Prospectus V38 I6

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

prospectus Best Wishes for the New Year

By Thomas J. Landry, OD, President

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Letter from the President........................1 Medicare Revalidation and DMEPOS Enrollment are Separate Business Decisions.................2 Optometry Student Corner..................4 New Communications Director Named at SUNY Optometry...............5 OD in Profile: Jason Hochreiter..............7 OD in Profile: Lori Landrio..................... 8 The 3-Ds: Eye Care ProfessionalsCan Help Students in the Classroom....................9 2012 NYSOA PAC Supporters...........1 3 2012 CVC Contributors.......................1 6 Welcome New Members!.....................1 8 Optometry’s Fund Grants....................19 New Academy Fellows.........................2 1 Obituary: James Posner, OD................2 1 Upcoming Events.................................2 2 Classified Ads.......................................2 2 Contact Information.............................2 3 NYSOA Business Partners...................2 3

Prospectus (ISSN 1055-7407) is published by the New York State Optometric Association, Inc., 119 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12210. All issues are electronic.

Yearly subscriptions $25.00, single copies $5.50. The views and opinions expressed are those of the signed author and in no way should be construed to reflect the opinions or position of the editorial staff of Prospectus, or the New York State Optometric Association, its officers, local affiliate societies, or administrative staff. All submissions are subject to editorial change with regard to clarity or length. Final decision regarding acceptance or rejection of any submission lies with the editor.

As we head into the beginning of a new year, it is time for us all to reflect on the things we have observed and learned over the past 12 months. If you are like me, you look forward Thomas Landry, OD to each new day and every New Year with anticipation. You wonder what the day will bring as you get up and head out that door. And you always hope that everything you see and do will be positive and help you and others have a pleasant day.

I personally also hope that each and every day will bring something new into my life, whether it be meeting a new patient, hearing about a new product or procedure, or maybe something as simple as trying a new food! I believe it is important for all of us as optometrists and as people to keep our eyes, ears and our minds open to observe the world around us. It is just too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day mundane routine.

Think about it: What did you learn this past year? If you are an optometry student, you were exposed to a lot of new information and skills. (Does is seem possible looking back on your years as a student that you were able to learn all of that “stuff” and then apply it to your daily patient care?) If you are a recent graduate, you are probably still seeing new things in your practice each day and getting excited about finally being able to apply that knowledge to a genuine “real” patient in your exam chair. Maybe in

the past year you “learned” that you really would prefer to be in a different practice setting or location. It is never too late to explore other options that are available in our profession. And regardless of how long you have been in practice, in the past year I hope that you were able to attend a lot of CE courses and read many journal articles so that you are keeping up with the latest ideas, technologies and procedures available to our profession. One should never stop seeking knowledge. The more you know, the more you have to offer to your patients.

What did I learn this past year? As I traveled around the country representing the NYSOA, I learned that there is not a more dedicated, hard-working group of people than your colleagues that volunteer their time for organized optometry. The officers, volunteers, consultants and support staff of the AOA and the NYSOA are all intelligent, articulate folks who are very compassionate about our profession. They spend much of their free time traveling to meetings, calling in on conference calls and keeping a watch over our profession.

They all have the best intentions and I believe that they all truly want to make sure that you are able to deliver the best and most comprehensive eye care to all of your patients, regardless of where you practice. They are all receptive to input from any of their colleagues. The leadership of organized optometry is constantly fighting for our professional rights and privileges in Washington, D.C. and in Albany. (continues on page 19)

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Volume 38 Number 6 2012

Medicare revalidation and DMEPOS enrollment (and fee) are separate business decisions This article is reprinted from POA Keystoner, November/December 2012, with permisson.

Throughout 2012, optometrists in Pennsylvania and across the country have been receiving revalidation notices for Medicare. Included with the revalidation notices is a new enrollment fee ($523 for 2012) required for those who want to provide durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) – such as eyeglasses – to Medicare beneficiaries, which is prompting questions and concern from optometrists.

the AOA Federal Relations Committee notes that if optometrists choose not to enroll as a DMEPOS supplier, they will not be able to supply covered glasses to Medicare patients. Medicare covers post-op eyeglasses for cataract patients only if their glasses are provided by a DMEPOS supplier who is enrolled in Medicare.

Therefore, the AOA Federal Relations Committee advises that doctors need to consider two options:

Authorized under the federal Affordable Care Act, the revalidation initiative effectively requires all physicians who have enrolled in Medicare prior to March 2011 to reenroll.

OPTION 1: Become/reenroll as a DMEPOS supplier and pay the $523 DMEPOS registration fee. This option will allow optometrists to provide covered eyeglasses to Medicare patients.

The AOA Advocacy Group emphasizes that enrolling as a DMEPOS supplier is a separate decision and enrollment process than providing professional services (medical eye care). The decision to provide or not provide DMEPOS under the health plan does not affect an optometrist’s status as a Medicare “participating” physician, who elects to accept Medicare fee schedule reimbursement as full compensation for services, or a “nonparticipating” physician, who does not.

OPTION 2: Decline to become/reenroll as a DMEPOS supplier and do not pay the $523 registration fee, understanding that: • Your Medicare patients will have to pay out-ofpocket for any eyewear you prescribe, including eyewear that would normally be covered by Medicare following cataract surgery. If you are not enrolled in Medicare for DMEPOS, then your patients’ post-op glasses are not covered by Medicare.

• You must advise patients that their post-cataract eyewear would be covered if they obtained it elsewhere.

• You must issue an advance beneficiary notice (ABN) warning patients that their post-cataract eyewear is not covered by Medicare.

Medicare Revalidation If you receive a Medicare revalidation notice, you must reenroll with Medicare within 60 days to make sure you can continue providing eye care services to Medicare patients. Failure to revalidate Medicare enrollment could result in loss of Medicare billing privileges. After receiving a notice, optometrists can reenroll to provide health care services to Medicare beneficiaries with no application fee in one of two ways: via the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) website (https://pecos.cms.hhs.gov/pecos/login.do), maintained by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; or by filing paper CMS-855 application forms.

DMEPOS Options DMEPOS enrollment is a personal business decision. Medicare covers eyewear only under limited circumstances – one pair of eyeglasses for patients following cataract surgery per eye. Optometrists are not required to pay the $523 fee to continue providing professional services to Medicare patients. However,

Doctors should note that AOA’s Federal Relations Committee further advises that: • Patients of practitioners who decline to enroll as DMEPOS providers cannot independently seek Medicare reimbursement for their eyewear using the Patient Request for Reimbursement form (CMS 1490S) or any other form.

• CMS generally “frowns on” practitioners who charge patients upfront for eyewear and then urge them to seek Medicare reimbursement.

Practitioners whose patients frequently file CMS 1490 forms will generally receive warning letters from the agency reminding them that physicians are expected to submit claims on behalf of the Medicare beneficiaries. (continues on page 11)

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4

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

Optometry Student Corner

By Anthony Zarella, NYSOA Student Society President

I have overheard various opinions over my short time at SUNY College of Optometry regarding the advancement of the profession. There is a great deal of concern about the future of the profession in a time when insurance companies have reduced our reimbursements for vision care and when larger retail stores can out-compete our retail services. In truth, there is a changing face to our profession. However, these changes do not seem to be entirely negative.

