact lens laboratories as well asdoing clinical teaching in the primarycare and cornea/contact lens services,”said Dr. Wagner, who received herMaster of Public Health degree fromthe University of MassachusettsAmherst School of Public Health andHealth Sciences in 2004. “Currently, Iserve as the instructor of record in atwo-semester didactic contact lenscourse sequence as well as a preceptorin the Cornea and Contact Lens Service.”

Dr. Wagner, who says she gains a greatdeal of satisfaction from teaching smallgroups of students, residents, andgraduate students, also enjoys workingand interacting with her NSUCOcolleagues. However, one formerfaculty member, who passed away in

Page 16

FIVE CARDINALRULES FOR CLINICAL

EDUCATIONBY LESTER E. JANOFF, O.D., M.S. ED, FAAO

The purpose of the clinical course is toteach the student how to deliver

high-quality clinical care.

Good education cannot take place whenpoor care is delivered. Therefore, patients

come first and students second.

Access to patients is not a right, but aprivilege that students must earn through

taking personal responsibility fordelivering the best quality care possible.

Thinking, problem-solving, questioning,doubting, self-instruction, and a sense ofresponsibility for learning through active

participation are the fundamentalkeys to learning.

The attitudes, personal principles, andvalues that are essential are learned

through preceptor modeling.

2006, left the most indelible impressionon both her mind and heart: ProfessorEmeritus Lester E. Janoff, O.D., M.S. Ed,FAAO. “I considered him to be both afriend and mentor who made a positiveand lasting impact on the program,” sheexplained. “His Five Cardinal Rules forEducation certainly have served as afoundation for my personal philosophyof clinical education.”

During her 18 years as an NSUCO facultymember, Dr. Wagner has foundfulfillment in many areas. But there areseveral that stand out for variousreasons. “With regard to teaching,precepting students and residents in aclinical setting has been the mostrewarding aspect of being anoptometrist and working at NSU’sCollege of Optometry,” she stated.“With regard to patient care, managingpatients with corneal thinning disordersand other medically necessary contactlens applications has been a long-terminterest. I had the privilege of serving asthe principal investigator of the Nova

Participating CLEK Study Clinic, whichwas one of fourteen sites in thisfederally-funded multicenter study onkeratoconus.”

She’s also excited to have renewed herinterest in something she participated inover two decades ago when she was inprivate practice. “In my early years ofpractice, I especially enjoyed workingwith children and teenagers,” sheexplained. “This interest has beenrekindled with my recent participationin a collaborative clinical researchproject entitled “Contact LensAssessment in Youth,” whichinvestigates safety outcomes in younglens wearers.”

With a thriving professional careerthat’s seems to be adroitly balancedwith personal satisfaction on the homefront, it certainly seems as if Dr. Wagnerhas attained the much-desired butseemingly impossible-to-achieve dreamof “having it all.”

“After six-plus years, I decidedI did not want to remain in private practice...”

Michael Bacigalupi, O.D., M.S., FAAO, was featured in an articleentitled “Education Helps Students Control Debt Load” that ap-peared in the September 2010 issue of Optometry Times.

Andrea Janoff, O.D., and Edward Keith, Ph.D. were awarded a$5,000 Health Professions Division grant to fund their researchproject entitled “In Vivo Study of Protein Deposition on Omafil-con A Contact Lenses.”

Erin C. Jenewein, O.D., M.S., FAAO, received the Terrence In-graham Pediatric Optometry Residency Award during theAmerican Academy of Optometry (AAO) 88th Annual Meetingheld November 17-21, 2010, in San Francisco, California. She alsoachieved AAO fellowship status at the annual meeting alongwith Melissa Misko, O.D., FAAO, and Marissa Perez, O.D.,FAAO. Founded in 1922, the AAO is committed to promotingthe art and science of vision care through lifelong learning. Theletters FAAO (Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry)after an optometrist, scientist, or other qualified person’s namesignify to colleagues and patients that rigorous qualificationshave been met.

Janet L. Leasher, O.D., M.P.H, FAAO, will be concluding her two-year stint as chancellor of the Beta Sigma Kappa InternationalHonor Society, which represents the brightest optometricphysicians and future optometrists.

David S. Loshin, O.D., Ph.D., FAAO, was named Florida’s Op-tometrist of the Year by the Florida Optometric Association at

the annual FOA conference in July 2010. This award was givenbecause of Dr. Loshin’s outstanding record at the College ofOptometry, where he has been instrumental in the college’sgrowth by developing creative programs and expanding TheEye Care Institute by introducing the utilization of electronicmedical records and the most advanced instrumentation.

Kimberly Reed, O.D., FAAO, was appointed to the Ocular Nu-trition Society Board of Directors as well as to the advisoryboard of the nutrition company MedOp, Inc.

Joseph J. Pizzimenti, O.D., FAAO (associate editor) andDiana Shechtman, O.D., were appointed to the Internet Jour-nal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice Editorial Review Board.

Diana Shechtman, O.D., FAAO, Joseph Sowka, O.D., FAAO, AlanG. Kabat, O.D., FAAO, and Joseph J. Pizzimenti, O.D., FAAO,were invited to serve as contributing editors of the Review ofOptometry. Dr. Shechtman, who is Fellow of the AmericanAcademy of Optometry and the Optometric Retinal Society,also was named to the Macular Degeneration Association’sMedical Advisory Board.

Joseph W. Sowka, O.D., FAAO (associate editor) Diana Shecht-man, O.D., FAAO (editorial review board), and ChrisE. Woodruff, O.D. (practice strategies consultant) were namedto the aforementioned positions for Optometry – Journal of theAmerican Optometric Association.

WHO’S THIS FACULTY MEMBER?CONTEST WINNER

The winner of the Who’s This FacultyMember? photo contest that appeared in

the summer/fall 2010 issue of The Visionaryis Michael O. Valle, O.D. (’10), who correctly

guessed that the visage featured wasN. Scott Gorman, O.D., Ed.D., M.S., FAAO.

NEWSFaculty

BACIGALUPI JENEWEIN LEASHER

MISKO PIZZIMENTI

REED SOWKA WOODRUFF

Page 18

Erin Jenewein, O.D., M.S., FAAO

Dr. Jenewein received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biologyin 2003 from St. Norbert College and her M.S. in biology in 2005from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where she earnedthe 2005 Master’s Distinguished Thesis Award. She graduatedin 2009 from Nova Southeastern University College of Optome-try. Following graduation, Dr. Jenewein completed a residencyat NSU in pediatrics and binocular vision and was the recipientof the 2009 Dr. Terrance N. Ingraham Pediatric Optometry Res-idency Award. Upon completing her residency in 2010, Dr. Je-newein joined the NSU faculty as an assistant professor.

Dr. Jenewein is currently the chief of service of The Eye Care In-stitute at Kids in Distress, where she is a clinical preceptor forthird- and fourth-year students. Her academic interests includestrabismus and patients with special needs. She has authoredand presented posters at the Association for Research in Visionand Ophthalmology, SECO International, the College of Op-tometrists in Vision Development (COVD), and the AmericanAcademy of Optometry annual meetings. Her research has beenpublished in Pediatric Research. Dr. Jenewein is a Fellow of theAAO and is currently pursuing her COVD fellowship.

NEWSFaculty

Shannon Dehesa, O.D.

Dr. Dehesa, who recently joined the NSUCO pediatric facultyas a clinical and lab instructor, graduated from the Universityof California at Los Angeles in 2005 with a Bachelor of Sciencein Biology before receiving her Doctor of Optometry degreefrom the New England College of Optometry in 2009, whereshe earned the Clinical Excellence Award. She then com-pleted a one-year residency in primary care/pediatrics at theUniversity of California at Berkeley School of Optometry,where she presented several lectures on pediatric optome-try and the treatment/management of special needs patients.

Dr. Dehesa’s areas of interest include amblyopia treatment,autism, and vision assessment for special needs children. Sheis planning on pursuing further research on the optometricmanagement for special needs patients and autism.

Her current teaching responsibilities include precepting in-terns in the NSU Pediatric Care Eye Clinics and serving as as-sistant lab instructor for the Pediatric Optometry andOptometric Management of Learning-Related Vision Prob-lems Lab and the Anomalies of Binocular Vision I Lab.

Dr. Dehesa is a member of the American Optometric Associ-ation, the American Academy of Optometry, the Florida Op-tometric Association, and the College of Optometrists inVision Development.

WelcomeNew Faculty

Page 19

Although The Visionary is a publicationgeared toward spotlighting news andachievements related to the College of Op-tometry, the magazine’s editorial team hasdecided to add an exciting new compo-nent that highlights noteworthy news re-lated to the global NSU community.

