F Y EYE - The Official Newsletter of SUNY State College of Optometry
SUNY State College of Optometry
Issue 10 September 2008
M A I N   F E A T U R E

"A Shared Vision"  - Strategic Plan Announced

On September 24, 2008, the College of Optometry's new Strategic Plan, "A Shared Vision" was unanimously endorsed by the College Council.  The Council's action represents the culmination of a year-long effort by the College's strategic planning committee and the college community to define our vision for the future and the measures of our success.
 
"A Shared Vision" is the result of a community-wide effort, building upon the College of Optometry's strengths and focusing on its impact relative to the future of vision care and the profession.  During its development, the Committee was guided by the theme of "Educating Tomorrow's Leaders" which embraced the premise that the positions the College's graduates assume and the impact that they have on diverse communities as alumni is a core indicator of institutional effectiveness.  While the concept of impact applied to the essential abilities of graduates as practitioners, it also required the community to examine value-added elements of the SUNY Optometry experience.  It required that the process look beyond the professional degree program and also examine graduate programs, residency education, specialty certification, health care business, the quality of research efforts and provision of advanced care to patients.
 
SUNY State College of OptometryThe resulting plan, "A Shared Vision", understands that today, optometry is a broad profession, with many career paths.  It supports the diverse interests of students as they look to their futures.  It strives to increase the benefit of the College's work to the public.
 
The strategic plan has been organized to reflect the College mission and provides specific goals and objectives to guide the institution in the years ahead.  The plan projects significant growth in areas of strength, but also embraces some new directions for the College.  We are pleased to share examples of new directions as expressed in "A Shared Vision" through its strategic objectives with you here in FY EYE:
 
 
 
  • Additional masters-level opportunities for students pursuing the O.D. degree will be developed.
  • By 2013, on average, at least 50% of the SUNY graduating class will enter residency programs affiliated with colleges of optometry.
  • A Center for Career Development to provide professional career counseling services will be developed.
  • Within five years, SUNY Optometry will reach $5 million per year in externally funded research grants, including at least one center/training grant.
  • To establish a Center for Clinical Research.
  • The UOC will increase its annual patient visits to 85,000 by 2013, reflecting an average annual growth of 5%.
  • Expansion of clinical services will occur in the areas of rehabilitation, geriatrics and ocular disease, special testing and imaging.
  • The College will establish a Center for International Studies dedicated to the advancement of vision care world-wide.

These strategic objectives provide a glimpse into the future of the SUNY College of Optometry.  "A Shared Vision" may be found in its entirety on the College's website at http://www.sunyopt.edu/about/five_year_plan.shtml.

 
SUNY College of Optometry Has A New Mission Statement!
 
As an integral part of the planning process, the College's Mission Statment was reviewed and modified to provide a contemporary statement of the College's role in optometric education, the health care system of New York and as an intellectual leader in vision science.  We are pleased to share our new Mission Statement with you:  

 
MISSION STATEMENT  

The State University of New York, State College of Optometry excels, innovates, and leads in Optometry and Vision Science by:
  • Developing outstanding optometrists and vision scientists:
  • Making new discoveries that advance vision science and patient care;
  • Improving patients' lives by providing exceptional general and specialized optometric care;
  • Enhancing public health through education and service to a broad range of communities.
F O C A L   P O I N T

Dr. David A. Heath Inaugurated as 3rd President of SUNY State College of Optometry 

Dr. David A. Heath was inaugurated as the 3rd President of the Trustee Ed Cox, President Heath and Chancellor ClarkState University of New York, State College of Optometry on Thursday, September 25.  The event, held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, had over 300 attendees.  Guests included SUNY Trustee Edward Cox, Interim Chancellor John Clark, Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, the SUNY Optometry College Council, members of the Board of Trustees of the Optometric Center of New York, an array of individuals representing the AOA, ASCO presidents and deans, NYSOA, SUNY campuses and members of the faculty, staff, alumni and students of the College.  A reception followed at the hotel.  This event will be covered in more detail in the October issue of FY EYE. 
 
 Welcome to the Class of 2012
 
On August 14-15, SUNY Optometry welcomed the entering Class of 2012.  Orientation, held on the 2nd Floor, began with an introduction to the school by various department heads and clinic administrators.  A reception was held on Thursday, August 14 to allow the class to meet members of the College community.  601 applications were received and represents the largest number of applicants ever in SUNY's history.  Total class enrollment is 76, fourteen states are represented, and 8 students are from Canada.  47% of the class is from out-of-state.  The overall GPA is 3.51.
 
