Download Short Biography of lecturer for the Certificate of Advance Study in

Short Biography of lecturer for the Certificate of Advance Study in Advanced Contact Lenses and
Understanding of Corneal and other anterior segment Mechanisms in Disease and Surgical
Management.
Mr. Michael Bärtschi
Michael Bärtschi graduated with an optometry degree from Olten, Switzerland in
1991. He then completed a Master of Science in Clinical Optometry (Ms. Optom.) in
1997 from Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Philadelphia and in 2001 completed
at Masters in Medical Education (M.M.E.) from the Faculty of Medicine at university of
Bern in Switzerland.
Michael has worked at various practices in Switzerland and since 1991 opened his
own private practice in Bern. Some of his current professional activities include
working as a consultant optometrists for the Swiss government, examiner for the
federal examinations for ophthalmic opticians and optometrists, and clinical
investigator for major contact lens industry both in Switzerland and Internationally in
the US and Australia. Most recently he has provided lectures in area of optics, eye
examinations, eye glass technology and contact lenses at the University Eye Hospital
in Basel, Switzerland. In 2002, he has also worked in VISTA clinic in Binningen,
Switzerland as an optometrist with contact lens specialization and as a refractive
laser surgery assistant.
Michael has been active with several associations. Some of his activities with the
associations include being a board member for the Fellow of the Academy Society of
Optometry (F.A.S.O), obtaining his fellowship at the American Academy of
Optometry and being a member of the International Association of Contact Lens
Educators (IACLE) and British Contact Lens Association (BCLA). In addition been in
the capacity of president and board member for the INTERLENS group, Switzerland.
He has published several articles in European Journals and has lectured in the US
and Europe related to contact lenses including the American Academy of Optometry
He has been on various round table/investigator panels since 2000 for various
international companies such as Alcon and Vistakon.
Mr. Michael Wyss
Michael Wyss graduated with an optometry degree from Olten, Switzerland in 1999.
In 2008 he will receive his Masters in Science in Vision Science and Business from
Aalen University, Aalen Germany.
Michael has worked at various practices in Switzerland and since 1999 has been
working at a private practice in Berne. His expertise is in contact lenses. Some of
his current professional activities include working as a consultant optometrists for
the Swiss government, examiner for the federal examinations for ophthalmic
opticians and optometrists, and clinical investigator for major contact lens industry
both in Switzerland and Internationally.
From 2000 to 2004, Michael has lectures at the Ophthalmic Optics School in Berne in
areas of biology, pathology, physiology and contact lenses and currently teaching at
The Vision Institute, Prag Tschechein. He has published several articles in European
Journals and has lectured in the US and Europe related to contact lenses. In addition
he received his fellowship at the American Academy of Optometry in 2004 and
currently serves as an examiner for the fellowship committee at the American
Academy of Optometry.
Dr. Nina Mueller
Educational background: Dr. Mueller graduated from the University of
Aalen/Germany with a Bachelor in Ophthalmic Optics in 2001. Following this, she
worked in private practice as a contact lens specialist while participating in several
research projects for 6 years in Switzerland. In 2007 she received a Master’s degree
in Vision Science and Business from the University of Aalen.
In 2009, Dr. Mueller receieved her Doctor of Optometry degree at the New England
College of Optometry (NECO) Boston, Ma. In 2009. While at NECO, she helped
teaching the contact Lens labs and presented lectures on corneal ectasias and
specialty contact lens fitting for the 2nd year optometry students.
Since August 2009, she has been working in a primary eye care setting at the
University Eye Hospital in Basel Switzerland. Her primary interests are ocular
disease and contact lenses. She is a member of the Verein Deutscher ContactlinsenSpezialisten and Optometristen (VDCO) and a Fellow of the American Academy of
Optometry.
Research activities: Dr Mueller has published several extracts from her theses as
posters or papers at the Annual meetings of the American Academy of Optometry
related to extended wear Contact Lenses.
Dr. Caroline Blackie
Educational background: Dr. Blackie graduated from the Rand Afrikaans University
(RAU) with a Bachelor of Optometry in 1994. Following this, she lectured part-time
at RAU while doing research and working in private practice for two years. In 1996
she received a Master’s degree from RAU.
