Eye Give a Damn!

In this episode, Dr. Allen sits down with Dr. Sweta Das, Clinical Assistant Professor at SUNY College of Optometry, to talk about what it truly means to be a lifelong learner in the world of eye care and beyond. From her early days studying ophthalmic technology in Ottawa to her current role teaching and practicing in New York, Dr. Das shares how curiosity, humility, and routine shape both her per...

In this episode, Dr. Allen sits down with Dr. Alison Bozung to explore the high-stakes world of emergency eye care. As a practicing optometrist in Bascom Palmer’s 24/7 ophthalmic emergency department and director of their optometry residency program, Dr. Bozung brings a wealth of clinical expertise, and a candid look at what it takes emotionally to thrive in such an intense environment. Together,...

Passing the Torch at Optometry Giving Sight | Dr. Allen Interviews Lois Schoenbrun & Donna Mikulecky In this inspiring episode of the podcast, Dr. Joseph Allen sits down with two visionary leaders in global eye care: Lois Schoenbrun, outgoing Executive Director of Optometry Giving Sight (OGS), and Donna Mikulecky, who had just stepped into the role. With over three decades of nonprofit leadership,...

In this episode of Eye Give a Damn, Dr. Allen sits down with Dr. Jason Compton — contact lens guru, business owner, and passionate AOA volunteer — for an inspiring and practical conversation that covers the full spectrum of private practice success. Dr. Compton shares his journey of returning to the community where he was raised to open a clinic in a highly competitive area. He dives into how he b...

In this episode of Eye Give a Damn, Dr. Allen chats with Dr. Jessilin Quint, an optometrist, speaker, and industry leader known for her innovative approach to dry eye care. Dr. Quint shares how she built a successful dry eye treatment spa within her private practice, Smart Eye Care in Maine, designing it to feel more like a spa than a traditional clinic. From curating a relaxing patient experience...

In this episode of Eye Give a Damn, Dr. Allen is joined by Dr. Neal Troyer — optometrist, educator, and co-founder of the Eyecare Republic — for a powerful conversation about the future of eye care and the deeper connections between vision, nutrition, and wellness. They discuss why Dr. Troyer helped launch a new independent ECP alliance and the challenges facing traditional optometry in the age of...

In this episode of the Eye Give a Damn Podcast, Dr. Allen sits down with Trudi Charest, also known as The Eye Care Marketer, to talk all things marketing, personal branding, and how eye care professionals can thrive in today’s digital world. Whether you’re an OD who owns a clinic or just looking to build your personal brand, this conversation is packed with actionable insights. Trudi shares strate...

In this episode of the Eye Give a Damn Podcast, Dr. Allen sits down with licensed optician and industry consultant Jackie O’Keefe Lincoln, who brings 43 years of wisdom and experience to the table. From her unexpected start in the field to speaking on stages and consulting in clinics, Jackie shares insights that will change the way you think about patient care. They dive into: 👓 How to build trus...

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Allen (@DoctorEyeHealth) sits down with Dr. Darryl Glover to discuss the power of personal branding in optometry. With a career spanning multiple roles—including eyewear consultant, optometric technician, office manager, and optometrist—Dr. Glover shares how his diverse experience shaped his entrepreneurial journey and helped him build a standout brand in the eye care i...

Andrew Kemp, OD, FAAO, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Houston College of Optometry and AOA’s 2022 Optometric Educator of the Year Award winner, who is providing hands-on education in a community-based clinic. Working with optometry students at a clinic in Dallas, Dr. Kemp is proud to provide a wide variety of care to an underserved population. His goal as an educator is to fost...

In this discussion with Dr. Joseph Allen (  @DoctorEyeHealth  ) he shares how getting fired from his first OD job was one of the best things that happened to him. He also discusses his journey to reinvent himself within the dry eye space to help his specialty contact lens patients. Learn about his practice’s core values, GIFTS: Generosity, Initiative, Faithfulness, Teamwork and Simplicity. Dr. Kad...

Roya Attar, OD, MBA, DHA, is a professor and director of optometric services at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Mississippi Medical Center.  For instance, Dr. Attar utilizes AI to manage her emails and as a scribe to help her focus on her patient while the program takes notes and fills in the EHR, which she reviews afterward. She discusses some of her favorite AI programs and differ...