Since its humble beginnings in 1964, NSUhas transformed itself into an esteemedmajor university that awards associate’s,bachelor’s, master’s, educational special-ist, and doctoral degrees in a wide range offields including the health professions, law,business, marine sciences, psychology, so-cial sciences, computer and informationsciences, and education. The university’smyriad programs are administeredthrough 15 academic centers that offercourses at the main campus and at field-based locations throughout Florida, acrossthe nation, and at selected internationalsites in Europe, Mexico, the Pacific Rim,Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Based on these impressive statistics, wehope you will enjoy reading a synopsis ofwhat is happening beyond the College ofOptometry at NSU.

NSU CANCER RESEARCHEROBTAINS U.S. PATENT

NSU’s Rumbaugh Goodwin Institute forCancer Research, led by its executive direc-tor, Appu Rathinavelu, Ph.D., is conductingleading research on new cancer therapeu-tics and powerful diagnostic methods forbreast, lung, prostate, ovarian, and col-

orectal cancers. Dr. Rathinavelu recentlyreceived a U.S. patent for a drug thatfights cancer. More specifically, it’s an anti-angiogenic drug that is designed to de-stroy blood vessels that supply oxygen andnutrients through blood circulation to can-cer tissues. This will eventually shrink anddestroy the cancer tissues. Dr. Rathinavelu,who uses pharmacogenomics and molecu-lar modeling approaches to develop novelcancer drugs, expects to receive a secondpatent for a similar anti-cancer drug in thenear future.

IPADS FOR AUTISTIC CHILDRENNSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human

Development (MSC) launched a new initia-tive recently called 18 iPads in 18 Days toprovide new iPads to MSC’s Baudhuin Pre-school, which is a provider of services tochildren with autism spectrum disorders(ASD). Autism is a lifelong disability that af-fects the way children communicate andrelate to others and the world around them.

Technology continues to revolutionizethe manner in which teachers meet theneeds of children with ASD, so the iPadswill contain communication applicationsthat allow the children to select phrasesand words to make sentences.

NEW M.B.A. DEGREE IN SALESNSU is one of only 12 universities in the

country to offer graduate-level salescourses, and the only one in Florida. Thesales M.B.A. and graduate certificate were

launched in January following the success-ful establishment of a dedicated sales edu-cation curriculum at the undergraduatelevel last semester. NSU’s Sales Program isthe first in the H. Wayne Huizenga Schoolof Business and Entrepreneurship’s innova-tive Market-Driven Education series of spe-cialty business programs shaped by thetrends and opportunities that are drivingthe marketplace.

“Today’s economic climate and ultra-competitive job market are dictating thatbusiness schools become more specializedin preparing students for employment op-portunities in target professions and indus-tries,” said Michael Fields, Ph.D., dean ofthe Huizenga School of Business and En-trepreneurship. “No matter what businessyou’re in, you’re involved in selling. Stu-dents that have a solid skill set in sales aregoing to add immediate value to the com-panies that hire them. It’s the best singlething we can do to help students and in-dustry at the same time.”

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS RECEIVE FREE DENTAL SERVICES

NSU is offering free dental services tovictims of domestic violence who other-wise may not have access to such services.Battered women can have significant den-tal needs that often go untreated. In somecases, a battered woman’s dental prob-lems are the direct result of abuse, and herabuser has kept her from receiving dental care for years, or even decades. Using a

NSU Overview:

University

Accomplishments

Receive Recognition

DR. RATHINAVELU

Page 20

three-year, $850,000 grant from the U.S. Health Resources andServices Administration, NSU’s College of Dental Medicine is pro-viding examinations, preventive services, restorations, andsome dentures to victims of domestic violence.

The free oral services are being provided onsite at several non-profits that help victims get back on their feet such as The Lodgein Miami and Women in Distress and the Broward Addiction Re-covery Center in Fort Lauderdale. The dental services are also of-fered to the children of victims. So far, more than 107 womenand their children have used the services provided by NSU den-tal residents and students. The grant is expected to provide den-tal treatment to nearly 200 women before it expires in June 2011.

NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, which runs Florida’s largestdental clinic in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, is helpingmeet the women’s dental needs by using portable dental equip-ment to treat them directly at the shelters. This mobile equip-ment allows NSU dentists to provide comprehensive check-upsthat fully evaluate each woman’s needs. Dental residents andstudents are trained to handle the sensitivity of the women’sneeds to ensure they feel safe and comfortable throughout thecourse of treatment.

RETIRED U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICEVISITS LAW CENTER

On February 8, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice John PaulStevens (retired) addressed an audience of about 300 NSU Shep-ard Broad Law Center students as well as faculty and staff mem-bers. This marked the second time he had visited the NSUcampus in five years. Justice Stevens, who was nominated to thebench by President Gerald Ford, served as an Associate Justiceof the Supreme Court from December 19, 1975, until his retire-ment on June 29, 2010.

Students posed questions on a broad range of legal issues suchas Supreme Court case load, the value of oral advocacy in court,and the political nature of the Congressional approval processfor Supreme Court nominees. In speaking on oral arguments, heindicated that while justices usually have their minds made upbefore hearing arguments, a justice’s mind or approach to a casecan definitely change through the process. When asked whatcontributed most to his success in law school, Justice Stevenssaid it was “the great faculty and students.”

From groundbreaking cancer research andstate-of-the-art autism education to uniquegraduate programs, NSU is leading the wayboth locally and nationally.

IPADS AT MAILMAN SEGAL CENTER’S BAUDHUIN PRESCHOOL

Dr. Fields (left) with H. Wayne Huizenga, arenowned businessman and philanthropist who thebusiness school and sales institute are named after.

Right –Anthony H. Bezerra, D.D.S.,College of Dental Medicine

professor of clinical dentistry,and Leticia Alonso, a fourth-year dental student, provide

free dental care at thenonprofit Women in Distress.

Left – Pictured (from left)are: John Anderson, J.D.,LL.M., Shepard Broad LawCenter professor; John PaulStevens, retired U.S. SupremeCourt Associate Justice; andAthornia Steele, J.D., ShepardBroad Law Center dean.

Page 21

Kids in Distress (KID) is a nationally accredited, community-sup-ported agency based in South Florida that helps children andfamilies in crisis with emergency shelters and counseling. Theagency’s current services include crisis intervention, foster careand adoption, therapeutic preschool, complete behavioralhealth services, intensive in-home family preservation services,parent education, domestic violence services, substance abusetreatment, kinship support, supervised visitation, access tomedical care, and rehabilitative therapies. KID specializes in pro-tecting vulnerable children from abuse and neglect in a safe,nurturing environment with a goal of creating a healthy, en-riching, permanent solution for every child.

As part of KID’s expansion for access to health care, the NSUCollege of Optometry and the NSU College of Dental Medicinewere invited to join in a collaborative effort to provide visionand dental services for children in the KID programs. After ayear of planning and construction, the existing 10,000-square-foot office building on the KID campus in Wilton Manors inBroward County was transformed into a beautiful and wel-coming state-of-the-art facility with a dental clinic on the firstfloor and an optometric care facility on the second floor. “The

KID-NSU dental and optometry clinics reflect our longstandingcommitment to the communities we serve,” said Jeff Byrd, KIDvice president and CFO.

The optometry service began examining patients in November2010, while the dental clinic opened in February 2011. The build-ing renovations for both optometry and dental were coveredby donations secured by KID. The FOA Charities funded a grantproposal submitted by the NSU College of Optometry to helpoffset the startup expenses. This grant funded the purchase oflensometers and the optometric lanes of equipment in the ex-amination rooms.

It is anticipated that over 5,000 children who lack adequatemeans or access to health care will receive vision exams at TheEye Care Institute at KID annually. This underserved populationwill include many of the KID foster children that have never hada vision examination. Third- and fourth-year NSU optometrystudents, under the supervision of NSU faculty members andthe chief of service, Dr. Erin Jenewein, will examine these pa-tients. Approximately 175 optometry students and 8 optome-try residents will rotate through this facility each year. The

The Eye Care Institute at KID

BY LINDA ROUSE, O.D., FAAO, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, THE EYE CARE INSTITUTE

optometry service has eight exam rooms, a special testingroom, state-of-the-art equipment, and an optical dispensarywith a finishing laboratory. Optometric services for children andfamilies are offered five days per week and 24/7 for emergencyeye care.

This partnership between KID and NSU fulfills a dual mission ofserving children in our communities while educating futurehealth care providers. According to Dr. David Loshin, dean ofthe College of Optometry, “This collaboration with KID has pro-vided an opportunity for the College of Optometry to start anew clinical site with an established patient population.” Healso stated, “Not only will this special population strengthenour clinical education by providing students with unique expe-riences, it will also help develop practitioners who will be moresensitive to the special needs of children.”

