Jeffrey K Austin, OD, FAAO

Dr. Austin graduated with honors from Southern California College of Optometry and is a member of the American Optometric Association and a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. He has served as Secretary-Treasurer, President Elect and is currently the immediate past-president of the Nevada Optometric Association. He is also on the board of directors and president of the Mountain West Council of Optometrists.

Dr. Austin has been on the faculty of various colleges of optometry and the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at Southern California College of Optometry. He is board certified in the treatment and management of ocular disease and has authored numerous articles and presented many lectures on various aspects of ocular disease.

Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO

Dr. Barnett is a principal optometrist at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, where she performs primary and medical eye examinations and fits contact lenses including specialty contact lenses in addition to teaching optics and contact lenses to ophthalmology residents. She lectures and has been published on topics including dry eye, anterior segment disease, contact lenses, corneal collagen cross-linking and creating a healthy balance between work and home life for women in optometry. She is also a spokesperson for the California Optometric Association and has appeared on several television shows.

Marc Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO

Dr. Marc R. Bloomenstein is a 1990 graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles with a degree in Biology. He received his optometric degree from the New England College of Optometry in 1994. After graduation Dr. Bloomenstein finished a residency in secondary ophthalmic care at the Barnet Dulaney Eye Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He received his fellowship from the American Academy of Optometry in December 1998 and is a founding member of the Optometric Council on Refractive Technology (OCRT), serving as President from 2009-2011. Moreover, Dr. Bloomenstein is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Southern California College of Optometry and Arizona College of Optometry.

Currently Dr. Bloomenstein is the Director of Optometric Services at the Schwartz Laser Eye Center in Scottsdale, Arizona and President of MRB Eye Consultants. Dr. Bloomenstein is on the editorial board of Primary Care of Optometry News, Review of Optometry, Optometry Times, Advanced Ocular Care and a frequent contributor to various optometric journals. Dr. Bloomenstein also has a weekly blog on the Review of Optometry website. Dr. Bloomenstein currently serves as a board member of the Ocular Surface Society of Optometry (OSSO) and on the OCRT as well as serving as a member of the AOA Continuing Education committee. Dr. Bloomenstein has served as the President of the Arizona Optometric Association, Legislation Chair and President of the Board of the Arizona Optometric Charitable Foundation. Dr. Bloomenstein has delivered over 300 invited lectures worldwide and serves as a consultant to numerous industry-leading pharmaceutical, biomedical and information technology companies.

Greg Caldwell, OD, FAAO

Greg Caldwell, O.D., is a 1995 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He completed a one year residency in primary care and ocular disease at The Eye Institute in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. He currently works in Duncansville and Johnstown, Pennsylvania as an ocular disease consultant. Dr. Caldwell’s primary focus is the diagnosis and management of anterior and posterior segment ocular disease. Dr. Caldwell has been a participant in multiple FDA investigations and has lectured locally, nationally and internationally. His international lecturing has taken him to Canada, Norway, Spain, Singapore, Germany, Cyprus, Switzerland, Poland and Austria. He is member of the Third Party Center Executive Committee for the American Optometric Association. He was President of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Optometric Association in 2010. He is President of the Blair/Clearfield Association for the Blind.

Walter L Choate, OD, FAAO

Dr. Choate holds a B.S. degree in Biology from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. He is a graduate of Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN. He is currently owns a private group practice in Goodlettsville, TN which specializes in the treatment and management of ocular disease, refractive surgery, and consultative contact lenses. Dr. Choate is an F.D.A. investigator and consultant for numerous contact lens, contact lens solution, and equipment manufacturers. Dr. Choate is a frequent lecturer at both national and international eye care conferences. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Charter Member of the American Optometric Association Cornea and Contact Lens Section. Dr. Choate is also a Diplomate of the National Academies of Practice. Dr.Choate serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Primary Care Optometry News, Review of Optometry, and Optometry Times. He also serves an Adjunct Professor at Southern College of Optometry, the University of Houston College of Optometry, the University of Alabama Birmingham College of Optometry, and the University of Missouri St. Louis School of Optometry. Dr. Choate also serves actively on the advisory boards of several ophthalmic industry companies. Dr. Choate is Past President of the Madison Goodlettsville Rotary Club and is active with his church in international medical mission work.

