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ICO Board of Trustees member Stephen Pugh to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
ICO Board of Trustees member Stephen Pugh to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
The Illinois College of Optometry congratulates Stephen H. Pugh, a member of the ICO Board of Trustees, on being selected the recipient of the 15th Annual Jefferson Fordham, Daniel J. Curtin, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award. "Stephen is a worthy recipient of this honor and a valued member of the ICO Board of Trustees," said ICO President Arol Augsburger, OD. "On behalf of the ICO community, we extend our congratulations on this well deserved accomplishment." The Jefferson Fordham Award recognizes excellence within the area of state and local government law over a lifetime of achievement. Pugh will receive the award on August 3 at the annual meeting of the American Bar Association.
Service Chief Announced for Rosenbloom Center
July 17, 2012 (CHICAGO) — The Illinois College of Optometry is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric A. Baas, OD, FAAO, to the position of service chief for the Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center for Vision and Aging at the Illinois Eye Institute. Dr. Baas will also serve as a full-time faculty member at the Illinois College of Optometry. He will begin his new roles on September 17. Until then, he will continue as an assistant clinical instructor at ICO, a position he has held since 2007. Dr. Baas is also the owner of Marketplace Vision, a private practice in Chicago.
“Dr. Baas is well trained in the facets of eye disease as it relates to geriatric populations,” said Dr. Leonard Messner, executive director and vice president for patient care services at the Illinois Eye Institute. “Additionally, he has significant experience within the low vision arena. So he is somewhat of a unique provider in that he bridges the spectrum of primary eye care to the geriatric population with cognizance of the low vision options that are available to partially sighted individuals.”
As service chief for the Rosenbloom Center, Dr. Baas will be responsible for all clinical practice activities at the Center, as well as for all of the College’s service-related educational activities. Other responsibilities of the position include developing the Center’s marketing plan, managing quality assurance and compliance issues, and creating a continuing education geriatric program.
“As a fourth year student, I knew that I ultimately wanted to return to ICO in a role that allowed me to have the greatest and most influential impact on students, fellow faculty, and patients alike,” says Dr. Baas. “This exciting new position represents an ideal combination of clinical practice management and education, all the while paying tribute to, and continuing the legacy of, a true pioneer and role model in our profession.”
The Rosenbloom Center will ultimately have four essential functions: to promote optometry students’ and practitioners’ increased knowledge and understanding of the inter-relatedness of aging and vision care; to provide vision care, counseling and support services for older adults and underserved communities in and around Chicago; to develop ongoing relationships with selected geriatric care facilities in the Chicago area for education and patient care services; and to sponsor vision-related geriatric research.
About the Illinois College of Optometry and the Illinois Eye Institute
The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), founded in 1872 by Dr. Henry Olin, provides excellence in optometric clinical education and is one of the world's leading optometric institutions. Located in Chicago, ICO has a long and distinguished legacy as the oldest continually operating educational facility in the world dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists. The Illinois Eye Institute (IEI) is the clinical division of ICO. With over 95,000 annual visits, the IEI is the largest eye care provider in Chicago. For more information about the Illinois College of Optometry, visit www.ico.edu.
Optometry named Highest Paid, Low Stress Job by Payscale.com
Illinois College of Optometry Announces the Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center on Vision and Aging
Illinois College of Optometry Announces the Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center on Vision and Aging
CHICAGO — The Illinois College of Optometry is proud to announce the founding of the Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center on Vision and Aging, a new facility devoted to the vision care needs of the aging population.
The Center, located within the Illinois Eye Institute on the ICO campus, will ultimately have four essential functions: to promote optometry students’ and practitioners’ increased knowledge and understanding of the inter-relatedness of aging and vision care; to provide vision care, counseling and support services for older adults and underserved communities in and around Chicago; to develop ongoing relationships with selected geriatric care facilities in the Chicago area for education and patient care services; and to sponsor vision-related geriatric research.
“The over-8o population is growing four times faster than any other segment of the population,” Dr. Rosenbloom says. “ICO’s reputation in terms of current and future education offers the opportunity to elevate standards and raise awareness for providing professional vision care to this age group. This may lead in time to the development of a Geriatric Care Patient Service Model, including care for many underserved individuals in assisted living facilities and in nursing homes.”
The Center honors Dr. Alfred Rosenbloom and his wife, Sarah. Dr. Rosenbloom served as dean of ICO from 1955 to 1972, president from 1972 to 1982, and remains a distinguished professor emeritus. He was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame in 2010, and continues to be a leader in the optometric profession.
ICO President Arol Augsburger, OD, says the Rosenbloom Center is an exciting addition to the school. "To have a prominent ICO alumnus and his wife – and a former president of ICO – make such a significant leadership gift to ICO is transforming for the institution,” he says. “ICO will soon be the only optometric institution with a Center on Vision and Aging. This will emphasize and highlight our leadership position in optometry!"
An estimated 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older have a severe visual impairment. The rate of severe vision loss will double by 2030, mirroring the increase in the number of people 65 and older. Adverse effects of vision loss include an increased risk of falls and fractures; depression; and difficulty with such daily tasks as identifying medications, bathing and dressing.
About the Illinois College of Optometry
The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), founded in 1872 by Dr. Henry Olin, provides excellence in optometric clinical education and is one of the world's leading optometric institutions. ICO offers aspiring optometrists the education and experience needed to meet the challenges of a changing health care environment and become leaders who will champion for patients and the profession alike. Located in Chicago, ICO has a long and distinguished legacy as the oldest continually operating educational facility in the world dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists. For more information about the Illinois College of Optometry, visit www.ico.edu
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Illinois Eye Institute selected as one of 20 clinical trial centers for national study
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| If you see this, please contact the Illinois Eye Institute and find out how you can participate in a national study investigating NAION and potential links to PDE5 inhibitors. |
Congratulations, ICO Class of 2012!
We hope you enjoyed your special day. Besides the video highlights, you can also reminisce by viewing the hundreds of graduation day photos available on ICO’s Flickr photostream.
In addition to becoming a doctor of optometry, you are now an alumnus of the Illinois College of Optometry. Be sure to keep in touch with ICO by following us on Facebook and letting us know where you build your career by submitting a change of address form. You now have access to exclusive alumni services and resources, including ICO’s alumni directory, the library and career center to help you connect with ICO and succeed as a new optometrist.
Dr. Henry Olin founded the Chicago College of Ophthalmology and Otology.
Dr. James McFatrich changed the school’s name to Northern Illinois College of Ophthalmology and Otology (NICOO). Six years later, Dr. McFatrich developed a muriate of berberine-based eyedrop (Murine) and established the Murine Eye Remedy Company.
Dr. Needles founded the Needles Institute of Optometry (NIO) in Kansas City, MO.
Dr. Needles merged NICOO and NIO, moved operations to Chicago, and changed the school’s name to Northern Illinois College of Optometry (NICO).
NICO and the Chicago College of Optometry, the two most prestigious optometry colleges of the time, merged to become the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO).
Brady Hall was dedicated and ground was broken for a clinic wing.
The ICO Eye Clinic was renamed Illinois Eye Institute (IEI).
Dr. Charles F. Mullen became ICO's fourth president.
Dr. Janice Scharre '76 was named dean of ICO, the first woman dean at a school or college of optometry.
Dr. Arol Augsburger was named ICO's fifth president.
The College held its first “Focus on Your Future” week-long summer program to promote the optometric profession to underrepresented minority students interested in optometry.
The Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center for Vision and Aging was dedicated.