The Eye Care Institute at KID has already provided hundreds ofeye examinations and glasses for children, diagnosed retinalconditions, detected both small- and large-angle strabismus,managed amblyopia, identified visual perceptual anomalies,and much more in just a few months. In fact, doctors and stu-

dents have already experienced the gratification of providinga 12-year-old child with 8 diopters of myopia with his first pair ofeyeglasses. All these children have been given the opportunityto see clearly, which correlates to success in school.

The College of Optometry and KID have also collaborated inreaching out to the community to increase awareness of theavailable services now offered on the Kids in Distress campus.Together, we have attended local health fairs and family daysthroughout Broward County. We have also supported KID fund-raising events like the annual Duck Fest. In turn, KID has trainedseveral of its staff members to provide vision screenings to alarge number of children both in its programs and in the sur-rounding school districts.

The College of Optometry is actively seeking grant money tohelp offset the cost of vision services for those who require fi-nancial assistance and do not have insurance. Several grantshave been secured that will pay for services and glasses for chil-dren in need who have failed the school vision screening in theBroward County school system.

“It is anticipated that over 5,000 children who lack adequatemeans or access to health care will receive vision exams

at The Eye Care Institute at KID annually.”

Pictured at the ribbon-cutting ceremony (from left) are:Gary Resnick, City of Wilton Manors mayor; Will Spencer, KID president;

Tom Tomczyk, KID CEO; Nick Cassas, Stiles CFO; Steve Palmer, KID board chairman;Jeff Byrd, KID CFO; Karyn Greep, Charity Guild representative;

Mary Baker, KID Auxiliary co-president; Dr. David Loshin, NSU College of Optometry dean;and Dr. Robert Uchin, NSU College of Dental Medicine dean.

“Both Kids in Distress and Novaare demonstrating a tremendous

vision for our community.”

The official ribbon-cutting and grand-opening ceremony for

the KID Dental Clinic and The Eye Care Institute at KID

was held on March 1, 2011.

Page 23

Ask the kids who were among the first to be treated how they feel aboutthe new Kids in Distress eye and dental care clinics. From all accounts, theirresponses were cheerful―smiling faces included.

The new Kids in Distress Eye Care Institute and dental clinics officiallyopened on March 1, 2011, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony that tookplace at the new facility in Wilton Manors. On hand to serve as tour guidewas Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick, who declared it “KID Dental Clinicand Eye Care Institute Day” and commented that, “Both Kids in Distressand Nova are demonstrating a tremendous vision for our community.”

Kids in Distress has cared for and treated abused and neglected childrenthrough a system that includes emergency shelters, therapeutic service,abuse prevention, foster care, and adoption since 1979. But somethingwas missing because these children still didn’t have access to proper eyeand dental care. Thus was born a partnership, dating back to November2009, between Nova Southeastern University and Kids in Distress that hasculminated in two fully operational and staffed clinical facilities, which willprovide eye care and dental services. It is expected that 5,000 patients willbe seen in the first year of operation.

It has long been known that eye care plays an important role in a child’ssuccess at school. According to Dr. David Loshin, NSUCO dean, there is acorrelation between seeing and learning; therefore, better performance inschool can result from proper eye care. “Sometimes it’s the access, notbeing able to pay, that keeps people from seeking care,” said Dr. LindaRouse, chief operations officer of The Eye Care Institute. Steve Palmer,chairman of the Kids in Distress Board of Directors, hopes the new facilitywill remove many of the barriers that prevent the participating childrenand families from obtaining the regular care they deserve.

Judging by the opinions of children who received eye and dental care onopening day, this partnership and its services are already a resounding suc-cess―and will continue to be so for years to come.

(Information for this article was obtained from articles published in the Her-ald-Tribune, Edge-Fort Lauderdale, and Sun-Sentinel.)

KIDS IN DISTRESS CLINICSOPEN TO ACCOLADES

BY BARBARA KARPEL, M.S., DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIONAND VISIONARY CO�EDITOR

Page 24

In July 2010, the new Florida Optometric Association (FOA) Boardof Trustees was elected to office by the membership. The newpresident, Dr. Michael Fregger, hails from Fort Walton Beach,

where he has been in a solo private practice since 1997. He graduatedfrom Florida State University in 1978 and received his O.D. degree fromSouthern College of Optometry in 1982. He also has served as the WestFlorida Optometric Association president for eight years. It is theseyears of leadership experience as well as his term on the FOA boardthat has prepared him for the challenges of this coming year. The cur-rent leadership consists of

President: Dr. Michael A. Fregger, Fort Walton BeachPresident Elect: Dr. Kenneth D. Boyle,

Melbourne Beach (1994 alumnus)Vice President: Dr. David W. Rouse of Sunrise

Secretary-Treasurer: Dr. Stephen R. Kepley of Vero BeachTrustee: Dr. Barry J. Frauens of Coral Springs (1996 alumnus)

Trustee: Dr. Kenneth W. Lawson of BradentonTrustee: Dr. April Jasper of West Palm Beach (1995 alumna)

Trustee: Dr. Tad Kosanovich of Englewood

After a very productive year as president and many years of loyalservice, Dr. Emilio H. Balius of Coral Gables assumed the role of chair-man of the board. The FOA office underwent a restructuring duringDr. Balius’ tenure as president. He was presented with numerous ob-stacles and challenges, and through his tireless efforts and leadership,the FOA emerged as an even-stronger organization. Dr. Andrew Wileswas hired as the new executive director and has been an invaluableasset. As a past president of the FOA, Dr. Wiles brings with him awealth of knowledge regarding the profession of optometry, the FOA,and the political process. The FOA will be an even stronger organiza-tion with Dr. Wiles as its executive director.

The political process continues to be a struggle in Florida, with thebudget cuts being at the top of the list once again this year. Our 13 oraldrug bill, which was introduced last year, was heard in the SenateHealth Care Committee and passed the committee. Unfortunately, dueto power politics, the bill was never heard in the House of Represen-tatives. On a defensive note, HB 549 has been filed, which would allowfor opticians to refract and co-own optical establishments with op

tometrists, prohibit an optometrist from serving as a supervisor in anoptician apprentice program, restrict the activities of optometric sup-port staff, and allow for an ophthalmologist to be added to the FloridaBoard of Optometry. This is bad legislation for the citizens of Florida aswell as the profession of optometry.

The FOA legislative team, under the co-chairmanship of Dr. Ken Law-son and Dr. Ron Foreman, is actively engaged on this issue. This is atime when the profession of optometry is being threatened and thehelp of every optometrist is needed. By being a member of the FOAand a member of the FOCCE, you can have a voice and make a differ-ence. If you are not a member of both, please call the FOA office todayand join. With the help of everyone, we can defeat this legislation.

The leadership of the Florida Optometric Association would like toacknowledge and thank Dr. David Loshin, who serves as the NSU liai-son to the FOA Board of Trustees. Dr. Loshin was also recognized bythe FOA at its 2010 convention, receiving the FOA Optometrist of theYear Award. The FOA is especially appreciative of the strong NSU stu-dent involvement that has been fostered and growing throughout theyears. This past year has seen numerous students become actively in-volved in volunteering at the annual convention as well as on severalpolitical campaigns. Approximately 50 students chartered a bus andmade the trip to Tallahassee for the annual legislative luncheon heldevery March. The students are the future of our profession, and it is soimportant to engage them very early on in their training. It is refresh-ing and encouraging to witness such enthusiasm.

Preparations are being made for the annual convention that will beheld July 21-24, 2011, at the Walt Disney Dolphin Resort in Orlando. Thiswill be another special convention because Dr. Kenny Boyle, NSUCO1994 alumnus, will become the first NSU alumni to become presidentof the FOA. Please try to make arrangements to attend. Over 30 hoursof education will be offered, with several time slots having dual-tracklectures, in addition to an expansive exhibit hall and numerous socialevents all within an amazing property. I hope to see many of you there.

As I conclude my fourth year as trustee, the learning curve continuesto be exponential. The leadership is dedicated to serving the mem-bership, and I would encourage all who feel they have something tocontribute to become involved. Your service will help better our pro-fession for all of us, including our students and the patients we serve.

Florida

Optometric

Association

Update

BY BARRY J. FRAUENS, O.D., FAAO, ASSOCIATE PROFESSORCHIEF OF PRIMARY CARE SERVICE, THE EYE CARE INSTITUTE AT NORTH MIAMI BEACH

Page 25

Reaching the optometric “Millennial generation” stu-dents in the classroom has proven to be a challenge.One way of increasing their engagement in course ma-terial is to stay ahead of the curve by utilizing tech-

nology in their curriculum. We have been successful inimplementing modern technology in the classroom in an effortto enhance the educational experience of our students. Beloware some of the major implementations of technology in ourteaching methods.

