SOCIAL

  O.D. SCENE

THE PERSONAL SIDE OF OPTOMETRY

IN MEMORIAM

This special edition of “O.D. Scene” is dedicated to my friend, Professor Brien Holden.

Brien was a special person, a leader, a visionary, a scientist, and I could go on for pages. He had such a positive effect on so many people that I wanted to include optometric leaders’ thoughts about his life work in optometry.

Once, I asked a friend why Brien started the famous Australian party at the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) meeting, and my friend replied, “because he’s Brien.”

Here, optometrist Donald Korb provides an essay on Brien, and nine colleagues share their insights on Brien’s place in optometry.

Brien, we love you and will miss you.

Jack Schaeffer, O.D., F.A.A.O.,
Editor-in-Chief
O.D. Scene

A TRIBUTE TO BRIEN HOLDEN

Donald R. Korb, O.D.

Professor Brien A. Holden was clearly the most prolific optometric scientist of all time. He was unique in that he combined the insight to identify specific research areas with the development of a plan, relentless energy and a long-term focus to achieve goals.

EDUCATION/SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Following his optometric education in Australia, Brien obtained his Ph.D. in England. The two research areas he chose for his Ph.D. studies were the effects of contact lenses on the cornea and myopia control — topics that proved dominant and timeless in his career.

I was fortunate to develop a close relationship with Brien as a result of our common interest on the effect of contact lenses on ocular physiology. Our attendance and individual presentations at the same meetings provided me with the opportunity to observe and follow his steady rise in research and education. We were close friends for 40 years.

Brien would dominate any educational program, not only with his science, but also with practical information for the clinician. His casual platform style and “give-it-to-you-straight” method were part of his persona. Further, he was very approachable by all who sought his opinion.

1: Professor Holden at the launch of the Brien Holden Vision Institute 2: Conducting research at the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit. 3: Professor Holden attending a 2003 meeting.

BRANCHING OUT

It was remarkable to observe Brien evolve from a single investigator to collaborating with more than 80 colleagues to extend his scientific research from contact lenses to many areas of ocular research, and, more recently, to public health. He obtained more than $100 million to support these endeavors, carried out through his Brien Holden Vision Institute. This seemingly impossible financial support allowed him to pursue many areas simultaneously and to implement programs to translate his scientific concepts into clinical reality.

Once, I asked Brien what he considered his most important contribution, and he replied “corneal physiology and contact lenses, myopia and uncorrected refractive error.”

With regard to corneal physiology and contact lenses, he changed the culture of how corneal physiology and contact lenses are approached through his more than 30 years of specific scientific inquiry, which resulted in more than 50 publications dedicated to the oxygen and the metabolic requirements of the cornea. His work translated to contact lens materials. Now, virtually all contemporary contact lenses include a high Dk.

In 2006, he initiated a program at the Vision Cooperative Research Centre, an organization he founded, to study the prevalence and risks of myopia and to explore the possibility of implementing the “Smith hypothesis” to slow myopia progression. He was motivated by his understanding that high myopia was becoming the leading cause of blindness in a number of countries, including Japan. Subsequent publications hold the promise of reducing by three quarters the number of myopic individuals above -6.00D. In fact, contact lens manufacturers are working on new lens designs and conducting clinical trials for the mediation of myopia progression, encouraged by the hypothesis of Earl Smith, O.D., Ph.D., and Dr. Holden’s Vision Cooperative Research Centre’s publications.

With regard to uncorrected refractive error, Brien’s research and some 20 publications from 2003 to the present have been seminal in an area devoid of scientific data. The publications quantified the nature of this situation, the economic, societal and personal costs, as well as the expenditures to resolve the problem. This research was in collaboration with leading health economists at Johns Hopkins University and has had a major impact in obtaining more than $80 million from the Australian government to take the next steps.

In addition to his remarkable scientific activities, Brien was intimately involved with helping the underprivileged. He was a founder of Optometry Giving Sight, an international organization dedicated to reducing the prevalence of vision impairment because of uncorrected refractive errors.

ACCOLADES

As a long-term member and chairman of the Awards Committee of the AAO, I had the privilege of gaining further insight into the depth of Brien’s commitment and contributions on multiple occasions. He was the first recipient of the Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry, he received the Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award, and his contact lens contributions were recognized by the AAO Contact Lens Section’s Max Schapero Lecture and the Founders’ Awards. Further, he was given the Glenn A. Fry Lecture Award and the Charles F. Prentice Medal, the two highest academic awards of the AAO. Brien is thus far the only recipient of all these awards, and I predict these accomplishments will never be duplicated.

CHARLES L. SCHEPENS 2.0

Brien Holden is, without doubt, the most impressive analogue to Charles Schepens, M.D. His work was and continues to be the work of hundreds — those within his organizations as well as collaborators around the world. He had the ability to pragmatically focus his drive on achieving his goals. He was never deterred. His ability to directly provide the ideas, leadership and management of major projects in different areas simultaneously was remarkable. I believe his love of optometry and vision sustained his all-consuming efforts.

I can emphatically state that if there were an award for the optometrist who has accomplished the most in the modern era worldwide, Brien Holden would have no competition. He will be missed not only by the profession, but by the millions who have benefited and will continue to benefit from his work.

