Sandbox Stories - The Podcast

Scott Harris Shapiro is a leader in the US optical business, as owner and CEO of Europa Eyewear.  His parents started the business, which his father spoke of as a “people business,” and grew it from the ground up.  Scott has a history of being in the public eye - spending time in his early years as a stand-up comedian and radio personality, from which he learned business insights that he still uses today.  Ultimately his father's passing brought him back to lead the family business, in which he partnered with his father's long-time associate and best friend.  This includes the work they did to begin to manufacture eyewear right here in the United States, which is highly unique in the frame industry.  These stories and more are incredibly heart-warming and make this interview an instant classic.   The Stories within the Story include: 0:52 The Europa Eyewear Story 3:48 The Growing Years Story 5:39 The Stand-up Comedian Story 11:07 The Life-Changing Event Story 14:30 The Return to the Business Story 16:43 The Business Diversification Story 20:21 The Family Business Continues Story 24:20 The Family Story 27:26 The Relationships in Optical Story 31:02 The Vision Council Volunteering Story 34:53 The Great Advice Story

Dr. Sherrol Reynolds is full professor at NOVA Southeastern University College of Optometry.  Her perspective about the power of mentorship and its influence on her, and how she now mentors others, is powerful.  Her family emigrated from Jamaica and she grew up in Florida, where she considered becoming a physician but turned toward Optometry partly due to vision loss that hit her aunt.  She is past president of the National Optometric Association and shares insights about the value of that organization to the profession.  She is passionate about retinal care and education, and understands and supports the next generation of Optometrists as they go through their educational process.   The Stories within the Story include: 1:08 The Mentorship Story 7:35 The Immigrant Parents Story 10:40 The Going into Optometry Story 15:40 The Diversity in Optometry Story 22:10 The Optometric Educator Story 27:42 The Today's Optometry Students Story 31:48 The Today's Optometric Education Story 36:49 The Social Determinants of Health Story 40:54 The Access to Care Story 45:18 The Caring for Humanity Story 48:48 The Personal Joys Story

Dr. Dori Carlson's accomplishments in Optometry are stupendous, including a decade-plus of service  to the American Optometric Association which culminated with her serving as the first female President of the AOA.  Dr. Carlson has leveraged the values of her early days along with a commitment to continual personal and professional improvement to become an incredibly important part of the fabric of the profession.   The Stories within the Story include: 1:00 The Hobby Story 4:01 The Family Story 6:05 The Couple Building a Practice Story 12:02 The Growing Up in a Small Town Story 15:26 The Influence into Optometry Story 18:04 The Pacific University Story 22:26 The Volunteerism Story 24:34 The AOA President Story 30:30 The Observation of the Evolution of Education Story 34:49 The Masters in Leadership Story 37:48 The “Not Ready to be Done” Story 42:32 The Combating Apathy Story 50:43 The Story That's Never Been Told Story 52:42 The Motivator Story

Dr. Steven Lee grew up in Toronto, studied at the University of Waterloo, and attended the Illinois College of Optometry. A self-described “nerdy gadget guy,” he quickly became interested in disruptive technology that might support patients. He co-founded the company, Opternative, that eventually became quite controversial for its direct-to-patient care approach, and has had a career full of entrepreneurial journeys. Learn all of them in this episode! The Stories within the Story include: 1:21 The Influence toward Science Story 2:42 The Toronto Upbringing Story 6:20 The Interest in Optometry Story 9:17 The Early Career Story 9:57 The Opternative Backstory Story 14:52 The Opternative Story 22:46 The Opternative Evolution Story 28:12 The Opternative Controversy Story 31:13 The Opternative Learnings Story 34:42 The Optometry Studyguide Controversy Story 38:19 The Building a Family Story 40:21 The Evolving Businessperson Story 48:27 The Zenni Optical Story 49:53 The Online Optical Scrutiny Story 53:02 The Doctor-Patient Story 56:54 The Entrepreneur Story 58:48 The Patient-Facing Technology Story 1:02:52 The Prospect (or not) of AI Story 1:07:39 The Benevolence Story 1:09:33 The Future of Optometry Story

