Home • Alumni • 150 Years • Class of 1970s Leave a Legacy at Illinois College of Optometry Giving Initatives Your Impact at ICO Make a Gift Gift Planning Welcome Class of 1970s As we celebrate our 150 years of Follow ICO's Facebook Follow ICO's Instagram Make a Gift You choose how you want your dollars spent at

an assistant professor at ICO, teaching third- and fourth-year optometry students in a primary care setting WA Stone, EA Ittner, BA Teitelbaum, LV Messner: Progressive, asymptomatic papilledema as the presenting

Diversity of faculty, strong clinical training, and established traditions afford students the best optometric Following graduation, he completed a hospital-based primary care/ocular disease residency at the Hampton Ophthalmol and Eye Dis. 2012:4 1-14.

Dr. Borish graduated from the Northern Illinois College of Optometry – a predecessor to ICO – in 1934. He served on the school’s faculty for eight years, including as assistant dean. He then established a private practice in Kokomo, Ind., and was instrumental in starting the Indiana University School of Optometry and the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. Dr. Borish’s influence has been felt at ICO and every other optometry school in the nation for decades. He authored numerous textbooks, including the much-used Clinical Refraction, and was granted five patents for contact lenses, including bifocal contacts. He was a founding member of the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Optometry, was a president of the Indiana Optometric Association and the editor of the Indiana Journal of Optometry. He served as adjunct faculty at several schools. When Dr. Borish retired from IU in 1982, he assumed the Benedict Professorship of Optometric Practice at the University of Houston. The school later established the Irvin M. Borish Chair in Optometric Practice, an endowed chair with more than $1 million of support. In 1995, Indiana University honored him by establishing the Borish Center for Ophthalmic Research. Dr. Borish received numerous awards during his career, including the the prestigious AOA Apollo Award for the visual betterment of mankind in 1968 and the AOA Distinguished Service Award in 1989. He was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame in 1998. Dr. Borish is survived by his daughter, Fran Goldman, of Dallas, Penn. #FatherofModernOptometry #IrvinBorish #obituary

The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) announces the planned retirement of Stephanie S. Messner, O.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, effective January 22, 2027, concluding an extraordinary 41-year career dedicated to optometric education, clinical excellence, and academic leadership. Dr. Messner has served ICO with distinction since joining the faculty in 1985, including the past 15 years as Academic Dean. Over more than four decades, she has played a transformative role in shaping the academic and clinical training of generations of optometrists. Her contributions span classroom, laboratory, and clinical instruction, reflecting a deep and enduring commitment to student learning and professional development. In addition to her extensive teaching responsibilities, Dr. Messner has held a variety of leadership roles throughout her tenure, including Primary Care Service Chief, Residency Director, and Assistant Dean for IEI Patient Care Education. Dr. Messner has been a dedicated leader within the broader optometric community. She served an eight-year term on the Illinois Optometry Licensing and Disciplinary Board, contributing to the oversight and advancement of professional standards. A longstanding and active member of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), she served as Chair of the Chief Academic Officers group and contributed to the Optometric Admission Test (OAT) Committee. She was also selected as a member of the inaugural Optometric Educators Leadership Institute (OELI), reflecting her national influence in developing future leaders in optometric education. A long-time contributor to accreditation in optometric education, Dr. Messner served as a consultant to the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) and later as a Council member for nine years. As Chair of ACOE for two years, she provided steady and thoughtful leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding the organization through a period of unprecedented disruption while maintaining rigorous accreditation standards. At ICO, Dr. Messner is widely recognized for her deep commitment to clinical education and faculty development. She has been instrumental in developing innovative programs aimed at enhancing student success and retention, strengthening academic support systems, and fostering excellence across the institution’s educational mission. During Dr. Messner’s tenure she also supported the expansion of clinical research program including the development and launch of ICO’s first Master’s degree program in Clinical Vision Research that runs concurrently with the OD degree program. “Dr. Messner’s career reflects an unwavering dedication to students, faculty, and the profession of optometry,” said ICO President Dr. Mark Colip. “Her leadership and vision have left an indelible mark on the Illinois College of Optometry and on optometric education nationally.” The Illinois College of Optometry extends sincere gratitude to Dr. Messner for her remarkable service and contributions. Her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of students, educators, and clinicians. A search for a new Academic Dean will commence in July 2026 with the intention of having a new Dean in place to provide for a seamless transition by the time of Dean Messner’s planned departure in mid-January 2027.

The following letter to the editor, written by ICO President Arol Augsburger, OD, appeared in the March 10 edition of Crain’s Chicago Business. We’d like to point out that there is much more to good eye and vision care besides measuring vision on