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Glaucoma Can Take Your Sight Away. Keep Vision in Your Future

  

Dr. Edwin C. Marshall, NOA Executive Liaison

  

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States - half of the 2.7 million people who have glaucoma do not know they have a potentially blinding disease. By 2030 the number of people with glaucoma will increase to 4.2 million. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Throughout the month many organizations like the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) and the National Optometric Association (NOA) are working together to raise awareness about glaucoma among those at higher risk for the disease. 
 
While anyone can get glaucoma, African Americans age 40 and over, everyone over 60 - especially Mexican Americans, and people with a family history of glaucoma are particularly vulnerable. As a member of the NEHEP Coordinating Committee, I am asking all NOA members to take extra special effort - not only this month but throughout the year - to help people at higher risk to keep vision in their future by educating them on how to protect themselves from this "silent thief of sight" that often has no early warning signs.
 
A key step to "advancing the visual health of minority populations" is to encourage African Americans, who have a 6 to 8 times higher risk, and all others at high risk to save their sight by having a comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years to detect glaucoma in its early stages. 
 
You can go to the National Eye Institute website to access a variety of free resources in English and Spanish, including Facebook posts and Twitter tweets, to help you increase glaucoma awareness. Don't let our communities lose sight - early detection and treatment is the best way to prevent vision loss. Also access free information on the NOA's "Three Silent Killers" program for members at the NOA's website at NOA's Three Silent Killers.
New Year's Greetings From the President 

Greetings and thank you on behalf of the NOA Board of Directors. It is because of your encouragement and commitment that in 2014 we successfully continued our mission of "Advancing the Visual Health of Minority Populations."

  

The NOA acquired a new home office in Charlotte, NC. Our successful convention in D.C. included 14 hours of CE, innovative exhibitors and a rewarding service project for the residents in Washington Heights, MD. Regional opportunities to network with members and NOSA students were also provided.

Details regarding more of our accomplishments for this year, along with our monthly news blasts, can be seen on our website at  www.nationaloptometricassociation.com

 

As we continue our legacy of service, mentoring and providing support to the minority community please remember the NOA in your charitable contributions. The National Optometric Foundation is a 501c3 organization and your donations are tax deductible.  

Additionally, please join the members who pledged contributions to our Growth Fund, led by our founder, Dr. C. Clayton Powell. These contributions continue to provide a strong foundation toward our operational growth and funding.

  

I invite you to join me in renewing your NOA membership in January 2015. Look for our incentives for renewing or becoming a NOA member in this issue of SIGHTLINE. Donations and membership payments can be mailed or made on our website.

We look forward to seeing you  at our annual convention in Hilton Head, S.C. July 8-12, 2015.

 

Best wishes for a Blessed New Year!

 

Dr. Stephanie Johnson-Brown

President, National Optometric Association

Berkeley Optometry's Annual Magazine Featured the NOA
Shown above with Dean John Flanagan are members of the NOA Board of Directors and members of the Berkeley Optometry faculty and staff who helped host the NOA for their annual meeting at Berkeley Optometry.

The Berkeley Optometry's annual magazine featured the NOA. Excerpts from the magazine follows:
 
Berkeley Optometry hosted the annual Board Meeting of the National Optometry Association (NOA) in October.  The NOA has been a leader in the cause of improving the quality and accessibility of eye care in minority and other historically underserved communities.  Increasing the number of minority eye care practitioners, through student recruitment and career placement, has been the NOA's historical focus.  Those attending the meetings and dinner, hosted by Dean John Flanagan, were honored to hear first-hand the history of the NOA from co-founder Dr. C. Clayton Powell. 
 
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Powell served as the NOA's first president from 1969 to 1974.  The timing for Berkeley Optometry to host the NOA Board Meeting could not have been better as current optometry students have also reestablished the school's relationship with the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) and are excited to help execute the mission of the organization.               
 

