Sarasota 2024 Recap 

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

While outstanding clinical education is important, we at OEC also feel that the experience is equally important. We design conferences to allow attendees flexibility in getting outstanding clinical continuing education and the opportunity to enjoy the facilities and surrounding area.

THANK YOU TO OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS

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Optometric Education Consultants Exhibitor | Maximeyes
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EDUCATION & SPEAKERS

Courses

Saturday March 9, 2024

The ABCs of Thyroid Eye Disease – Antibodies, Biologics, and Clinical Pearls
Greg Caldwell, OD
Download Course Notes (Full Slides)
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)

Nightmares and Non-Sense: Navigating Neuro-Op
Joseph Sowka, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)

Orbit for the OD
Alison Bozung, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)

Cornering Corneal Infections
Alison Bozung, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)

The William J. Lahners Memorial Lecture: From Preop to Postop – The Patient’s Journey through Premium Cataract Surgery
Priya Mathews, MD, Joaquin DeRojas, MD
Download Course Notes (3x Slides)


Sunday March 10, 2024

Retinal Imaging Grand Rounds
Brad Sutton, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)

The Optic Nerve in Glaucoma and Beyond
Brad Sutton, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)

Identifying and Managing Pharmaceutical Complications
Jessica Steen, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)
2 Hours CEE/TQ

Prevention of Medical Errors
Joseph Sowka, OD / Barry Frauens, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)
2 Hours

Pharmaceutical Update 2024
Greg Caldwell, OD
Download Course Notes (Full Slides)
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)
2 Hours CEE/TQ

Florida Jurisprudence
Joseph Sowka, OD / Barry Frauens, OD
Download Course Notes (6x Slides)
2 Hours

Education Sponsored By:

Greg Caldwell | Optometric Education Consultants

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 (AAO), a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry (ABO), member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society (OGS), and member of the Optometric Wellness and Nutritional Society (OWNS). He currently works in Duncansville, Pennsylvania as an ocular disease consultant. Dr. Caldwell’s primary focus is the diagnosis and management of anterior and posterior segment ocular disease, and he has been a participant in multiple FDA investigations and trials. Dr. Caldwell has integrated nutrition, prevention, and wellness into his patient care. He practices integrative optometry. Dr. Caldwell is a co-founder of Optometric Education Consultants and co-administrator of OCT Connect on Facebook. Dr. Caldwell has lectured extensively throughout the county and over thirteen countries internationally. In 2010 he served as President of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) and served on the AOA Board of Trustees 2013-2016. He is President of the Blair/Clearfield Association for the Blind.

 

 

Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Joseph Sowka, OD, FAAO, Diplomate

Dr. Joseph Sowka is an attending optometric physician at Center for Sight in Sarasota and Venice, Florida, a large medical-surgical practice where he focuses on glaucoma and neuro- ophthalmic disease management. He is the residency education coordinator at Center for Sight. He is also Director of Optometric Business Development for US EYE. He was formerly Professor of Optometry at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry for 28 years where he served numerous academic and administrative roles. Dr. Sowka is a founding member of both the Optometric Glaucoma Society and Optometric Retina Society. He is also the Founder and former Chair of the Neuro-Ophthalmic Disorders in Optometry Special Interest Group for the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Sowka is a Glaucoma Diplomate of the American Academy of Optometry. In 2021 and 2022, he was ranked #4 optometrist in the US by Newsweek magazine “America’s Best Eye Doctors” list. He is a partner and co-owner of Optometric Education Consultants.

Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Jessica Steen, O.D., FAAO

Dr. Jessica Steen is an Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of  Optometry where she serves as Director of the Glaucoma Service and as an attending optometric physician at the College’s Eye Care Institute. Dr. Steen teaches the course in glaucoma and ocular pharmacology at NSU where she has a special interest in pharmaceutical and health policy. Dr. Steen also serves as the Primary Care with Emphasis in Ocular Disease Residency Coordinator. Dr. Steen graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science and completed her residency in Primary Care with Emphasis in Ocular Disease at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Steen’s main clinical interests include glaucoma, retinal disease, neuro-ophthalmic disease with an emphasis in medical and surgical management. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, and currently serves as President of the Palm Beach County Optometric Association.

Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Barry J. Frauens, O.D., F.A.A.O.

Dr. Barry J. Frauens graduated with honors from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in 1996 and thereafter completed a one-year residency program in Primary Care optometry at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

Dr. Frauens is a full-time faculty member at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry where he holds the rank of Associate Professor and serves as the Chief of the Primary Care Service at the N. Miami Beach Clinic. Dr. Frauens served as Chair of the Department of Clinics as well for nearly a decade.

Dr. Frauens is a past President of the Florida Optometric Association and the Broward County Optometric Association. He is the 2002 recipient of the BCOA ‘Optometrist of the Year’ award, the 2003 ‘NSU Distinguished Alumni Achievement’ award, the 2006 FOA ‘Optometrist of the Year’ award and the 2017 FOA Edward K. Walker ‘Optometrist of the Decade’ award.

Dr. Frauens has published numerous journal articles in the refereed literature. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a fellow of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, a Fellow of the Optometric Retina Society and is one of the first Optometrists in the profession to become Board Certified by the American Board of Optometry. Dr. Frauens has lectured locally, regionally, nationally and internationally covering numerous subjects in anterior and posterior segment ocular disease management as well as prevention of medical errors. His current research interests include glaucoma.

