SOCIAL

  O.D. SCENE

THE ENTERTAINING SIDE OF OPTOMETRY

Q&A

The Ocular Surface Society of Optometry (OSSO) was formed roughly seven years ago to be the voice of ocular surface disease in optometry. Specifically, its mission is to raise awareness and foster the understanding and management of dry eye and ocular surface disease among optometrists, researchers, industry and the general public.

The OSSO has grown to more than 250 members, including 55 founding KOL members and a great board of directors.

I am pleased to announce here that I have been reappointed as the OSSO’s president, and we have a new web site (ossopt.net), a fresh newsletter and a wonderful executive board.

Speaking of the board, this month I speak with the following new additions: Amber Gaume Giannoni, O.D., F.A.A.O., William Miller, O.D., Ph.D., and William Townsend, O.D., F.A.A.O. Amber Gaume Giannoni and Bill Miller, long-time leaders in the field of dry eye disease (DED), were part of a wellness symposium that will change the way optometry approaches health care and the integrated health care model. As for Bill Townsend, I can’t think of a single O.D. who doesn’t know Bill and his long involvement in OSD.

Please consider joining the OSSO. The field of DED, in particular, is expanding with new medications and technologies, and the Society is here to help optometrists navigate this specialty.

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

KEY OSSO LEADERS WEIGHS IN...

AMBER GAUME GIANNONI, O.D., F.A.A.O., Houston, WILLIAM L. MILLER, O.D., PH.D., San Antonio & WILLIAM TOWNSEND, O.D., F.A.A.O., Canyon, Texas

Q: CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PRACTICE?

AG: I’m a clinical associate professor at the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO). I wear multiple hats including: director and co-founder of the Dry Eye Center (referral clinic); course master of two labs that teach clinical techniques and contact lens fitting; clinical investigator for the $7.5 million BLINK (Bifocal Lenses in Nearsighted Kids) study, and I’ve worked as a fill-in doctor for the past 15 years at a local private optometry practice.

WM: I currently practice at the Eye and Vision Care Clinic within The Rosenberg School of Optometry, University of the Incarnate Word, where I also serve as the associate dean for academic affairs. In addition, I’m involved in ocular surface and contact lens research.

1: Dr. Gaume Giannoni with Taylor (left), Logan (right) and husband Dave. 2: Dr. Miller enjoying an al fresco lunch with two of his daughters and son-in-law. 3: A Townsend family portrait at their cabin in New Mexico.

WT: The practice has two locations separated by a distance of 30 miles. The original was founded in Canyon, Texas in 1979, and my wife, a fellow O.D., and I bought the other one in 1999 in Hereford, Texas. We strongly emphasize primary care and see a lot of patients who have DED and diabetes. In addition, the practices work closely with local physicians to manage ocular injuries and emergencies.

Q: WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT IN REGARD TO OPTOMETRY?

AG: I am truly passionate about teaching the profession of optometry. I completely fell into the role of “educator” and thoroughly love it. Getting to watch my students obtain their view of the optic nerve for the very first time? There is absolutely nothing like it!

WM: I am passionate about educating the next and future generations of optometrists by helping to bridge the gap between basic and clinical science. My goal is to inspire a student’s enthusiasm in the profession and have him or her dream big. I am also passionate about providing solutions to patients’ contact lens and ocular surface problems.

WT: I am passionate about the advances made in diagnostic technology, particularly OCT. It lets us image retinal vessels in astonishing detail. I am also passionate about the pipeline of new contact lens technology. As a consultant for several companies, I have had a glimpse of the future, and it is exciting. Finally, I am passionate about teaching externs in our practice. They are young, enthusiastic and, for the most part, have been well trained. As a preceptor, I have the opportunity to hone their skills and, when necessary, identify and fill in the knowledge gaps. These are all reasons why I have not retired. It is just too much fun!

Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SPECIALIZE IN OCULAR SURFACE DISEASE (OSD)?

AG: Being part of a college of optometry, I felt this was one specialized area that was missing in our clinical care armamentarium. I saw several patients whose lives were completely turned upside down because of OSD and was able to see firsthand how much it affected them. I wanted to be able to do more.

WM: It comes from my work in the field of contact lenses, which require a healthy ocular surface to work successfully!

WT: When I was a student at UHCO, dry eye was hardly recognized or even mentioned, but we recognized that some patients obviously had something wrong with their ocular surface. Some of my professors were already exploring what was happening. We did all these odd procedures, such as impression cytology. As a new graduate, I listened to and read early research. I realized then that a lot of what was wrong with my contact lens patients had to do with their eyes and tears, but we, as eye doctors, had so little to offer them.

Q: IF YOU WERE ASKED TO GIVE A SHORT SPEECH ON WHY A DOCTOR SHOULD SPECIALIZE IN OSD, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

AG: We all chose to be doctors of the “eye,” and even mild problems with the ocular surface can affect absolutely everything from the way a person appears to others, to the quality of vision he or she experiences, to day-to-day comfort. Patients put their trust in us to identify and address these issues simply because they involve the eye. We can make an enormous impact on our patients’ quality of life by paying attention to patient complaints as they relate to the ocular surface, and you don’t necessarily have to be a “specialist” to do it.

WM: It’s a needed specialty that can bring you great satisfaction.