Dr. Linda Casser has had a career of service — to three Colleges of Optometry, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association, and the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.  Her career concluded with being granted Professor Emerita status in August 2022 from Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry.  She's an author, mentor, and industry leader, and someone I consider having established the bedrock foundation for modern Optometry.  Dr. Casser has always championed the powerful, positive impact of women in Optometry.   Her many stories weave together to demonstrate her commitment to patient safety, advancement of the profession of Optometry, and a steadfast view that Optometric education should continue to advance to best serve the patient.  Whether it's hearing about her being part of one of Optometry's first residency programs, or her role in leadership of the Indiana Optometric Association, or her efforts to lead interprofessional health care education programs, Dr. Casser has been a part of incredible teams that advanced eye care.   In this episode, you will hear about her long and winding road from graduation from IU in 1978, to PCO, back to IU, to Pacific University, and then back to PCO.  She shares insights about some of her colleagues with whom she partnered in various endeavors, a list that is truly a “who's who” of Optometry.  Dr. Casser is certainly one of those!  As a current member of the AOA Optometric Historical Society Committee, this set of stories are truly a series of important steps in the advancement of the profession, as influenced so positively by her involvement.   The Stories within The Story Include: 1:09  The Retired but Contributing Story 2:29  The NBEO Story 7:15  The Advancing Education Story 9:53  The Upbringing Story 11:47  The Path Into Optometry Story 18:09  The Early Optometry Residency Story 23:56  The Start in Academics at PCO Story 28:01  The Headed Back to IU Story 31:00  The Pacific Story 32:56  The Advancing PCO/Salus Story 41:59  The Academy Story 45:49  The Indiana Volunteerism Story 48:51  The ASCO Story 52:37  The Mentorship Story   Runtime:  1 hr 1 min

A 1993 graduate of NECO, Dr. Alan Glazier has spent a career in Optometry as an entrepreneur.  He worked in his dad's practice in his early days along with many other roles that found him starting businesses.  He learned business insights along the way, and credits his height for his accomplishments.  He self-taught to become a marketing expert, which led him to become the founder of the most prolific online community for Optometry, called ODs on Facebook.  He's an inventor, but also knows that failure is part of the road.  Dr. Glazier built a fantastic private practice, and also went through a sale to Private Equity while also doing business development for the buyer, Keplr, giving him an incredible context of its impact on the profession.  His Optometry and personal and family stories are inspiring and worth a listen!   The Stories within the Story: 1:16  The Metal Detector Story 4:03  The Family (and Dog) Story 5:11  The Growing Up Story 7:00  The Family of Optometrists Story 8:08  The Early Career Story 10:49  The OD Business Acumen Story 12:44  The Height Story 14:05  The Online Community Story 20:27  The FluoreSCENE Media Story 22:02  The Inventiveness Story 25:56  The NECO Passion Story 29:18  The Hope for the Profession's Future Story 31:08  The Private Equity Story 34:49  The Israel Story 36:44  The Bernie Cohen Story 38:04  The Phish Story 39:00  The Influencers Story 42:38  The Presbyopia Theory Story 46:02  The Managing Reviews Story 49:07  The Organized Optometry Story 51:05  The Challenge of the Future Story 53:45  The No One Knows This Story 54:29  The Appreciation Story

Raised on a rural farm in Maryland, Ed Buffington learned the lessons of hard work.  These lessons translated into a tremendous career in the eye care industry, where he was the founder of OfficeMate software and today serves as CEO of GPN Technologies, the company that brings the EDGEPro data dashboard to eye care professionals.  In March 2024, he was honored by Prevent Blindness as the 2024 “Person of Vision” in recognition of his incredible contributions.   Ed's many stories cover his start as a contact lens rep, as well as the efforts to bring OfficeMate to the industry.  He is a proud husband, father, and grandfather, and speaks about how important that part of his life is.  Equally important is the positive influence he has had on the many people that have worked with and for him.    The Stories within the Story: 1:14  The Building Friendships Story 2:31  The Growing Up on the Farm Story 4:31  The “Charlie” Story 7:30  The Plan to be an Educator Story 9:54  The Marriage and Family Story 10:25  The Salesperson Story 12:06  The Getting into the Eye Care Industry Story 14:14  The Creating OfficeMate Story 20:34  The Adding the EHR Story 24:40  The Marchon Partnership Story 26:29  The VSP Partnership Story 28:40  The GPN Data Story 31:15  The Mentors Story 36:40  The “Person of Vision” Story 40:57  The GPN VISIONS Story 42:23  The Incredible Teams Story   Runtime:  46 min

Dr. Ann Hoscheit is owner of EyeBridge Consulting Associates, after a long career in which she built two separate iconic eye care practices. She's a graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry. Dr. Hoscheit has been a trailblazer in women's leadership in Optometry. She finds true joy and prosperity in Optometry, and through these many stories she hopes that her colleagues will also. The Stories within the Story include: 1:11 The Midwestern Upbringing Story 3:29 The Mom's Example Story 4:55 The Inspiration from Matthew Story 6:36 The Getting into Optometry Story 8:39 The Incredible Husband Story 10:36 The Harold Varner III Story 11:15 The Novel Practice Model Story 15:15 The Women-Centered Practice Story 20:58 The Power of Mentorship Story 22:18 The Sale to Private Equity Story 25:10 The Specialty Center of Excellence Story 30:42 The Integrative Medicine Story 35:54 The Industry Supporter Story 41:18 The Eye Care Equates to Quality of Life Story 43:26 The Power of Influence Story 46:28 The Future of Optometry Education Story 52:34 The Reassurance Story