For example, insurance companies and health care reform may reduce provider reimbursements in some areas, while patient access to care appears to be increasing. Retail services may no longer be the leading revenue source of a private practice, but this may induce specialization in many practices that may positively change the face of the profession as a whole. New schools of optometry are opening, and they may be increasing the size of an oversaturated profession, or perhaps there is room for us all. The treatment of ocular diseases in baby boomers is increasing, and there may be more optometrists retiring than people think. For each of these examples and how they affect our profession, there are compelling arguments for the sides of optimism and pessimism alike.

I certainly do not have the answers; however my understanding of one thing helps me maintain alignment with the optimists: as current students and future optometrists, it is our responsibility to shape the future of our profession. At this point, the greatest difficulty we face in fulfilling this responsibility is trying to predict changes to the profession as we continue to grow, so we may ensure our patients and our practices will capitalize on these changes. We should be concerned with any change of sufficient magnitude, including the opening of new schools of optometry. This is one of the rare instances when we can predict a change and what impact it may have on our collective future.

The opening of new optometry schools in Virginia and Massachusetts has provoked interesting debate, yet with our rigorous class schedule and numerous personal commitments, it is often difficult for some of us to stay current with this sort of optometric news. I had heard of the proposed schools of optometry in Massachusetts

and Virginia some time ago, however I was disappointed and lost interest in the topic when I was rudely awakened to a startling truth. A school cannot survive without an adequate clinical education, and this is a barrier for many proposed optometry schools.

Despite this potential barrier, it is my understanding that the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Public Health opened its doors to the first optometric class. As a native of Virginia, I was delighted to hear that there had been recent progress and the Appalachia College of Optometry would hopefully be opening in the fall of 2014. In my limited view of the profession thus far, I cannot see the downside to either of these additions.

I recognize the possibility for increased competition in an already saturated professional market. I have yet to experience the job search, however, and I am still optimistic about my prospects. As new graduates, our degree gives us the ability to choose from so many interesting and potentially lucrative practice areas and specialties within optometry. As a practicing professional, we currently and will always have the ability to change how we practice. We can navigate from the hospital setting to commercial offices and to private practices.

We can also navigate the numerous specialties within optometry, including primary care, vision therapy, low vision and ocular disease, to name just a few. It appears to me that our opportunities are only self-limited.

It is exciting for me to have my career ahead of me, having so many opportunities to help so many people, and in so many ways. It does not concern me that I will have more colleagues with which to share these opportunities.

I would like to welcome the entering classes and wish each school the best of luck concerning the development of their clinical education departments. Further, I do not think optometry should be a secret. Our profession should certainly be selective and elite, however, I trust the NBEO and the various state accreditation committees to ensure our high standards prevail. Overall, I believe a larger optometric professional body will benefit patients as well as the profession. I certainly hope that our patients do not mind having the increased access to quality care in years to come.

5 OD in Profile: A Column for Prospectus Many of us attend our local society meetings each month and sit next to colleagues that we've come to know personally and professionally over the years.

Yet, in a different society a few (hundred) miles away, another one of our colleagues attends a similar meeting but we know nothing about him or her.

recognize a friendly face at a CE-NY meeting or Vision Expo.

In this issue, we'd like you to meet two of our Local Society Presidents, Jason Hochreiter, OD, Rochester Society President and Lori Landrio, OD, Nassau Society President.

In an effort to "meet" the other members of the NYSOA family, we've included a feature column....

“OD in Profile”. Each issue of Prospectus will take us around the state to learn a little about our colleagues, to become reacquainted with those that we haven't seen in awhile, or to simply help us

We look forward to meeting each of you in an upcoming Prospectus...if you're interested in being featured, or know someone else that might be, please contact Jessica Stephenson at nysoa2020@gmail.com or contact your local society president.

New Communications Director Named At SUNY College of Optometry Gregory Houle, former Advancement Communications Manager at the Lebanese American University, was named Director of Communications at the SUNY College of Optometry. The announcement was made by Dr. David A. Heath, College President.

“Greg will be responsible for managing an integrated, strategic communications and marketing program for the College which will promote visibility and support for the College and its mission. It is an exciting time in the College’s history and we are delighted to have a person of Greg’s professional caliber heading up our communications program,” said Dr. Heath.

Responsible for the worldwide communications and media relations for the Beirut-based university, Houle worked in the university’s New York City office where he coordinated and produced the print and online communications as well as a highly successful social

media program. In addition, he oversaw the public relations program for a university-wide $50 million fundraising campaign.

Prior to joining the Lebanese American University, he was Publicity Manager for Basic Books, Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press, where he managed the publicity and promotional materials for the three major publishing houses.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Houle received BA and MA degrees in history. He is a successful freelance writer whose articles have appeared in the Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and the Des Moines Register among other media outlets.

Founded in 1971, The SUNY College of Optometry is one of the leading colleges of optometry and vision research centers in the country. Its University Eye Center has 75,000 patient visits annually.

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7 OD in Profile

Jason Hochreiter, OD – Rochester Optometric Society President Q: Tell us about yourself.

A: I graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2002 and completed a residency in Pediatric Optometry and Binocular Vision at The Eye Institute of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2003. At the end of 2003, I took a position at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel, Alaska.

While there, I had a rewarding Jason Hochreiter, OD six years caring for a population which was predominantly Alaska Native, and medically underserved. At the end of 2009, I joined Visionary Eye Associates in Rochester, NY, where I am currently enjoying my venture in private practice.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: Spending time with my family brings the most joy to my life. I have two boys who are now four and two years old; they are both very energetic. We enjoy many activities together, such as hiking, playing on the playground, or just wrestling on the living room floor. I am very fortunate to have a schedule where I am not at work on Mondays.

Monday’s are great days to go places like museums or zoos or state parks. My wife and I have always enjoyed the outdoors and we spend time together hiking and gardening.

Q: Why do you love practicing optometry?

A: I love optometry because it has allowed me to feel that I make a difference in people’s lives. I am sure that we all know this feeling of having contributed to the well-being of one of our patients. I still remember when I was six-years-old and put glasses on for the first time. It was a revelation. I had never realized that I should be able to see the leaves on trees and birds on telephone wires. Seeing a child light up at being able to read a chart that was a white blur never gets old and brings me satisfaction. So does helping a child to overcome amblyopia. Or taking the time to educate a patient with diabetes on how it can affect their long-term health and then seeing them successfully make lifestyle changes…and yes I have had a few of these.

Q: If you weren’t an optometrist, what else would you have done?

A: I think that if I did not go in to optometry, I would have enjoyed being an engineer. I think that it must be incredibly

rewarding to be able to design something, see it come to fruition, and then be able to look at it and know that you designed it. I enjoy doing small DIY projects around the house and enjoy the sense of pride in completing a project successfully. In healthcare, we have many aspects that make what we do rewarding, but seeing something come to completion is generally not one of them. Our patients will always need our care; we are never done.