BLOGS AND PODCASTS IN OPTOMETRIC EDUCATIONFor many of those who regularly use the Web, the terms blogsand podcasts may be familiar. The word blog is a combinationof the words Web and log and can be viewed as online diariescovering any topic one can imagine. Entries are posted to thesite in chronological order and take advantage of RSS (ReallySimple Syndication) technology allowing users to subscribe tothe site and receive notification when new entries are posted.RSS technology “feeds” the necessary information to the uservia the Web browser, email client, or other RSS software inorder to push out instant updates when a user’s favorite Website gets updated. Blogs can also contain media such as audioor video files. Consistent posts of audio or video files on a par-ticular subject are referred to podcasts, which can also be “fed”to the listener as new ones are posted with the same RSS tech-nology used by blogs.

To increase student engagement here at NSU, we have inte-grated blogging and podcasting in the Ophthalmic Optics andOptometric Theory and Methods courses. Blogging has takenthe form of course diaries that highlight the main points fromeach lecture. Blogging allows a more permanent record of com-munication from instructor to student. Mainly, the course blogserves to provide a summary of topics discussed for each lec-ture and helps the student organize his or her thoughts whilestudying for an exam. Questions are also posted to the class aswell as answers to specific questions that arise year to year. Thestudent can subscribe to the blog RSS feed alerting them to anynew updates the instructor posts.

Podcasts have received much praise over the years in our pro-gram. These audio and video clips have been used to demon-strate procedures in the OTM course, show students workedproblems, and have also been used to create exam reviews forour students. These podcasts, which are available to the stu-dents via the Web, allow them to listen to or watch these clipsat any time and as many times as they choose. This media canalso be viewed on the students’ smart phones; hence, givingthe millennial students portability in their education.

Drs. Fecho and Woodruff, along with Jay Rumsey, O.D., sur-veyed our students on the use of blogging and podcasting. Weconcluded that a majority of students are taking advantage ofthis technology if the resources are available to them. The stu-dents also find it to be a useful tool in their educational experi-ence. Some of the positive feedback that has been received isas follows:

“Podcasts were extremely effective and assisted inlearning the covered material.”

“The use of blogs and podcasts greatly enhanced my learningexperience. More courses should use this method.

It was a great class.”

While blogging and podcasting are not considered new tech-nology, they have provided a fresh and interesting way to helpengage the millennial students here at NSU’s College of Optometry.

TEACHING WITH THE IPADTablet computers have been around for awhile, but Apple’s it-eration of a tablet computer has been a wild success. These de-vices are portable with a slick interface. They possess familiarityto those who already own iPhones and are relatively inexpen-sive compared to laptop computers, making it attractive to thestudents. To some, these iPads may appear as toys; however,we recently have shifted perspective (at least in the eyes of ourstudents) about this device from a toy to a powerful educa-tional tool used in the classroom. We are mainly using this de-

Technology in Optometric EducationBY GREGORY FECHO, O.D. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, AND CHRISTOPHER WOODRUFF, O.D., FAAO, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Page 26

vice as a presentation tool for lectures, reviews, and workedproblems. Recent upgrades to the iPad operating system andthe plethora of available applications (apps) for the devicenow make the iPad a viable option for the instructor in theclassroom setting.

Finding the right application is the primary challenge in gettingthe most out of this device. One such “app” that has provenextremely useful is an application called Air Sketch. This appli-cation allows the user to annotate PDFs or use a whiteboardapplication without being tethered to the podium. The appli-cation works by typing in a unique URL created by the applica-tion into any Web browser on the same wireless network. Oncethis is completed, anything that is drawn or imported in this ap-plication can be projected on the screen no matter where theinstructor is standing.

The iPad would not be complete without a presentation type ofapplication. Apple has its own PowerPoint type of applicationcalled Keynote. Dr. Woodruff has used this application alongwith a notebook application called Penultimate to deliver pre-sentations. The fast application switching ability included in thelatest version of the iPad’s operating system allows him toquickly toggle back and forth between his presentation andworked problems the students can follow along with. Gone arethe days of overhead projectors and premade slides of workedproblems that students seem to dislike.

The usefulness of the iPad can ultimately extend beyond itspresentation capabilities. In the clinic, Dr. Fecho has used thisdevice as a patient educational tool. Tech-savvy graduates canalso integrate this device in conjunction with an electronic med-ical record system to enter data from patients seen in theirpractice. Also, we have yet to see how useful this device wouldbe in the hands of our students. With availability of applicationsthat will allow students to take notes over PDFs, download sci-entific articles directly to their device, have an available Webbrowser, email application, and word processor, this tool canbe a useful asset to our millennial students.

HOW DO YOU TEACH MILLENNIAL STUDENTS?FACEBOOK WITH THEM!

Regardless of your view of social network services such as Face-book, MySpace, and LinkedIn, these services have become apermanent part of American culture. With over 600 million ac-tive users as of January 2011, Facebook is currently the second-most visited Web site in the United States according toQuantcast―a media measurement Web analytics service.

Today’s optometry students spend a significant amount of timeutilizing social media. Since the majority of students have smart-phones, they have access to their social networking sites all daylong. Considering the growth of Facebook in recent years andthe fact that nearly half of Facebook users are 18 to 34 years ofage, it seems reasonable that college professors can utilizethe social network to communicate with students outsidethe classroom.

In the spring of 2010, Dr. Woodruff created a Facebook page toprovide a final exam review for his Ophthalmic Optics II course.This allowed him real-time communication with his students asthey prepared for the final exam. The majority of the classsigned on as “fans” of the page. Encouraged by the positive re-sponse of the class, he discontinued his course blog in favor ofa course Facebook page last August. The Facebook page pro-vides students with lecture reviews, additional problems andsolutions, and suggestions for preparing for exams in an al-ready familiar environment. Dr. Woodruff has enjoyed explor-ing the world of social networking, but the best part is his abilityto interact with his students and be available to them in realtime as they prepare for their exams.

With the positive feedback we have received so far, we will con-tinue to utilize and experiment with current technology in ourcourses. With the rapid changes that occur in technology andwith the change in each generation of students, teaching meth-ods will need to change and adapt to keep modern studentsengaged in their studies.

blog

podcast

iPad

technology

Page 27

E-readers are simple handheld mobiledevices that may be used to exhibitreading material. These devices per-

mit a variety of display options; therefore, e-readers may have potential as a low visionaid. We wanted to determine the feasibilityof the low vision use of e-readers by meas-uring and comparing specific physical pa-rameters and unique characteristics of fourcommonly used e-readers available in 2010.

These e-readers included the Kindle DX,the Kindle, the Sony Reader Touch, theNook, and the iPad. Since the initiation ofthe study, there has been a flood of e-read-ers on the market; however, none of thesenew readers have large screens (iPad andKindle DX), which should be more conducivefor low vision use since more words are dis-played at any set font size.

In the presented study, we considered thephysical characteristics of font size (for eachavailable font and setting), contrast, andfield size for each of the five e-readers. Fontsize was measured using a 5x loop with ameasuring reticule. The same letter for eachfont was measured five times and averaged.A comparison of font size (mm) for availablesettings is shown in Figure 1 for each e-reader. The Kindle DX had the largest maxi-mum font size of 100 mm. The iBooks on theiPad had the second largest font size of 84mm. The maximum font size for the Kindle,Kindle application on the iPad, and Nookwere 78mm, 39mm, and 37mm, respectively.

For the iPad (with the iBook), font size foreach font type and setting was also meas-ured. As shown in Figure 2, for each fonttype the font size for the same setting var-ied considerably. Although Cochin font

Physical Characteristicsof E-Readers

as a Low Vision DeviceBY DAVID S. LOSHIN, O.D., PH.D., FAAO, DEAN AND PROFESSOR,

AND NICOLE PATTERSON, O.D., FAAO, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, CHIEF OF LOW VISION SERVICE

iPad to printed material for specified agegroups from 20 years to >70 years. Phasethree of the study will investigate the use ofthese e-readers with the geriatric and low vi-sion populations.

(8.3mm) was the largest size, for low vision,fonts without serifs such as Verdana(6.9mm) may be more visible at a smallerfont size.

Under set illumination, 10 measurementsof the background and a black letter lumi-nance were determined using a Minolta Lu-minance spot meter. These averaged valueswere then used to calculate maximum con-trast using the formula displayed below:

As shown in Figure 3, the contrast valuesfor the Kindle DX display and the iPad, iPadKindle application, and Kindle applicationwith inverse polarity were comparable atabout 95 percent contrast. The contrast val-ues for the Kindle, Nook, and Sony Touchwere also similar to each other at about 55percent contrast.

The size of the screen of the e-readersalso varied (Figure 4), with the Kindle DXhaving the largest area followed closely bythe iPad. The Nook had the largest area forthe small readers. Some of the e-readersalso permitted landscape view, which wouldincrease the number of words per line butmay not be useful for reading since largereye movements are required.