An Ohio guy who thought he would remain there forever, Dr. Rick Weisbarth became an internationally respected Doctor of Optometry who supported the profession through his role in professional relations for Alcon Laboratories (and formerly CIBA VISION) as well as a lecturer on a variety of contact lens topics.  He graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry and became connected with friends with whom he would provide career-long support of the American Academy of Optometry.  One of his unique contributions was involvement in the National Academies of Practice, which is a multidisciplinary group working to support each other's approach to caring for patients.  Dr. Weisbarth has been a leader since his days in the optometry fraternity at OSU, and that has carried through to his retirement during which time he has helped advance the Alcon Children's Vision Center in Fort Worth, TX.  His many stories are compelling because he consistently challenged himself to move out of his comfort zone, and the lessons that come from his experiences can be of value to all.  And - it's very important for the audience to know that Dr. Weisbarth was put on the spot when talking about mentors, so if he didn't mention you, please forgive him!   The Stories within the Story include: 1:08  The Cleveland Upbringing Story 2:58  The Advice Story 4:07  The Introduction to Eye Care Story 6:42  The OSU Optometry Story 9:40  The Leadership Journey Story 11:04  The Early Career Story 16:56  The Contact Lens Industry Story 20:23  The International Lecturer Story 22:01  The Industry Support Story 27:04  The Optometrist Insight Story 29:11  The Commitment to the Academy Story 32:50  The Volunteering Advice Story 35:50  The Lifelong Learning Story 37:55  The Mentor Story 40:12  The National Academies of Practice Story 44:35  The Alcon Children's Vision Clinic Story 52:42  The Hobbies Story 54:05  The Family Story   Run time:  57 min

Scott shares four pearls to building and enjoying a life well-lived, which is aspirational and to which we will be judged by others some day in the future

Dr. John Potter is a true treasure to the profession. A graduate of the Indiana University School of Optometry, he has been at the forefront of every major evolutionary step in Optometry over the last fifty years. After all of his time in Optometry, he used his intellectual basis to move into an entirely different career as an educator - now serving as clinical associate professor of dispute resolution and conflict management at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The Stories within the Story include: 1:20 The Gradeschool Essay Story 2:50 The IU Story 3:53 The IU Legends Story 5:18 The Dr. Irv Borish Story 9:06 The Mentor Story 11:45 The Push to Education Story 13:30 The Naval Optometry Story 19:55 The Treatment of a Foreign Body Story 22:36 The Dr. Henry Peters “Diagnosis” Story 34:40 The Therapeutics Story 36:07 The Dr. David Sullins Story 39:36 The Laser Vision Treatment Story 55:00 The Patient Advocacy Services Story 59:00 The Conflict Resolution Career Story 1:09:26 The 1990's Eye Exam Assessment Story 1:13:51 The Caring for Others Story   Run time: 1 hr 17 min

Dr. Vince Brandys has translated a Chicago upbringing in a family that served the community into a career in Optometry that has included deep involvement in professional advocacy. His words of encouragement to his colleagues to step up their support of the profession are to be heard by all.

In semi-retirement, I built a spec home in Orlando to get away from Wisconsin's winters.  In this Sandbox Story, you'll get perspective of how my experiences taught me something about how optometry might better manage its business to focus on the expectations of its customers.   Run time:  7 min 30 sec

Dr. Araba Otoo received the 2022 Student of the Year Award from the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA.)   She has started her practice career in a residency in the VA system, and is motivated to drive a global ocular wellness mindset into the profession.  As a child in Ghana, she malingered to get glasses when she was very young.  Her impressionable mind was pushed toward eyecare due to seeing her parents experience eye issues.  She is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Optometry and she also has an MPH from the University of Illinois - Chicago, all as a result of a journey that found her involved in a cancer research lab when her family moved to Chicago.  Her story involves a lot of surprises that did not turn out as she had planned.   The Stories within the Story include: 0:58  The Ghana Story 2:34  The Love of Cooking Story 3:59  The Malingerer Story 8:32  The Family's Eyecare Story 14:45  The Chicago Story 36:11  The Not My Way Story 37:02  The AOSA Student of the Year Story 44:05  The Optometry as Public Health Story 49:29  The Future Story   Runtime:  54 min.

