London 2012 Education Destination Event

Speakers for London 2012 Education Destination

Paul C. Ajamian is a graduate of the University of Vermont and the New England College of Optometry. He moved to Atlanta and was instrumental in starting the Omni Center in 1982. Since 1984 he has served as Center Director of Omni Eye Services of Atlanta, the first Optometric Co-Management Center in the country. He is author of two textbooks, and is editor of Review of Optometry’s popular monthly column “Co-Management Q and A”. He is an internationally known speaker, and also serves as General Chairman of the Education Committee for SECO International, sponsor of the largest optometric convention in the country.

In 1995, Dr. Ajamian was chosen as the “Optometrist of the South” by his peers in the Southeast, and in 2000 was voted one of the ten “Optometrists of the Decade” by Optometric Management magazine and its readers. He continues to be involved in the Georgia Optometric Association in legislative activities, and is a past president of the organization.

Dr. Murray Fingeret, a graduate of the New England College of Optometry, completed a residency at the Joseph C. Wilson Health Center in Rochester, New York. He is Chief of the Optometry Section, Brooklyn/St. Albans Campus, Department of Veterans Administration New York Harbor Health Care System and is a Clinical Professor at the State University of New York, College of Optometry, a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, the National Academies of Practice, American Glaucoma Society and sits on the Board of Directors of the Glaucoma Foundation.

Dr. Fingeret is also a member of the medical eyecare committee, American Optometric Association. He is a founding member and past-president of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, and currently its executive vice-president. Dr. Fingeret is chair of the Glaucoma Diplomate committee of the American Academy of Optometry, the recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Service Award Optometric Glaucoma Society, 2005 Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal from the American Academy of Optometry, 1996 Otsuka Glaucoma Educators Award from the American Academy of Optometry and 1999 AMSUS Federal Service Optometrist of the Year award. He sits on the editorial boards for the Journal of Glaucoma, International Glaucoma Review, Primary Care Optometry News and Review of Optometry and has authored numerous articles and co-authored the texts "Atlas of Primary Eyecare Procedures" and "Primary Care of the Glaucomas". Dr. Fingeret sits on the advisory boards for Carl Zeiss Meditec, Heidelberg Engineering, Optovue, Pfizer, Alcon, and Allergan and receives research support from Carl Zeiss Meditec and Optovue.

Nick Rumney is currently in full-time private practice in Hereford. BBR Optometry is a standard setting (ISO9000 & IiP) and award winning independent practice (Optician Business Initiative 2008 and Independent Practice of the year 2008). He is a clinical advisor and consultant to Topcon GB Ltd, a visiting lecturer at Manchester University and a Visiting Research Fellow at Aston University. He has provided consultancy to Alcon, Spectrum-Thea, Allergan and Merck, Sharpe & Dohme. BBR Optometry was the first UK practice with a Topcon 3D-OCT and now has over two years experience of utilising this equipment in high street practice. He shortly anticipates qualifying as an Independent Prescriber.

In 2001 Nick was elected to the General Optical Council) and re-elected in December 2006. In April 2009 he became one of the four Privy Council appointed GOC members from an optometry background. He is a member of the GOC Audit committee.

Nick has published over 40 papers in optometric journals, including: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics, Optometry & Vision Science, Optometry Today, Optician, British Journal of Visual Impairment, British Journal of Optometry and Dispensing and even the odd letter in the BMJ and Eye. He is an optometrist member of Eyecampus, a multidisciplinary group created by Pfizer to promote and deliver high standards in CE to eye care professions. He has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) since 1995 and in 2008 was appointed to the International Admissions Committee for the AAO (a 5 year appointment). He is a Fellow of the BCLA and has recently joined IACLE. In 2011 he completed the didactic and clinical placement components of independent prescribing.

Following a first degree in biochemistry at Cardiff University, Professor Lawrenson studied optometry at Aston University, graduating with a first class honours degree. After a pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital he undertook postgraduate research at City University London, receiving his PhD in 1992. He then undertook a post-doctoral research fellowship in Neuroscience at University College London. He subsequently returned to join the academic staff at City University where he currently holds a Chair in Clinical Visual Science.

Professor Lawrenson’s research interests lie in the fields of ocular therapeutics and ophthalmic service delivery and he is director of the Ophthalmic Public Health research group at City University. Professor Lawrenson was extensively involved in acquiring prescribing rights for UK optometrists and the development of educational curricula for this speciality. He is has also been involved in the production of a number of resources to support therapeutic prescribers.

Jane Bell is a self employed optometrist with over 30 years experience in numerous different types of practice including multiple, hospital, health centre, independent optometry owned and dispensing owned practices. She provides a Primary Care Ophthalmology Service within a Medical Centre which was set up initially by the PCT Commissioners in February 2002. This has since survived 2 procurement processes with the backing of the local ophthalmologists, GPs & PCT managers, resulting in expansion of the service so that patients are referred from a larger number of GP practices and we are to become a provider through Choose & Book. Jane attained The College of Optometrists Diploma in Therapeutics, Additional Supply, in July 2006 & Independent Prescribing in July 2010.

Jane is currently a director of the AOP & chair the Optical Confederation Primary Care Committee. She began working for the LOC Support Unit in January 2008, soon after it was set up and is now one of the LOCSU Advisors as well being appointed the SW Regional Lead in April 2011. Jane also chairs Dorset LOC. She examined at PQE level for the College of Optometrists from 1997-2006 and has been an AOP councillor since 2006, being elected as a director in 2009.

Alcon is pleased to be the patron sponsor to the inaugural AOP/SECO Therapeutics Seminar and as a world leader in eye care, Alcon is keen to promote and support optometrists in their professional development.