Making Laser History at SCO

THE LATEST CHAPTER IN SCO’S 91-YEAR HISTORY WAS RECORDED ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 WHEN THE FIRST-EVER, IN-VIVO ANTERIOR SEGMENT OPHTHALMIC LASER PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED BY FOURTH-YEAR INTERNS IN AN SCO CLINICAL FACILITY.

While SCO had provided education for these procedures since 2011, this historic accomplishment was two years in the making. Under the guidance of Dr. David Hall, Assistant Professor, SCO’s curriculum underwent significant enhancement, including didactic, laboratory, and simulated clinical requirements in preparation for this milestone.

As part of a 20-year renovation project at The Eye Center, the Optometric Surgical Care service expanded to include a Service Area dedicated solely to the clinical education of future ODs in advanced primary care procedures.

After months of work, the new area is open and being used by SCO’s fourth-year interns in the lower level of The Eye Center. BRIE HUGHES, OD

’23, and MARIA LAYTON, OD ’23, were SCO’s first students to provide laser care to patients under the direct supervision of SCO Consulting Medical Faculty member John Linn, MD, from Eye Specialty Group.

Hughes became the first SCO student to perform a Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty on a patient in The Eye Center, while Layton performed the first YAG Capsulotomy, both major milestones in the annals of SCO’s optometric education history.

In addition to these procedures, expanded pre-operative cataract care and IntraOcular (IOL) selection is also being performed in the new Optometric Surgical Service area by fourth-year interns, faculty, and residents.

Two weeks ahead of their fourth-year commencement ceremony, four interns from Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio spent the afternoon providing laser care to a group of waiting patients.

Springhill, Tennessee native ETHAN GERSTEIN, OD ’23, decided to move permanently to Oklahoma after graduation. There his SCO training will allow him to use what he’s learned in a Tulsa practice alongside other SCO alumni, Brandon Hadel,

OD ’15, and Haley Baldridge, OD ’18.

Another 2023 graduate who benefited from her fourthyear externship exposure to laser procedures was HANNAH FAIRCHILD, OD The practice she’s joining

GARBER, OD, will be practicing in Mississippi, where she also looks forward to utilizing her YAG training.

ADAM REICHERT, OD ’23, was planning to practice in Ohio, where ODs have yet to receive laser privileges, but in Arkansas had asked if she was comfortable doing advanced procedures.

“At first I wasn’t confident or very sure, but after I had done one each of an SLT and YAG procedure here at The Eye Center, I realized that I could do it, that I knew what I was doing,” Fairchild said.

“I’ve practiced enough that this experience solidified that for me. I’m going to be fine doing it in practice. I went from thinking of doing it maybe off in the future, and now I’m going to get licensed for it this summer.”

A third member of the Class of 2023, MARY HANNAH he’s exploring the potential of practicing some in nearby Indiana where ODs can also use YAG Capsulotomy.

Dr. James E. Venable (’89), SCO’s Vice President for Clinical Programs, expressed appreciation to all our faculty and staff involved in preparing SCO for this new leading-edge training, including Drs. David Hall, Brian Knight (’14), Scott Ensor (’01), Mary Hoang (‘14), and John Linn, MD.

Here’s to the first of many advanced procedure learning opportunities at SCO as more states continue to advance their scope of practice legislation.