Jay Binkowitz has used deep business acumen to drive a number of differentiated businesses into the eye care industry.   His path into the optical business led to building the most powerful data dashboard in the industry, EDGEPro.   The Stories within the Story include: 1:01  The Upbringing Story 5:45  The Hustle Story 8:30  The Optical Story 14:28  The Software Story 22:08  The Consolidator Story 26:14  The Charity Story 30:19  The Best Advice Story   Runtime:  35 min.

Lynn Lawrence is a career Optometric Technician, starting that role as part of a thirty-plus year career in the Air Force, and has built a consulting business for the eye care industry which teaches leadership.  His commitment to the profession is to drive advancement through learning, certification, and thoughtful leadership. The Stories within the Story Include: 1:08  The St. Louis Upbringing Story 3:38  The Family Military Service Story 6:20  The Deployment Story 10:49  The Ophthalmic Technician Story 14:52  The AOA Certification Story 21:23  The Mental Health Story 25:11  The Leadership Consultant Story 30:27  The Faith and Joy Story 32:45  The Best Advice Story   Runtime:  34 min.

Dr. Bob Layman has been the AOA President from June 2021 through June 2022.   This interview is the first one done with a sitting President of the AOA, and some of his best views are shared about how optometry must be politically thoughtful and mindful to stay successful.  Most importantly, Bob's true humility and drive toward service shines through.   The Stories within the Story Include: 1:16  The Toledo Story 2:43  The Mental Health Story 5:11  The Path to Optometry Story 8:23  The OSU Optometry Story 9:33  The Optometry Volunteerism Story 11:01  The Optometry Practice Story 12:22  The Optometric Association Story 15:18  The Optometry Advocacy Story 17:08  The AOA Presidency Story 20:14  The Family Story 21:14  The Scoutmaster Story 22:46  The AOA Leadership Institute Story 24:26  The Car Nut Story 25:22  The Best Advice Story

A North Dakotan, Dr. Nate Lighthizer has an incredible story about how he grew up doing fishing trips with his family, as well as participating in sports as a kid.  After graduating from Pacific University College of Optometry, he advanced his career to his current position on faculty at Northeastern State University College of Optometry in Tallequah, OK.  Dr. Lighthizer has had a tremendous impact on the profession by leading national courses on advanced optometric procedures, and his many Stories give motivation to all of us to continue to pursue higher levels of patient care.   The Stories behind the Story include: 0:56  The North Dakotan Story 1:47  The Family Story 2:52  The Power of Athletics Story 4:07  The Canadian Fishing Story 5:40  The Influence to Optometry Story 6:47  The Pacific Education Story 10:08  The Path to Being an Educator Story 11:48  The State Legislative Process Story 14:24  The Cherokee Nation Relationship Story 16:50 The Advancement of an OD's Mind Story 18:20  The Football Fandom Story 19:23 The Vicarious Pilot Story 20:18  The Optometry Lecturer Story 22:55  The Optometry Applicants Story 24:50  The Best Advice Story

Simply put, Lex is a deeply caring human being.  I've never met anyone, young or old, who is as able to connect with others as Lex does.  He's autistic, transgender, and loving.  This Sandbox Story has life lessons in it for every one of us.   The Stories within the Story include: 1:11  The Disney College Program Story 3:33  The Kentucky Upbringing Story 5:05  The Being Autistic Story 9:12  The Power of Identity-First Language Story 14:36  The Transgender Person Story 21:49  The Future Educator Story 24:07  The Mister Rogers Story 29:42  The #LoveLikeLex Story   Runtime:  43 min.

Dr. Sue Cotter is faculty at the Southern California College of Optometry, on the Board of the American Academy of Optometry, and co-chair of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group of the NIH. This Sandbox Story covers her views on optometric education as well as gives insights on her life's joys. The Stories Within the Story Include: 0:58 The PMMA Lenses Story 3:44 The Educator Story 8:56 The Education Advancement Story 10:43 The SCCO Story 12:12 The Research Story 15:11 The Residency Story 19:30 The Travel Story 22:14 The AAO Story 24:22 The Impact Story 25:14 The Book Story 26:48 The Advice Story   Runtime: 30 min.

