Balwantray C. Chauhan, PhD
Dr. Chauhan is Mathers Professor and Research Director of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Professor of Physiology and Biophysics and Professor of Medical Neurosciences at Dalhousie University. Dr. Chauhan’s clinical research interests centre on changes in the visual field and optic nerve head in glaucoma. He has devised new methods for detecting glaucoma progression and conducted research leading to their translation to clinical practice. He also conducts research with experimental models of optic nerve damage. Areas of activity include studies of neuron-glia interaction in the retina and optic nerve, in vivo structural and functional imaging of retinal ganglion cells and neuroprotection
Danica J. Marrelli, OD, FAAO, AAO Diplomate (Glaucoma)
Dr. Marrelli received her doctor of optometry degree from the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO), and completed a residency in hospital-based optometry at the Baltimore VA Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. She is currently a clinical professor at UHCO, where she serves as Assistant Dean of Clinical Education and staffs the glaucoma, retina, and general eye disease clinics. In the classroom, Dr. Marrelli teaches in the ocular pharmacology, glaucoma and case-based learning courses. Dr. Marrelli became a diplomate in the ocular disease section of the American Academy of Optometry in November 2009 and is the secretary of the Optometric Glaucoma Society
Patrick Hamel, MD, CSPQ, FRCSC
Dr. Hamel is a Paediatric Ophthalmologist at CHU Ste-Justine and Montreal Children’s Hospital (MUHC). Dr. Hamel received his MD from Université Laval and completed his Ophthalmology residency training at Université de Montréal. Dr. Hamel also completed a Fellowship training in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at University of Toronto and Fellowship training in Glaucoma at Université de Montréal. Dr. Hamel is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal and an Associate Post Graduate Vice-Dean, Post Graduate Medical Education, Université de Montréal.
Seema Nanda, OD
Dr. Nanda is the founder and director of the “Nanda Dry Eye & Vision Institute,” a specialty clinic focusing on the treatment and management of dry eye disease and corneal conditions. She became inspired to create the center after practicing alongside a now-retired corneal specialist in Houston. She concurrently works as an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) in the Cornea & Contact Lens Service, where she instructs third-year students. In previous semesters, she educated second-year students in the Medical Laboratory Procedures and Contact Lens Lab courses. Dr. Nanda is also a key opinion leader and influencer in the ophthalmic community. As such, she lectures internationally and has given over 300 presentations world-wide on the latest advances in the ophthalmic field and ocular medicine. Dr. Nanda attained her Doctorate from the Indiana University School of Optometry and completed her training at the world-renowned eye care hospital, the Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL. She has assisted in the pre- and post-op management of LASIK, Cataract Surgery, and Corneal Cross-linking and served as Chief Examiner for several years at the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. Lastly, Dr. Nanda has actively participated in Medical Missions and performed eye care and glaucoma evaluations worldwide as part of her profound interest in community service.
John D. Gelles, OD, FIAO, FCLSA, FSLS, FBCLA
Dr. Gelles is the director of the specialty contact lens division of the Cornea and Laser Eye Institute and the C.L.E.I. Center for Keratoconus in Teaneck, New Jersey. He is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and an adjunct clinical professor at State University of New York College of Optometry, Illinois College of Optometry and New England College of Optometry. He is a fellow of the Contact Lens Society of America, the Scleral Lens Society, the British Contact Lens Association, the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control and is PROSE fellowship trained. He is a board member of the Intrepid Eye Society and the Contact Lens Society of America, an executive board member of the International Keratoconus Academy, an advisory board member for both the Gas Permeable Lens Institute and the American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control. His research and clinical work are dedicated exclusively to specialty contact lenses and management of keratoconus and other corneal disease, ocular surface disease, and post-surgical corneal conditions. He is a clinical investigator for multiple keratoconus and specialty contact lens related clinical trials and is invited regularly to lecture both nationally and internationally at optometric and ophthalmologic meetings.
Kristine Dalton, OD, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA
Dr. Dalton is an Associate Professor at the School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Waterloo. Kristine holds an OD and MSc from the University of Waterloo, and a PhD from Aston University. Kristine became a faculty member at the School of Optometry & Vision Science in 2013 where she established the Vision & Motor Performance Lab and the Sports Vision Clinic. She has also helped to establish the Brain Injury Clinic, where she provides vision rehabilitation services for individuals with traumatic brain injury and concussion. Kristine’s research involves measuring functional aspects of vision performance in relation to sports performance, traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, and Paralympic classification for athletes with vision impairment.
Daniel Epshtein, OD
Dr. Epshtein currently practices in the ophthalmology department of Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City. Previously, he held a position in a high volume multispecialty ophthalmology practice where he supervised fourth year optometry students as an adjunct assistant clinical professor of the SUNY College of Optometry. Dr. Epshtein’s research focuses on using the latest ophthalmic imaging technologies to elucidate ocular disease processes and to simplify equivocal clinical diagnoses. He developed and lectures in the perioperative care course at the SUNY College of Optometry. Dr. Epshtein writes and lectures on numerous topics including multimodal imaging, ocular surface disease, glaucoma, and perioperative care.
Angela Dobson, OD
Dr. Dobson is a behavioural optometrist, who specializes in assessing and treating the visual process. In her clinic, Vision Sense she offers new visual treatments for people with concussions, whiplash, traumatic and acquired brain injuries, people with learning difficulties and binocular vision difficulties, including strabismus and amblyopia. Her treatments include the use of ophthalmic lenses, yoked prism lenses, visual, vestibular and neuropostural therapy, and syntonics. She works closely with other health care practitioners to develop a custom and effective treatment plan for each individual.
Angela has been practicing optometry in Nova Scotia for well over 20 years. Several years ago she was introduced to neurovisual rehabilitation and visual development and she found her passion! She feels fortunate to have realized her dream of opening a specialty vision clinic in Halifax, N.S.
Joyce VanRooyen, CCOA
Joyce began work in the Optical Industry as a lab technician while still in high school. After working as head dispenser for nine years in a four OD practice, Joyce joined HOYA as their Professional Education Coordinator. She found she missed being in a practice and helping patients so she created her own consulting company, EyeSpeak, where she worked at a busy three OD practice to improve patient service and sales. Joyce also taught the Optometrists Assistant’s course with the CAO for ten years. She has been working with Eye Recommend for 5 years as the Senior Practice Management Trainer and has helped the training department grow by developing new training initiatives and coaching the two new Practice Management Trainers in both content and presentation skills. Joyce is known for her technical, sales and dispensing skills and her strong passion for the optical industry. She enjoys inspiring the same passion to improve the industry as a whole for both the practice and patients.
Rhiannon Verran & Shelley Adams
Rhiannon is a graduate of Dalhousie University’s Clinical Vision Science Program and is a Certified Orthoptist and Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist. After working as an orthoptist in Boston and then Edmonton, she returned to Halifax and started working as a Low Vision Specialist for CNIB (now Vision Loss Rehabilitation Nova Scotia) in 2011, and has since received certification through ACVREP as a Certified Low Vision Therapist.
Shelley graduated from the Dalhousie School of Social Work and is a registered social worker. She has been working at CNIB for the past 14 years delivering life changing programs to individuals of all ages with sight loss. Shelley recently become CNIB’s Manager of Community Engagement, and in this role focuses on fundraising and advocacy – to change what it is to be blind.