by Emiliano Teran, PhD | Oct 17, 2022
Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH)/International is an organization devoted to providing vision care around the world through humanitarian clinics.1 For its commitment to providing access to quality eye care in underserved communities, VOSH/International...
by Meng Meng Xu, OD, FAAO, and Crystal Lewandowski, OD, FAAO | Jul 11, 2022
Background Culturally competent care has become a pillar in patient-doctor interaction to reduce healthcare disparities. Cultural competence is defined as the ability to effectively deliver healthcare services that takes into account the social, cultural and...
by Ruth Y. Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO, James M. Caldwell, OD, EdM, EdD, and Anne Frankel, PhD | Jul 10, 2022
Background The term under-represented minority (URM) refers specifically to Black, Hispanic/Latino and Native groups that remain under-represented in education attainment and the science and engineering workforce.1 Research has demonstrated that when a critical mass...
by Melissa Zarn Urankar, OD, FAAO, Gregory S. Wolfe, OD, MPH, FAAO, FNAP, and Janette D. Pepper, OD, FCOVD, FAAO | Jul 8, 2022
Introduction In 2003, an Institute of Medicine report found that racial and ethnic health disparities are associated with worse health outcomes. The report also noted that provider bias, stereotyping, prejudice and clinical uncertainty may contribute to racial and...
by Edwin C. Marshall, OD, MS, MPH, FAAO, FNAP | Jul 7, 2022
Introduction Vision and eye care continue to be among the greatest unmet public health needs in the country, at a high cost to person and society.1-7 Poor vision and eye health can result in impaired cognitive, social and physical development, low academic...
by Angelina Tran, OD, FAAO, and Yun-Ting Lisa Huang, OD, FAAO | Jul 6, 2022
Background In 1976, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) integrated optometry into its healthcare system to provide important eyecare services to veterans alongside ophthalmology. Since then, the VHA Optometry service has grown significantly and now provides most...
by - | Jul 6, 2022
ASCO and its member institutions embrace the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism in optometric education and in the profession. Led by the Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee (DCCC), ASCO has been implementing a multiyear project focusing on cultural...
by Keshia S. Elder, OD, MS, MS, FAAO | Jul 6, 2022
This themed edition of Optometric Education focuses on diversity, cultural competence and cultural humility. A diverse and inclusive optometric environment produces many organizational and healthcare benefits. Diversity is associated with improved performance,...
by Aurora Denial, OD, FAAO, DAAO (OE) | Jul 6, 2022
It is projected that by 2050, the minority population in the United States will increase to the point of representing the majority.1,2 Additionally, a growing number of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transexual, queer/questioning (LGBTQ).3...
by Ansu M. Abraham, OD, FAAO, Shephali Patel, OD, MS FAAO, and Danielle Kalberer, OD FAAO | Mar 11, 2022
Background Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is characterized by subretinal, vascular lesions associated with serous and hemorrhagic detachments of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Typically, it presents as massive (greater than 4 disc diameters) subretinal...
by James Rogala, OD, FAAO | Mar 11, 2022
Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common condition which, as the name implies, results in acquired degenerative changes involving the macular region of the eye. The initial presentation is typically the focal deposition of abnormal amounts of...
by Zainab A. Muhanna, OD, Angelina Tran, OD, FAAO, and Bhagya Segu, OD, MPH, FAAO | Mar 10, 2022
Background This case report reviews the clinical manifestation of Bowen’s disease (BD) in a patient who presented to the eye clinic with a chief complaint of a “bump” on his eyelid. BD (ICD-10: D09.22), also known as squamous cell carcinoma in situ, is a precancerous...