From humble beginnings in Montana, to becoming a preeminent ophthalmologist on the new frontier of dry eye management, Dr. Laura Periman's many stories are incredibly motivational.  And as a human, rarely will you hear someone who is has as much empathy for others. The Stories within the Story include: 1:24  The Montana Story 3:50  The Motivation Story 6:48  The Medicine Story 9:29  The Insurance Story 12:44  The Instagram Story 13:30  The Pacific Northwest Story 14:05  The Sense of Home Story 15:19  The Survivor Story 18:17  The Working Together Story 22:16  The Innovations Story 25:58  The Cosmetics Story 29:55  The Communicator Story 33:18  The Volunteering Story 35:17  The Writing Story 39:46  The Clinical Advice Story 42:55  The Life's Joy Story   Special Links: https://dryeyemaster.com/  https://www.amazon.com/Collective-Carmen-Julia-Spoonemore/dp/1736972901  https://maraisreview.com/pull-tides/ https://maraisreview.com/second-bloom/

This Sandbox Story is an interview of some of the leaders of the Optical Women's Association, OWA.  Guests include Deb Bulken, Janelle Pauli, and Dr. Lorie Lippiatt.  Despite their long-standing history, they are a “best-kept secret” in the industry, and they deserve to be well-known and supported because of their powerful impact. To join OWA:  https://www.opticalwomen.com/join.asp  To contribute:  https://www.opticalwomen.com/individual-contributors.asp    The Stories within the Story include: 1:47  The Value of the OWA Story 6:13  The Mentor Story 12:29  The Passion Story 14:05  The Origin Story 19:10  The Mission Story 20:16  The OWA Deliverables Story 28:54  The Support Story 32:22  The Member Experience Story 39:40  The Best Advice Story

Dr. Janene Sims is on Faculty at the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Optometry.  She works with the Community Eyecare Initiative, an outreach service of the School, and has a tremendous commitment to humanity.  The Stories within the Story include: 1:00  The Farming Story 8:22  The Eyecare Motivation Story 10:00  The Advanced Education Story 11:47  The Community Support Story 14:20  The UAB Community Eyecare Team Story 17:03  The Recognition Story 18:01  The Communication Story 19:18  The EyeCare4Justice Story 24:06  The Singing Story 25:23  The Recruitment Story

This short Sandbox Story sends a message of thanks for life's many inspirations.  Included is a wish for us to take control of our lives from the negative effects of social media.  Happy Thanksgiving!

In this Sandbox Story perspective piece, I review the key takeaways from the book, “Why We Sleep”, by Matthew Walker, PhD.

Dr. Kelly Nichols is Dean of the School of Optometry at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the current President of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.  Hear her many stories including advice for ODs to implement management of dry eye disease care in their practices.

Richard Mangan, OD, FAAO, is a 30-year industry clinician who now does medical liaison work for Sun Pharma, and is also on the editorial board of ModernOD.  As someone who has studied the research on physician burnout, Dr. Mangan gives insights on his experiences with burnout, as well as potential methods to deal with it.  As October winds down the recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, this Sandbox Story looks to remind the eye care professions of the importance of self-care and emotional wellness.     Resources:  Dr. Mangan's recent article on burnout: https://modernod.com/articles/2021-july-aug/physician-burnout-and-its-implications?c4src=article:infinite-scroll. Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  800-273-8255 Suicide Prevention Lifeline Chat:  SuicidePreventionLifeline.org   The Stories within the Story include: 2:45  The Story of Interest in Burnout 3:42  The Story of Newfound Consideration 4:29  The Story of Defining Burnout 7:45  The Story of Indicators of Burnout 9:10  The Story of Reducing Burnout 11:00  The Story of Reducing Suicide Risk 13:02  The Story of Positive Life Adjustments   Runtime:  18 min

Dr. Moes Nasser is a philanthropic, globally-minded Optometrist.  From his family history, starting in India and then in Africa, to his successful practice in Houston, to his contributions to Optometry Giving Sight, Dr. Nasser's stories are sure to inspire.    The Stories within the Story include: 1:04  The Tanzania Story 6:04  The Childhood Vision Story 12:31  The Early Career Mindset Story 14:16 The Family Story 17:25  The Optometry Giving Sight Story 25:15  The Pearls of Success Story 32:20  The Love of America Story 37:20  The Optometry Threats Story 43:50  The Reading Story

Pierre Bertrand is an industry veteran and has an incredible ability to tell meaningful stories. His current role is with Neurolens.  Learn about his upbringing in Montreal, as well as what his grasp of fear has taught him.

This Sandbox Story features Brittany Ammerman, a fourth year student at the Penn State College of Medicine.  Her story is shared to show my Optometry colleagues the path of an enterprising young woman who was influenced to pursue medicine.  Brittany's stories are compelling - some are very relatable  - and others are simply fascinating, including the story about how an outreach trip to Africa to focus on women's health led her to found a women's soccer league in Kenya which resulted in the recognition with the NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2015.  “Sports, health, and women's empowerment” - these are what Brittany is all about.     The Stories within the Story include: 1:12  The College Hockey Story 5:50  The Coach Story 7:31  The College Decision Story 13:30  The Family Story 17:20  The Med School Influence Story 28:26 The Women's Health Story 44:38 The Peloton Story 47:19 The Mentoring Story   To donate to the Nikumbuke Soccer League for women in Kenya, visit www.nikumbukesoccer.org   Runtime:  58 min