From this data, it was shown that e-readerdevices vary in a number of adjustable pa-rameters, including font size and type aswell as contrast. A person reading at 40 cmon a Nook with the maximum font sizewould need acuity of approximately 2M,while on the iPad the patient would need8M. The required acuity fell between thesemeasurements with the other e-readers.Some of the e-readers may have the poten-tial to aid low vision patients; however, therange of characteristics along with ease ofoperation should be taken into considera-tion when recommending a specific device.

Phase two of this study will explore thereading rate comparing the Kindle DX and

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Page 28

This state-of-the-art cooperative interdisciplinary center, to belocated adjacent to the HPD parking garage, will be the focalpoint of NSU’s medical, pharmaceutical, dental, optometric,and oceanographic research. The CCR will also house one of thelargest wet lab research facilities in Florida. The wet lab will bea home base for applied health care research and medical in-formatics. Researchers will collaborate within this advanced en-vironment to investigate pharmaceutical synthesis, cancertherapy, human stem cell research, biomaterials, wildlife DNAforensics, and ocean biomaterials.

Universities and individuals acquire reputations from re-search—and reputations can either attract or repel prospectivestudents and faculty. A favorable reputation includes an ac-knowledgement of excellence coupled with distinctive charac-teristics that set an institution apart from others. Many schoolsand colleges of optometry have begun to address the impor-tance of research at their institutions. This means involvementin clinical trials or setting up basic science (bench) typesof programs.

NSU’s College of Optometry has started to address many as-pects of research and has done exceptionally well with clinicalresearch trials. Additionally, it grants a Master’s in Clinical Vi-sion Research degree.

In an effort to make its research goals more attainable, the col-lege has recruited faculty members with research backgrounds.Three years ago, the college hired Michael J. Giese, O.D., Ph.D.Dr. Giese currently has research space on the third floor of theHPD Library building and has received start-up funds from theHPD Research Committee. His current projects include investi-gating the ability of micro-computerized tomography to three-dimensionally analyze the eye at histological levels and toinvestigate if retinal capillary endothelium contributes to theintraocular inflammatory response to intraocular infections. Healso is the instructor of record for a course in ocular physiology.

Before coming to NSU, Dr. Giese worked at The Ohio State Uni-versity College of Optometry, where he was an associate pro-fessor and chief of the ocular disease service. Prior to that, he

New Paradigm forNSUCO Research

The mission of auniversity and its

associated colleges hasthree areas ofresponsibility, which areteaching, service to thecollege, university, andthe community, andresearch. NSU will take agiant leap with the futuredevelopment of the208,000-square-footCenter for CollaborativeResearch (CCR).

BY MICHAEL J. GIESE, O.D., PH.D.ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

OF OPTOMETRY

CCR CENTER FOR COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

Page 29

was at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA, where he was a re-search ophthalmologist supervising the ocular immunology lab-oratories. Additionally, he was a member of the OcularInflammatory Disease Center, where he saw patients with ocu-lar inflammatory diseases, primarily uveitis.

Dr. Giese received a B.S. degree in bacteriology in 1982 fromNorth Dakota State University and his Doctor of Optometry de-gree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 1985. After com-pleting a VA hospital-based residency program in Chicago, hejoined the faculty of the Department of Ophthalmology atNorthwestern University Medical School, where he was direc-tor of contact lenses and low vision. Dr. Giese left Chicago in1991 and joined the faculty of the Southern California Collegeof Optometry in Fullerton, where he taught about ocular dis-ease and saw patients in the ocular disease service. In 1993, heentered a Ph.D. program at the David Geffen UCLA School ofMedicine in Experimental Pathology, which he completed in 1998.

Dr. Giese has a vast range of clinical expertise. His current spe-cific clinical interests are uveitis and ocular infections. His re-search interests are related to understanding the molecularmechanisms of ocular infections and the ocular immune re-sponse. His previous publications have been in some of bestophthalmic journals such as Investigative Ophthalmology and Vi-sion Science and the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

The College of Optometry recently hired two new faculty mem-bers who are also pursuing research in the more traditional vi-sual science disciplines: Hua Bi, O.D., Ph.D., and Bin Zhang, M.D.,Ph.D. Future plans include granting Ph.D.s in vision science incollaboration with the many existing Ph.D. programs at NovaSoutheastern University.

Dr. Zhang earned his M.D. degree from the School of Medicineat Nanjing University in 1995. He then practiced as an ophthal-mologist, specializing in cataract surgery, in Jinling General Hos-pital in China. In 2003, Dr. Zhang received his Ph.D. degree inphysiological optics and vision science from the College of Op-tometry at the University of Houston. He dedicated the fol-lowing six years to the scientific research funded by the

National Eye Institute. Dr. Zhang is currently a full-time facultymember at NSU’s College of Optometry and holds the rank ofassociate professor. He teaches ocular anatomy to the profes-sional students and experiment design and methods to thegraduate students.

Dr. Zhang’s research interest is centered on the normal and ab-normal development of the visual system. On one hand, hestudies how the response properties of neurons in the visualcortex develop under the guidance of normal visual experiencein early life. On the other hand, he investigates how abnormalvisual experience, such as short sight (myopia), unequal re-fractive errors of the two eyes (anisometropia), and misalign-ment of the two eyes (strabismus), disrupt the smoothdeveloping process of these properties and eventiually lead tolazy eye (amblyopia).

The techniques applied in his research mainly include psy-chophysical testing, extracelluar single unit recording, local fieldpotential recording, and multifocal Visual Evoked Potentials.His research has been published in high-impact journals such asNature Neuroscience, Cell, Proceedings of National Academy ofScience USA, and Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science.

Dr. Bi earned her O.D. degree with honors and her Ph.D. degreein vision science from the University of Houston in 2006. Fol-lowing graduation, she practiced optometry as a faculty mem-ber at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Currently, she isa faculty member at NSU’s College of Optometry and holds therank of assistant professor.

Dr. Bi has authored papers in top peer-reviewed journals, pub-lished around 30 abstracts, lectured on topics in clinical op-tometry, and written for the book Primate Visual System byKaas and Collins. Her current research interests include evalua-tion of binocular vision and refractive anomalies as well as elec-trophysiology in normal and pathological visual systems.Dr. Bi is a course instructor of Visual Optics, Introduction toBinocular Vision, and lab instructor in Optometric Theory andMethods laboratories.

DR. BIDR. ZHANG

Page 30

Listed below are the NSUCO faculty honoreesand the organizations theyreceived funding fromfor their projects:

Melanie Crandall, O.D., M.B.A., FAAODirector of Continuing Education andAssociate ProfessorVision Service Plan

David Loshin, O.D., Ph.D., FAAODean of the College of OptometryVistakon

Kenneth Seger, O.D., M.Sc., FAAOAssociate ProfessorVision Service Plan

Yin Tea, O.D., FAAOChief of Pediatrics and Binocular Visionand Assistant ProfessorJaeb Center for Health Research

Heidi Wagner, O.D., M.P.H., FAAOChair of the Department of Clinicsand Associate ProfessorCIBA Vision Corporation

On February 1, a number of College ofOptometry faculty members were honored fortheir efforts to obtain external financialsupport at the NSU Office of Research andTechnology Transfer’s Second Annual ExternalFunding Recognition Reception, which washeld in the Alvin Sherman Library.

The External Funding Recognition Reception isan annual event that provides recognition forthe efforts of NSU faculty and staff memberswho have received external grant funding inthe previous fiscal year. The prior fiscal yearproduced great progress in the area ofexternal funding, with total external fundingexceeding $71 million.

FacultyMembersHonoredat ExternalFundingRecognition Ceremony

Page 31

ABSTRACT“Diagnostic Ophthalmic Ultrasound Study of Brimonidine Tartrate0.2% and Apraclonidine 0.5% Effect on Iris Configuration” by EulogioBesada, O.D.. M.S., FAAO, Kimberly Reed O.D., FAAO, Perla Najman,O.D., Diana Shechtman, O.D., FAAO, and Patrick Hardigan, Ph.D.

Purpose: To analyze, using a diagnostic ophthalmic ultrasound(DOU) (I3 system ABD v2 Diagnosis Ophthalmic Ultrasound,Software Version 5x, Innovative Imaging Inc.), possible effects ofbrimonidine tartrate 0.2% and apraclonidine 0.5% on irisconfiguration.