Q: Do you have one memorable optometric case that stands out in your career?

A: I have several cases that I remember quite well, a few of which have taught me valuable lessons. One that I would like to share is a case that taught me to listen to my patients better and to trust my patients enough to be involved in their own care. As I mentioned before, I used to practice in rural Alaska. The hospital in Bethel is responsible for all of the patients in the town of Bethel and the 52 villages within a 200 mile radius. One of my patients suffered from VogtKoyanagi-Harada (VKH) Syndrome. Due to his VKH, he would have recurrent bouts of iritis. Unfortunately for this patient, he lived in one of the further villages from Bethel and each round-trip flight to Bethel, the only way to get there, cost him approximately $400. He simply could not afford to fly to Bethel for an initial diagnosis and follow up visits.

After working with him for a while and having him come in for the required visits, I came to appreciate that he had developed a keen sense of knowing when his iritis began to flare up. He would call me from the village and tell me when the iritis was starting, and sure enough, when he arrived for evaluation he was always correct. I eventually began using the assistance of a health aide, who lived in this patient’s village.

We were able to develop a system by which I could have this patient treated and taper off medication successfully without necessarily coming to see me for every visit. This patient was much happier knowing he had more control over his condition. I learned that allowing a patient to participate in their care can be valuable to both the patient and the doctor.

Q: Do you have a mentor or a famous person you admire?

A: I have had many good mentors in my journey to becoming an optometrist and many good mentors since. I currently have a couple of very good mentors. But, I have only had one mentor who has been there for my entire journey and with whom I now have the good fortune to work, Mike DePaolis.

(continued on page 19)

8

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

OD in Profile

Lori Landrio, OD – Nassau Society President Q: How did you get involved in optometry?

A: I was a patient of Dr. Susan Resnick. She was bright, caring and certainly my hero as she found contact lenses that would be “soft” and still allow me to see. It was 1985 and I was excited to wear my Lori Landrio, OD -8.00-2.25 cyl, custom-designed soft contacts. I wanted to help people, just like she helped me!

In 1987 I started working part-time as a receptionist in the practice. I had already had a first career as a paralegal and was a stay-at-home mom with a two-year-old. I learned so much about optometry but most of all I learned about what I knew was going to be my next career. As we all know, the SUNY College of Optometry is a serious place with a serious mission and I wanted to be part of it all. Last weekend was my 15 year reunion and I saw the new facility for the first time. Wow…what a step up from the previous location!

Q: What did you do after graduation?

A: At a lecture, I met a wonderful ophthalmologist who I would later begin to work with. I was hired as one of the first clinical directors of a TLC-Laser Eye Center in Garden City, NY and Dr. Donnenfeld was the Medical Director. While I was not using my low vision, pediatric or contact lens training, I certainly was learning about topographies, aberrations and wave front. With that behind me now, I can only say that I am so thankful for that experience because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Q: What are you doing now?

A: Six years ago, I bought an existing private practice, a general practice on street level. I share space with another optometrist but we are not partners. It is a unique situation and it works very well. What we don’t learn in school we learn from life, and so once again, this is a very satisfying but unconventional arrangement.

With a little more energy to give, I decided to accept the position of Nassau County President for NYSOA and have been doing that for the last two years.

Q: What is the hardest part of your job?

A: The hardest thing for me to do is to be the practice administrator as well as the doctor. I finally think I am ready to hire someone to take over the day-to-day administration of the practice, but for the first few years, finances dictated that I stay up nights doing all the paperwork and stressing over decision-making. It’s not always easy being the “boss”!

Q: What do you do to help promote the profession?

A: I would like to be involved with the optometry students in some capacity. I have offered to have students shadow me and several have taken me up on the offer. I like to educate our local children about eye health and have spoken at several of our local schools. Each year I mentor a local high school student who is interested in the health field. At the end of the program I help the student with a project related to eyesight.

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9 The 3-Ds: Dizziness? Disturbing? Disorientating? Eye Care Professionals Can Help Students in the Classroom

By Denise M. Whittam, OD, Children’s Vision Coalition President

Whenever my 87-year-old mother meets an eye care professional, within five minutes she begins to tell her tale of woe: the disappointment she felt when she was told that all four of her children needed glasses. She just couldn’t quite grasp the concept since both she and my Dad had perfect 20/15 vision.

baby was prescribed plus-threes, she became icy cold to me at the next social gathering simply because I didn’t tell her that the eye exam might result in her child needing glasses. While I spent a good long time telling her that this was all a good thing, that by doing this the child would not become amblyopic like her grandmother, she didn’t appreciate it for a good three years. Rule number one for all ODs: Never talk eyes at social gatherings.

As an optometrist, I’ve encountered many parents who began crying in front of their children when told that glasses were not only needed, but were to be worn at all times, in addition to a vision therapy program. As a matter of fact, a close friend of mine actually became a bit distant when I suggested her six-month-old have an eye exam to rule out accommodative esotropia. When the

Mom had reason to be upset back in the early 1960s. My brother’s gym teacher insensitively told her that he could not be on any team sports, and, in fact, that she should encourage him academically because he would never be an athlete. Boy, was he ever wrong. In fact, my brother Jim did wear those heavy black FDR frames (which, by the way, kids eagerly wear these days) and became Captain of Brooklyn Tech’s Handball Team, as well as a star swimmer on the varsity team. In addition, within a 15 years he ran 18 marathons and finished three Ironman Triathlons. He completed the NYC Marathon in less than three hours, and one year prior to succumbing to adenocarcinoma of the lungs he completed the Boston Marathon on chemotherapy and radiation. The gym teacher was wrong. Being myopic did not impede his life.

In fact, as a PhD in Chemistry with an MBA, and having achieved a position as a CEO of a major company at the young age of 26, the harsh assessment of a near-sighted child being nerdy certainly didn’t fit the bill.

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Denise M. Whittam, OD

A few short years after Jim began wearing glasses, it was discovered that my brother Dennis also needed them.

This was a heartbreak for both he and our dad, as Dennis always dreamed to be a firefighter, just like his father, and in those days a firefighter had to have near perfect vision.

But, Dennis also defied them. Besides teaching for more than 30 years, he volunteered for his local fire department and climbed the ladder to Captain. According to Dennis, it is all a bunch of malarkey about needing 20/20 vision in a fire. He says that even those with perfect vision see absolutely nothing but darkness in a burning building, and in fact, have to feel around in a sea of blackness.

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Well, Dad’s other dream of having nine children to make up the Whittam baseball team quickly came to an end when both my sister and I were identified as needing glasses.

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11 Medicare revalidation and DMEPOS enrollment (and fee) are separate business decisions, continued (continued from page 2)

• Optometrists who do not want to enroll as a DMEPOS supplier need not stop providing eyewear to patients before receiving a revalidation notice, nor attempt to in advance notify CMS that they no longer wish to provide eyewear, according to the AOA Washington office. Optometrists can continue to dispense and receive reimbursement for eyewear until they revalidate their Medicare enrollment.