One word describes Dr. Howard Purcell - passionate.  In this Sandbox Story, you will learn about his passion for optometry, fellow optometrists, music, and family.  I caught up with Dr. Purcell earlier in the summer when his schedule at the College became lighter, and we covered a variety of his views on optometric education, as well as his efforts in the optometry industry sector.  He's a leader, and this interview includes clear evidence and examples from which the audience can learn. The Stories within the Story include: 0:52  The Generational Story 5:32  The Optometry Decision Story 10:15  The Waterskiing Story 11:58  The J&J Story 23:47  The Industry Relations Story 29:07  The InfantSEE Story 31:18  The Essilor Story 36:56  The Family Story 38:48  The Traveler Story 42:50  The Positive Attitude Story

Dr. Justin Bazan is a recognized optometry leader on topics of disruptive, insightful business operations and social media strategies for eye care businesses.  In this Sandbox Story, he shares insights about his life experiences that have led him to where he is today, and also pearls of advice about how to contemplate the future of practice.   The Stories inside the Story include: 0:55  The Upbringing Story 4:30  The Wanderlust Story 5:22  The Becoming an OD Story 11:50  The Practice Story 21:03  The Social Media Story 30:32  The Younger ODs Story 34:07  The 2022 Look-Ahead Story 39:20  The Traveler Story 42:40  The Best Advice Story   Runtime:  44 min.

Dr. Stephanie Johnson-Brown practices in Chicago, IL.  She joined the practice of her late father, who had the foresight to build a clinic that not only served the community through primary eye care services, but also via a not-for-profit entity that assured that all children could be given the opportunity to vision therapy.  She talks about her time in leadership of the National Optometric Association (NOA), as well as her nephew, Larry Fitzgerald, who attributed his time in vision therapy to the development of his focus and coordination.  Also included is her sage advice about how to observe and communicate with patients.   The Stories within the Story include: 0:48  The OD Father Story 7:57  The Siblings Story 10:08  The Not-for-profit Story 16:21  The Nephew Story 19:54  The Public Schools Story 24:59  The Employees Story 28:02  The Advice Story 32:25  The NOA Story 37:27  The Functional Approach Story 40:16  The Life's Joy Story

EHR vendors are not eager to more deeply integrate with important third-parties that eye care businesses want to utilize.  That is shameful, and it's time for it to change.  Here are my thoughts, along with a little history of how I got involved in EHR during my career.

Dr. Brianna Rhue is the Co-founder and CEO of DrContactLens, an emerging practice performance software system.  Her commentary includes a review of her practice of myopia management, as well as personal stories including how yoga has transformed her.  Dr. Rhue and Sandbox Stories host, Dr. Scott Jens, take turns pointing out the critical need for EHR vendors to better provide access to a practice's patient information so third-party applications can be used by practice owners to improve their businesses.     The Stories within the Story include: 1:15  The Early Influence Story 2:21  The Spouse Story 3:10  The Myopia Management Story 5:08  The Questioning Myopia Management Story 11:40  The Yoga Story 14:38  The Traveler Story 15:51  The DrContactLens Story 19:07  The Entrepreneur Story 23:25  The Patient Control Story 26:22  The Technology Adoption Story 30:12  The Cost of Goods Story 32:00  The Challenges of EHRs Story 37:30  Scott's Editorial Commentary 40:05  The Connecting Doctor and Patient Story 42:57  Scott's Second Editorial Commentary 45:54  The EHR Vendor Statement Story 51:51  The Great Advice Story   Runtime:  54 min.

Remember the first time you were called “Doctor”?  This Sandbox Story kicks off with the pure joy of a new grad being called “Doctor” for the first time, and then wanders through a variety of topics that help highlight the rigor of today's Optometric education, as well as the preparation that new graduates make as they begin their careers as a Doctor of Optometry.  From student debt insights, to the power of a pre-career mentor, everyone will gain incredible insights.  The guests are 2021 graduates of the Illinois College of Optometry - Dr. Kim Fazio, and Dr. Chelsea Goodman.     The Stories within the Story: 2:00  The Student Leadership Story 3:45  The Becoming a Professional Story 5:23  The Patient Care Story 6:21  The Understanding Story 7:59  The Misunderstanding Story 9:52  The Student Debt Story 12:08  The Early Career Options Story 14:53  The Low Vision Story 18:09  The Pre-Career Story 18:50  The Mentor Story 20:23  The Clinical Education Story 21:43  The Research Story 23:12  The State Laws Story 24:18  The COVID Education Story 26:44  The $275,000 Debt Story 28:00  The Work Opportunity Story 29:42  The Honesty Story   Runtime:  32 min