Methods: Ten subjects (20 and 40 years of age) consented toparticipate. The peripheral iris, iris root thickness, iris/lens distance,and anterior chamber depth were measured by DOU. Baseline andserial measurements at three luminance levels (>6.4 cd/m2, <0.82-0.4cd/m2, and <0.2-0.02 cd/m2) were obtained periodically during fourhours. Either one drop of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% or apraclonidine0.5% in one eye vs. a placebo in the contra-lateral eye were instilledfollowing baseline measurements. The observations for each drugwere carried out on different days. A model to test for nestedrandom effects, controlling for subject’s age, race, and sex, wasused for statistical analysis.

Results: No significant changes in the intra-ocular anterior segmentconfiguration zones analyzed were observed for brimonidinetartrate 0.2% or apraclonidine 0.5%.

Conclusion: Neither brimonidine tartrate 0.2% nor appraclonidine0.5% appears to have a significant effect on the analyzed irisconfiguration zones.

Keywords: Diagnostic ophthalmic ultrasound, brimonidine tartrate0.2%, apraclonidine 0.5%.

PUBLICATIONSBi H, Zhang B, Tao X, Harwerth R, Smith EL, Chino YM. Abnormalneuronal responses in visual area V2 limit visual performance inmonkeys with strabismic amblyopia. Cerebral Cortex (in press).

Meehan K, Rodman J. Ocular perineuritis secondary toneurosyphilis. Optometry and Vision Science. October 2010;87(10),E790-6.

Nan L, Seger K, Crandall M. Effect of customized near additionlenses on transient myopia induced by near work. Clinical Optometry.2010:2; 43-49.

Rodman J, Duchnowski E. Optical coherence tomography in adult-onset vitelliform dystrophy. Optometry-Journal of the AmericanOptometric Association. November 1, 2010. Epub (ahead of print).

Vollmer L, Shechtman D, Woods AD, Pizzimenti J. Utilizing multifocalERG and OCT for diagnosing Stargardt’s Disease. Clinical andExperimental Optometry. 2010 (in press).

Research HighlightsPOSTERS AND PRESENTATIONSTrattler W, Haytac P. An open-label evaluation of degree ofaccommodation in pseudophakic patients bilaterally implanted withmonofocal intraocular lenses. European Society for Cataract Surgeryin Paris, France; September 4-8, 2010.

Leasher JL. Incorporating evaluation research into student drivencommunity eye health promotion. World Council of Optometry SixthWorld Congress on Optometric Education in Durban, South Africa;September 22, 2010 (poster presentation).

Leasher JL. Solve the dilemma of teaching ethics using technology:student electronic response system surveys and online discussions.World Council of Optometry Sixth World Congress on OptometricEducation in Durban, South Africa; September 23, 2010 (workshoppresentation).

Zhang B, Tao X, Smith E, Ohzawa I, Nishimoto S, Chino Y. Localsensitivity to stimulus orientation and spatial frequency within thereceptive fields of neurons in visual area 2 of macaque monkeys.Society for Neuroscience. 372.2/NN3 poster.

LECTURE AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS(American Academy of Optometry – November 2010)Besada E, Reed KK, Najman P, Shechtman D. Brimonidine and apraclonidine – effects on anterior chamber structure.

Chalmers RL, Wagner H, Mitchell GL, Kinoshita BT, Jansen ME, LamDY, Richdale KR. The role of overnight wear in corneal inflammatoryevents from the contact lens assessment in youth (CLAY) study.Optometry and Vision Science. E-abstract #100828,http://www.aaopt.org (accessed 8-4-10).

Giese M, Vidalon C, Twa M. MicroCT as a viable option forhistological analysis of ocular tissue (poster).

Frauens BJ. Atypical corneal epitheliopathy presenting in herpeszoster ophthalmicus.

Jenewein EC, Perez M. The effect of the eyegenie on intraocularpressure (poster).

Jenewein EC, Tea YC. Dissociated vertical deviation in a patient withexotropia (poster).

Kinoshita BT, Mitchell GL, Lam DY, Chalmers RL, Wagner H, JansenMR, Richdale KL, Sorbara L. Prescribing patterns of soft contact lenswear in North America. E-abstract #100064, http://www.aaopt.org(accessed 8-4-10).

Loshin DS, Patterson N. A comparison of e-reader parameters forthe low vision population (lecture).

Wagner H, Mitchell RL, Chalmers RL, Jansen ME, Kinoshita BT,Jansen ME, Lam DY, Richdale KR, Sorbara L. Characteristics of andrisk factors for multiple ocular events that interrupt soft contact lens(SCL) wear in youth. Optometry and Vision Science (supl). E-abstract#105855, http://www.aaopt.org (accessed 8-4-10).

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As a private institution, Nova SoutheasternUniversity’s College Optometry depends on you―

alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends―forsupport. Annual fund gifts allow NSUCO to provide

extraordinary opportunities for learning anddiscovery to extend the financial aid program to

students in need with scholarship support and tohelp us meet emerging needs and challenges. Any

gift, no matter the size, will make a difference ineducating the next generation of optometrists.

You can make an impact on a student’s life by makingyour gift online at www.nova.edu/giving, by returning

the enclosed envelope, or by calling (954) 262-2100.

theNextGenerationof Visionaries

Join Us in Creating

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AllerganOptometry Continuing Education DonationsCollege of Optometry Operating Account

Dr. Douglas Ayre (’96)Dean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Mrs. Elena Barnabei on behalf of theStefano LaSala FoundationCollege of Optometry Annual Fund

Bausch & LombOptometry Continuing Education Donations

Dr. Lucy Benard (’02)Dean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Blanchard Contact Lens, Inc.College of Optometry Operating Account

Dr. Kenneth Boyle (’94)College of Optometry Annual Fund

Dr. Catherine Dau (’10)College Of Optometry Scholarship Fund

Florida Health Plan Admin LLC/Coventry Health Care of FLOptometry Coventry Vision Care Assistance

Dr. Barry Frauens (’96)Dean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Mr. Adam GoldbergCollege Of Optometry Scholarship Fund

Dr. N. Scott GormanDean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

ISTA PharmaceuticalsOptometry Continuing Education Donations

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care InstituteOptometry Continuing Education Donations

Dr. Charles Kinnaird (’94)College Of Optometry Scholarship Fund

LuxotticaCollege of Optometry Operating AccountOptometry Continuing Education Donations

Dr. James Merlin (’05)Dean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Dr. Lisa Parke (’02)Dean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Dr. Jacqueline Rodena (’04)Dean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Dr. Aaron Sako (’00)College of Optometry Annual Fund

Southern Council of Optometrists, Inc.SECO International Endowed Scholarship

Mr. Phillip WinterDean’s Excellence Endowment Fund

Monetary Contributions to NSUCO on the Rise

Become a Visionary

The College of Optometry recognizes the generosity of the following alumni and friendsfor their gifts to various college funds from July 2010 through February 2011:

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It is a pleasure to address you in this issue of The Visionary.Another year of successful alumni events has passed. The

most recent happening was the 2011 Celebration of Excellence,at which distinguished alumni from every NSU college, school,and center are honored. Details of this year’s Celebration of Ex-cellence event can be found on page 36 in this magazine.

The alumni relationship should prove to be mutually rewarding.The university recognizes that alumni are the foundation of thefuture. To that end, College of Optometry graduates, as well asall university alumni, are automatically included as members ofthe NSU Alumni Association. Alumni membership comes with anumber of benefits, a list of which can be found below. Like-wise, we recognize that NSUCO is an exceptional institution,thanks to the alumni, who are our most precious asset. We con-tinue to depend on our alumni to support the mission of theCollege of Optometry in preparing, educating, and training op-tometric physicians to practice at the highest level of profi-ciency, integrity, and professionalism.

The college’s alumni chapter, a subsidiary of the NSU AlumniAssociation, recently phased out membership dues. Instead,we encourage each of you to consider donating to one of thefollowing College of Optometry scholarship funds:

• Lester E. Janoff Scholar Award• Terrence Ingraham Scholarship Award• General Scholarship Fund

The alumni chapter also plans to an implement a NSU College ofOptometry Alumni Chapter Scholarship Award in the near fu-ture. Contributions made by you to any of these funds will beused to promote the college’s mission and goals and providescholarships from year to year. We will publish the scholarshipwinners in the fall issue of The Visionary so you may all see whothe recipients are.

Please know that we welcome your input at all times, and we,in turn, strive to keep you informed about our alumni eventsthroughout the year using email and our Web site. One of theways in which you can stay connected is through our recentlydeveloped NSU College of Optometry Facebook page. Wewould love to see you on our Facebook page as well. With Face-book, reconnecting with classmates is a snap and you will al-ways be kept informed about goings on at the College of Optometry.

I would also like to remind you about our upcoming 15th AnnualClinical Eye Care Conference and Alumni Reunion to be heldMay 13-15, 2011, on the NSU campus. So please mark your cal-endar and plan to attend a weekend of excellent continuing ed-ucation, an alumni chapter luncheon, and a banquet receptionand dinner. This year, the banquet will be held at the GrandOaks Golf Club, and all weekend activities are free to the grad-uates of the class of 2001. Should you desire to bring a guest tothe banquet, the cost is less than $70 per guest.