Shown below are students Maria Cardenas '17 and Angel Barajas '17 with NOA co-founder Dr. C. Clayton Powell. (Photo featured in UC Berkeley Annual Magazine)




STAY CONNECTED WITH US 
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Join or Renew NOA Membership to Win Raffle for Free Hotel Stay!

 

Paying your dues to NOA is an investment into the future. With your enthusiastic support, the NOA will continue to provide you special access to the best our optometric culture has to offer. What's more, you will help to ensure that  optometric learning continues to be illuminated through our scholarship funding, educational programs, family oriented conventions, acclaimed website and future development.

 

Click here, to RENEW your membership or become a NEW member and continue supporting our mission, "Advancing the Visual Health of Minority Populations." We need your assistance in reaching our goals. All memberships added or renewed by 2/15/15 will be entered into a raffle for a complimentary night at our July 2015 Convention hotel, the Marriott Resort.  In addition, you will continue to enjoy the following benefits:

  • Networking and camaraderie amongst professionals of different modes of practice.
  • Voluntary inclusion in a speakers' bureau
  • Access to world renowned speakers of continuing education, practice management, i.e. marketing tools, clinical care, and electronic records and nutrition.
  • Inclusion of your professional practice information in a national directory and on a world class website
  • Continuous support of our students
  • Group discounts
  • Newsletters and eBlasts 
  • Discount on convention registration
  • Regional product training and patient referral services

To request a membership application email us at [email protected]. 


Each One, Reach One Membership Challenge

Greetings NOA family and MIA (Missing in Awesomeness) past and future members. As the 2014 National Optometric Association's OD of the Year, my goal is to promote ownership through fellowship via membership to insure the legacy of our beloved organization.  I seek your support.

 

My  "EACH ONE, REACH ONE, INVITE ONE NOA CHALLENGE'' is 'Easy Breezy Fun.'  I ask You, (Yes You my friend) to personally invite at least 1 (one) colleague to join us in sunny Hilton Head, SC (July 8-12, 2015) for our annual convention: 14 hrs of great CE from renowned lecturers, exhibit hall vendors, sightseeing, family fun and awesome fellowship!                                        

 

Great news! The "Challenge" has resulted in my IU alumni making plans for a ''mini reunion" in Hilton Head....so we invite other optometry school alumni to do the same. 

 

Game on!                                                                            

Easy: Access our NOA website 

Breezy: Pay membership dues, register and pay convention fees

Fun: See y'all on the beach! 

 

Peace,

 

Vera Burns, OD

IU Graduate

 
Dr. Stephanie Johnson-Brown, NOA President was recognized in the December issue of Vision Monday as one of 2014's "Most Influential Women in Optical."  Her profile was included amongst 40 other amazing women in the industry.  

 
Dr. Johnson-Brown credits her father, Dr. Robert Johnson, Sr.'s  example and says, "the passion I have for what I do and what I believe" is key to her success. 

 

She was chosen by Vision Monday because she is driven by her love for children's vision.  Stephanie Johnson-Brown, OD works tirelessly to make sure that children can achieve and that their vision is not an obstacle.


 

See more at: Vision Monday 's Most Influential Women in Optical  
New Grad's Road to Success
  

Experience is a great teacher in life and in the professional world.  There is no substitute for it and without it you WILL make errors.  Whether you make mistakes is not the question...how you handle your mistakes is.  


This month's new graduate tips are focused on dealing with simple errors in the workplace.  Learning how to own your errors and acting proactively to remedy them are life-long skills to acquire.

 

December's Tips: Workplace Errors 

  1. Apologize Immediately
  2. Don't Make Excuses
  3. Be Accountable and Proactive
  4. Learn From Your Mistakes
  5. Don't Beat Yourself Up
2015 Annual Convention & CE Program, July 8-12, Hilton Head, SC
Look for further details in the next issue of the NOA's SightLine!

Share Your Story!

 

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month and we want to get the word out!!! Please tell us what you have done with your patients or in your office to help celebrate, educate and increase awareness. Go to our Facebook page or e-mail us at [email protected].