This is a Sandbox Story Interview of tech entrepreneur, Dr. Nikki Iravani.  She developed the Eyexam app and continues to be on the cutting edge of eye care service.  She is also on the Board of "Women in Optometry", and has an incredible set of family stories.     The Stories within the Story: 1:08  The Iran Story 6:04  The Influence Story 11:17  The OD Women Story 12:15  The Family Story 17:00  The Boards Story 25:12  The Eyexam Story   Runtime:  40 min

Marge Axelrad is a true journalistic leader in the eye care industry.  As Senior Vice President and Editorial Director of Vision Monday, VMAIL, and 20/20, she has had a special perspective on the stories in eye care for over thirty years.  Learn about her psychology background, her appreciation for rock 'n roll, and deep love of her family and friends.   The Stories within the Story include: 1:12  The Fun Fact Story 2:45  The Traveler Story 5:04  The Pandemic Getaway Story 6:54  The Psychology Story 12:07  The Interesting People Story 15:55  The Eyecare Perspective Story 19:55  The Industry Lingo Story 22:02  The VM Global Leadership Summit Story 31:20  The Eyecare Consumer Story 36:11  The Vintage Collectibles Story 37:37  The Rock 'n Roll Story 39:00  The Best Advice Story

Dr. Andrea Thau is a committed optometry volunteer - having served as AOA President, as well as driving a new leadership concept.  She has also promoted the value of regular eye care services in her work with the American Public Health Association.  She is a compassionate, caring person who constantly cares about the wellness of others.   The Stories within the Story: 0:53  The Swimmer Story 2:02  The Ballet Story 3:44  The Movie Credit Story 4:53  The AOA President Story 8:41  The Mentoring Story 11:14  The Father OD Story 13:34  The Brothers Story 13:56  The Husband and Sons Story 17:34  The Female OD Story 19:40  The Practice Story 23:57  The Public Health Story 31:37  The AOA Topics Story 44:08  The Advice Story 46:02  The Wailing Wall Story   Runtime:  50 min

A residency-trained optometrist, Dr. Nwamaka Ngoddy practices in retail optometry locations in Atlanta.  Dr. Ngoddy created the Anwuli Eyewear line of frames and is making strong headway, despite it being the hardest thing she has ever done.  As a first generation Nigerian-American, she cares deeply for the community that her family has been a part of, and she has actively helped others through the Nigerian Youth Alliance.  This interview includes a discussion of the importance of finding impactful mentors and also mentoring others.    The Stories within the Story: 1:01  The Practice Story 2:27  The Patient Education Story 11:57  The Mentor Story 19:54  The Nigerian Parents Story 24:04  The Education Story 29:45  The Service to Others Story 32:18  The Anwuli Eyewear Story 41:51  The Advice Story

Dr. Richard Castillo has committed his career to Optometry - he is an educator at Northeastern State University College of Optometry in Tallequah, OK, and many in his family have gone down the optometry path.  He expanded his professional abilities by also getting an MD and doing a residency in ophthalmology.  Learn about his perspective on the advancement of optometry and his efforts to educate optometry students and optometrists, alike. The Stories within the Story include: 1:22  The Optometry Family Story 3:25  The Tulsa Story 6:33  The OD and MD Story 10:25  The Oklahoma Optometry Story 13:42  The Northeastern State University Story 16:05  The Ophthalmologist Story 18:21  The Optometric Education Story 21:35  The Optometry Advocacy Story 26:36  The Eye Care Equipment Story 30:08  The Optometry Scope Story 45:12  The Castillo Family Story

Dr. Ken Lawenda is a lifelong optometry volunteer, and brings a unique perspective having served on a number of optometry regulatory boards.  From his Bronx upbringing, to his work in photography, his many stories are quite enjoyable. (Apologies for slight audio imperfection in the first 45 seconds!)   The Stories within the Story include: 1:10  The Montreal Story 2:29  The Family Story 3:18  The Ongoing Education Story 6:06  The Technology Disruption Story 9:58  The New York Story 11:28  The Optometry School Story 13:39  The Practice Story 17:06  The Optometric Volunteer Story 20:33  The Regulatory Agency Story 24:11  The Telemedicine Story 33:59  The Patient-Driven Care Story 37:37  The Social Influencer Story 39:19  The Photography Story   Runtime:  44 min