James L Fanelli, OD, FAAO

Dr. Fanelli is originally from suburban Philadelphia, and attended the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, where he graduated in 1985. He has been in private practice since that time in coastal North Carolina, specializing in ocular disease management.

He has lectured nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics dealing primarily with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. He has developed a course for certifying OD’s in the use of injections in primary eye care that has been used by several states, and which was required for licensure renewal of North Carolina optometrists.

Dr. Fanelli is a Contributing Editor for Review of Optometry, and is the author of the bi-monthly Glaucoma Grand Rounds column.

He is a past President of the North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry. He is also a past Trustee of the North Carolina State Optometric Society, where he served as Continuing Education Chairman. He serves as educational chairman of the EyeSki Optometric Conference and is the program coordinator of the CEinItaly program.. He is an adjunct faculty member of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

Dr Fanelli holds the rank of Visiting Professor of Clinical Medicine at PCO/Salus University.

His email address is: faneleye@aol.com

Alan G Kabat, OD, FAAO

Dr. Alan Kabat is an honors graduate of Rutgers University and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He completed his residency training in 1991 at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia. He completed a research sabbatical in 2009 at Eye Surgery Associates in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Dr. Kabat currently holds the rank of Associate Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He serves as an instructor for several didactic courses, including Seminars in Laser and Surgical Ophthalmic Care; he is also an Attending Physician and Director of the Ocular Surface Disease Service at The Eye Care Institute.

Dr. Kabat has published extensively in the optometric literature, and serves in an editorial capacity for Review of Optometry, Review of Cornea & Contact Lenses, Refractive Eyecare, Optometric Physician and Ophthalmic Office. Additionally, Dr. Kabat lectures regularly on topics of ocular and oculosystemic disease. He has been invited to speak in numerous venues in regions throughout the world including Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Europe, and Africa.

Bradley Katz, MD

Dr. Katz completed degrees in electrical engineering and biomedical engineering at Northwestern University in 1986. He then completed the MD/PhD Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois. After a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Iowa and a fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at the University of Utah, Dr. Katz joined the faculty of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Utah. He is currently an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology.

Dr. Katz currently devotes 50% of his time to patient care and surgery and 50% of his time to research. His clinical interests include neuro-ophthalmology and cataract surgery. His research interests include light sensitivity (“photophobia”), giant cell arteritis, blepharospasm, and inherited diseases of the optic nerve.

Jennifer Keiser, OD

Dr. Jennifer Keiser earned her Doctor of Optometry from Nova Southeastern University. She then completed residency training in Pediatrics and Binocular Vision at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. Her residency provided special emphasis in vision related learning problems. Dr. Keiser is currently a candidate for Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. She is in private practice in Salt Lake City, Utah and specializes in the care of pediatric and adult patients with binocular vision problems. She comes from a large family and loves spending time with her many nieces and nephews.

John A McGreal Jr, OD

Dr. McGreal is a graduate of Albright College and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He was Chief of Eye Services at Greater Atlantic Health service in Philadelphia, where he also had a private practice. He was a founding partner in Vision Care Consultants, a managed eye care company in Pennsylvania. He was Center Director and Vice President for Vision America Incorporated for seven years. Currently, he is Director of the Missouri Eye Associates, a medical and surgical private practice in St. Louis.

He is adjunct faculty at the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and the University of Missouri. He is internationally recognized for his educational endeavors.

He served on the continuing education committee for the North Central States Optometric Council and is past member of the Congress continuing education subcommittee of the American Optometric Association. He was the 42nd Peter’s Memorial Lecturer at the University of California. He was the Nussenblatt Lecturer at the University of Houston in 2004. He was the 1998 Missouri Optometrist of the Year. He was the 2005 University of Missouri School of Optometry Educator of the Year. He is Director of Education of ODExcellence, a practice improvement company.

Ron Melton, OD, FAAO

After graduating from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Dr. Melton served as a clinical optometrist in the Army.  Currently he is in a large group practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has staff privileges at Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Melton has lectured internationally on ocular disease and pharmacology and has been published extensively in the optometric literature.  He is the co-author of the popular yearly "Clinical Guide to Ophthalmic Drugs".  The American Academy of Optometry has presented him with the "Glaucoma Educator of the Year" award.  He is a consultant to the Council on Optometric Education for the American Optometric Association and a member of the American Optometric Association's Contact Lens Section.  Currently he is a member of the adjunct faculty at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, State University of New York College of Optometry, and the Pacific University College of Optometry. Currently he is in a group practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has staff privileges at Presbyterian Hospital.

