Grad Profiles - University of Houston Optometry

Overview
The University of Houston is a state-assisted institution composed of fourteen colleges. The 525-acre campus is located 3 miles southeast of Houston's downtown area.

The College of Optometry was founded in 1952 and has been located in its present building since 1976. Since then, the physical facilities have undergone many renovations and upgrades to provide the most modern environment possible.

University of Houston students taking the National Board of Examiners in Optometry examinations had pass rates that were above the national average for a recent Basic Science section (95 percent vs. 77 percent) and at about the national average for the Clinical Science section (90 percent vs. 92 percent).

The Community
Houston, a large and growing area with a population of about 2.5 million, is a center for business, the petrochemical industry, and health care. The city provides a wide range of cultural activities, sports, and other warm-weather recreational activities. It is the home of one of the largest medical complexes in the world, NASA, and a number of technology-related businesses.

In 2001, more than 100 students entered the first-year class, coming from fourteen different states; about 75 percent of the students are from Texas. Enrollment is approximately evenly divided between women and men, with minority representation making up about 50 percent. The average matriculating first-professional-year student is 24 years old with an overall GPA of 3.4 and an average OAT score of 327.

Programs of study and degree requirements
The College of Optometry offers a Doctor of Optometry degree, residency certification in four areas of postgraduate clinical training, and a combined master's degree/residency program in conjunction with the College's Graduate Program in Physiological Optics/Vision Science.

The Doctor of Optometry, a postbaccalaureate degree, is awarded to students who successfully complete the professional curriculum, which is four years (including two summer sessions) in length. The first three semesters provide a basic physiological and biomedical science education (e.g., optics, anatomy, physiology, vision science) through lectures and laboratories and prepares students to begin patient care. During the fourth semester, students begin directed patient care in the University Eye Institute while continuing their didactic and laboratory education in clinically-related subjects, including ocular disease and pharmacology, pediatrics, contact lenses, ophthalmic optics, vision perception, lasers and refractive surgery, geriatrics and low vision, environmental optometry, and practice management. Following the spring semester of the second professional year, students spend an intense summer assignment providing patient care in a variety of clinical areas, including Family Practice (with adult and pediatric patients), the Cornea and Contact Lens Service, and learning advanced diagnostic techniques in the Ocular Diagnostic and Medical Eye Service. During the remaining two semesters of the third professional year, students continue their clinical experience at the University Eye Institute with similar rotations. The fourth professional year is divided into advanced clinical experiences in the University Eye Institute (one semester) and two semesters at affiliated, multidisciplinary, educational clinical settings for concentrated experiences providing care to diverse patient populations.

The College also offers advanced clinical training as one-calendar-year residency programs in cornea and contact lenses, pediatrics, low vision, and family practice. A joint M.S./residency program, in which a graduate obtains the M.S. degree in physiological optics/vision science and completes a residency in two calendar years, and an O.D./Ph.D. program of approximately seven years, are also available.

Facilities & Resources
The physical facilities and associated resources of the College are exceptional. The College facility contains two large amphitheater-style classrooms and numerous seminar rooms and teaching laboratories, including a complete anatomy lab for teaching gross and ocular human anatomy. The University Eye Institute houses nearly seventy fully equipped examination/treatment operatories, as well as specialized areas containing computerized corneal topographers, lasers (argon, YAG, and excimer), a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, computerized visual field instruments, and imaging and ultrasound equipment. An extensive optometry/vision science library, which contains a large, modern computer laboratory for student use, is also on site. Research facilities include an electron microscope, computing, electronics, and machine shop support, as well as a number of world-class individual faculty laboratories. The total research expenditure for 1998–99 was approximately $3 million for the College.

Expenses and Aid
Costs: In 2001–02, tuition for Texas residents was $168 per semester credit hour (SCH) and $381 per semester credit hour for nonresident and international students. The normal academic load is about 20 SCH each semester, with the exception of the third-year summer session. Fees and facility charges are approximately $1500 each semester. In addition, approximately $4000 in clinical equipment is required during the four years.

Financial Aid: The University and College provide a variety of financial aid programs for eligible students who need financial resources. This effort is assisted by an in-house financial aid counselor. A number of student loans, including Health Professional Student Loans, Federal Stafford Student Loans, and Perkins Loans are available, as are a number of scholarships and awards. Additional information may be obtained through the Office of Student Affairs. Postdoctoral residents are paid an annual stipend of $25,000 plus medical benefits.

Housing/Living Expenses: Annual costs for housing, food, transportation, and moderate entertainment were about $9000 for a single student and $13,000 for a married student without children. The University has housing facilities on or near campus for single men and women, with room and board costs at about $4800 for the 2001–02 academic year. Married student housing is available, ranging from efficiencies to three-bedroom apartments. A varied choice of housing is available off campus; rent for a one-bedroom apartment begins at about $400 per month.