 As the AOSA president at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Maggie Dunn has worked alongside members of the Ohio Optometric Society to advocate for the profession. She discusses her passion for scope expansion and meeting with legislators to educate them on all that optometry students are learning and what optometrists are doing in practice. Her philosophy for speaking to elected off...

J. Daniel Diaz, MD, and Diana Shechtman, OD, FAAO, work side by side at Retinal Consultants of Miami. In this episode, Dr. Allen interviews them both to learn how they work together to serve their patients. Dr. Diaz and Dr. Shechtman agree that success starts with mutual respect and trust in each other and feel that collaborative care is the only way forward. Listen in as they discuss their backgr...

Listen in as they discuss the benefits of vitamins, supplementation, and lifestyle changes for preventing and slowing down many diseases, including age-related macular degeneration. Professor Nolan is a world-renowned scientist and researcher based in Waterford, Ireland where he established the Macular Pigment Research Group and founded the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland. His current research i...

Dr. Jill Saxon shares with Dr. Joseph Allen how her officer training in the Navy helped her become the leader she is today and she shares the story of a specific soldier that helped inspire her to think big and give back. She then transitioned to private practice in her hometown in New Jersey, where she had the opportunity to work with Bausch + Lomb as a consultant. Eventually, B+L approached her...

Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, was involved early in the development of scleral lenses and is now considered a legend in specialty contact lens fitting. In fact, she was one of the authors to publish the first contemporary scleral lens textbook in 2017. She also spent four years in an ophthalmology practice, where she became certified in California to treat glaucoma. Currently, she serves as the Direc...

Viola Kanevsky, OD, was born in the former Soviet Union, but after a family “adventure” they settled down in New York City when she was a child. Like most optometrists, she worked in several modes of practice early on, but today, she owns a specialty pediatrics practice in Manhattan. She loves seeing children and considers it “play time” rather than an exam. Her advice for working with kids is to...

Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO, is an international optometric educator with over 2000 lectures given to date. For 22 years, he has been with the same practice, where he’s now one of the partners. He shares with Dr. Joseph Allen how he entered the speaking world by developing dry eye and contact lenses CE courses for opticians. His keys to success include putting in the hard work to truly master the conten...

Dr. Cory Lappin knew as an optometry student that he found his passion for dry eye, cornea and anterior segment disease as his fellow students commonly complained about symptoms of dry eye. After completing his residency at Cincinnati Eye Institute, he was fortunate to join Phoenix Eye Care and Dry Eye Center of Arizona, where he was mentored by the legendary Dr. Art Epstein. Since publishing the...

Mark Schaeffer, OD, FAAO, was born into eyecare and worked every job possible in the family practice before going to optometry school after earning an undergrad degree in marketing. As part of MyEyeDr, Dr. Schaeffer is the Clinical Excellence Captain, helping onboard new doctors in the group. He firmly believes that optometrists need to prioritize their expertise and invest in “chair time” with ea...

 Currently practicing at a multi-disciplinary brain injury center in Virginia, Dr. Theis discusses her personal journey to finding her clinical subspecialty. As an athlete who suffered a lot of concussions when she was younger, she had trouble reading for more than five minutes at a time. Then, while exploring other fields during her pre-med studies, she had her first visit with an optometrist who...

Dr. Whitley wears many hats as a practicing optometrist at Virginia Eye Consultants, where he also serves as Director of Professional Relations and Education and Regional Medical Director. Since graduating around the same time Restasis hit the market, Dr. Whitley has been at the forefront of recent research and innovation in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye disease. In fact, he’s been involv...

Justin Schweitzer, OD, FAAO, is a leader at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, SD, focused on managing glaucoma, anterior segment disease, and pre-operative cataract and glaucoma care alongside his surgical partners. Since Dr. Schweitzer sees glaucoma diagnosis as a puzzle with multiple pieces beyond pressure, they discuss the latest in diagnostic tools, medications, drug delivery systems, at-h...

Dr. Bynum discusses the importance of incorporating new technologies and always learning to deliver the best care to your patients -- and build your practice and business. She realized early on that she had to be good at a lot things because referrals aren't always easy or convenient for her patients. She has developed strong relationships with other healthcare professionals in her town and surrou...