The MOD Pod

In the latest EMPOWER podcast episode, Dr. Jacob Lang leads a discussion with Dr. Dunbar and Dr. Garlich on how to integrate drops, lenses, and lifestyle considerations into a cohesive presbyopia strategy. From managing patient expectations to selecting the right modality, or combination of modalities, the conversation highlights practical approaches for improving satisfaction and long-term succes...

Podcast host Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, talks with ODs who contributed to MOD’s recent aesthetics issue. Haley Perry, OD, discusses the optometrist as a salesperson and how to bridge the gap between doing what is best for the patient (and the practice) versus allowing insurance to dictate treatment. Kianna Swanson, OD, then chats about the ocular side effects of cancer medications and t...

Marc Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, talks with Gina Wesley, OD, MS, FAAO, who owns a private practice in Medina, Minnesota. Dr. Wesley cold-started her clinic almost 20 years ago with an initial focus on contact lenses that shifted to dry eye management. She notes that dry eye treatment works in tandem with ocular appearance improvement—a win-win for patients. In this episode, she covers ocular aesthetic...

In the first EMPOWER podcast episode of 2026, Dr. Jacob Lang leads a conversation with Dr. Jaclyn Garlich and Dr. Melissa Barnett on the evolving role of contact lens technology in modern optometric practice. The discussion highlights strategies for fitting daily lenses, managing dry eye and presbyopia in contact lens patients, and setting realistic expectations to support long-term patient succes...

Podcast host Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, talks with Sierra Tisdelle, OD, FAAO, and Alison Mercer, OD, about their upcoming article, "Is It More Than Dry Eye Disease?" Specifically, the pair discusses the tips, tricks, and tests to keep in mind when you may be dealing with an autoimmune rheumatic disease, as well as the related treatments and therapies. Dr. Koetting wraps up the episode b...

In this episode, Marc Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, talks with Mitch Ibach, OD, FAAO, who practices at Vance Thompson Vision, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, an OD-MD tertiary referral center. The pair opened the conversation with what’s new and exciting in patient care, including a newly-approved presbyopia combination drop, carbachol and brimonidine tartrate (Yuvezzi, Tenpoint Pharmaceuticals). Dr. Ibac...

In this episode, Jacqueline Theis, OD, FAAO, speaks with Marc Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, about her work in neuro-optometric care. She describes the types of patients treated at her practice, including those with traumatic brain injuries, concussion, or stroke. Her practice also manages patients with eye movement problems associated with neurodevelopmental conditions. Listen to gain insights on how pr...

In the 2025 summary podcast hosted by Dr. Jacob Lang, Dr. Diana Chu shares practical, technology-driven strategies to streamline operations, improve patient flow, and strengthen team communication. Dr. Jason Compton discusses how independent practices can thrive through cash-pay models, automation, and creative service design.

In the first half of this episode, podcast host Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, and Carlo Pelino, OD, FAAO, discuss metabolic syndrome and the many ways it can affect the eye. Next, Dr. Koetting interviews Brandon Runyon, OD, FAAO, about the changing landscape of geographic atrophy management, including imaging and comanagement pearls. 

Damon Dierker, OD, FAAO, joins host Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, to discuss recent innovations in technology to help manage ocular surface disease. Dr. Dierker details his experience using Tixel (Novoxel), a treatment that uses controlled heat to treat evaporative dry eye disease by unclogging meibomian glands and enhancing tear stability. The two physicians further review additional technologi...

In the first half of this episode, podcast host Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, and Jill Gottehrer, OD, discuss the best ways to comanage patients with age-related macular degeneration. In the second half, Dr. Koetting talks with Steven Ferrucci, OD, FAAO, about new tools to help manage patients, including home monitoring, photobiomodulation, AI, and more.

In this episode, Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, invites Nicholas Bruns, OD, FAAO, to share advice for how to talk to patients about the pros and cons of different refractive procedures like LASIK, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and EVO ICL (Staar Surgical) implantation. Dr. Bruns reviews the potential advantages of ICLs over LASIK, and how to determine and educate the ideal patients for each...

