William Feinbloom

Last updated

William Feinbloom (born Brooklyn 1904, died 1985) was an American optometrist considered to be a pioneer in the field of low vision, visual rehabilitation, and the development of low vision devices. [1] [2]

In 1936, he introduced a glass-plastic design contact lens, making them lighter and more convenient than the existing glass-blown lenses. [3] [4]

The Southern California College of Optometry makes an annual award in Feinbloom's name for a student showing outstanding clinical patient care. [5]

The Pennsylvania College of Optometry's clinic, The Eye Institute, operates the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center.

Related Research Articles

Near-sightedness Problem with distance vision

Near-sightedness, also known as short-sightedness and myopia, is an eye disorder where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. This causes distant objects to be blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include headaches and eye strain. Severe near-sightedness is associated with an increased risk of retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma.

Optometry is a health care profession that involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the correction of refractive error with glasses or contact lenses and treatment of eye diseases.

Optician

An optician, or dispensing optician, is a technical practitioner who designs, fits and dispenses corrective lenses for the correction of a person's vision. Opticians determine the specifications of various ophthalmic appliances that will give the necessary correction to a person's eyesight. Some registered or licensed opticians also design and fit special appliances to correct cosmetic, traumatic or anatomical defects. These devices are called shells or artificial eyes. Other registered or licensed opticians manufacture lenses to their own specifications and design and manufacture spectacle frames and other devices.

Southern College of Optometry

Southern College of Optometry is a private college of optometry in Memphis, Tennessee.

Vision therapy (VT) is an umbrella term for a variety of treatments based around eye exercises. The treatments aim to treat convergence insufficiency – for which there is supporting evidence – and a range of neurological, educational and spatial difficulties – uses which are not supported by good evidence.

American Optometric Association

The American Optometric Association (AOA), founded in 1898, represents approximately 37,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and para-optometric assistants and technicians in the United States.

An eye care professional (ECP) is an individual who provides a service related to the eyes or vision. It is any healthcare worker involved in eye care, from one with a small amount of post-secondary training to practitioners with a doctoral level of education.

Illinois College of Optometry

The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) is a private optometry college in Chicago, Illinois. Graduating approximately 160 optometrists a year, it is the largest optometry college in the United States and is the oldest continually operating educational facility dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists. The college complex incorporates more than 366,000 square feet (34,000 m2) including an on-site eye care clinic, electronically enhanced lecture center, library, computerized clinical learning equipment, cafeteria, fitness center, and living facilities.

George Jessen (1916–1987) was an optometrist who was an early pioneer of the contact lens. He is credited with being one of the first to employ the concept of orthokeratology, a direct attempt to reduce refractive error with the use of a contact lens, under the term orthofocus.

The School of Optometry and Vision Science is one of the professional schools at the University of Waterloo. It is a school within the university's Faculty of Science and is the larger of the two optometry schools in Canada. The School is the only English speaking Optometry School in the country; the Francophone Université de Montréal program operates in Quebec.

Optometry is a health care profession that provides comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes the diagnosis and management of eye diseases.


The College of Optometry is part of the Health Professions Division of Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida. The four year Doctor of Optometry program at NSU includes two years of basic sciences, optics, anatomy, pathology, physiology and pharmacology followed by clinical training in pediatrics, primary care, ocular disease, contact lenses, and rehabilitative optometry. This is the only Doctor of Optometry program within the state of Florida. The Health Professions Division provides a multi-disciplinary setting fostering respect and cooperation among the health professions of osteopathic medicine, dental medicine, pharmacy, optometry and allied health. Unique programs exist at NSU-College of Optometry including; a mini-MBA elective for optometry students, a five year extended curriculum option and a one year preparatory program. Post-graduation opportunities exist in a Master's in Clinical Vision Research (MSCVR), and multiple clinical residencies. Five clinic locations operated by NSU-College of Optometry allow optometry students to care for a diverse, south Florida, patient population. Students have the opportunity to participate in community outreach events and mission trips that have real social impact by providing vision care to needy individuals.

Marshall B. Ketchum University is a private university focused on graduate programs in healthcare and located in Fullerton, California. MBKU expanded from the Southern California College of Optometry which was founded in 1904. The university was officially established as a multidisciplinary university with the addition of School of PA Studies in 2011 and College of Pharmacy in 2013.

The University of California, Berkeley, School of Optometry is an optometry school in the United States. Berkeley Optometry offers a graduate-level, four-year professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry degree (OD). The School also offers a one-year, ACOE-accredited residency program in clinical optometry specialties. In addition, Berkeley Optometry serves as the home department for the multidisciplinary Vision Science Group at the University of California, Berkeley, whose graduate students earn either MS or PhD degrees.

The Center for the Partially Sighted is an American non-profit organization with the goal of promoting independent living for people with visual impairments. The center was founded in 1978 by Sam Genensky and two associates as an outreach program of the Santa Monica Hospital.

Karla Zadnik is an American optometrist. She is the dean of the Ohio State University College of Optometry.

Norman Rex Ghormley was an American optometrist who held leadership roles with the American Academy of Optometry and served as an optometrist for collegiate and professional sports teams.

Jan E. Lovie-Kitchin is an Australian optometrist, former professor at Queensland University of Technology and founder of the university's Vision Rehabilitation Centre. She was the co-developer of the Bailey-Lovie visual acuity chart.

Dr Heiko Pult is a leading expert for Dry Eye, Contact Lenses, Tear Film and Vision. He is CEO at Horst Riede GmbH in Weinheim and also owns his own research group named Dr Heiko Pult - Optometry and Vision Research, Weinheim, Germany. He is lecturer and an independent investigator of several research groups, companies and schools and author of numerous papers, articles and books. ResearcherID: I-3596-2015

Irvin Borish

Irvin M. Borish is an American optometrist who is widely considered the "The Father of Modern Optometry". Even though he entered the field of optometry because his family could only afford to pay for two years of college, he left a lasting impression in the field. He wrote one of the most renowned textbooks of optometry - Clinical Refraction. He worked to create several educational and research institutions for optometry. He also lobbied tirelessly to establish optometry as a mainstream medical practice. His contribution to optometry has been recognized through prestigious awards and recognition from his peers.

References

  1. Murphy, Rob (Dec 1999). "Most Influential O.D.s". Review of Optometry.
  2. Holmes-Walker, William A. (2004). Life-enhancing Plastics. Imperial College Press. p. 78. ISBN   1-86094-462-0.
  3. Robert B. Mandell. Contact Lens Practice, 4th Edition. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, 1988.
  4. U.S. Patent 2,196,066
  5. Graduating Student Awards, Southern California College of Optometry