Thank you, Brien, for all you accomplished for so many, and thank you for simply being Brien Holden. OM

1: Professor Holden and the Vision Institute Technology Team.
2: Hanging out with Ed Bennett, O.D., M.S.Ed.
3: Professor Holden and pals at the AAO’s Australia party.

REMEMBERING BRIEN HOLDEN

“From the first moment I met Professor Brien Holden at the 1979 Bausch + Lomb National Research Symposium in San Francisco to the last time I had that privilege — at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium last January in Las Vegas — he was always a very charismatic individual who was also an extremely powerful speaker. Without a doubt, he has meant more to worldwide vision care than everyone else in our profession combined ■”

– Edward S. Bennett, O.D., M.S.Ed.

“Serendipity had Brien Holden doing his sabbatical at The Ohio State University College of Optometry during my third year of study. I volunteered, along with others, to be his assistant with his contact lens and cornea-related research. The experience launched me on my life-long interest in contact lenses and corneal physiology. It was also the birth of my habit of suddenly blurting out statements employing a bad Australian accent. Thank you, Brien for what you gave optometry. And a humble, special thanks for what you gave me. G’day mate! ■”

– Thomas G. Quinn, O.D., M.S.

“I do not imagine that when he and his colleagues founded the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit at the University of New South Wales in 1976, they could have possibly envisioned the depth and breadth of their future influence and the sheer magnitude of the now Brien Holden Vision Institute. Over the course of his professional life, Brien revealed himself as the quintessential visionary, leader, collaborator and humanitarian. His goal was to serve society through research. And he did. The abundance of career awards, which he received, pale in comparison to his actual contributions to society. We will not see the likes of Brien Holden again anytime soon. We honor him by believing that creativity, matched with passion for service to others, can transform our world ■”

– Caroline Blackie, O.D., Ph.D.

“Brien was a great man; imposing, intimidating and so authoritative — all on the surface. Once Brien got to know you, he was a friendly, magnanimous man, always with a smile on his face. He was one who always flew under the radar; he did so many things for the profession that the greater optometric community had no idea about. He provided opportunities for so many who are leaders within our profession today. Brien always inspired people to be better than they expected of themselves. He will be missed ■”

- John Rumpakis, O.D., M.B.A.

“I learned a number of important things from this amazing man. First, no one is perfect. Brien may well have been the most perfectly imperfect human being I’ve ever met. He was serious about the important things, but I don’t think he took himself too seriously — at least not that I ever saw. Brien may have also been the most generous person I ever met. To understand, all you need do is to look at how many lives he touched and how many people he empowered over his career. He literally shaped modern contact lenses and corneal physiology as much by creating opportunities for others as by himself. Finally, Brien put others ahead of himself. He understood his power and rather than using it solely for personal benefit, he committed himself to making the world a better place. Brien loved our profession. I hope he understood how much we loved him ■”

– Arthur B. Epstein, O.D., F.A.A.O.

“Brien Holden personified the larger-than-life image he projected. I had the fortune to work with him on some of his philanthropic initiatives and saw first-hand how he is revered in our profession. Not only did optometry lose a great friend, the underprivileged lost a voice for their vision ■”

– Marc Bloomenstein, O.D., F.A.A.O.

“Brien was a great visionary and an inspiring leader, who was instrumental in establishing Optometry Giving Sight as a way of ensuring that the optometric community would be at the forefront of global efforts to eliminate uncorrected refractive error and impaired vision. His passing has reminded us all of what an incredible contribution he made to this world and how important it is for us to continue our efforts to ensure that all people have access to the vision care they need. We are incredibly proud to have known and worked with Brien. He has left a huge legacy, which will continue to inspire us for years to come ■”

– Clive Miller, CEO of Optometry Giving Sight

“Brian Holden has contributed to the art and science of contact lens visual correction in a way that has no equal. He poured his heart and soul into contact lens research most of his career, and all of our patients have benefited in one way or another from his legendary contributions. Later in his career, he expanded his influence onto the world stage, such as [through] Optometry Giving Sight, where he spearheaded efforts to provide vision care services to impoverished peoples throughout the world. Not only did he have a professional interest in contact lens modalities, he was also the first optometrist in his native Australia to become certified in the use of Diagnostic Pharmaceutical Agents. Lastly, it was his appearance in the front row of our lectures that increased our stress levels much higher than normal. To have this world-class genius in front of you was quite intimidating and quite an honor! We will forever miss this giant among us, but will also forever appreciate his monumental contributions to our profession ■”

– Randall K. Thomas, O.D., F.A.A.O., & Ron Melton, O.D.,F.A.A.O.

“Brien exemplified the true meaning of visionary. He continually pushed our profession to address the true needs and concerns related to eye and vision care. He always required evidence-based outcomes to justify approaches to eye care, and through his research organizations brought some of the most important data to the forefront, which drove significant advancements. I had the pleasure of knowing him through the Brien Holden Vision Care advisory boards. I will miss him. These are very big shoes that now need to be filled if it is ever possible ■”

– S. Barry Eiden, O.D., F.A.A.O.