How to Apply
Students applying for admission to the College of Optometry must have a bachelor's degree or higher prior to admission and must have satisfactorily completed 55 semester hours of specific prerequisite math/science courses. Applicants are also required to take the Optometric Admissions Test. Applications are accepted between October 15 and February 1. Competitive applicants are invited to visit the College for an interview. Applications may be obtained from the College's Web site, listed below.

Who to Contact
Dr. Paul Pease
College of Optometry
University of Houston
Houston, Texas 77204-6052
Telephone: 713-743-2040
800-282-8426
E-mail: ppease@uh.edu
http://www.opt.uh.edu

The Faculty And Their Research

Norman Bailey, Optometrist; M.A., Vanderbilt (Peabody), 1985; O.D., Indiana, 1969. Primary care.

Harold Bedell, Professor; Ph.D., Florida, 1978. Normal and abnormal eye movements and space perception, peripheral vision, amblyopia, strabismus, nystagmus.

Jan Bergmanson, Professor; Ph.D., The City University (London), 1975; O.D., Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1982; Diplomate in Cornea and Contact Lenses. Corneal response to contact lens wear, ultrastructural analysis of radiation effects on ocular tissue, corneal laser procedures.

Rudolph Black, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Houston, 1975. Primary care, adult vision.

Roger Boltz, Associate Professor and Associate Dean; O.D., 1972, Ph.D., 1978, Houston. Contact lenses, primary care, corneal pathology.

Yuzo Chino, Professor; Ph.D., Syracuse, 1973. Neural plasticity, effects of abnormal visual experience on the psychophysical and neurophysiological aspects of visual system development, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology.

Kia Eldred, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Houston, 1987. Vision rehabilitation, adult vision, gerontology.

Karen Fern, Associate Professor and Director of Pediatric and Binocular Vision Service; O.D., Pacific University, 1981. Pediatrics, binocular vision, vision development, preschool vision screenings, assessing visual functions in preschool children.

Merton Flom, Professor; O.D., 1951, Ph.D., 1957, Berkeley. Binocular vision, space perception, acuity, strabismus, amblyopia.

Donald Fox, Professor; Ph.D., Cincinnati, 1977. Apoptosis, effects of drugs and chemicals on the developing and mature retina, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, neurophysiology and morphology.

Laura Frishman, Professor; Ph.D., Pittsburgh, 1979. Visual physiology in the retina and brain, concentration on intraretinal analysis of the components of the electroretinogram (ERG) and study of the time course, spatial organization and retinal circuitry of post-receptoral adaptation mechanisms in rod-dominated vision.

Nancy George, Visiting Associate Professor; O.D., Houston, 1981. Primary care, ocular disease, retinal blood flow.

Adrian Glasser, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Cornell, 1994. Mechanism of accommodation, presbyopia, optical changes in the crystalline lens with accommodation and aging.

Samuel Hanlon, Visiting Associate Professor and Director, Family Practice Service; O.D., Southern California College of Optometry, 1977; M.S., California State, Fullerton, 1990. Primary care, optometric clinical skills, educational methods, ophthalmic imaging, ocular parasitology, late-onset myopia.

Ronald Harwerth, Professor; O.D., Houston, 1964; Ph.D., Texas at Houston, 1971. Psychophysics of vision, animal psychophysics, binocular vision in monkey and man, experimental glaucoma in monkey.

Ralph Herring, Optometrist and Director of Business and Finance Administration for the University Eye Institute; O.D., Houston, 1982. Primary care, adult vision, gerontology, sports vision, ocular effects of HIV, health-care administration.

Nicky Holdeman, Associate Professor, Director of the University Eye Institute, and Chief of Medical Services; O.D., Houston, 1976; M.D., Texas Tech, 1987. Medical management of ocular disease, ocular manifestations of systemic disease, ocular trauma.

Julie Jackson, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Houston, 1997; RN. Contact lenses.

Randall Jose, Associate Professor; O.D., Berkeley, 1969. Low vision patient care, design of optical systems for the partially sighted.

Penelope Kegel-Flom, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Berkeley, 1970. Patient communication, evaluations, admissions, educational research, women's health, leadership.

Kimberly Lambreghts, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., SUNY College of Optometry, 1993.

Norman Leach, Optometrist and Director of the Cornea and Contact Lens Service; O.D., 1970, M.S., 1972, Houston. Primary care, contact lenses.

Dennis Levi, Professor and Associate Dean; O.D., 1971, Ph.D., 1977, Houston. Spatial vision, amblyopia and binocular anomalies.

