ALUMNI

Camel Crossover Optometry

In Spring 2011, Richard Eisenberg, ’74 was traveling in Egypt. Richard: Since we travel all over the world, I always make sure I carry a variety of antibiotics, including topical eye meds like Zymaxid or Vigamox just in case they are ever needed. While in the Sahara Desert, I came across a camel with an acute case of bacterial conjunctivitis. His handler told our interpreter that the camel had been in pain for over a week and that his right eye was badly infected. Our guide knowing that I am an optometrist asked if I could do anything to help cure the camel's eye. I just happened to have a bottle of ophthalmic antibiotic and started the camel on an aggressive treatment regimen for 1 week. We received a call a week later as we were about to depart back to the USA from our guide that the camel's handler had called him to let me know that the camel's eye was completely healed and to thank me for my help. Unfortunately, the camel's insurance didn't cover my services!!!!!!

First-ever Transitions Finalist

Complete Family Vision Care in San Diego, the practice of Eric White,’86, was one of three national finalists of the first-ever Eyecare Practice of the Year award, presented by Transitions Optical. He and his wife Lorie were flown to Orlando for the very special Awards Ceremony held during the January 2012 Transitions Academy.

FNORA Fellowship Awarded

Derek Tong,’98 became the eighth optometrist in the world to receive the prestigious Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association Fellowship (FNORA). To receive this fellowship, Dr. Tong completed over 32 hours of Clinical Skills course in neuro-optometric rehabilitation; the extensive testing process also included 3 different presentations over the course of 5 years, an independent study and a written exam. His required peer-reviewed published paper is available on-line at www.covd.org. Dr. Tong was presented with this award at the NORA annual meeting held at Atlanta in April 2011 by NORA President, Carl Garbus, O.D., ‘80.  Submitted by Derek Tong, OD., ‘98

New Year’s Sky Diving

The twins, Dennis, ‘07 and Dixon Wong, ‘07 made 2011 New Years Day amazing with their first skydive. Dixon went first; the wide-angle lens photo taken by the instructor is of Dennis in the foreground. The skydive took place in Camarillo and the dive gave a scenic view of the Los Angeles Skyline and the Channel Islands.  In Dennis’ words: at 10,000 ft, we opened the plane doors and jumped to begin our descent over the next 2 miles.  The first 40 seconds of free fall at 120mph was exhilarating.  My instructor spun us in circles making both of us lose our sense of direction for the next mile. About 3 minutes after takeoff, we were at 3,000 feet and began to see the Pacific Ocean, Los Angeles skyline, the coast from L.A. to Santa Barbara, Mexico and the entire Southern California coastline.  At 5,000 ft, we pulled the parachute and floated for 7 minutes until we hit the ground.

Lucky Honeymoon

Dixon Wong, ‘07 married Anna on Feb 26, 2011.  Here’s the lucky honeymooner tale: Two days after the wedding, we departed for Japan.  We traveled throughout Japan along the southern coastline in the popular cities of Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Kamakura, and finally returned to Tokyo for the last few days of our Japan trip.  It was the beginning of March which is commonly a cold, snowy, and rainy month in Japan.  On our last day of the trip, March 9, 2012 JST we traveled by bullet train to the Narita International Airport for departure to the last leg of the trip, Taiwan.  I happened to glance at the electronic marquee while sitting in the Shinkansen train.  It read "Earthquake: North Connector Trains Stopped".  Later, I realized that this was a foreshock to the impending larger seismic event.  Upon arriving at our hotel in Taiwan for a 3-night stay, Anna turned on her phone to find quite a number of messages asking if we were ok, which surprised us, so we turned on the TV.  It felt unnerving to think that we were just there. We made immediate plans to change our connecting flight home from Tokyo to South Korea, and a few days later, returned home safely.