We just returned from the Virginia Optometric Association’s Annual Conference in Richmond. I am so proud of Anne, Michelle, and Ellie for their leadership of the Virginia Paraoptometric Association. Way to go ladies!

For the past eight years I have been on the Board of Trustees for the VOA. I have officially finished my term. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve optometrists in Virginia and hope I made at least a small contribution to this great profession while doing so.

Although I will always be here to help when the VOA calls on me, I look forward to focusing my professional attention more on InfantSEE^TM and children’s eye exams. This is a passion of mine, and we need to get the word out that every child needs an early eye examination to help prevent delays in visual and physical development. In Philadelphia this week at the American Optometric Association’s annual conference, I will be working on the national InfantSEE^TM Committee to help continue to build this public health program. 

For those of you aren’t familiar with InfantSEE^TM, it is a nationwide public health program that provides a no cost comprehensive eye assessment for infants between 6-12 months of age. Doctors of optometry volunteer their time to assess the infants. Diagnosing certain visual conditions at this age is critical to development of not only the eyes, but also gross and fine motor skills.

If you want to know more about infant or child exams, please call the office. Also if you know a group that would like to hear more about the InfantSEE^TM program, please contact me, and I will be happy to present it to them.

Wow, what a weekend! I am so happy to announce that Crozet Eye Care team members were the recipients of multiple awards and officer positions at the Virginia Optometric Association’s Annual Conference in Wintergreen. Here is the list. The abbreviations are Virginia Optometric Association (VOA) and Virginia Paraoptometric Association (VPA).

Dr. Franklin- VOA Optometrist of the Year

Dr. Franklin- VOA Immediate Past President

Michelle Layman- VPA Paraoptometric of the Year

Anne Souder- VPA President

Michelle Layman- VPA Vice President

Ellie Shields- VPA Treasurer

I am so proud of the Crozet Eye Care team!

I am honored to announce that I was elected to serve as the President of the Virginia Optometric Association (VOA) on June 22 during our 110^th annual convention in Williamsburg. As President, I will be the official representative of the VOA in its contacts with governmental, civic, business and other professional associations. I will also continue to serve as Virginia’s InfantSEE coordinator.

Eyes have been a passion of mine for quite some time. I can remember shining a light in my eyes in a dark bathroom to watch my pupil constrict and dilate when I was in the 6th grade. Since deciding that I wanted to become an optometrist, I have found many other wonderful reasons why this is the profession for me. It turns out shining a light in other people’s eyes is actually more fun than shining it in your own (my kids could have probably taught me that without the doctorate degree). Being able to help patients with not only their eyesight, but also with their general health is gratifying.

Optometry has changed a lot over the last 25 years. Once thought of as eyeglass doctors, optometrists now provide more than 70% of the country’s comprehensive eye care, including management of glaucoma, diabetes, and other ocular and systemic diseases.

I am proud to be serving Virginia optometrists as the President of the VOA and to be a part of such an exemplary resource for my profession that represents and advocates the interests of more than 85% of the Commonwealth’s actively practicing Doctors of Optometry. I am looking forward to my new roles and responsibilities as the head of the organization and to continuing its commitment to improving the vision care and health of the public.

If you’d like to learn more about the VOA and its mission, visit the website at http://www.voa.org – or feel free to ask me!