Why ICO?
ICO provides students with an outstanding clinical education. Our students receive extensive experiences in all areas of patient care including ocular disease, low vision rehabilitation, contact lenses, pediatrics/binocular vision, urgent care and primary eye care. Our classroom experience prepares students well for our challenging patient care environment, as evidence by our students' performance on the National Board and OEBC examinations. Although ICO is a "large" optometry school, we have a very close-knit community. When I first came to ICO as a faculty member in 1985, I thought that I would probably stay for just a few years. All these years later, I find that I still wouldn't want to be anywhere else!
Biography
Dr. Messner joined the ICO faculty in 1985. Prior to her appointment as Academic Dean, she served in a variety of administrative roles, primarily related to patient care education and residency programs. In addition she has been an active teacher in the classroom, laboratories, and clinical program throughout her career. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and has served in a variety of professional leadership roles, including the Illinois State Optometry Licensing and Disciplinary Board, the ASCO Residency Affairs and Academic Leadership Committees and as past chair of ASCO's Chief Academic Officer's group. She is a past Chair of the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education and continues to serve as an active Senior Consultant and member of the Residency Committee.
Special Interests
Primary Eye Care Accreditation
Education
2011, 2012 Pennsylvania State University, Academic Leadership Academy
1985 Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Primary Care Optometry Residency
1984 Pennsylvania College of Optometry, OD
1982 Pennsylvania College of Optometry, BSVS
1980 University of Pittsburgh, BS
Employed at ICO since 1985
Experience
1985-present Illinois College of Optometry
Awards & Honors
2023 AOA President's Award
1998 ICO Distinguished Faculty Member Award
1984 Wildermuth Foundation Scholar
1984 Alumni Association Award
1982 Beta Sigma Kappa
Professional Organizations
Fellow, American Academy of Optometry
Member, American Optometric Association
Member, Illinois Optometric Association
Chair, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
ASCO, Chief Academic Officers group
Senior Consultant and Residency Committee, ACOE
Publications
Reed K, Hoffman DJ and Messner SS: Specialization and Credentialing in Optometry. Optometric Education 28:3, 2003
Messner SS: Bacterial Corneal Ulcers. Optometric Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Onofrey (ed), JB Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1990; update 1997.
Messner SS: Corneal Trauma. Optometric Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Onofrey (ed), JB Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1990
Messner LV, Messner SS and Conto JE: Coats’ disease Clinic Eye Vision Care 1:3, 1989
Messner LV and Messner SS: Idiopathic preretinal fibrosis with concurrent cystoid macular edema Jrnl Am Optom Assn 58:112, 1987