Background The revalidation initiative and new enrollment fee was authorized under the federal Affordable Care Act. The revalidation initiative effectively requires all physicians who have enrolled in Medicare prior to March 2011 to reenroll online or using paper forms (CMS-855).

Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) are in the process of mailing revalidation notices to health care practitioners and institutions, while Medicare’s National Supplier Clearinghouse (Palmetto GBA) mails the notices to equipment suppliers.

The AOA Federal Relations Committee notes that the new DMEPOS application fee is intended to cover the cost of a new screening program designed to weed out unscrupulous DMEPOS suppliers. Many optometrists are confused or surprised by the $523 application fee to reenroll as a DMEPOS supplier as they were not required to pay an application fee upon initial enrollment.

The fee applies to facilities and other institutions that enroll in Medicare, and CMS decided that all DMEPOS suppliers would be treated like institutions, even individual doctors who provide covered eyewear   for Medicare patients. Eyeglasses are classified as DMEPOS – specifically, a prosthetic – by the  CMS. 

 



                      



            



    



 

    

The AOA notes that in authorizing the new DMEPOS fee, Congress intended specifically to target businesses or health care institutions. AOA filed formal comments objecting to the fee when the CMS proposed regulations implementing the reenrollment program last year. The AOA joined with other interested physician organizations to continuing expressing concerns about the fee to CMS staff over the following months. CMS officials initially indicated to AOA and other health care practitioner groups that they did not want to jeopardize patient access to health care items by requiring doctors to pay the enrollment fee required for suppliers, but the agency refused to extend the physician exemption to physician suppliers in the final regulations for the reenrollment program.

For additional information, visit the AOA’s Medicare Revalidation page (www.aoa.org/x21433. xml), DMEPOS Application page (www.aoa. org/x18182.xml), or PECOS page (www.aoa.org/ PECOS).

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13 Thank you to the following optometrists who have supported NYSOA PAC in 2012!* Elias S. Abboud, OD Theodore J. Calabrese Jr., OD Matthew C. Allen, OD Jeffrey Calhoun, OD Kathy L. Allen-Aquilante, OD Laura A. Cantie, OD Robert J. Ancona, OD Gina M. Cardone, OD Julia J. Appel, OD Eric R. Carson, OD Lori E. Arbital, OD Jill C. Chafitz, OD Samuel Arbital, OD Stephen Chambers, OD Judith Archibold, OD Thomas Chao, OD Jacqueline Armani, OD David B. Chau, OD Brent D. Arnold, OD Vicki L. Chenarides, OD Robert B. Austin, OD Dennis Cheng, OD Henry A. Azrikan, OD Lillian F. Chin, OD Yelena Babayeva, OD Paul M. China, OD Jerry L. Baker, OD Dale Ching, OD Stephen M. Baker, OD Dawn Chivers, OD Alice W. Bade, OD Ida Chung, OD Alan M. Bagun, OD David N. Ciccone, OD Francesco J. Barbarossa, OD Alan Cohen, OD Sherry J. Bass, OD Allen H. Cohen, OD Justin Bazan, OD Ezra M. Cohen, OD Robert E. Behan, OD Joseph K. Cohen, OD Viktorya Belenkova, OD Roy B. Cohen, OD Michael J. Benyo, OD Jennifer J. Colavito, OD Edward Berger, OD Christopher J. Colburn, OD Brian K. Berliner, OD Daniel F. Colino, OD Jonah B. Berman, OD Joseph D. Conigliaro, OD Andrea S. Bernstein, OD Vanessa Conenna, OD Ira J. Bernstein, OD Jeffrey S. Cooper, OD Paul R. Bernstein, OD Edward V. Cordes, OD Monica Bhasin, OD Gail E. Correale, OD Andrew Bienstock, OD Paul R. Cosenza, OD Joseph C. Biondolillo, OD John J. Costello, OD Teresa Blackstone, OD Mario J. Craig, OD Stuart H. Blankman, OD Shoshana B. Craig, OD Brian E. Bleiler, OD Alexander R. Crinzi, OD Steven S. Bloom, OD Ernest E. Czapla, OD Casimir K. Bobowski, OD Errol S. Daniels, OD Carolee R. Boyd, OD Allan E. Davis, OD Pamela J. Brown, OD Asghar Dedhar, OD Anne Brunenavs, OD Paul Delange, OD Daniel Brunenavs, OD Gregory Disanto, OD Paul J. Caito, OD Jack L. Devore, OD

Theodore M. Devore, OD David J. Dexter, OD Kenneth R. Dickerson, OD Anne Dodgen-Averitt, OD Ann M. Downey, OD David P. Dozack, OD Mitchell W. Dul, OD Paul R. Edelman, OD Jack Eisner, OD Tybee Eleff, OD Rita Ellent, OD Burt S. Eschen, OD Jack Facchin, OD Barry J. Farkas, OD Daniel T. Farkas, OD Doron Feder, OD Harvey O. Feldman, OD Brian Fengel, OD Jennifer Ferri, OD Michael Ferri, OD Despina S. Fikaris, OD Murray Fingeret, OD Susan S. Fisher, OD Jennifer P. Flynn, OD Kirk C. Flynn, OD Anastasios Fokas, OD

Lawrence Forur, OD Robert S. Fox, OD Peter Freitag, OD Howard S. Fried, OD Jack Fried, OD Stuart A. Friedman, OD Richard A. Frio, OD Gregory Gaglioti, OD Joseph P. Gambacorta, OD Steven J. Ganz, OD Jerome M. Garber, OD Angela E. Gardner, OD Dana L. Getz, OD Valerie A. Giangrande, OD David M. Girardi, OD Steven Givner, OD Gwenda R. Gnadt, OD Charles I. Gold, OD Edward M. Goldberg, OD Ronald S. Goldstein, OD Traci M. Goldstein, OD Brad C. Gollinger, OD Steven I. Goodman, OD Vincent B. Graniero, OD Robert J. Grasso, OD Robert S. Greenbaum, OD

Original photo of New York State Capitol Building courtesy of the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau. *

Contributions through December 19, 2012

14

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

Thank you to the following optometrists who have supported NYSOA PAC in 2012!* Joel Greenberg, OD Mark L. Greenberg, OD Israel Greenwald, OD Anne Griffin, OD Shari L. Gustin, OD Scott F. Hage, OD William Halpin, OD Demetra Hamakiotes, OD Bruce R. Hankin, OD Gary L. Hanley, OD Joseph Hargrave, OD Paul E. Harvey, OD Yixing He, OD Neil Henninger, OD Elizabeth Hetrick, OD Mitchell I. Horowitz, OD Gary A. Holtzberg, OD Nadine M. Jamal, OD Judy M. Jeffers, OD Arthur D. Jung, OD Barri J. Jones, OD George Kaknis, OD Thomas M. Kaminska, OD Allen I. Kaplan, OD Evan Kaplan, OD Sanford J. Katims, OD Richard S. Kavner, OD Yoon K. Kim, OD Daniel Kirchheimer, OD Daniel P. Kirkpatrick, OD Barry T. Kissack, OD Ivan M. Klayman, OD Roy A. Kline, OD Donald B. Knapp, OD Leslie R. Kolker, OD Martin Kornblatt, OD Ralph Kornblatt, OD Martin A. Kusnetz, OD Ketan Kutlerywala, OD Jerome M. Kramer, OD Jeffrey Kraushaar, OD Stuart L. Krieger, OD David M. Krumholz, OD Michael S. Krzyzak, OD Richard B. Krzyzak, OD Michele A. Lagana, OD Lori Marie Landrio, OD

