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Save the date for next years Mid-Winter Getaway February 14-16, 2020

SCOTTSDALE 2019 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. In addition to securing golf and spa credits for attendees, we also plan lectures to ensure enough time to enjoy Scottsdale and surrounding areas, lay back and relax, and make travel home easier with an early end time.

THANK YOU TO OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS

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 Saturday Breakfast Sponsor 

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GOLD

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Transitions is a registered trademark and the Transitions logo is a trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc. used under license by Transitions Optical Limited. ©2019 Transitions Optical Limited. Photochromic performance is influenced by temperature, UV exposure and lens material.

EDUCATION

Greg Caldwell | Optometric Education Consultants

Greg Caldwell, O.D., F.A.A.O.

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) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry (ABO).

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 and he has been a participant in multiple FDA investigations. Dr. Caldwell has lectured extensively throughout the county and over twelve 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.

Innovations in Eye Care
A Rapid-Fire Presentation What’s Here, What’s Coming, and What You Need to Know

Gregory Caldwell, OD
This course will reveal, feature, and spotlight innovations in eye care that will impact every optometrist. Technologies, pharmaceuticals, products, services, and processes that advance eye care will be discussed in a rapid-fire presentation. This course will keep you in the know for delivering advanced patient care.
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Neuro-Ophthalmic Update

Instructor: Joseph Sowka O.D.
Co-Instructors: George Caldwell, OD

This course will detail, in a case-based format, the symptoms and clinical findings in patients with a variety of neuro-ophthalmic conditions. A diagnostic algorithm will be presented to allow the attendee to follow the clinical findings to an appropriate differential diagnosis. Current therapeutic management will be emphasized. Optic nerve disease, visual field abnormalities, pupil abnormalities, giant cell arteritis are all covered.
Download Course Slides | Download Course Outline

Maximizing Your Diagnostic Technologies: Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

Instructor: Joseph Sowka O.D.
Co-Instructors: Jessica Steen, OD, Greg Caldwell, OD

The OCT has become an important diagnostic instrument in eye care. The visual field is still equally important in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease. Advances in software and visual field testing have clouded the waters. This course reviews how to use the visual field in your office with proper and efficient techniques. Learn which test is fitting and increase your confidence in interrupting the visual field. Numerous visual fields will be reviewed via a case presentation style. The role of OCT and OCT Angiography are addressed with an emphasis in glaucoma management and neurological assessment. Additionally, proper optic disc analysis and use of fundus photography is discussed and case examples are presented where imaging technology contrasted with clinical anatomy.
Download Course Slides | Download Course Outline

Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Joseph Sowka, O.D., F.A.A.O., Diplomate

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. He is also Chair of the Department of Optometric Sciences. He is the longest tenured faculty member at the College.

Dr. Sowka is a founding member of both the Optometric Glaucoma Society and Optometric Retina Society. He is also the 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. He is the lead author of the annual Handbook of Ocular Disease Management published by Review of Optometry.

Maximizing Your Diagnostic Technologies: Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

Instructor: Joseph Sowka O.D.
Co-Instructors: Jessica Steen, OD, Greg Caldwell, OD

The OCT has become an important diagnostic instrument in eye care. The visual field is still equally important in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease. Advances in software and visual field testing have clouded the waters. This course reviews how to use the visual field in your office with proper and efficient techniques. Learn which test is fitting and increase your confidence in interrupting the visual field. Numerous visual fields will be reviewed via a case presentation style. The role of OCT and OCT Angiography are addressed with an emphasis in glaucoma management and neurological assessment. Additionally, proper optic disc analysis and use of fundus photography is discussed and case examples are presented where imaging technology contrasted with clinical anatomy.
Download Course Slides | Download Course Outline

Neuro-Ophthalmic Update

Instructor: Joseph Sowka O.D.
Co-Instructors: George Caldwell, OD

This course will detail, in a case-based format, the symptoms and clinical findings in patients with a variety of neuro-ophthalmic conditions. A diagnostic algorithm will be presented to allow the attendee to follow the clinical findings to an appropriate differential diagnosis. Current therapeutic management will be emphasized. Optic nerve disease, visual field abnormalities, pupil abnormalities, giant cell arteritis are all covered.
Download Course Slides | Download Course Outline