Together we can take the College of Optometry to new levelsof excellence and serve you as our successful graduates.

Keep in touch!

ALUMNI CHAPTER PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEBY SHERROL A. REYNOLDS, O.D., FAAO

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF OPTOMETRYPRESIDENT, COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY ALUMNI CHAPTER

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Your NSU Alumni Association provides members with an elite collection of localand national discounts from thousands of hotels, restaurants, movie theaters,automotive repair centers, retailers, florists, car dealers, theme parks, nationalattractions, unique experiences, concerts, and events.

Abenity offers access to over 60,000 local and national discounts and morethan $4,500 in available savings per member from vendors including Sprint, T-Mobile, Firestone, DirecTV, Costco, Best Buy, Southwest, Barnes and Noble,Dell, Marriott, Macys, AMC Theatres, and more. Offers are also available fromover 150 national attractions and theme parks including the Walt DisneyWorld® Resort, Universal Studios®, SeaWorld, Cirque du Soleil, and Six Flags.

Discount offers are redeemable in-store through printable and mobilecoupons, online, and over the phone.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMCareer Development is NSU’s career counseling and job search assistance cen-ter, serving NSU students and alumni. Career Development assists in all aspectsof the decision-making, planning, and job-search process.

RECREATION DISCOUNTSAs an NSU alumna or alumnus, you are eligible for membership to the univer-sity’s 110,000-square-foot recreational facility, including more than 50 groupfitness classes a week, over 200 pieces of strength and cardio equipment,heated swimming pool, two-story rock wall, and more.

As a graduating RecPlex user, you are entitled to a continued 90-day grace pe-riod for using the RecPlex. This means your current privileges have been ex-tended for 90 days after your last class/exam. Because various NSUgraduations fall on separate occasions, your membership is not extended 90days after your graduation date, only after your last class/exam.

After your 90 days have expired, you can purchase an alumni membership tocontinue your workouts here. Alumni memberships are $30 a month.

The RecPlex has a brand new Olympic-size pool for your use (or continued use)and will be beginning belly dancing classes this fall semester.

RICK CASE V.I.P. REWARDS PROGRAMNSU alumni who are registered as Rick Case V.I.P. members will receive a freeRick Case Rewards Card, which entitles you to free carwashes, discounted gas,and much more. As a V.I.P Rewards Cardholder, you can buy or lease (at spe-cial V.I.P. pricing) a new Acura, Hyundai, Honda car, motorcycle, scooter, per-sonal watercraft, ATV, and home generator or a Certified Used Vehicle or LuxeCollection at any of our locations. You will also enjoy personalized V.I.P. treat-ment and a long list of extra benefits, like Rick Case Rewards, which earns re-wards points that can be used to save hundreds or even thousands of dollarson future purchases.

To register for your personal V.I.P. card, please call 1-866-IM-A-VIP-1 or emailvip@rickcase.com your request and be sure to include that you are an NSUalumni member, your name, mailing address, and phone number, or you canvisit Rick Case online.

To learn more about these alumni perks, please visithttp://www.nova.edu/alumni/benefits/memberships.html.

Sara N. Gaib, O.D. (’01), who is a contactlens faculty member at Midwestern UniversityArizona College of Optometry, received theGeorge W. Mertz Contact Lens ResidencyAward during the American Academy of Op-tometry 88th Annual Meeting held November17-21, 2010, in San Francisco, California.

Stuart Kaplan, O.D. (’01), a board-certified op-tometrist at Cape Coral Eye Center, retainedthe position of flotilla commander at the an-nual Change of Watch Ceremony held by theU.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla of FortMyers Beach, Florida. Dr. Kaplan is a decoratedGulf War veteran who spent four years in theUnited States Army and four additional yearsin the Florida Army National Guard. He also is apast commander of the Southwest FloridaJewish War Veterans Post 400, serves as direc-tor of the Cape Coral Eye Center Dry Eye Treat-ment Program, and is president of theSouthwest Florida Optometric Association.The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary was recognizedin 1939 by Congress and has expanded to30,000 members across the United Statestoday. The Change of Watch Ceremony takesplace annually and is meant to formally signifythe passing of responsibility, accountability,and authority from one individual to another.

Nicole Psaltis, O.D. (’10) was one of three op-tometry students to be recognized by SECO In-ternational with the 2010 Southern Council ofOptometrists Clinical Excellence Award, whichrecognizes academic achievements by stu-dents from SECO-affiliated colleges. Dr. Psaltisreceived the award, which included a $1,000check and a plaque, along with a student fromthe University of Alabama at BirminghamSchool of Optometry and another fromSouthern College of Optometry in Mem-phis, Tennessee.

Alumni Discount Program(Administered Through Abenity)

ALUMNI NEWS

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Christine Scrodanus, O.D. (’93) was the recipient of theHeart of Catskill Association Catskill Chamber of Com-merce’s Businesswoman of the Year Award at its 2011Mardis Gras Party. Dr. Scrodanus has lived in Saugerties,New York most of her life and graduated from Sauger-ties High in 1983. She is board certified to diagnose andtreat ocular diseases, including glaucoma. The AmericanOptometric Association honors her as a member, asdoes the New York Optometric Association.

Lorraine Labiento Smith, O.D. (’97) recently openedher own practice called Sudbury Eye Care in Sudbury,Massachusetts. Over the past 12 years, she has workedwith several of the top specialists in different areas ofeye care and served as a staff member in the Massa-chusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary’s Vision RehabilitationDepartment, providing specialty care to the visuallyimpaired and legally blind.

David Todd, O.D. (’97) recently joined the faculty ofWestern University of Health Sciences College of Op-tometry in Pomona, California, where he will be estab-lishing an inpatient vision care service for patientsresiding in care facilities and performing research intonovel methods for measuring and treating loss of vi-sual function from neurological insults. After graduat-ing from NSU’s College of Optometry, Dr. Toddworked primarily in ophthalmic advanced care and re-ferral centers for the first five or six years of his career.During that time, Dr. Todd gradually developed a con-centration in neuro-optometry, which involves thecare and study of visual function after brain and neuro-logic injury. In 2003, he joined the executive staff ofNovaVision Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida, a venturebacked startup company that developed and mar-keted novel technologies for the diagnosis and treat-ment of vision loss from brain injury. During his tenureat NovaVision, Dr. Todd worked in research and devel-opment of visual technologies for the brain injured, re-ceiving several U.S. and European patents andcoauthoring a major study published in The Journalof Neuroscience.

DR. KENNETH BOYLE HONOREDAT NSU’S CELEBRATION OF

EXCELLENCE CEREMONYKenneth Boyle, O.D., M.B.A., (’94) was honored with the NSU Col-lege of Optometry Distinguished Alumni Award in January at the13th Annual NSU Celebration of Excellence ceremony held at theSignature Grand in Davie. Each year, this prestigious event bringstogether community leaders and industry pioneers who havemade significant contributions to their professions, communities,and alma maters.

During the past 15 years, Dr. Boyle has served in multiple positionsof leadership in the Florida Optometric Association (FOA) and hasworked hard to support organized optometry and the FOA in itslegislative efforts. He also has assisted the FOA to ensure that thecitizens of the state of Florida have access to high-quality opto-metric care and has worked to promote equitable insurance pay-ments for optometrists.

Dr. Boyle currently serves on the Florida Optometric AssociationBoard of Trustees and also is the association’s 2010-11 presidentelect. He is past president of the Brevard County Optometric As-sociation as well as the Viera Rotary Club and belongs to severalother community organizations. He also served on the AmericanOptometric Association’s Carrier Advisory Committee.

“NSU gave me a great foundation for optometric practice and theopportunity through clinical rotations and residency to diversifyand deepen my knowledge and clinical skills,” Dr. Boyle explained.“The contacts I made and the influences of my professional men-tors have enabled me to become a leader in Florida optometry.”

In MemoriamSandra D. Farhady, O.D.,

a class of 1999 alumna, passed awayin August 2010 from complications

related to a rare liver disease. Prior toearning her NSUCO degree, she spent

15 years working as an optician.

ALUMNI NEWS

Dr. Boyle (right) with Dr. Loshin atthe Celebration of Excellence ceremony.

Page 37

AOA ALUMNI RECEPTION IN ORLANDODuring the 2010 American Optometric Association (AOA) annual meeting, which took place last June at the Gaylord Palms Hotelin Orlando, Florida, NSUCO coordinated an alumni reception attended by numerous alumni, students, and special guests. Amongthe guests were Mark Marciano, O.D., class of 1998, who was then running for a seat as a Palm Beach County state representative,and who spoke briefly about his goals and aspirations for the community. The college also was pleased to have Emilio Balius, O.D.,in attendance. At the time, Dr. Balius served as president of the Florida Optometric Association.