Michael V. Landy, OD Thomas J. Landry, OD William J. Lapple, OD Eric W. Lau, OD Alan S. Lax, OD William J. Leahey, OD Kathy Lee, OD Robert J. Lehrer, OD Lawrence Z. Levy, OD David L. Leibstein, OD Patti L. Leonard, OD Michael B. Levinson, OD Betty Liao, OD Andrew J. Lindell, OD Rocco F. Loccisano, OD Laurence Lonky, OD Martin S. Losito, OD Stella S. Lou Lee, OD Mary Ellen Loughrey, OD Lawrence Lupo, OD Todd H. Lustig, OD Richard Madonna, OD Marilyn Mann, OD Sergio Marano, OD Gary F. Marrone, OD Marie Marrone, OD Katherine Mastrota, OD Gerald Mattison, OD J. Kent Maurer, OD John J. Maurillo, OD Mark R. Maxon, OD Lindsay May, OD Robert McCormick, OD Michael McGovern, OD Ronald Meeker, OD Bradley Meltzer, OD Hal R. Mendel, OD Maria Michalski, OD Richard Milan, OD Bari Miller, OD Dean M. Miller, OD Lawrence Miller, OD Arlene Minkoff, OD Marc Mishan, OD Anthony Modesto, OD Henry W. Mole, OD Anthony Mondo, OD

Al M. Morier, OD Scott I. Morrison, OD James O. Morse, OD Harvey Moscot, OD Rena Moy-Chang, OD Joseph J. Mueller, OD David Naparstek, OD Charles H. Neu, OD Christine Ng-Yow, OD Vaishali Nigam, OD Ann M. Nolan, OD Maureen P. Nolan, OD Deanna M. Nus, OD Maureen C. O’Dwyer, OD Mary E. O’Hara, OD Steven A. Ohlbaum, OD Nnanenye Nwanem Okochi, OD Kristin E. Orabone, OD Eric Orava, OD David S. Orenstein, OD Eleonora Orloff, OD Catherine Pace-Watson, OD Brett M. Paepke, OD Charles W. Paepke, OD Gina M. Parsloe, OD John Richard Paskowski, OD Nehal P. Patel, OD Ralph Paternoster, OD Brian D. Peralta, OD Todd Pereira, OD Alec J. Perlson, OD Vernon A. Peryea, OD Benjamin P. Peters, OD Frank J. Pirozzolo, OD Raymond Pirozzolo, OD John P. Plow, OD Stuart M. Podell, OD Sebastian A. Polizzi, OD Sophie Poselle, OD Ronald H. Poulin, OD Brian Powell, OD Carolyn Powell-Rivers, OD Ira M. Price, OD Richard S. Price, OD Todd D. Punim, OD Nicholas A. Radetzky, OD Ami C. Ranani, OD

John Ray, OD Tina M. Reeves, OD Kate J. Reidell, OD Fran L. Reinstein, OD Susan A. Resnick, OD Sheldon S. Retkinski, OD Roseanne M. Ricciardi, OD Debbie C. Roodner, OD Kevin D. Rosin, OD Joseph A. Ross, OD Bruce P. Rosenthal, OD Jeffrey M. Roth, OD Neil Rubin, OD Steve D. Rubinstein, OD John Rundquist, OD Daniella Rutner, OD Andrew J. Sacco, OD Nicolette Sacco-Brown, OD Denise D. Saunders, OD David E. Sausner, OD Leonard J. Savedoff, OD Catherine Scandiffio, OD Jeff M. Schafer, OD Jill Schafer, OD Terry R. Scheid, OD Nancy Joy Schiffman, OD Alan B. Schlussel, OD Timothy J. Schwach, OD Elliot Schwartz, OD Steven H. Schwartz, OD James A. Schultz, OD Terry R. Schultz, OD Matthew E. Sendker, OD Nazanin Shams, OD Mary Rita Sheehy, OD Melanie B. Sheinheit, OD Jerome Sherman, OD Christopher Shiomos, OD James Sickler, OD David A. Siegel, OD Margaret M. Siegrist, OD Marc M. Silverman, OD Robert P. Silverstein, OD Anette Skjerdal, OD Shelly L. Skjolaas, OD Joel F. Sklar, OD Jennifer Small, OD continues on page 18

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16

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

Thank you to our 2012 CVC Contributors!*

prospectus

Kathy L. Allen-Aquilante, OD Robert J. Ancona, OD Julia J. Appel, OD Lori E. Arbital, OD Samuel Arbital, OD Judith Archibold, OD Jacqueline Armani, OD Brent D. Arnold, OD Henry A. Azrikan, OD Yelena Babayeva, OD Alice W. Bade, OD Alan M. Bagun, OD Jerry L. Baker, OD Stephen M. Baker, OD Francesco J. Barbarossa, OD Jason Bart, OD Sherry J. Bass, OD Justin Bazan, OD Robert E. Behan, OD Viktorya Belenkova, OD Michael J. Benyo, OD Edward Berger, OD Brian K. Berliner, OD Andrea S. Bernstein, OD Ira J. Bernstein, OD Paul R. Bernstein, OD Monica Bhasin, OD Andrew Bienstock, OD Joseph C. Biondolillo, OD Teresa Blackstone, OD Brian E. Bleiler, OD Steven S. Bloom, OD Carolee R. Boyd, OD George Boyle, OD Pamela J. Brown, OD Nancy M. Bulas-Wadas, OD Grace Y. Burke, OD Theodore J. Calabrese Jr., OD Laura A. Cantie, OD Gina M. Cardone, OD Jill C. Chafitz, OD Stephen Chambers, OD Thomas Chao, OD David B. Chau, OD Vicki L. Chenarides, OD Dennis Cheng, OD

*

Contributions through December 19, 2012

Lillian F. Chin, OD Paul M. China, OD Dawn Chivers, OD Ida Chung, OD David N. Ciccone, OD Alan Cohen, OD Allen H. Cohen, OD Ezra M. Cohen, OD Roy B. Cohen, OD Jennifer J. Colavito, OD Daniel F. Colino, OD Christopher J. Colburn, OD Joseph D. Conigliaro, OD Vanessa Conenna, OD Jeffrey S. Cooper, OD Edward V. Cordes, OD John J. Costello, OD Shoshana B. Craig, OD Alexander R. Crinzi, OD Angela M. Croteau, OD Ernest E. Czapla, OD Errol S. Daniels, OD Asghar Dedhar, OD Paul Delange, OD David J. Dexter, OD Theodore M. Devore, OD Kenneth R. Dickerson, OD Christopher J. Digiorgio, OD Gregory Disanto, OD Anne E. Dodgen-Averitt, OD Anne M. Downey, OD David P. Dozack, OD Mitchell W. Dul, OD Paul R. Edelman, OD Jack Eisner, OD Tybee Eleff, OD Rita Ellent, OD