 
2008-09 Residents Arrive with July Orientation
 Dr. Diane Adamczyk and 2008-09 Residents
SUNY Optometry held orientation and a welcome lunch for the 2008-09 residents on July 1, 2008.  This year's residency class is the largest in the College's rich history of residency education with 31 residents participating in SUNY-based and affiliated programs (Veteran's Administration Hospital, West Point, Keller Army Hospital).  The residents come from schools throughout the United States and Canada.  Fourteen residents are from SUNY; 4 from Salus University (Pennsylvania College of Optometry); 3 from UC Berkeley; 3 residents from Pacific University; 2 from Southern California College of Optometry; 2 from Illinois College of Optometry and 1 each from New England College of Optometry, Southern College of Optometry and the University of Montreal.  

DI D   Y O U   K N O W ?
  • That 99% of the Class of 2008 passed Part III of the National Board in Optometry Exam prior to graduation.
  • In the 2008 fiscal year, the College's foundation, The Optometric Center of New York (OCNY) provided $255,607 in direct support to our students in the form of scholarships and awards?
  • More than 45 million Americans are not covered by health insurance of any kind.
  • Of study participants in the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) who had open-angle glaucoma, 75% were previously undiagnosed.  (Varma et. al. 2004)
M I L E S T O N E S

Drs. Sherry Bass and Harriette Canellos Recognized

Dr. Sherry BassDr. Sherry Bass, Professor of Clinical Sciences, and Dr. Harriette Canellos, Director of the UOC Referral Service, were featured in the July issue of Women In Optometry.Dr. Harriette Canellos  Dr. Canellos was recognized for her role as Director of the Referral Service.  Dr. Bass was mentioned in regard to the article that appeared in "New York Teacher" concerning her role as an educator in the professional program.  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Dr. Joan Portello Lectures in Australia
 
While on vacation in Perth and Bunbury, Western Australia this past July, Dr. Joan Portello lectured on therapeutic practice in the United States.  Her presentationsDr. Joan Portello covered the use of oral therapeutic preparations and advanced clinical and surgical procedures performed by optometrists in this country.  Organized by Luxottica, the program was open to all optometrists, who earned 4 CPD points (CE points in the US). 
Campus Police Receive Terrorism Training
 
SUNY Security Officers TrainingOn Tuesday, July 22, the University Police Department hosted a training session on Terrorism Awareness for Security Professionals conducted by detectives from the NYPD Counter-Terrorism Division.  Officers from Stony Brook, SUNY Morrisville and the Brentwood UFSD attended.  The trainers discussed how to recognize and deter potential pre-attack surveillance by terrorists, world-wide terrorist activities and how to make appropriate notifications.  The training was put together to further strengthen the cooperation between SUNY and the NYPD. 
 
 
UOC Referral Service Grows
 
During the month of August, the Referral Service of the University Optometric Center had 151 patients referred from local practitioners.  There  266 patient visits to the clinic.  Of these, 110 were in the Vision Therapy Service; 65 in Ocular Disease and Special Testing and 64 were in the Raymond J. Greenwald Rehabilitation Center.
 
Many thanks were received from doctors for assisting them in obtaining NPI #s.  Feedback has been received as to how the Referral Service can complement procedures in local practices.
 
 
R E S E A R C H

Student Receives AOF William C. Ezell Fellowship Award

Dr. Zan PanDr. Zan Pan is a recipient of a William C. Ezell Fellowship for the 2008-2009 academic year.  Dr. Pan submitted his proposal entitled "The Transient Receptor Potential Vanilliods (TRPVs) Mediate Hypertonicity Induced Proinflammatory Cytokine Release" to the American Optometric Foundation for consideration.  The study is based upon the fact that a common sign of dry eye syndrome is increases in tear osmolarity, which promotes ocular surface inflammation and worsens corneal integrity and, that the transient receptor potential vanilliod (TRPVs) channels are sensitive to changes in osmolarity.  His study examines if TRPVs activitiy mediates rises of proinflammatory cytokine in a hypertonic environment.  The study's findings will provide an interesting insight of dry eye inflammation mechanism and a useful drug target in preventing this disease.  As a recipient of this award, Dr. Pan is in the company of top researchers in optometry and vision sciences.  Zan has also been awarded a travel grant to allow him to attend the AOF Celebration Luncheon at the American Academy of Optometry in Anaheim, California, October 22 - 25, 2008, where he will be recognized and receive his awards.  This is the second year Dr. Pan has received this grant.  A graduate of Wenshou Medical College in China, where he received an M.D. degree, Dr. Pan has published numerous articles in professional journals.  He is currently a Ph.D. candidate whose research and training is in the laboratory of his advisor, Dr. Peter Reinach, Distinguished Teaching Professor.
 