Florida Jurisprudence

Joseph Sowka, OD
This course discusses the Florida optometry practice act with emphasis on legal standards of practice. In addition, a detailed discussion on the new oral pharmaceutical bill with instructions on reporting adverse events is reviewed. Finally, case studies involving potential discipline against optometrists is covered. This course satisfies the requirements for license renewal in Florida.
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Prevention of Medical Errors for Optometrists

Joseph Sowka, OD
There are different types of errors that can potentially occur in the optometric practice. Different types of errors occur at different levels and typically indicate a need to change the delivery of health care. Rarely are the actions of an individual responsible for medical errors. Rather, system wide breakdown is typically responsible for medical errors. This courses discusses system breakdown leading to preventable medical errors and examines the cost to society of these errors. Root-cause analysis is described in detail as well. This course satisfies the requirements for license renewal in Florida.
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Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Bruce E. Onofrey, OD, RPh

Bruce E. Onofrey, OD, RPh is a 1982 graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry and residency at the Albuquerque Veterans Administration  Medical Center. He also has degrees in chemistry and Pharmacy. He recently retired from the Lovelace Medical Center Eye Dept after 25 years where he served as the Chief of Optometry and Vice-chairman of eye services. His most current position is as a clinical professor at the University of Houston and the Exec. Director of continuing education programs. His special interests include lectures in general and ocular pharmacology and clinical drug research.

Dr. Onofrey is a frequent contributor to ophthalmic literature. He is the current editor of “Clinical Optometric Pharmacology and Therapeutics”, and the author of “The Ocular Therapeutics Handbook-A Clinical Manual”, both published by Lippincott. He also serves as a contributing editor to “Primary Care Optometry News”. He is an internationally recognized lecturer on the management of ocular disease and the use of pharmaceutical agents.

GLC, Think DPP, Not IOP, OMG!

Bruce Onofrey, OD
POAG is a major cause of blindness. Its proper management requires a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and the pharmacology of the drugs used to treat this condition. It is imperative that the clinician be familiar with the most recent studies that are used to determine the risk of developing the disease and the risk of progression of the disease. These issues will be covered in this evidence based presentation.
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What’s My Beef with Pharmacists?

Bruce Onofrey, OD
The job of a pharmacist is not easy. They are charged with protecting the patient and acting as a source of drug information to both providers and patients. However, their lack of knowledge of ocular disease and specifically ocular medications can sometimes create friction with optometrists. Furthermore, the addition of 3rd party plans and the high expense of all medications sometimes limits the prescription choices of eye doctors. These issues will be discussed by an optometristpharmacist who has seen the issues from both sides.
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Do You Want Steroids with THAT!?

Bruce Onofrey, OD
Steroids are one of the most important therapeutic tools that Optometric physicians can utilize to manage the inflammatory response associated with a wide variety of ophthalmic disorders. They can do great good or, unfortunately, great harm. It is important that the clinician selects the correct drug for the proper disease. This interactive program will test the audiences knowledge of the proper use of steroids in a series of clinical scenarios that will include inflammation associated with infection, injury, glaucoma, surgery and several systemic conditions that manifest as ocular inflammation. Alternatives to steroid use are covered in detail.
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Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Carlo J. Pelino OD, FAAO

Carlo J. Pelino, OD, is a 1994 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. In 1995 Dr. Pelino completed a PCO ocular disease residency at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia, where he concentrated in retina and neuro-ophthalmic disease. Dr. Pelino is currently a full time Assistant Professor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and is director of the optometric retina service at The Eye Institute. He recently completed a one year retinal fellowship emphasizing medical and surgical treatments under the direction of vitreo-retinal surgeons at Crozier-Chester and Riddle Memorial Hospitals in suburban Philadelphia. Dr. Pelino is a fellow in the American Academy of Optometry. He regularly lectures in domestic and international programs.