Marina Epelman Meyerowitz, OD Burt S. Eschen, OD Jack Facchin, OD Barry J. Farkas, OD Daniel T. Farkas, OD Doron Feder, OD Harvey O. Feldman, OD Brian Fengel, OD Jennifer Ferri, OD Michael Ferri, OD Despina S. Fikaris, OD Susan S. Fisher, OD Jennifer P. Flynn, OD Kirk C. Flynn, OD Howard S. Fried, OD Jack Fried, OD Stuart A. Friedman, OD Richard A. Frio, OD Anastasios Fokas, OD Robert S. Fox, OD Gregory Gaglioti, OD Steven J. Ganz, OD Angela E. Gardner, OD Ilana Gelfond, OD Dana L. Getz, OD Valerie A. Giangrande, OD Steven Givner, OD Charles I. Gold, OD Ronald S. Goldstein, OD Traci M. Goldstein, OD Gwenda R. Gnadt, OD Vincent B. Graniero, OD Mark L. Greenberg, OD Israel Greenwald, OD Vadim Guy, OD Scott F. Hage, OD William Halpin, OD Demetra Hamakiotes, OD Gary L. Hanley, OD Bruce R. Hankin, OD Paul E. Harvey, OD Yixing He, OD Neil Henninger, OD Elizabeth Hetrick, OD Mitchell I. Horowitz, OD

17 Thank you to our 2012 CVC Contributors!

Nadine M. Jamal, OD Judy M. Jeffers, OD Barri J. Jones, OD Arthur D. Jung, OD Thomas M. Kaminska, OD Allen I. Kaplan, OD Evan Kaplan, OD Howard J. Kass, OD Sanford J. Katims, OD Richard S. Kavner, OD Yoon K. Kim, OD Daniel Kirchheimer, OD Barry T. Kissack, OD Ivan M. Klayman, OD Linda M. Kleinhenz, OD Roy A. Kline, OD Martin Kornblatt, OD Ralph Kornblatt, OD Jerome M. Kramer, OD Jeffrey Kraushaar, OD David M. Krumholz, OD Richard B. Krzyzak, OD Martin A. Kusnetz, OD Ketan Kutlerywala, OD Michele A. Lagana, OD Lori Marie Landrio, OD Thomas J. Landry, OD William J. Lapple, OD Eric W. Lau, OD Alan S. Lax, OD William J. Leahey, OD Kathy Lee, OD Robert J. Lehrer, OD David L. Leibstein, OD Patti L. Leonard, OD Lawrence Z. Levy, OD Betty Liao, OD Andrew J. Lindell, OD Laurence Lonky, OD Martin S. Losito, OD Todd H. Lustig, OD Marilyn Mann, OD Sergio Marano, OD Marie A. Marrone, OD Katherine M. Mastrota, OD J. Kent Maurer, OD John J. Maurillo, OD Mark R. Maxon, OD

Lindsay May, OD Bradley R. Meltzer, OD Maria A. Michalski, OD Bari Miller, OD Dean M. Miller, OD Lawrence D. Miller, OD Arlene Minkoff, OD Anthony Modesto, OD Scott I. Morrison, OD James O. Morse, OD

Rena Moy-Chang, OD David L. Naparstek, OD Leroy D. Nelson, OD Charles H. Neu, OD Christine L. Ng-Yow, OD Vaishali Nigam, OD Ann M. Nolan, OD Deanna M. Nus, OD Maureen O’Dwyer, OD Mary E. O’Hara, OD Nnanenye Nwanem Okochi, OD Kristin E. Orabone, OD Eric Orava, OD David S. Orenstein, OD Eleonora Orloff, OD Catherine A. Pace-Watson, OD Gina M. Parsloe, OD John Richard Paskowski, OD Ralph Paternoster, OD Brian D. Peralta, OD Todd Pereira, OD Alec J. Perlson, OD Vernon A. Peryea, OD Benjamin P. Peters, OD Frank J. Pirozzolo, OD Raymond Pirozzolo, OD John P. Plow, OD Sebastian A. Polizzi, OD

*

Sophie Poselle, OD Ronald H. Poulin, OD Brian Powell, OD Carolyn Powell-Rivers, OD Elizabeth H. Pradhan, OD Ira M. Price, OD Richard S. Price, OD Nicholas A. Radetzky, OD John Ray, OD Kate J. Reidell, OD Fran L. Reinstein, OD Susan A. Resnick, OD Sheldon S. Retkinski, OD Roseanne Ricciardi, OD Debbie C. Roodner, OD Deborah S. Rose, OD Bruce P. Rosenthal, OD Kevin D. Rosin, OD Joseph A. Ross, OD Jeffrey M. Roth, OD Neil Rubin, OD John Rundquist, OD Daniella Rutner, OD Andrew J. Sacco, OD Denise D. Saunders, OD David E. Sausner, OD Leonard J. Savedoff, OD Catherine Scandiffio, OD Jeff M. Schafer, OD Terry R. Scheid, OD Nancy Joy Schiffman, OD Alan B. Schlussel, OD Janet R. Schmukler, OD Elliot Schwartz, OD Steven H. Schwartz, OD Matthew E. Sendker, OD Mary Rita Sheehy, OD Melanie B. Sheinheit, OD Jerome Sherman, OD Christopher Shiomos, OD James Sickler, OD Margaret M. Siegrist, OD Marc M. Silverman, OD Robert P. Silverstein, OD Anette Skjerdal, OD Shelly L. Skjolaas, OD Jennifer Small, OD Duane R. Snyder, OD continues on page 18

18

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

Thank you to our 2012 * CVC Contributors!

