Aaron Zimmerman

I earned a BS in Biology degree (2002), Optometry degree (2006), and Master’s in Vision Science degree (2008) all from The Ohio State University. I have been a clinical faculty member at the College of Optometry since 2008 and I am currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry. I have clinically instructed in the services: contact lenses, binocular vision / pediatrics, primary vision care, advanced ocular care, student health center, was the former chief of environmental vision. Currently, I am the chief of the Student Health Optometry Service and I continue to clinically instruct in the contact lens service and primary vision care service. Didactically, I teach the Advanced Contact Lens Lab and the Lasers, Injections, & Advanced Procedures course.

For clinical teaching, I am in charge of 3 to 4 students for any half day and we will see between 9 to 12 patients. I will review the findings that each student provides and then personally examine the patient to ensure that the patient has received proper care. Once the exam has been completed, we discuss elements of the visit that the student properly handled and those that may not have been handled properly. I have received great student evaluations from my clinical teaching from the beginning. I intend on continuing to provide clinical instruction going forward.

I developed the Lasers, Injection, and Advanced Procedures course in 2013. This course has grown from a 1 hour lab S/U course to a 2 credit hour graded course. This course now includes discussions on aseptic techniques in the operating room, and we discuss benign lesion removal, suturing, and biopsy. We also have expanded the course to include hands-on experience with ophthalmic lasers when used on artificial eyes. Additionally, I am the advanced contact lens lab instructor. For each lab session, I hold a 30-40 minute lecture and then hands-on experience is provided with the students fitting specific lens types and provide feedback on their evaluation.

Furthermore, I have been involved with sports vision research studies including eye & head movements in baseball and standards testing for football helmet faceshields. I am currently a member of the Contact Lens Assessment in Youth (CLAY) study group, which studies risk factors associated with soft contact lens corneal infiltrative events. We have several publications identifying risk factors and behaviors associated with contact lens adverse events. I have served as a masked examiner for the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial (CITT) and I am currently a masked examiner for the CITT-ART study. The findings of the CITT study provided the evidence for the efficacy of vision therapy for managing convergence insufficiency.

Currently, I am the chair of the continuing education committee, and of the Faculty Advisory Committee.  Additionally, I serve on the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) Committee on Ophthalmic Standards and represent the AOA on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z87.1 committee. I am on an ANSI Z87.1 subcommittee, as well, that is attempting to develop a standard for protective eyewear/face protection from biologics. In November 2016, I was appointed head of the East West Eye Conference workshops committee. I assist in developing the workshops and administering the workshops during the annual conference in Cleveland.

In summary, I feel that I provide strong clinical teaching value to the College. Through the various research projects with CLAY and by achieving Diplomate status in the Cornea, Contact Lenses, and Refractive Technologies section of the American Academy of Optometry, I feel that I bring a large amount of contact lens and refractive surgery knowledge to the College. With my fellowship training in a binocular vision / pediatrics setting and with my research in head and eye movements, I feel that I have a strong knowledge base in those areas. My clinical, research, and service activities have made me a well-rounded asset to the College of Optometry.