WT: Dry eye is, arguably, the most common ocular condition we encounter, and there is more than ample evidence that it degrades quality of life. You can change lives if you treat this well. I have been privileged to see some of the future technology and therapy. Believe me, the best is yet to come. We will probably never “cure” dry eye, but we will be able to treat it very well.

Q: WHY DO YOU ENJOY THE LECTURE CIRCUIT?

AG: Ha, I’m not entirely sure I do! I started lecturing simply to step outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself. I’ve always been a little afraid of public speaking. Whenever I’m preparing for a big lecture, I chastise myself and wonder why I ever agreed to do it. I promise myself never to do another one. Then, I complete the lecture, and I’m totally fired up! I can’t wait to do another! It’s a very strange cycle for me.

WM: I enjoy the interaction with other optometrists. Often, I learn as much from my interaction with them as they learn from me.

1: Dr. Gaume Giannoni and family on a ski trip.
2: Christmas at the Miller’s.
3: The Townsends on vacation.

WT: Honestly, I love to teach, and I get to interact with other O.D.s and M.D.s. It is something I really find challenging and valuable. Also, I enjoy the travel, sharing the podium with other O.D.s. and the preparation because you retain a lot of the information gleaned from your research. That has made me a much better optometrist.

Q: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AS A MEMBER OF THE OCULAR SURFACE SOCIETY OF OPTOMETRY BOARD?

AG: There is so much more we can do in the realm of ocular surface disease to improve quality of life for our patients, and I believe a lot of it begins with disease prevention. Sometimes, it seems that we have become a bit of a reactive profession instead of a proactive one. I hope my involvement with the OSSO board can help to shift the current mind set to become more observant and proactive in terms of diagnosing and managing OSD before it becomes disruptive to the patient’s life.

WM: I would like to help in providing relevant and timely clinical information to members of the Society.

WT: First and foremost I would like to provide accurate, up-to-date information about DED to my colleagues and inspire them to identify and treat people using that information. Second, I want to get as many people as possible to join our organization and benefit from the information on our website and future education we will present.

Q: EACH OF YOU PRACTICE IN A WONDERFUL SETTING; WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO RECENT GRADUATES SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE SAME?

AG: Find your passion! It’s incredibly rewarding to wake up every day and do something you love. If it’s your passion, it’s not “work.”

WM: Do not put a limit on what you can and cannot do — dream big!

WT: First, dream big, and then expend the effort to realize that dream. I am very fortunate. I was married to my business partner and spouse for 35 years. Actually, she is still my spouse, but the point is that she is a big dreamer too, and that affected how we practiced. We were always trying new things or purchasing new technology. And when we took on associates, they were of the same mind set. Secondly, realize today that there is no such thing as an indispensable employee. I wish someone had told me that the day we graduated from UHCO. For years, we tolerated an unhealthy, unhappy office environment because we thought an employee was irreplaceable. Finally, we learned the truth, head rolled, and today I look forward to going to work every day (almost). No one is indispensable. Bank on it.

Q: DID YOU EVER CONSIDER ANY OTHER PROFESSION?

AG: I briefly considered a career as a professional golfer. I went to undergrad on a Division 1 athletic scholarship for women’s golf. My dad offered to fund me for a year to see if I could hack it out there, but I decided my life would be infinitely more stable (and happier!) as an optometrist.

WM: Yes. I started off in dental school and quickly realized the error of my ways. Optometry had always been a very close second. The biggest upside to my dental school detour; meeting my wife of 30 years!

WT: Yes. I became interested in dentistry and might be a dentist today had I not encountered an O.D. who suggested I look into optometry. When I was 3 I wanted to be a cowboy, but that really doesn’t count.

Q: WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY, AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN?

AG: I have a wonderful husband, Dave, of 15 years and two fabulous girls: Logan (11) and Taylor (7). They keep us on our toes with piano, competitive equestrian riding, lacrosse and competitive cheer. For fun, I enjoy reading, I love to ski (but don’t often get the opportunity living in Texas), traveling and working out.

1: Dr. Gaume Giannoni hitting the links. 2: Dr. Miller and wife relaxing in Texas wine country. 3: The Townsends and friends on vacation in the Australian wild.

WM: My wife Lori and our three beautiful daughters, Bethany, Sarah and Emma. My wife is a dental hygienist, Bethany is married and has an MHA working at Texas Children’s Hospital; Sarah graduated from Trinity University and is working at a managed cloud computing company, and Emma is finishing her senior year of high school. For fun, I enjoy reading, watching sports and traveling.

WT: My wife, Janet, who is now retired, and our two daughters, Erin and Jessica, both married to tremendous men. Erin and her husband live in Dallas, and they have three children, Grace, age 4, Mary Catherine, age 3, and William, age 1. Jessica and her family live in Lexington, Va. She has a daughter, Sloane, age 3. For fun, we all like to get together at a mountain home we have in New Mexico.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE, BOOK, BAND AND ADULT BEVERAGE?

AG: Movie: “Gladiator;” Book: “Tuesdays with Morrie;” Band: I love all classical music, country and heavy rock; Adult beverage: Gin and tonic with double limes.

WM: Movie: “Hitch” (don’t judge); Book: “The Purpose Driven Life;” Band: Hillsong United and Todd Rundgren; Adult beverage: hot and dirty martini. A mojito is a close second.

WT: Movie: The “Lonesome Dove” TV mini-series; Book: “Undaunted Courage;” Band: The Beatles; Adult beverage: “good red wine.” OM