BEBRF ATTENDS THE OPTOMETRY ACADEMY

A few years ago, BEBRF began attending the Optometry Academy to create more awareness and familiarity of blepharospasm with optometrists. For many years, BEBRF had attended Ophthalmology and Neurology Academies, but not the academy for optometrists, who don’t typically ‘treat’ blepharospasm. However, if someone is having spasms in their eyelids, the first healthcare practitioner they are likely to see is the optometrist, so BEBRF started also attending their annual academy so that patients could get diagnosed and subsequently treated more quickly.

In October, 2022 BEBRF attended the American Academy of Optometry in San Diego, CA. The optometrists, and especially the optometry students, were very keen to learn more about blepharospasm. Attendees were from all over the world. Those who came to the BEBRF booth received a flash drive with a presentation by Dr. Laura Scorr of Emory University on the different types of facial movement disorders and how to tell them apart. Several booth visitors represented optometry schools in places like Nigeria and Belarus, and they received numerous flash drives to share with their faculties in their home countries. Executive Director Charlene Hudgins visited every booth representing an optometry school and gave out more of the flash drives.

Several optometrist’s stated that they believed they had patients with blepharospasm and asked how BEBRF could help both the optometrist and the patient. BEBRF shared contact information, Newsletters, brochures, and more. Since the academy, several of those optometrists have contacted the BEBRF office and received even more help.

Exhibits 2.0 is a company that puts together really large exhibits for large pharmaceutical companies, and their President, Lou Crescenti, stopped by the BEBRF booth to learn more about our non-profit. He then donated the collapsible newsletter/brochure rack pictured. BEBRF extends heartfelt thanks to Mr. Crescenti and Exhibits 2.0.

The people who worked the booth over the three days of the academy included Charlene, Jane Boyd MD Vicepresident of Physician Outreach, Cynthis Clark – Western District Director, and Joanne Matuzas – California State Coordinator (not pictured).