In the fourth podcast episode, Jacob Lang, OD, FAAO, leads a discussion on functional vision testing, workflow integration, and real-world cases with Paul Hammond, OD, and Jason Compton, OD, FAAO, that demonstrates how advanced diagnostics improve outcomes and strengthen patient trust. The panel also gives expert insights into practicality and how to best incorporate new equipment with both practi...

Shora Ansari, OD, MS, FAAO, shares her perspective on advances in myopia managment with podcast host Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, in the first half of this episode of The MOD Pod. Then, Christopher Lopez, OD, joins to discuss the importance of understanding recent tax and student loan legislation that may affect optometrists from a financial standpoint.

Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, invites Brianna Rhue, OD, FAAO, to review current treatments for pediatric myopia control and share insights into how to talk to patients and their parents about this condition. Dr. Rhue also describes a calculator to help physicians predict myopia in children and slow progression.

On this episode of The MOD Pod, Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, welcomes Chandler R. Mann II, OD, and Nathan Schramm, OD, to discuss the value of contact lenses for patients of all ages. First, Dr. Mann discusses caring for contact lens wearers throughout their life, from myopia control to presbyopia management. In part 2 of the episode, Nathan Schramm, OD, focuses on treating keratoconus, i...

Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, invites Ryan Corte, OD, to the podcast to share his experience launching his podcast, building his personal and practice brands, and facilitating the education and mentorship of younger optometrists. Dr. Corte shares advice for how young optometrists can gain advantages in the evolving field of optometry, stressing the importance of live meetings, integrating new te...

In this third EMPOWER podcast, Paul Hammond, OD, FAAO, and Jessica O. Yu, OD, FAAO, FSLS, dive into the art of patient communication with Jacob Lang, OD, FAAO. From treatment options and managing costs to fostering relationships across decades of care, they outline how clarity and compassion can translate into loyalty, retention, and better outcomes.

On this month's episode of The MOD Pod Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, welcomes guests Eugene Shifrin, OD, FAAO, and Thomas Chester, OD. Dr. Shifrin shares tips and best practices for enhancing patient outcomes with light adjustable lenses, which he details in a recent article in Modern Optometry with Christopher Kuc, OD, FAAO. In the second half of the episode, hear Drs. Koetting and Cheste...

Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, invites Justin Schweitzer, OD, FAAO, to discuss collaborative care of patients undergoing refractive surgery. Dr. Schweitzer shares his decision tree for recommending specific refractive procedures in different patient cases, including LASIK, implantable collamer lenses, photorefractive keratectomy, and others. They also share pearls for managing patient expectation...

This month's episode of The MOD Pod features host Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, speaking with Sulman Hans, OD, MS, FAAO, Dipl ABO, about his article in the July/August issue of Modern Optometry, "Keeping Eye Care Where It Belongs," which offers helpful steps to steer patients away from ERs and urgent care centers and into OD practices. Dr. Koetting also has a conversation with Rebecca Mill...

Julie Poteet, OD, MS, CNS, FOWNS, joins Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, to discuss the role of nutrition in ocular health. Dr. Poteet shares insights into how she integrates the discussion of nutrition into each patient’s exam, highlighting the use of diagnostic imaging to show patients a visualization of their eye health. She also discusses the evidence and data behind food’s impact on vision.

In this second episode of the EMPOWER series, Ashley Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS, Dipl ABO, and Jessica O. Yu, OD, FAAO, FSLS, sit down with Jacob Lang, OD, FAAO, to discuss how to tackle the most common causes of contact lens dropout. With a focus on practical, evidence-based strategies, this conversation offers insight into improving long-term patient success with contact lenses.

On this episode of The MOD Pod, Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO,  chats with M. Shane Swatts, OD, about his recent article in Modern Optometry about men and ocular aesthetics and how the patient approach differs from that with women. Dr. Koetting also speaks with author Jessilin Quint, OD, MS, MBA, FAAO, about her article on the role of the eyelids and lashes in eye health and appearance.  

Mike Cymbor, OD, FAAO, joins Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO, to discuss collaborative glaucoma care. He shares how he helps manage patients with glaucoma in his practice, what he looks for when making a diagnosis, and how he discusses the treatment journey with patients. He also comments on the use of selective laser trabeculoplasty as first-line treatment and the use of MIGS.