New faculty, new directions (for those retiring), and other news at the School of Optometry and Vision Science.
Results of a study from the University of Waterloo and CNIB bolster the argument for changes in the way pharmacies print instructions to patients. The researchers tested prescription labels based on recommended guidelines and found a significant improvement in their readability over the ones in use now.
"In an increasingly globalized world and particularly in a worldwide aging population, our profession as optometrists is more important than ever. My student exchange is not only a great chance to build up a network for an international working career in the future. Furthermore it provides a significant academic and technical cooperation between Canada and Germany by ensuring a close connection in this specific area of science."
Here we are again; another class of bright and eager students have written their Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry (CACO) exams and have walked across the stage to receive their Optometry Doctoral degrees from the University of Waterloo. They will proudly join the profession as newly minted optometrists. While this happens every year, there is always a sense of excitement and achievement felt by the students, faculty and staff alike. Congratulations to the Class of 2016 – we can’t wait to see where your careers take you!
For the first time, a doctoral student from the University of Waterloo has won the national Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which sees graduate students from across the country communicate the breadth and significance of their research to a non-specialist audience in three minutes or less.
Helping an old brain learn new tricks may be the key to treating a "permanent" vision problem.
Children exposed to marijuana in the womb show a significant improvement in their ability to track moving objects at age four, according to new vision research. But researchers are warning that the results do not mean marijuana has a benefical effect on foetal development. “We were surprised with this initial finding,” said Ben Thompson, a professor in Waterloo’s School of Optometry and Vision Science.
Congratulations to the School of Optometry and Vision Science's 2016 award and grant recipients who have received funding from the Canadian Optometric Education Trust Fund!
Congratulations to our 2015 Alumni of Honour Award Winners! In July 2015, during the CAO Congress in Fredericton, New Brunswick, the School was pleased to announce our recipients: Lillian Linton, Alan Ulsifer, and Michelle Steenbakkers.
The Waterloo chapter of Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) is committed to providing sustainable eye care to those in need but who cannot afford nor obtain it. Every year, VOSH Waterloo partners up with VOSH groups around North America to organize international optometric mission trips for their students. This unique experience not only touches the lives of countless patients, it allows students to learn invaluable skills and grow as future optometrists.