Download Lecturers: Short Biographies Michael Wyss Eidg.Dipl Augenoptik

Lecturers: Short Biographies
Michael Wyss
Eidg.Dipl Augenoptik, FAAO, SBAO
Michael Wyss graduated with an optometry degree from Olten, Switzerland in 1999. In 2008 he
received 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,
Prague Czech Republic. 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 AAO in 2004. He is the current Vice-Chair of the International Admittance
Committee for new fellows of the AAO.
Michael Bartschi
MS.Optom.; M.M. E.; FAAO
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 1989 he worked in the field of
contact lenses. In 2002 Michael and his wife took over the practice from his father and they continue
now the long tradition of family owned optometry practice. Some of his previous or 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 Eye 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 (F.A.A.O.) 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 several professional
groups as for example the INTERLENS group, Switzerland.
He has published more than 30 articles in worldwide Journals and has lectured in the US and Europe
related to contact lenses including the American Academy of Optometry and the Association of
Research in Vision and Ophthalmology ARVO.
He has been on various round table/investigator panels since 1991 for various international
companies such as Alcon and Vistakon.
Between 2005 and 2007 Michael did a variety of research studies in the topic of dry eye, anterior
ocular surface inflammation and nutrition for Cardiff University (UK) and Salus University (USA). Since
2010 he is doing extensive research work in the field of retinal blood flow as part of his PhD studies at
the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
Dr. Robert Daniel
Dr Robert Daniel is an Ophthalmologist in Sandton who specializes in Anterior Segment Surgery. He
founded the Sandton Eye Clinic after a fellowship with Dr Percy Amoils who was a celebrated innovator
in the field of Ophthalmology. The Sandton Eye Clinic is a leading Ophthalmological Clinic in the
Financial Hub of Africa.
After a basic Medical Degree Dr Daniel acquired a Post-graduate qualification in Anaesthetics as well
as Trauma and gained experience in these fields both in South Africa and the United Kingdom. He
spent two years working at sea where he gained management experience. On returning to South Africa
in 2002 he started his Ophthalmological training and was the Founding Medical Director of the Centre
for Tissue Engineering (CTE). The CTE harvested and processed 40 000 bone and collagen transplants
per year. During the same period Dr Daniel started what became the largest organic greenhouse farm
in South Africa at the time.
After completing his training in Ophthalmology he resigned as the Medical Director of CTE and sold the
organic greenhouse operation as a going concern. He currently devotes his time to the running of
Sandton Eye Clinic.
Caroline Blackie PhD, OD
Caroline Blackie has been a practicing optometrist since 1994 when she graduated from the Rand
Afrikaans University (RAU) in South Africa. In 1997, after competing an MPhil in Clinical Statistics at
RAU, she moved to the US. She received a PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell
University in 2001 and Doctor of Optometry degree from UC Berkeley in 2003.
Since that time, in addition to part-time clinical practice, she has worked in the field of dry eye with
specific focus on meibomian gland dysfunction. She joined TearScience when it was founded in 2005
as their senior scientist and continues to serve in that role today. She has authored over 25 peer
reviewed papers on the ocular surface and dry eye. Her passion is to improve diagnosis and
treatment options for patients who suffer from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and dry eye with an
ultimate goal of generating a culture of prevention.
William Sleight OD
Dr. Sleight, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Disease, has been
a faculty member at the College since 1983. He is the instructor for Ocular Pharmacology taught to
second year optometry students and for the Advanced Ocular Disease I and II courses taught to third
year optometry students at the College. He also teaches four computer-based training electives on
ocular disease. Dr. Sleight brings 25 years of experience as a clinician to the classroom and is
currently a private practitioner in Waterboro, Maine.
Dr Sleight’s is interested in using educational technology to enhance teaching and learning. In 2004,
he was awarded a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, which
provided funding for the development of the Ocular Disease Diagnostic Tutor, which is currently part
of the elective program. Dr. Sleight has developed several blended learning modules which students
take concurrently with face to face lectures.
Dr. Sleight earned a doctorate of optometry degree from the College in 1982 and subsequently
completed a residency in hospital optometry at the VA Medical Center of Vancouver, Washington.
During this residency, he was the first optometry resident in the VA system to participate in the
Interdisciplinary Team on Geriatrics. As a member of the college faculty, Dr. Sleight was the 2004,
2011, 2012, and 2013 recipient of the Foster Namias Award for excellence in didactic instruction, and
the 2005 recipient of the Carroll Martus Award for outstanding clinical instruction. Dr. Sleight is a
member of both the American Optometric Association and the Maine Optometric Association and has
been so for the past 25 years.