Dr. Priya Mathews

Dr. Priya Mathews is a board-certified, fellowship-trained cataract, refractive, and corneal surgeon at Center For Sight. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degrees from the University of Maryland, graduating summa cum laude and valedictorian of her graduating class. She received her Medical Degree from Johns Hopkins University, and also earned her Master’s in Public Health, with a concentration in epidemiology and biostatistics, at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Mathews completed her ophthalmology residency at Harkness Eye Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, followed by a fellowship in Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery at Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.

Dr. Mathews specializes in cataract, cornea, and refractive surgery. She is an expert in the diagnosis and management of cornea and external diseases, including Keratoconus, Fuchs’ Dystrophy, autoimmune diseases, and severe dry eye disease. Dr. Mathews is dedicated to offering to her patients the most advanced surgeries and procedures available, including partial thickness corneal transplantation (DMEK and DSAEK), full-thickness corneal transplantation, corneal crosslinking, intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, thermal pulsation, blepharoexfoliation, and laser vision correction with LASIK and PRK.

Dr. Mathews has extensive scientific research experience, publishing over 30 peer-reviewed publications in top medical journals. She is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the Pediatric Keratoplasty Association, and the International Society of Refractive Surgery. She has volunteered for numerous medical and surgical mission trips to places around the world, including Haiti, Guatemala, India, Philippines, and Bolivia. Dr. Mathews has a particular interest in combatting the global burden of corneal blindness. She has received and continues to receive multiple grants to support related initiatives, including the ASCRS International Service Grant and the prestigious AAO Hoskins Center IRIS Registry Research Fund Award.

Dr. Mathews lives in Sarasota with her husband Joaquin and their two young children Isabella and Leonardo. She is a certified Vinyasa and Hatha yoga instructor and practices daily to strengthen and rejuvenate her body, mind, and spirit.

Dr. Joaquin De Rojas

Dr. Joaquin De Rojas is a board-certified, fellowship-trained cataract, refractive and corneal surgeon who also serves as the Director of Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease at Center For Sight. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston College, graduating at the top of his class and from the Honors Program, and then received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his surgical internship and ophthalmology residency training at Columbia University Medical Center, where he was Chief Surgical Resident, followed by a Cornea, External Diseases, and Refractive Surgery fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.

Dr. De Rojas specializes in premium cataract and lens replacement surgery, as well as laser vision correction with LASIK, Epi-LASEK and implantable lenses. He is an expert in the diagnosis and management of severe dry eye and ocular surface disease, Fuchs’ Dystrophy and Keratoconus. Dr. De Rojas employs the most advanced treatments available for his patients including Corneal Cross-Linking and corneal transplantation with Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). Furthermore, Dr. De Rojas performs minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) and often attends to patients with issues from prior laser, cataract or corneal surgeries.

Dr. De Rojas has extensive scientific research experience, authoring peer-reviewed publications, chapters, reviews, editorials, and paper presentations. In addition, he has presented his research at national and international academic conferences and has received funding from the National Institute of Health. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and the International Society of Refractive Surgery.

In his spare time, Dr. De Rojas enjoys exercise, golf, outdoor activities, travel, as well as helping design medical and surgical devices. He and his wife Priya, also an ophthalmologist, and daughter Isabella are new to the area and are happy to call Sarasota home.

Brad Sutton, OD, FAAO

Dr. Brad Sutton is a Clinical Professor at the Indiana University School of Optometry and is the Chief of Service at the Indianapolis Eye Care Center. Dr. Sutton’s main areas of clinical interest include ocular disease and surgical co-management. He has given nearly 500 continuing education lectures on topics related to ocular disease at the local, state, national, and international level, and has published extensively. He was named the Young OD of the year in both Tennessee and Indiana, has received the Indiana Optometric Association’s Educator of the Year award, and has served as the President of the Optometric Retina Society.

Alison Bozung, OD, FAAO

Alison Bozung OD FAAO graduated from Southern College of Optometry and completed an ocular disease residency at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL. Dr. Bozung then served as a clinical assistant professor in the University of Iowa's Department of Ophthalmology before returning to Bascom Palmer where she currently practices, primarily seeing patients in the hospital's 24/7 ophthalmic emergency department. She also serves as the optometry residency program coordinator.

Dr. Bozung is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a member of the Florida and American Optometric Associations. She is a regular contributor to many optometric journals, authors the bimonthly “Urgent Care” column in the Review of Optometry, and presents often at optometric conferences. She is a founding board member of Young OD Connect and serves on the editorial boards for Review of Optometry.

TQ EXAMS

Saturday

The ABCs of Thyroid Eye Disease – Antibodies, Biologics, and Clinical Pearls

Greg Caldwell, OD

Cornering Corneal Infections

Alison Bozung, OD

Nightmares and Non-Sense: Navigating Neuro-Op

Joseph Sowka, OD

Sunday

Retinal Imaging Grand Rounds

Brad Sutton, OD

The Optic Nerve in Glaucoma and Beyond

Brad Sutton, OD

Identifying and Managing Pharmaceutical Complications

Jessica Steen, OD

Pharmaceutical Update 2024

Greg Caldwell, OD