John Lewis, Visiting Professor; M.D., Texas Medical Branch, 1967; J.D., Yale, 1982. Ophthalmology, with special interest in glaucoma; professional ethics; nature of professions; medical-legal issues.

Ruth Manny, Associate Professor; O.D., 1975, Ph.D., 1981, Houston. Pediatrics, binocular vision, development of normal and abnormal vision in human infants.

Danica Marrelli, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Houston, 1992. Ocular disease diagnosis and management, primary care.

Allison McDermott, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., London, 1991. Cell biology and pathology of the cornea, epithelial wound healing, soluble factors modulating cell behavior, cell-cell interactions.

William Miller, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., 1989, Ph.D., 1994, Ohio State. Cell biology and pathology of the cornea, epithelial wound healing, soluble factors modulating cell behavior, cell-cell interactions.
Anastas Pass, Associate Professor; O.D., Illinois College of Optometry, 1979; M.S., Houston, 1981. Clinical visual psychophysics and electrophysiology, ocular and/or visual manifestations of ocular and systemic neurological disorders, glaucoma.

Lloyd Pate, Visiting Associate Professor; O.D., Houston, 1986. Ocular diseases and the ocular manifestations of systematic disease; primary care, including pediatrics and contact lenses; sports and computer vision.

Paul Pease, Associate Professor and Director of the Office of Student Affairs; O.D., Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1967; Ph.D., Berkeley, 1975. Normal and abnormal color vision, macular pigment, chromatic aberration, environmental optometry.

David Perrigin, Associate Professor; O.D., Houston, 1969. Primary care, epidemiology of refractive errors, ocular photo-documentation.

Judy Perrigin, Associate Professor; O.D., Houston, 1977. Contact lenses, primary care, medical laboratory analysis, ocular microbiology, epidemiology of refractive errors.

Marcus Piccolo, Associate Professor and Chair, Clinical Sciences Department; O.D., Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1978. Ocular disease, ocular pharmacology, contact lenses and primary care.

Sam Quintero, Associate Professor; O.D., Houston, 1972. Primary care, diagnostic procedures.

John Robson, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., St. John's, 1961. Vision science.

Austin Roorda, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Waterloo, 1996. Optics of the eye, photoreceptor optics, reflections from the retina, adaptive optics for high-resolution retinal imaging.

Jerome Rosner, Professor; O.D., Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1944. Primary care, pediatrics, visually-related learning disorders.

Gary Savage, Associate Professor; O.D., 1973, Ph.D., 1988, Berkeley. Vision at low light levels, effects of aging on the eye-visual performance.

Pat Segu, Optometrist; O.D., Houston, 1992. Primary care, HIV-related eye disease.

David M. Sherry, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Florida, 1989. Synapse formation and regeneration by retinal neurons, neuroanantomy of retinal neurotransmitter circuitry.

Earl Smith III, Greeman-Petty Professor of Vision Development and Chair, Basic Sciences Department; O.D., 1972, Ph.D., 1978, Houston. Psychophysical and neurophysiological aspects of amblyopia and strabismus, emmetropization, refractive anomalies.

Gregory Stephens, Associate Professor; O.D./Ph.D., Ohio State, 1979. Ophthalmic optics, ophthalmic materials testing, binocular vision.

Scott Stevenson, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., Brown, 1987. Visual information processing, depth perception, voluntary and involuntary eye movements, eye alignment.

Jerald Strickland, Professor and Dean; O.D., 1959, Ph.D., 1976, Indiana. Primary care, adult vision, environmental vision, health-care administration.

Diane Suarez, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., SUNY, 1994. Primary care.

Stephanie Tom, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Houston, 1998. Residency in Hospital-Based Optometry, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky. Primary care, ocular disease, glaucoma, geriatrics, development of refractive error.

Sara Wakefield, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Indiana, 1999. Contact lenses.

James Walters, Associate Professor and Director of the OD/Medical Clinic; Ph.D., Michigan State, 1969; O.D., New England College of Optometry, 1974. Ocular pathology, retinal pathology, clinical electrophysiology.

Janice Wensveen, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Waterloo, 1983; Ph.D., Houston, 1998. Normal and abnormal development of binocular vision; anisometropia, strabismus, and amblyopia; animal psychophysics; myopia.

Bruce Wick, Associate Professor; O.D., Berkeley, 1972; Ph.D., Houston, 1991. Primary care, binocular vision.

William Woessner, Associate Professor; O.D., Southern College of Optometry, 1968. Age-related changes in visual function, corneal development, pupillography.

Stanley Woo, Visiting Assistant Professor; O.D., Berkeley, 1994. Low vision patient care, clinical and functional outcomes, measures and psychophysics of low vision.