Eye Give a Damn!

Jeffry Gerson always knew he wanted to be in the medical field, but having an aversion to blood and finding a positive role model led him to pursue optometry. Today, he practices at a collaborative OD/MD practice and is a prolific lecturer and writer who enjoys encouraging young people to explore optometry. He also partners with industry to help advise on new products and technologies, treatment protocols, and patient care. Over the years, he has developed a clear passion for the retina, especially caring for patients with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. When it comes to patient education, Dr. Gerson is most excited about finding disease early so that he can start the conversation with his patients to put them on the right path. He and his wife also prioritize volunteering and giving back to their community, from going on missions and providing free eye exams to co-chairing a charity event that focuses on helping people with addiction.

Eye Give a Damn hosted by Dr. Joseph Allen is produced by FluoreSCENE Media.

For more information on Dr. Joseph Allen visit https://doctoreyehealth.com/

Visit https://odcommunity.com/ to learn more about FluoreSCENE Media.

Episode 2: Lisa Ostrin, OD, Ph.D, FAAO, FARVO

Dr. Lisa Ostrin teaches human gross anatomy, advanced vision science and physiological optics at the University of Houston College of Optometry. She also runs a research lab focused on blue light and the environmental and behavioral factors that contribute to the increasing prevalence of myopia. Hear how school faculty is discussing the impact of COVID on the student experience and clinical studies and how academia will likely be transformed forever as a result, including the use of Instagram and TikTok to reach her students. Finally, “geek out” a little bit and enjoy a deeper discussion into her extensive research on both myopia and blue light.

Learn more about Dr. Lisa Ostrin here: https://www.opt.uh.edu/about/directory/profiles/lisa-ostrin/

Connect with Dr. Joseph Allen on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctoreyehealth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctoreyehealth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/doctoreyehealth

About Joseph Allen, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO

Dr. Joseph J. Allen graduated Magna Cum Laude and Salutatorian from the Rosenburg School of Optometry in 2015 and completed his residency at the Minneapolis V.A. Medical Center.

Dr. Allen is a practicing optometrist in Minnesota and the founder of Doctor Eye Health, an educational YouTube channel with more than 750K subscribers. There he provides information about eye health, ocular disease and vision products. His videos cover a range of topics that his subscribers frequently ask about: eye floaters, glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, contact lenses, eyeglasses, and more.

Dr. Allen is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. He is a member of the American Optometric Association, the AOA Strategic Communications Committee, and he completed the AOA leadership training in 2022. He was also awarded the Media Advocacy award from the AOA in 2021.

Dr. Allen has been featured in Ask Men and Oprah Daily and In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, running, cooking, playing video games, hiking, and biking.

Eye Give a Damn hosted by Dr. Joseph Allen is produced by FluoreSCENE Media.

For more information on Dr. Joseph Allen visit https://doctoreyehealth.com/

Visit https://odcommunity.com/ to learn more about FluoreSCENE Media.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning your own optometry private practice, developing a niche, inventing a new product, or giving back to the community, then take some time to be inspired by Dr. Janelle Davison’s story. Like many others, she found her path to optometry by speaking to her own optometrist then finding a mentor who was doing everything she wanted for her own life – owning a practice, growing a family, teaching, and loving life as a doctor. In 2010, She cold opened her own practice in Georgia and has never looked back. She and her business partner, who is also her husband, invented PARADEYEM software to help ODs take control of optical revenue, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. Today, Dr. Davison is known as the “Dry Eye Mentor” and enjoys customizing treatment plans for each patient by listening to their needs and addressing their goals. As a natural extension to treating dry eye disease and based on a suggestion from a patient, Dr. Davison has evolved her clinic to provide full-service ocular aesthetics with an in-office spa. Finally, her true passion is mentoring high school students. She and her sister (a dentist) created S.C.O.R.E. INC. to “pay it forward” and encourage minority high school students to pursue careers in dentistry, optometry, or ophthalmology, as less than 6% of doctors in the US are African American or Hispanic American.

Discover more about Dr. Janelle Davison and her passions:

https://brillianteyesvisioncenter.com/

https://dryeyeinstituteofga.com/

https://thedryeyementor.com/

https://wescore.org/

https://paradeyem.com/

Eye Give a Damn hosted by Dr. Joseph Allen is produced by FluoreSCENE Media.

For more information on Dr. Joseph Allen visit https://doctoreyehealth.com/

Visit https://odcommunity.com/ to learn more about FluoreSCENE Media.

Michael Cymbor, OD, FAAO, radiates with a passion for optometry, especially when it comes to the connection between exercise, muscle mass, and ocular health. He discusses the research and how different types and intensities of exercise should be considered for different conditions. He knows each patient will have a different reaction to “you should exercise more,” so he makes sure to meet them where they are regarding their exercise routine. Dr. Cymbor truly enjoys mentoring optometry students, as well as tapping into his creative side, which led to the creation of hid video: “Night of the Living DEModex.”

Key Moments:

2:49 Dr. Cymbor’s path to a career in optometry

5:13 What brought Dr. Cymbor to State College, PA (“Happy Valley” ... home of Penn State University)

6:20 The story behind his video: “The Night of the Living Demodex”

11:46 Dr. Cymbor’s passion for glaucoma care and how it led to The Glaucoma Institute in partnership with his ophthalmologist partner

14:55 The types of optometrists who gravitate towards a glaucoma specialty

19:09 Current views on glaucoma research

21:08 Dry eye and ocular surface disease

27:30 Finding your sense of purpose

30:00 The value and importance of mentorship

33:10 Exercise and ocular health

38:09 How muscle mass impacts blood sugar levels

41:29 Exercise and eye pressure as it relates to glaucoma

44:05 Research into exercise and stress management

48:10 “Meeting patients where they are” regarding exercise

51:55 The Pickleball effect

54:00 The importance of earlier intervention to improve outcomes

Eye Give a Damn hosted by Dr. Joseph Allen is produced by FluoreSCENE Media.

For more information on Dr. Joseph Allen visit https://doctoreyehealth.com/

Visit https://odcommunity.com/ to learn more about FluoreSCENE Media.

In this episode, Dr. Joseph Allen (@DoctorEyeHealth) sits down with Dr. Darryl Glover to discuss the power of personal branding in optometry. With a career spanning multiple roles—including eyewear consultant, optometric technician, office manager, and optometrist—Dr. Glover shares how his diverse experience shaped his entrepreneurial journey and helped him build a standout brand in the eye care industry. Dr. Glover introduces his B.R.A.N.D. framework (the “secret sauce”) offering practical strategies for optometrists and optometry students looking to establish their personal brand, expand their reach, and elevate their careers. Tune in to learn: ✅ How personal branding can set you apart in optometry ✅ Actionable steps for building an authentic and impactful professional identity ✅ Understanding what branding really is (hint: it’s more than just a logo!) ✅ Utilizing social media to elevate a brand 📢 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more expert insights from leaders in the eye care industry! #Optometry #PersonalBranding Eye Give a Damn hosted by Dr. Joseph Allen is produced by FluoreSCENE Media. For more information on Dr. Joseph Allen visit https://doctoreyehealth.com/ Visit https://odcommunity.com/ to learn more about FluoreSCENE Media.