 
2008 Minnie Flaura Turner Award Recipients 
 
Student:     Zan Pan ($2500)
Title:          "Role of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Channel in Hypersmolarityi Triggered EGF Receptor Transactivation in Human Corneal Epithelial Cells"
Advisor:      Dr. Peter Reinach
 
Student:     Nili Parekh ($2500)
Title:          "Differential Control of Inflammatory Response in Human Corneal Epithelial Cells Through Cannabinoid Receptors"
Advisor:      Dr. Peter Reinach
 
Student:     Yinan Wang ($2500)
Title:          "Effect of Wavefront Vergence and Chromatic Aberration on Dynamic Accommodation in Normal and Color Deficient Observers:  Role of L, M and S Cones"
Advisor:      Dr. Philip B. Kruger
 
Student:     Yushi Wang ($2500)
Title:          "Microstructure and Organization of Topographic Maps in Visual Cortex"
Advisor:      Dr. Jose-Manuel Alonso
 
Student:     Zi-dong Zhang ($2500)
Title:          "Crosstalk Between JNK and p38 in the Human Corneal Epithelium Cells and Corresponding Effect on Apoptosis in the Downstream of EGF-mediated Signaling"
Advisor:      Dr. Peter Reinach
 
 
Third Year Student Awarded Antoinette M. Molinari Scholarship
 
Marc Lay '10Mr. Marc Lay '10 has been awarded the 2008 Antoinette M. Molinari Scholarship ($6000) from the American Optometric Foundation.  Mr. Lay is a third year student in SUNY's professional program and is working with Dr. Mark Rosenfield towards his M.S. degree.  The scholarship is generously sponsored by Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Molinari in Panama City Beach, Florida.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Publications
 
Bass, S.J., Noble K.G.  "A THR17Met Mutation is Associated with and Unusual Retinochoroidopathy in an Autosomal Dominant Pedigree".  Retina, 28, 2008, pp. 1013-1014.
 
Weiserbs, K.F., Sherstinsky, M., Poster, W.M., et.al.  "Myopia Review and Report of Environmental Associations:.  Focus in Infant Nutrition, supplement to Agrofood Industry High-Tech, 2008, July-Aug, 19(4), xx-xxii. 
 
Nehmad, L., Madonna, R.  "Optimizing the Use of FDT Perimetry ini Community Vision Screenings".  Optometry and Vision Science, July, 2008.
 
 
Invited Talks & Workshops
 
Professor Qasim Zaidi presented an invited lecture entitled, "Are observers "opportunistic" Bayesians when using color for object identification?", on July 25, at the 2008 International Congress of Psychology in Berlin, German.  He also gave a workshop on July 23 on "3-D shape perception" at the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience in Berlin.
 
Dr. Peter Reinach has been invited to give a plenary talk at the Argntinian Physiological Society meeting to be held at Mar de Plata, Argentina on November 20, 2008.  His talk is titled "Polymodal roles of transient receptor potential proteins (TRP) in inducing corneal epithelial renewal".
 
Dr. Jerry Sherman chaired the annual meeting of the Optometric Retina Society held in Boston, MA, September 5-7, 2008.  Dr. Sherman also gave a presentation on "Emerging Technologies in the Diagnosis of Macula Disease" which included new insights into the diagnosis of retinal disorders affecting the photoreceptors by using the IS/OS junction (as imaged with SD OCT) as a marker for photoreceptor integrity.
 
Dr. Phil Kruger was a member of the Scientific Committee and an invited speaker at the 4th European Meeting on Visual and Physiological Optics held on the island of Crete, August 31 - September 2.  At the 7th Aegean summer school on Visual and Physiological Optics which preceded the European meeting, Dr. Kruger gave presentations on aberrations and ocular accommodation at the summer school and at the scientific meeting.  The program can be viewed at http://www.ivo.gr/4empo/program.php.
P E R S O N N E L
New Campus Security Officers 
 
Officer Dafina BrightMr. Concepcion Lopez and Ms. Dafina Bright have recently become members of SUNY Optometry's Security staff.  Officer Bright has over 4 years experience working as a security officer and her most recent assignment was at the NY Mercantile Exchange building.
 
Officer Lopez brings more than 12 years experience in security at Officer Concepcion Lopez
various buildings.  Additionally, he has experience in fire safety.  Mr. Lopez served in the US Navy aboard the USS Newport carrier.
 
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