Dr. Millicent Knight was born and raised and Optometry trained in Chicago.  After running an incredibly successful private eye care practice, she today serves as SVP of the Customer Development Group at Essilor.  These many Stories cover her upbringing, her commitment to strong parenting, and many insights that an Optometrist will appreciate.     The Stories within the Story include: 0:57  The High School Story 1:58  The Physician Husband Story 3:54  The Father Story 5:28  The Threat Story 10:05  The Chicago Upbringing Story 12:40  The Athletics Story 14:37  The College Travel Story 16:50  The Medical Practice Story 19:24  The Private Practice Story 24:21  The Helping Others Story 26:08  The Industry Leadership Story 30:30  The “Chief Optometric Officer” Story 33:25  The Holistic Health Story 39:15  The Parenting Story 47:53  The Optometry Advocacy Story   Runtime:  52 min 50 sec

Mr. Erwin Deutsch was born in Germany, where in his teen years his Jewish family endured the awful impact of Nazi rule.  He entered the concentration camp at Buchenwald, yet made it out after a month of despairing experiences.  As a patient, he shared his time as we discussed his many experiences, for which I am forever grateful.  He was a positive, powerful, thoughtful man.  In this Sandbox Story, you will learn his life's stories, including special perspective brought by his daughter, Renate Bennett, and granddaughter, Tamara Braun.     Runtime:  36 min

This Sandbox Story brings the perspective that I gained when I recently visited a FedEx store.  Not only did I get a very strong experience in customer service, but I also was leaned upon for some eye advice.  Every Eye Care Professional should take in opportunities to be in support of their neighbors, but also must always be on the lookout for great customer experience examples that they can share with their staff.  When these actions are done with great thought, it's how eye doctors can grow their businesses. Runtime:  6 min

Mr. Dave Brown is the President and CEO of the doctor-alliance group, IDOC.  Learn about his efforts to develop a leadership mentality through a trusting, listening approach, as well as his use of mindfulness to become the best leader he can be.  And be sure to watch for video of his participation in an 1980 television commercial!   The Stories within the Story include: 1:05  The J&J Story 2:20  The IDOC Story 3:31  The Understanding Optometry Story 4:45  The Private Equity Story 8:56  The Advisory Strategy Story 14:17  The Stonehenge Story 16:13  The Best Friend Story 18:18  The Segway Connection Story 20:16  The Mindfulness Story 22:27  The Great Place to Work Story 25:20  The Virtual Workforce Story 29:09  The Clinic Culture Story 32:35  The Family Story 35:00  The Acting Story 38:13  The Character Story 39:54  The Inclusiveness Story   Runtime:  44 min

Dr. Jacobi Cleaver is an inspiring Doctor of Optometry - an identical twin with a tremendous number of family stories, as well as an eye doctor in Baylor's community health center system. Learn about his commitment to increasing participation in Optometry by Black high school and college students through Black EyeCare Perspective. The Stories within the Story: 0:58  The Texas Upbringing Story 4:54  The Twin Story 8:26  The Go-Kart Story 10:20  The Parents Story 14:09  The Path to Optometry Story 15:30  The Resiliency Story 19:19  The Community Health Center Story 26:55  The Trust of the Patient Story 33:20  The Toughest Patient Story 34:27  The Spouse Story 37:05  The Pre-Optometry Mentor Story 48:17  The Life's Joys Story   Runtime:  52 min

This "Short" Sandbox Story speaks to the want to achieve a broader audience, with recognizing and appreciating those who have supported Sandbox Stories distribution to date.

Dr. Kenji Hamada has served Optometry, the United States of America, and his communities with the greatest of commitments.  This Sandbox Story tells his many stories of business and personal success.     The Stories within the Story include: 1:05  The Sharing Story 3:17  The Helen Keller Camp Story 7:43  The Music Recording Story 8:50  The Japan to California Story 13:50  The US Army Story 16:34  The Oregon Practice Story 19:12  The Optometry Volunteer Story 21:49  The Giving Back Story 23:39  The OOGP Story 28:45  The Retirement Story 31:55  The Family Story 34:04  The Saying Story

Mr. Gregg Fowler is another guest who isn't a Eye Care Professional.  He has spent his career working for industry vendors, doing incredible behind-the-scenes work to improve eye care practice, and he is also an eye care patient whose story will impress anyone.  More than anything, he shares a viewpoint of the power of eye care services that every ECP and eye clinic employee needs to hear.   The Stories within the Story include: 1:11  The Small Town Upbringing Story 3:05  The Brothers Story 4:30  The Movie Quotes Story 7:02  The Dad's Saying Story 9:16  The Sales Story 16:08  The Alcon Work Story 17:18  The Support of ODs Story 25:57  The HOYA Work Story 30:41  The Eye Care Patient Story 41:26  The Value of Industry Partners Story 43:25  The Battle for the Mind of the Patient Story

Dr. Larry DeLucas is the only Optometrist to have ever flown on the Space Shuttle - and that's enough reason to check out this Sandbox Story.  With two doctorate degrees and a deep knowledge base about the importance of optometry and science, you will thoroughly enjoy this episode!