WASHINGTON, D.C.—More than a dozen eyecare community leaders have been named as Contact Lens Institute 2022 Visionaries. The group represents a range of practice settings, research interests, specializations and educational pursuits, with members based in cities and towns across the U.S. Every Contact Lens Institute Visionary has committed to helping raise awareness of contact lens prescribing benefits, as well as encouraging healthy wear and care habits. Visionaries will participate in initiatives that promote best practices, tools, data, and clinical and practice management insights through the Contact Lens Institute’s The EASY Way program and See Tomorrow research.

2022 Visionaries include:
 
  • Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, FIAOMC, Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
  • Melanie Denton, OD, Salisbury Eyecare & Eyewear
  • Darryl Glover, OD, Black EyeCare Perspective
  • Klaus Ito, OD, University of Virginia Department of Ophthalmology
  • Essence Johnson, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO, Black EyeCare Perspective
  • Elise Kramer, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, Miami Contact Lens Institute
  • Chris Lievens, OD, MS, FNAP, FAAO, Southern College of Optometry
  • Jennifer Lyerly, OD, TrueVision Eye Care and Defocus Media
  • Caitlin Morrison, OD, FAAO, FSLS, In Focus: Specialty Contact Lens & Vision Solutions
  • Mark Schaeffer, OD, MyEyeDr
  • Bridgitte Shen Lee, OD, FAAO, FBCLA, FEAOO, Vision Optique
  • Jason Tu, OD, Invision Optometry
  • Jennifer Wademan, OD, Bidwell Optometry
Earlier this year, the Contact Lens Institute announced the expansion of its The EASY Way (Eyes, Awareness, Safety and You) program to promote healthy contact lens wear and care habits. The year-round initiative provides the eyecare community with tips, infographics and companion digital resources for use in practices, all available from EASYWayProgram.org
 
On Thursday, March 3, four of the 2022 Visionaries will present “Making Contact Lens Compliance Stick: EASY Insights, Tips & Tools from Visionary Eye Care Pros.” Live sessions, including participant Q&A, will be offered at both 6:30 p.m. EST and 6:30 p.m. PST. Registration is available for the earlier session at bit.ly/EASYWayEastern and the later session at bit.ly/EASYWayPacific.
 
In the coming months, the Contact Lens Institute will share details regarding new components of its See Tomorrow initiative. The program debuted last summer with custom-fielded data about how pandemic-influenced consumer attitudes and behaviors were affecting purchasing preferences, lifestyle choices and patient care.