Thank you to the following optometrists who have supported NYSOA PAC in 2012!*

Richard M. Soden, OD Michael P. Spellicy, OD Laura C. Sperazza, OD Mark R. Stadlen, OD Joseph M. Stamm, OD James E. Stafford, OD Libby Sukoff, OD Carissa L. Swanson, OD Wayne Tabachnick, OD Grace Tan, OD Barry M. Tannen, OD Andrea P. Thau, OD Pamlea E. Theriot, OD Rajiv Trivedi, OD Mary E. Vadas, OD Justin J. Verrone, OD Ryan Vida, OD David J. Vinci, OD Ralph R. Vogel, OD Kai Wing Wai, OD Larry B. Wallace, OD Maureen K. Wallen, OD Michael R. Waterman, OD David L. Weinberger, OD Patricia E. Weisenreder, OD Bernard H. Weitz, OD Jan Weitz, OD Vincent A. Wesolowski, OD Kamaljit S. Westfall, OD Paul J. Westfall, OD Denise M. Whittam, OD Aleksandra Anna Wianecka, OD Yvonne M. Williams, OD Reem K. Wlaschin, OD Russell M. Wohl, OD Grace K. Woo, OD Kevin B. Wynne, OD Eva Yan, OD Lori A. Youngman, OD Shandor Zelenger, OD Allen F. Zuck, OD Joseph Zupnick, OD

Andrew P. Smith, OD Duane R. Snyder, OD Richard M. Soden, OD Michael P. Spellicy, OD Laura C. Sperazza, OD Mark R. Stadlen, OD James E. Stafford, OD Joseph M. Stamm, OD Libby Sukoff, OD Carissa L. Swanson, OD Wayne Tabachnick, OD Grace Tan, OD Barry M. Tannen, OD Andrea P. Thau, OD Pamlea E. Theriot, OD Rajiv Trivedi, OD Mary E. Vadas, OD Sonia Valle, OD Justin J. Verrone, OD Ryan Vida, OD David J. Vinci, OD Ralph R. Vogel, OD Kai Wing Wai, OD Lawrence J. Waite, OD William J. Waldron, OD Larry B. Wallace, OD Maureen K. Wallen, OD

continued from page 17

continued from page 14

Jeffrey P. Warshay, OD Michael R. Waterman, OD Gary M. Weiner, OD Thomas P. Webb, OD David L. Weinberger, OD Gary M. Weiner, OD Patricia E. Weisenreder, OD Bernard H. Weitz, OD Jan Weitz, OD Vincent A. Wesolowski, OD Kamaljit S. Westfall, OD Paul J. Westfall, OD Denise M. Whittam, OD Aleksandra Anna Wianecka, OD Jeffrey S. Williams Jr., OD Yvonne M. Williams, OD Craig F. Willoth, OD Reem K. Wlaschin, OD Russell M. Wohl, OD Grace K. Woo, OD Kevin B. Wynne, OD Eva Yan, OD Heidi Ying, OD Lori A. Youngman, OD Shandor Zelenger, OD Allen F. Zuck, OD Joseph Zupnick, OD

Welcome New NYSOA Members! * EASTERN

ROCHESTER

William Halpin, OD

Kimberly Heiligman, OD

OSCONY

SOUTH CENTRAL

Yixing He, OD Kim Rothstein, OD

Kendell Willden, OD

WESTERN

John Brzezicki, OD *

November 1 through December 19, 2012

19 Best Wishes for the New Year, cont.

by Thomas Landry, OD

(continued from page 1)

So what would be my hope for the New Year? That all of us would see the importance of being united as a profession.

That all of us would see the importance of participating in organized optometry. I would think it was the greatest thing if all our current members could convince their colleagues, friends and classmates that don’t belong, to join the AOA. The more of us that belong, the easier it is to fight our legislative and academic battles. I would hope that each and every optometrist that reads this will reach out to someone who is involved to ask how they can become more engaged.

Attend a local society meeting (not just for the free CE), attend a lobby day or just email or call an officer or trustee to find out what the latest news is about our profession. Make this your New Year’s Resolution – THIS IS THE YEAR I GET INVOLVED. We need you. Happy New Year from your friends and colleagues at the NYSOA!

OD in Profile: Dr. Jason Hochreiter, cont. (continued from page 7)

My first visit to the eye doctor occurred when I was in first grade. What I remember of that visit was a “blur” in many senses of the word. But I do remember Dr. DePaolis being caring and enthusiastic. When I picked up my first pair of glasses, I was amazed at what I could now see. That first impression stuck with me. As the years passed, I had many more visits to the eye doctor, and I began to toy with ideas of what I wanted to do “when I grew up.” At each visit, it was apparent that Dr. DePaolis enjoyed what his did, plus he got to play with so many cool pieces of equipment. I had the opportunity to “shadow” Dr. DePaolis in middle school, which is when the idea of becoming an optometrist was solidified in my mind.

Mike has a genuine love for the profession of optometry. He has a genuine care for his patients. When I get to see him in action today, he is still that same eye doctor that I wish to emulate. He enters each exam room with a burst of positive energy and a smile on his face. He seems to know each of his patients well enough to ask about how this or that family member is doing. He has furthered our profession through articles he has written, publications he has edited, research he has participated in and lectures he has given. He is a wealth of information which he shares with both patients and colleagues alike, and is able to do so in a remarkably articulate manner.

He never stops learning, has an enviable store of energy and is one of the most genuinely kindhearted and honest people you could ever meet. He continues to inspire me to be better, better as a doctor and better as a person.

NYSOA Members Receive Grants from Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief The New York State Optometric Association has received notification from Optometry Cares ® - The AOA Foundation regarding grants provided to several of our members affected

by Hurricane Sandy. The grants, from Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief provide a small measure of immediate financial assistance to these optometrists recovering from the devastation, some whose practices received serious damage.

Optometry Cares ® is a charitable organization committed to expanding eye health and vision care access for everyone in the U.S. in order to enhance human performance and quality of life. Optometry Cares ® supports VISION USA, InfantSEE®, the Endowment Fund, the National Optometry Hall of Fame, Healthy Eyes Healthy People® State Grants, The Archives & Museum of Optometry as well as Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief.

Affected optometrists may visit Optometry Cares online at www.optometryscharity.org or by call directly at 800-365-2219 to initiate financial assistance.

20

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

The 3-D’s: Dizziness? Disturbing? Disorientating? Continued

By Denise M. Whittam, OD, Children’s Vision Coalition President

(continued from page 9)

The 1960s were most definitely a very different time. In fact, a child’s visual world has changed so much today with innovative technological advancements including iPods, iPhones and the inclusion of 3D in schools, that the need for comprehensive eye exams beyond simple determinations of refractive error has become critically important and essential to a child’s learning and success in the classroom setting.

These new tools can be both simultaneously productive and inhibitive. If a child has not had a complete assessment of binocularity, stereopsis and vergences, he or she might suffer unfair consequences.

Quite honestly, I have firsthand experience with this. Prior to my bilateral retinal detachments, I knew how cool 3D glasses were and thoroughly enjoyed being enthralled in the world of 3D. I excelled at the “3D Magic Books” which required superb ranges to make images pop off the page into 3D. No more, my friends. In fact, this past summer sitting in a room filled with my OD colleagues at Optometry’s Meeting, I sat disappointed and jealous of those who could see the wonderful 3D movie clips shown to engage, immerse and excite the audience about the spectacular effects of 3D. Conceptually, I knew what I was supposed to be seeing, but realistically, due to my pathology, the incredibly powerful feeling of 3D was simply not achievable for me.

This, of course, got me thinking about our school-aged children and the importance of comprehensive eye exams.

At our Children’s Vision Coalition exhibit booth at The Great New York State Fair, we demonstrated 3D vision and reached out to parents, children, educators and the community about the necessary skills needed to see 3D. Today, teachers, as well as the movie and TV industries enthrall audiences with this captivating, intense visual feeling of being submerged in a world of 3D. For a child this creates a new totality in learning because the student is interactively involved in the experience. This “new” technique (actually discovered with the stereoscope in 1838 by Sir Charles Wheatstone) proves very beneficial in a classroom learning environment, bringing to life many situations that were once flatly described in words and pictures. In most cases, this has led to better comprehension and retention of new conceptual material. If only they had this 30 years ago when I took organic chemistry!

