Reflections on Fellowship So Far

With half a year behind them, current glaucoma fellows share their favorite pearls to date.

Viviana Barquet, MD; Gio Campagna, MD; Teresa Horan, MD; and Timothy Truong, MD

Glaucoma Today

VIVIANA BARQUET, MD Glaucoma fellowship is an exciting and challenging time that goes by faster than some may realize. As I embark on the second half of my fellowship, I am armed with several useful takeaways from my experience so far. Ask Questions During fellowship, you work very closely with your attendings, whether in clinic or the OR. Knowing the reasoning behind their preferences, treatment paradigms, and interpretation of glaucomatous disease will influence your own reasoning. Do not be afraid to ask questions or discuss challenging cases. Mix It Up Each attending has their own surgical approach, and, as a fellow, it is important to learn their different techniques. Not only will this allow you to curate your own preferences, but it will also be beneficial if you are faced with a case in which you must deviate from your standard approach. Additionally, familiarizing yourself with various surgical instruments and materials is important, as you may have different equipment available to you in practice. Developing a toolbox with a variety of skills and techniques will help you manage unexpected situations. Hit the Books Study and prepare for a case by reading operative reports or pearls you have jotted down, watching videos, or practicing in the wet lab as if you were going to do the case on your own.

Successful Management of Vitreous Opacities

Eyetube

Performing surgery for symptomatic vitreous opacities (SVO) was once verboten in retina medicine, but the field has seen a sea-change in mindset over the past decade. In this podcast, optometric thought leader Alison Bozung, OD, is joined by an esteemed panel of retina surgeons to discuss why more retina surgeons are willing to perform vitrectomy for SVO, what it means for their patients, and how optometrists can help evaluate and identify patients for referral. 

Want to Achieve Financial Freedom?

Follow these four tips suitable for any optometrist.

Aaron Neufeld, OD

Modern Optometry

As optometrists, we possess a wealth of knowledge on everything eye-related, but how do we become good stewards of the revenue we earn providing exemplary eye care? Truth be told, most optometrists would say they do not have a wealth of investing knowledge. This article aims to change that by sharing four helpful tips that have guided me and many other optometrists in achieving financial freedom. WHAT IS FINANCIAL FREEDOM? Before we get into the tips, let’s agree on what it means to achieve financial freedom. Simply put, it means having enough money and/or assets to live comfortably without needing to work. That is, while your residual income pays the bills, you can focus on what matters most to you, whether that means spending time with family, traveling the world, or continuing to serve your patients in the best manner possible. With disciplined investing practices, financial freedom can come much earlier than your enrollment in Medicare, despite what conventional wisdom might tell you. Consider the following four recommendations and you’ll be on your way. TIP NO.