Essential in Systemic Disease

Carlo Pelino, OD
This course will examine the ocular findings of systemic disease. It will also examine how systemic findingsblood work can alter the course of ocular disease.
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Ocular Trauma

Carlo Pelino, OD
There are approximately 2.5 million ocular and orbital injuries in the US per year. This course covers the four main mechanisms that cause ocular trauma and specific ocular trauma to the adnexa, anterior segment, posterior segment, optic nerve and orbit. Treatment for trauma and pain control mechanisms including the use of oral and topical medications will be discussed.
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Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Jessica Steen, O.D., FAAO

Dr. Steen is an Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, where she serves as an attending optometric physician and instructs ocular pharmacology. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry, a member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, and serves as Secretary on the Palm Beach County Optometric Association.

 

 

 

Maximizing Your Diagnostic Technologies: Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

Instructor: Joseph Sowka O.D.
Co-Instructors: Jessica Steen, OD, Greg Caldwell, OD

The OCT has become an important diagnostic instrument in eye care. The visual field is still equally important in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease. Advances in software and visual field testing have clouded the waters. This course reviews how to use the visual field in your office with proper and efficient techniques. Learn which test is fitting and increase your confidence in interrupting the visual field. Numerous visual fields will be reviewed via a case presentation style. The role of OCT and OCT Angiography are addressed with an emphasis in glaucoma management and neurological assessment. Additionally, proper optic disc analysis and use of fundus photography is discussed and case examples are presented where imaging technology contrasted with clinical anatomy.
Download Course Slides | Download Course Outline

Retinal Vascular Disease Update

Jessica Steen, O.D., FAAO
This course will provide an analysis of common retinal vascular diseases including diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and retinal vein occlusion. It will emphasize current and emerging therapies, imaging strategies and trends in treatment and management.
Download Course Slides

Joseph Sowka | Optometric Education Consultants

Samantha Toth, ABOC

Samantha is a professional speaker and marketing rockstar for Innereactive, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She grew up in an optical practice with multiple family members in the industry. An ABO certified optician herself, Samantha worked as a dispensing optician for eight years, as well as managed an independent optometric practice. In 2003, she started Innereactive, a full service marketing company that specializes in the optical industry. Her experience as a certified optician, along with her formal marketing education has given her a unique perspective on marketing, design, and website solutions for the optical industry.

Samantha is an ABO, NCLE, AOA, JCAHPO, and COPE Accredited speaker and she lectures across the country teaching optometrists and opticians best practices for marketing their practices. Her niche expertise led her to be named one of the “Most Influential Women in Optical,” and her company was named one of Michigan’s Top 50 Companies to Watch in 2016. She and her team work with laboratories, frame and lens manufacturers, and eye care practices all across the country.

Tips To Building A Positive Online Reputation

(Accredited for one hour of COPE-PM)

Samantha Toth, ABOC
Many aspects of online communication can either help your reputation or hurt it. This course outlines specific strategies to help always hold your to the highest standards of conduct, keep your private information separate from your practice, and know what you can and can’t say as an eye care professional. Easy to implement tips for participating in Facebook and LinkedIn groups, as well as online forums will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to participate in conversations with your peers and patients! This course is ideal for anyone who wants to start building their practice’s positive online reputation as well as enhancing their own digital footprint.

Increase Patient Loyalty and Overcome Purchasing Hesitation

(Accredited for two hours of COPE-PM)

Samantha Toth, ABOC
Patients have more choices for purchasing than ever before. It costs five times more to attract a new patient, than to keep an existing one, yet only 18% of practices focus on existing patient retention. For this reason, eye care providers need to focus on patient retention and overcoming purchasing hesitation to be successful. This course teaches your team how to listen and identify the most common patient purchasing objections, the skills necessary to overcome their purchasing fears, and strategies to retain and build loyal relationships with patients. Learn in-office patient experience strategies, as well as techniques to increase your average selling price (ASP) and the effectiveness of your practice’s marketing. Ideal for owners, managers, opticians, and marketing professionals.
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