The Year in Review
The following are highlights from the 2023-24 fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024).
Vision Health Equity Summit
In December 2023, NECO welcomed renowned experts in health equity, public health, and the eye care industry to its Beacon Street campus for the inaugural Vision Health Equity Summit. The event was an opportunity to hear from health equity advocates about the pressing issues of vision health; how vision loss creates disabilities resulting in further societal inequities; and how professionals might create pathways to a more equitable future. Core to the discussions was the overwhelming need for healthcare providers across all areas of practice to understand the impact that poor vision health has on patients and their quality of life. As a result of a panel discussion featuring Dr. Shei sharing insights about a lack of vision screenings for children in schools in Southbridge, MA, 20/20 OnSite made mobile van visits to three schools.
Faculty News
Dr. Nicole Ross ’11 was named a 2023 Centennial William C. Ezell Fellow by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF). Her extensive research in the field of low vision and dedication to accessible eye care have earned her this prestigious title and award. Dr. Ross is the latest NECO-affiliated recipient of an Ezell Fellowship, along with fellow alumna Dr. Kierstyn Napier-Dovorany ’05 who is currently an Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor at Indiana University, Bloomington.
Impact at AAO Annual Meeting
The American Academy of Optometry’s (AAO) Annual Meeting, or “Academy” as it has become known, was held in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2023 with over 7,000 attendees. NECO faculty and residents stood out as leaders during the industry meeting as they presented 26 lectures and poster presentations and were honored with several industry awards. With over 200 attendees, NECO’s Alumni Reception welcomed alumni, students, faculty and residents to the 2023 Academy. “Hosting this year’s reception was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to meet students and connect with colleagues,” shares NECO’s Alumni Relations Liaison Dr. Alina Reznik ’16. “We successfully raised over $7,300 for student scholarships and were able to celebrate the accomplishments of our NECO community members who started new career journeys, welcomed new additions to their family, and even had their research published.”
Federal Advocacy Work
Aubrey Gall (Class of 2025) and her NECO classmates were part of a 500+ group of doctors, optometry students, and affiliate leaders who participated in the American Optometry Association (AOA) on Capitol Hill, AOA’s single-largest annual advocacy event that consists of a three-day fly-in to deliver optometry’s priorities. Priorities include: health and vision plan abuse, protecting veterans’ access to eye care, Medicare payment reform, and ensuring a safer and simpler prescription verification system.
Welcome Home, Alumni!
Over 75 NECO alumni from ten different graduating classes gathered at Beacon Street on April 6, 2024 to commemorate the college’s inaugural reunion event. This was the first in-person reunion since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Attendees from the classes of 1983, 1984, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2013, and 2014 participated in a special Continuing Education session taught by fellow alumni: Marc Bloomenstein, OD ’94; Steven Ferrucci, OD ’94; and Roxanne Achong-Coan, OD ’98. Topics covered during the session included dry eye, geographic atrophy, and scleral lenses. The session was also broadcast to an online audience of health providers from across the country.
Honoring Our Employees
Tecleab “Tec” Neguse has been at NECO since 1988. Today, he serves as the Manager of Building & Grounds and Safety & Security. “I can’t think of NECO without also thinking of Tec,” said Traci Logan, Executive Vice President and COO. “He has been the backbone of this campus for 36 years and leads by quiet example, showing us all how to be better employees.” If you have been around NECO at any point over the last three decades, you have come into contact with Tec or his work. Our historic buildings shine and remain in their historic splendor thanks to Tec and his team.
The Health Center Experience
NECO requires all optometry doctorate (OD) students to complete a rotation at both a community health center (CHC) and a Veterans Affairs (VA) center as part of their graduation requirements. These rotations provide students with valuable insights into delivering eye care services to diverse communities with varying needs. Purva Atreay, Class of 2025, noted: “I have learned many lessons while working at community health centers. The most important is the importance of establishing trust by effectively communicating with your patients. My patients may not know English, which can be very daunting, so taking a few extra minutes to make the patient feel comfortable makes a big difference. When possible, I try to communicate with patients in their native language and make an effort to understand their thoughts and experiences.”
Viewing Cosmic History (Safely)
Like millions of people across North America in April 2024, more than 300 NECO community members gathered in front of 424 Beacon Street to look up at the sun (with proper eye coverage, of course) to witness a solar eclipse that only appears twice per century. NECO provided expert commentary to Boston media outlets related to safely viewing the eclipse. As the sky darkened and the temperature dropped a bit, the solar event left all those watching in awe. NECO made sure to pass out ISO-certified specialized solar filters, also known as “eclipse glasses,” to ensure all participants avoided solar retinopathy or photokeratitis.
Industry Collaborative 2023
The New England College of Optometry (NECO) welcomed over 120 guests from the eye care industry, professional organizations, health care, academia, and media to the Beacon Street Campus on August 21 and at Artists for Humanity on August 22 for the third annual NECO Industry Collaborative. The event brought together people who typically compete or may not otherwise interact, to connect, debate, and deliberate the challenging topic of supply and demand in optometry.
The Year in Research
Dr. Ross, Gobeille, and Malkin took part in “Outcomes of Telerehabilitation Versus In-Office Training With Magnification Devices for Low Vision: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” published in Translational Vision Science and Technology Journal.
Dr. He contributed to the research “Refractive Status and Biometric Characteristics of Children With Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy,” published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science Journal.
Dr. Liu partnered with eight other institutions for “Using Choroidal Thickness to Detect Myopic Macular Degeneration,” published in the International Journal of Ophthalmology.
NEWS UPDATE: DECEMBER 2024
New Partnership for AI Integration
NECO recently announced a new strategic partnership with artificial intelligence industry leader Relativ to pilot a groundbreaking AI-driven simulation program designed to empower optometry students with critical salary negotiation skills as they prepare to enter the workforce. The interactive tool, powered by Relativ’s advanced artificial intelligence technology, provides students with realistic, scenario-based training in salary negotiation. By simulating real-world conversations with employers, the tool helps students build confidence, refine their communication skills, and learn to advocate for fair compensation effectively. The program emphasizes practical strategies tailored to the unique career pathways of optometrists, equipping NECO graduates with the expertise needed to navigate complex negotiations.