First-Person Focus: Perspectives on Family, Service and Optometry

From the moment we arrived in the small town of Santa Rosa, Colombia, things went awry. After a long night with uncomfortable beds and not enough sleep, we traveled to the makeshift clinic where we would be working. The setup was less than ideal, with rooms spread far apart and with almost no cooling capabilities. However, we had over 500 people waiting in line, whose access to eyecare was practically nonexistent. So, we unloaded our equipment and hundreds of glasses, organizing ourselves the best we could, just as we do in other underdeveloped countries around the globe.

By the end of that day, we saw over 530 patients between three optometrists (myself, John Larcabal, OD, and Corina Van de Pol, OD, PhD) and one student from the Southern California College of Optometry. The volunteers who joined us on the trip did amazing work with pretesting, crowd control, and dispensing the eyewear. As challenging as the conditions were, I recall that day fondly. There was the usual joking and playlist duels among the ODs; friendships that last far beyond the clinic were forged during these trips. But most importantly, we literally brought sight to people that had been denied such a privilege, simply by their place of birth.

When I attended The Ohio State University College of Optometry, I did not participate in Student Volunteers for Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH).  Our first child was born during  my first semester, and I focused solely on schoolwork and providing for my family. Upon graduating, I opened my practice cold in Lehi, Utah, and for many years concentrated on building up the practice and establishing my patient base. If I had any spare time or funds, I would spend it with my family. At the time, humanitarian trips were far from my mind.

Years later, my wife’s family began working with a humanitarian group based in Utah. Eventually, family members began asking me about attending vision trips, and I resisted. I had just opened a new building, which required a lot of attention. However, once I gave in, my life has never been the same. I had been able to see how impactful we, as optometrists, could be in the lives of our brothers and sisters in this world, and I knew the trip would not be my last. I wanted to go, not out of any sense of duty, but for the love for others.

The expedition to Colombia this past summer was special. It is the first trip I took with my whole family, now all grown. While I always taught them to love the Buckeyes, it is a far greater thing to have taught them to love their fellow man. To share not just the experiences of these trips, but also the enthusiasm to make this world a better place, is a true joy. I am grateful to share the skills learned so many years ago at The Ohio State University College of Optometry.

What made this trip even more exciting was that my son, Ryan, is now in his first year at Ohio State Optometry. While in Colombia, he was able to get a lot of practice helping patients by my side. In fact, given our shortage of docs and students, I gave Ryan a crash course in retinoscopy.  He gained valuable experience doing retinoscopy, but even more valuable, in helping people. Seeing his interest in optometry, and then following along in his interviews, was a proud dad moment, especially when we toured Ohio State. It was incredible seeing the many improvements that the school has undergone over the years. My son’s education will have the same Buckeye spirit, but certainly looks a lot nicer!

During my trips, I always throw up the O-H-I-O for a photo. I have done it worldwide, and while it’s wonderful to represent Ohio State Optometry, it’s greater to reach out and lift others as best we can. I hope that this spirit will flow to many more Buckeyes and that they too can experience all that these opportunities offer.