An interactive panel, will discuss the professional responsibility that the three Os (optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians) have to inform and educate their patients about ultraviolet (UV) radiation during a UV Symposium on Friday, March 23, from 9:45 – 11:45 am, at International Vision Expo East in New York City. The UV Symposium (course code 2203) will be held in room 03 on level 1 of the Javits Center.
Moderated by Eyecare Business Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Stephanie De Long, the two-hour panel will explore the effects of UV damage, solutions to guard against exposure, and ways to get the UV protection message to patients and the community.
According to De Long, having all three Os speak at the UV Symposium represents a unique opportunity for eyecare professionals to learn all sides of the UV story and what they can do to protect their patients. “There are few topics that touch the patient care provided by each of the three Os the way exposure to and protection from UV does,” she said. “Whether it’s an MD treating someone who is now experiencing vision loss due, in part, to a lifetime of exposure to UV, an OD addressing the importance of UV protection during the exam, or the optician presenting UV-attenuating product, the importance of understanding and communicating the far-reaching dangers of UV exposure are critical.”
“As doctors we are in a position to make the most impact,” stated panelist Justin Bazan, OD, CEO, Park Slope Eye. “If we educate our patients about the appropriate solutions they will want to choose them. By making sure our patients understand why they need them, you will increase the rate at which they buy them.”
The panel is composed of members of the Better Vision Institute, the medical advisory board to The Vision Council, and includes: Justin Bazan, OD, CEO, Park Slope Eye; Joy Gibb, ABOC, optician, Eyes of Joy Mobile Optical Service; and Paul Michelson, MD, chairman of the Better Vision Institute.
Registered attendees will receive free patient magazines and education materials produced by The Vision Council, including a UV-focused children’s activity booklet and waiting room/community magazine, Under the Sun.
To register for the UV Symposium at International Vision Expo East, visit www.visionexpoeast.com/CE.
For any further information please contact:
Stephanie Sikorski
Tel: (703) 740-2248
Email: ssikorski@thevisioncouncil.org