In 1997, Dr. Blackie moved to the US and enrolled in the PhD program in the
department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell University. She performed her
primary research on binocular vision and the progression of myopia. While finishing
her PhD, Dr Blackie moved to the University of California – Berkeley where she
enrolled in the Optometry program. In 2000, Dr. Blackie received her PhD from
Cornell and continued to complete the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree from
Berkeley. While at Berkeley, she held a part time post-doctoral position in a lab
whose primary focus was eye growth and the development of myopia. She received
her OD in 2003.
Current clinical work: Dr. Blackie has worked in a private primary care practice in
Massachusetts since 2003. Her primary interests are ocular surface disease and
contact lenses. She is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists, a
member of the Contact Lens Section of the American Optometric Association and a
Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.
Research activities: Dr Blackie has published numerous articles related to refractive
status and is currently working in dry eye research. Her research involves clinical
trial design and development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to dry eye.
Dr.Edeling
To be added: Need Stef’s input here
Dr. George Muntingh
To be added
Dr. Anthony Cavallerano
Anthony A. Cavallerano, OD, FAAO is the Director of the VHA Office of Telehealth
Services Store and Forward Boston Training Center and is an attending optometrist
at VA Boston Health Care System. He holds the rank of Professor of Optometry at
the New England College of Optometry (NECO), where he is the former Vice
President of Clinical Affairs & Director of the Center for Post-graduate Education. Dr.
Cavallerano is currently the instructor of record for three courses including Special
Topics in Advanced Clinical Care and two seminars: Primary Care of Diabetic
Retinopathy and Retina Grand Rounds. Dr. Cavallerano has served as the editor-inchief of two peer-reviewed professional optometric journals, he is the lead author of
the AOA Practice Guidelines on Age-related Macular Degeneration and he has
authored several book chapters and over 65 professional journal articles. He has
lectured and presented at numerous local, national and international meetings and
he is the co-author and editor of two professional textbooks including “Macular
Disorders: An Illustrated Diagnostic Guide.” He is a fellow of American Academy of
Optometry, a member of the American Optometric Association and the Optometric
Glaucoma Society, and he is a founding member of the Optometric Retina Society.
Dr. Jim Mertz
Dr. Jim Mertz, received a Ph.D in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University,
Raleigh, North Carolina in 1983 and has a bachelor and masters degree in Chemistry
from Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina. He received his Doctor
of Optometry degree in 2007 from the New England College of Optometry (NECO).
He is the author of more than 25 papers in topics related to cell biology and
biochemistry. He also has had numerous abstracts and has presented his research
work at major conferences. Dr. Mertz prior to joining NECO in 1999. taught at City
University of New York, St. Johns University, University of Bridgeport, North Carolina
State University, Western Carolina University Physiology, Gross Anatomy, Cell
Biology and Histology and Biochemistry. He has been teaching and conducting
research at The New England College of Optometry since 1999. He currently course
master for Systems Physiology, Etiology of Glaucoma and Diabetes and General and
Ocular Pharmacology. He also teaches ocular physiology and organizes the board
review program for students at the college.
Dr. William Sleight
Dr. William Sleight received his Bachelor of Arts in German and Zoology at the
University of Maine and completed his Doctor of Optometry degree from the New
England College of Optometry in 1982. He then went on to complete a hospital
based residency at the Veterans Administration Center at the Vancouver division,
Oregon. He also obtained certification related to Gerontology in 1985 West Roxbury
Massachusetts
He is an associate professor at The New England College of Optometry and teaches
Advanced Ocular Disease course to 3rd year students. He also works part time as a
solo practitioner in Waterboro Maine. Previously he was a clinical preceptor and
director of the Mobile Eye Unit and Director of Center for Aging and Vision, clinical
preceptor at Brighton Marine Public Health Center and The New England Eye
Institute, Boston.
Dr. Sleight has been in the forefront of developing innovative methodologies in
teaching advanced ocular disease topics which began with problem based teaching,
followed by lectures and small group learning, distance learning module on macular
diseases which was CD mounted.
This lead to a FIPSE grant award to develop interactive CD based teaching for
training ocular disease with interactive cases, review objectives, quizzes. This has
required extensive work from Dr. Sleight and anterior segment and posterior
segment web learning is in the final stages of completion. Most recently he has
introduction of digital lecture series on Allergic and Immunological Eye diseases.
He has lectured extensively at various meetings and published in various journals.
He has received faculty of the year awards for excellence in didactic and clinical
instruction from The New England College of Optometry.