FOA ALUMNI RECEPTION IN ORLANDOOver 100 guests attended the college’s alumni reception that was held during the annual Florida Optometric Association (FOA)meeting, which took place in Orlando July 22-25. Students who attended were able to network with optometrists in a social at-mosphere. A poignant moment occurred when class of 1998 alumnus Mark Marciano, O.D., and his wife held a small memorial inremembrance of 1998 alumnus Hannon Smith, O.D., who had passed away earlier in 2010, which allowed alumni and faculty mem-bers to remember their friend and colleague.

AAO ALUMNI RECEPTION IN SAN FRANCISCOThe American Academy of Optometry (AAO) annual meeting took place in San Francisco, California, in November 2010. NSUCOchose to join 11 other schools and colleges of optometry for the academy’s joint reception. “The college’s designated area in thelarge reception space was bubbling with activity as many visitors, including alumni, students, faculty members, and friends, stoppedby to say hello and mingle,” said Barbara Karpel, M.S., director of administration and co-editor of The Visionary. “Everyone enjoyedthe opportunity to catch up with each other and ‘hang out’ with us until the reception was officially over.”

Alumni ReceptionsReunite Old Friends

Orlando andSan Francisco

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Residency Report: Events and Programs

Congratulations to our residents on another successful Residents Dayprogram held on January 30 at the NSU College of Optometry. Thiswas our third annual event showcasing 24 outstanding residents af-filiated with NSUCO and representing residency sites at Aran Eye As-sociates, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Bay Pines VAMC, Clayton EyeCenter, Daytona Beach VAMC, Gainesville VAMC, Lake City VAMC,Nova Southeastern University, Orlando VAMC, and Tallahassee VAMC.

These residents presented challenging cases encountered during theirresidency training in a rapid-fire grand rounds format to NSU faculty,fellow residents, optometric students, and practicing optometrists.The lectures covered a wide range of topics, including complicated con-tact lens fitting, amblyopia management, anterior segment disease,posterior segment disease, and neuro-ophthalmic conditions in the pe-diatric and adult population. We were pleased to be able to offer eighthours of COPE-approved continuing education for this experience.

The Residents Day program has been an incredible addition to the res-idency curriculum and continues to grow each year. It provides an ex-cellent learning opportunity for the participants as a component oftheir residency training as well as a chance for the students to interactwith residents from various programs and learn more about residencytraining and the opportunities it provides.

RESIDENTS DAY2011A SUCCESSBY LORI VOLLMER, O.D, FAAODIRECTOR OF RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Residents Day 2011

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This residency program in primary care provides advanced clinical training inprimary optometric care in a multidisciplinary environment facilitating a uniquelearning experience, as well as an opportunity to interact with other membersof the health care delivery team. Direct optometric patient care is combinedwith clinical supervision of third- and fourth-year students to expand the resi-dents’ optometric clinical education. The residents also participate in journalclubs, grand rounds lectures, classroom teaching, and informal conferenceswith students, faculty members, and residents in other subspecialty areas.Completion of a literature review and an original scholarly paper is requiredprior to completion of the residency, with the opportunity to submit additionalabstracts and attend conferences.

In addition, this position offers more specific exposure to contact lenses. Theresident devotes approximately 60 percent of the time in primary care, withthe remainder spent in direct patient care and student supervision in the

NSU RESIDENCYPOSITION SPOTLIGHTPrimary Care withEmphasis in Corneaand Contact Lenses

BY LORI VOLLMER, O.D., FAAODIRECTOR OF RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

Cornea and Contact Lens clinical service, work-shop participation, and laboratory instruction.Residents are invited to attend conferencesdedicated to specialty contact lenses and areprovided with numerous opportunities to inter-act with residents from other ACOE-accreditedcontact lens residency programs. Residents willdevelop advanced competencies in this opto-metric subspecialty, including contact lenseswith emphasis on specialty lens fittings for pres-byopia, corneal thinning disorders, postsurgicalcorneas, pediatric contact lens fitting, and or-thokeratology. Residents may also elect toparticipate in external clinical rotations empha-sizing co-management of anterior segment dis-orders and refractive surgery. Rotationswith ophthalmology, including fellowship-trained cornea specialists, are also included inthe curriculum.

The primary care residency with emphasis incontact lenses was established in 1999. Programgraduates are currently working in diverse prac-tice settings, including industry, optometric educa-tion, tertiary care, and private optometric practice.

JENNIFER HILL, O.D., PERFORMS A CONTACT LENSEXAMINATION AT THE EYE CARE INSTITUTE.

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Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is regarded as one of the world’s leadingeye care centers and the largest of its kind in the southeastern UnitedStates. This past year, U.S. News & World Report rated Bascom PalmerEye Institute as the number one eye hospital in America for the eighthyear in a row. In addition, Ophthalmology Times rated Bascom Palmeras the best overall ophthalmology program in the nation with the besteye hospital and the best clinical and residency programs. Excellentpatient care and an outstanding ophthalmology faculty are the cor-nerstones on which this foundation has been built.

There is a staff of seven optometrists that helps to provide leadershipand direction in the primary care clinics as well as the various subspe-cialty clinics. In addition, there are four optometry residents andfourth-year optometric student externs that spend part of their finalyear at the institute gaining valuable clinical experience in the diagno-sis and treatment of ocular disease.

The Optometric Residency in Ocular Disease at the Bascom Palmer EyeInstitute is sponsored by NSU’s College of Optometry. The residencywas established in 1994, with the first residency class completing itstraining in June 1995. Bascom Palmer’s relationship with optometrystarted in 1974 when Dr. Don Hoffer was the first optometrist hired byDr. Edward W.D. Norton, the founding member of Bascom Palmer EyeInstitute. Dr. Charles Pappas was the second optometrist hired the

same year and served as the director of optometric services until 1999when he was promoted to director of patient clinic services. He nowserves as the hospital’s associate administrator. Dr. Mark Dunbar cur-rently serves as the director of optometric services and the optomet-ric supervisor.

In the early 1980s, an externship for fourth-year optometric externswas established as well as a one-year optometric fellowship program.However, by 1982, both the fellowship and externship ended due topolitical pressures. Nevertheless, optometric graduates continued tocome to Bascom Palmer under the title of “staff optometrist,” substi-tuting this type of experience for more traditional residency training.Optometry continued to thrive through the mid 1980s and early 1990swhen the political climate had changed to allow the reinstatement ofthe externship and residency programs.

The fundamental principle has not changed since optometry began atBascom Palmer. That is to become well-trained and proficient in thediagnosis and management of ocular disease. This is accomplishedthrough dedicated hard work, individual clinical experiences, didacticeducation, and self-study. In helping to achieve this goal, BascomPalmer offers an environment in which each optometry resident willexperience a wide diversity in ocular disease through direct patientcare in primary, secondary, and tertiary care clinics.

NSU ResidencyAffiliate Program Spotlight

BASCOM PALMER EYE INSTITUTEBY MARK DUNBAR, O.D., FAAO, RESIDENCY PROGRAM COORDINATORBASCOM PALMER EYE INSTITUTE

EXTRA! EXTRA!It’s Time to Send Us

Your News!

As The Visionary continues to evolve, our goal is to make it a trulyinformative publication that details the accomplishments of our alumni,faculty, students, staff, programs, and academic partners.

We are in the process of compiling information for the fall 2011 issue ofThe Visionary and invite you to submit professional news as well as high-resolution digital photos.

Please keep us apprised if you have • purchased a practice

• been promoted or accepted a new professional position

• had a major article or book published

• been appointed to a local, state, or national committeeor board of directors

• conducted noteworthy research

• received any special awards or recognition

Please be sure to update your contact information regularly so we cancontinue to send you The Visionary as well as other important college andalumni information.

The deadline to submit information to the fall issue of The Visionary isFriday, August 19, 2011.

Alumni are encouraged to update their contact information at

https://www.nova.edu/webforms/alumni/.

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PARTNERS IN EDUCATIONWe thank our Partners in Education for their continuing support of the college’s students,

faculty, alumni, and continuing education programs.

We also wish to thank the following companies and organizations for their supportof the college’s continuing education programs during 2010-2011

May 13-15, 201115th Annual Clinical Eye Care Conference

NSU Health Professions Division, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

June 25-26, 2011Florida Board of Optometry Examination Review

NSU Health Professions Division, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

July 7-16, 2011Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents Certification CourseNSU Health Professions Division, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

August 13-15, 2011Primary Care Update

The King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort, St. Simons Island, Georgia

Calendar of Events

3200 South University DriveFort Lauderdale, FL 33328-2018