Randall K Thomas, OD, MPH, FAAO

Dr. Thomas is a 1981 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, and a 1976 graduate of the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina. He is in full-time clinical practice in Concord, North Carolina. He was presented the “Glaucoma Educator of the Year” award by the American Academy of Optometry in 1997. He and Dr. Ron Melton co-author Review of Optometry’s “Annual Drug Guide to Ophthalmic Drugs”, now in its sixteenth year. He is on the Professional Staff at Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast where he also serves on the teaching faculty of the Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Thomas has served as a consultant to the American Optometric Association on its Council on Clinical Optometric Care and Hospital Privileges Committees. He has served as an ophthalmic drug principal investigator for the FDA. Dr. Thomas has lectured world-wide with Dr. Melton on the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. He and his wife Cheryl have two daughters.

Jed T Poll, MD

Dr. Poll graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his ophthalmology residency at the Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine. Following his residency, Dr. Poll remained at the Cullen Eye Institute, completing additional fellowship training in Cosmetic Eyelid and Reconstructive Surgery under the direction of Dr. Michael T. Yen. Board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, Dr. Poll is a member of various local and national associations.

Dr. Poll’s clinical focus is on the evaluation and surgery of the eyelids, orbit, and lachrymal system. Within this specialty, Dr. Poll provides treatment ranging from surgery to rejuvenate droopy eyelids to cosmetic facial procedures such as Botox and facial filler injections. In addition to ophthalmic plastic surgery, Dr. Poll performs comprehensive eye exams, LASIK, and cataract surgery.

Joseph Sowka, OD, FAAO

Dr. Sowka is a Professor of Optometry at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry where he serves as Chief of The Advanced Care Service and Director of the Glaucoma Service at the College’s Eye Institute as well as the Chair of the Department of Optometric Clinical Sciences.

Dr. Sowka is a founding member of both the Optometric Glaucoma Society and Optometric Retina Society and is an executive board member for both societies. Dr. Sowka is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Optometry, Glaucoma.

Disclosure: Speaker Bureau for Alcon, Vision Service Plan, Carl Zeiss Meditec; lecture support: Allergan

Aaron Noble Waite, MD

Dr. Waite is a highly skilled Fellowship-trained Corneal Surgeon. His expertise in Corneal procedures ranges from routine LASIK surgery to the most difficult reconstructive and corrective Corneal surgeries. Dr. Aaron N. Waite graduated in 2006 from the University of Utah School of Medicine. Dr. Waite completed his internship in Internal Medicine at University Medical Center for the University of Nevada School of Medicine in 2007 and his Ophthalmology residency at the University of Tennessee in 2010. Dr. Waite completed his Corneal External Disease and Refractive Surgery Fellowship at the prestigious University of Colorado School of Medicine in June 2011.

Dr. Waite specializes in state-of-the-art Cataract Surgery with the full array of Premium Intraocular lenses and Refractive procedures including LASIK, PRK, and Phakic intraocular lenses. His extensive training in the more advanced Corneal Surgery includes Corneal Transplants (Penetrating Keratoplasty, DSAEK, Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty, Keratoprosthesis), Collagen Cross-Linking for Keratoconus, Pterygium Excisions, Secondary sutured IOLs, Ocular Surface Neoplasia excisions, Pupilloplasty, and Ocular Surface Reconstruction.

Robert P Wooldridge, OD, FAAO

Dr. Wooldridge is the Director of The Eye Foundation of Utah, an optometric co-management center in Salt Lake City, Utah. A graduate of the Indiana School of Optometry, he formerly served on the staff of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine. Dr. Wooldridge is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at several schools and colleges of optometry and a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry. He has served as President of the Utah Optometric Association and the Mountain West Council of Optometrists and as Director of the Great Western Council of Optometry. A founding member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, he is a past recipient of the Optometrist of the Year, an honor awarded by the Utah Optometric Association.