As I took off my 3D glasses at Optometry’s Meeting and looked at the expressions on my colleagues faces, I saw

big smiles, amazement and heard lots of oohs and aahs.

Woohoo.

Unfortunately, for some children (and myself) the experience is not at all wonderful. In fact, it can lead to nausea, dizziness, feelings of inadequacy and severe eyestrain. In most cases, the child will not tell the teacher or the parent. They might begin rubbing their eyes a lot, or might simply tune-out and avoid watching the 3D effect.

With these dynamic changes in technology and total dependence on binocular vision, the importance of having a comprehensive eye examination by a qualified eye care professional becomes more vitally important than ever before. In effect, students NOT seeing the 3D image are confused by their classmates’ fascination. It’s kind of like everyone laughing at a joke, but you not getting the humor.

Trust me on this. I once knew how sensational 3D vision was, and now I feel sick to my stomach realizing that I have lost this stereopsis ability. Some students are, in actuality, being compromised by this new tool in the classroom, and, in fact, may be struggling with physical symptoms which teachers and parents do not correlate with vision and eye teaming. The message is clear and simple: All children need comprehensive eye exams to detect inadequacies and must receive the proper and appropriate treatment to achieve good depth perception.

Please join me in reaching out to publicly advocate for comprehensive eye examinations for all schoolaged children. Together we can deliver this important message throughout New York State. Our 2013 plan for the Children’s Vision Coalition is to visit several areas throughout the state and to participate in health fairs and educational forums. As optometrists, we play a critical role in helping to enhance learning by improving vision, visual skills and tasks. We must collaborate with teachers, parents, school nurses and all healthcare professionals to assure that the emerging use of 3D is an exciting, immersive and effective learning tool in the classroom by providing a heightened visual experience for all children. Let’s not deprive our children of learning FAR BEYOND what their minds and imaginations might deem possible. We must unite to enhance their future by advocating for and educating the public about the need for all children to be visually ready to learn. As always, I will count on your continued support and generosity in the year ahead. My best wishes for a healthy, happy, prosperous New Year!

21 American Academy of Optometry Celebrates New Fellows and High Attendance at 91st Annual Meeting The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) celebrated its 91st Annual Meeting from Oct. 24 to 27. Held at the Phoenix Convention Center, 2012 marked the Academy’s third largest meeting with over 5,000 registrants. At the President’s Banquet on Saturday, Oct. 27, 204 new Fellows were inducted and nine Fellows were awarded Diplomat status by sections of the AAO. In the exhibit hall, optometrists, vision scientists, students and residents came together to take advantage of learning opportunities and products and technologies introduced throughout the weekend. A featured topic of several events was autism, panels for which included Ricki Robinson, MD, MPH and David G. Amaral, PhD as speakers to over 1,700 attendees.

Over $100,000 was raised throughout the meeting due to donations from approximately 270 supporters. Fundraising efforts included a luncheon and silent auction which raised over $12,000. Additionally, 13 new individuals and couples pledged or donated $10,000 each to join the Presidents Circle, which now has 100 members.

To become an AAO Fellow (FAAO), a candidacy process must be completed which includes written work, skill

demonstration and an oral exam at the Annual Meeting.

Once completed, an inductee is able to use FAAO after their surname. Only 10 percent of practicing optometrists in the U.S. are Fellows; scientists, educations, librarians, administrators and editors are also eligible.

The next Annual Meeting of the Academy will be held on Oct. 23 to 26, 2013 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Wash. More information about the meeting can be found on the Academy website, www.aaopt.org.

Congratulations to the following NYSOA members who were inducted into the Fellows Class of 2012!

Marta C. Fabrykowski, OD, FAAO, New York, NY Vadim Guy, OD, FAAO, Rochester, NY Rebecca Marinoff, OD, FAAO, New York, NY Diane Russo, OD, FAAO, Staten Island, NY Hadassa Rutman, OD, FAAO, New York, NY Ryan Vida, OD, FAAO, Rochester, NY

A complete list of the Fellows Class of 2012 can be found at www.aaopt.org/Media/Default/Docs/PR/2012%20Post%20 Annual%20Meeting.pdf.

Obituary: James Posner, OD

Lifelong Westchester resident James Posner died on October 23, 2012. He was born on January 15, 1936 to Frances and Simon Posner of Larchmont, NY. After graduating from the University of Vermont, he attended the Pennsylvania School of Optometry.

Dr. Posner was an avid cyclist and long-time member of the Westchester Bike Club. In his 70s, he became a certified spin instructor, teaching at a number of local fitness centers. When not on a bike, Dr. Posner had a great interest in community theatre, performing in more than 20 productions.

In 1966, Dr. Posner established a solo optometric practice that later merged into what is now the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Eye Care Group. Dr. Posner was instrumental in the establishment of the S.U.N.Y State College of Optometry. He served as a Fellow at the American Academy of Optometry and in the 1970s, as President of the Westchester-Rockland Optometric Association.

Dr. Posner is survived by his beloved wife Cathy, cherished children Jackie (Evan) Glassman and Ted (Karen) Posner, and adoring grandchildren Jacob, Abby, Justin, Erica, and Georges.

Funeral service Thursday October 25, 1pm at Beecher Funeral Home, 418 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY. Memorial donations in Dr. Posner’s name may be made to The Mastocytosis Society.

22

Volume 38 Number 6 2012

Upcoming NYSOA Events February 2, 2013 Board of Trustees Meeting Gideon Putnam Hotel Saratoga Springs, NY March 14-17, 2013 International Vision Expo East Javits Center New York, NY

May 17-19, 2013 Annual Meeting Long Island Marriott Hotel and Conference Center Uniondale, NY June 9, 2013 CE-NY SUNY College of Optometry New York, NY

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prospectus

Prospectus New York State Optometric Association 119 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor Albany, NY 12210 800-342-9836 P 518-449-7300 F 518-432-5902 nysoa2020@gmail.com www.nysoa.org

Diamond Platinum Silver Bronze Support NYSOA Business Partners!

NYSOA Elected Officers President Tom Landry, OD Corning, NY tlandry@stny.rr.com President-Elect Susan Fisher, OD N. Bellmore, NY sfisherod@aol.com Vice President Christopher Colburn, OD Jamestown, NY ccolburn@stny.rr.com Secretary/Treasurer Ida Chung, OD New York, NY ichung@sunyopt.edu Immediate Past-President Denise Whittam, OD New York, NY denisewhittamod@webtv.net

Staff Executive Director Jan S. Dorman nysoa2020@gmail.com Prospectus Editor-in-Chief Denise Whittam, OD denisewhittamod@webtv.net Prospectus Managing Editor Jessica Stephenson nysoa2020@gmail.com