Speaker bios

Brujic is a partner of Premier Vision Group, a successful three location optometric practice in Northwest Ohio. He graduated from the New England College of Optometry in 2002. He practices full scope optometry with an emphasis on ocular disease management of the anterior segment, contact lenses and glaucoma. He is active at all levels of organized optometry. Dr. Brujic is on the editorial board for a number of optometric publications. He has published over 200 articles and has given over 1000 lectures, both nationally and internationally on contemporary topics in eye care. Additionally, Dr. Brujic and Dr. Kading own Optometric Insights which provides career coaching for optometry students and emerging practitioners.  

As a practicing clinician, Dr. Brujic has his pulse on the realities of being in the trenches caring for patients and the real challenges and opportunities that exist in eye care.  He brings a practical approach to all of the topics that he lectures on.  By providing attendees with meaningful, clinically relevant information that can be applied to improve patient care, improve office culture and ultimately improve the practice, Dr. Brujic inspires success to those that he interacts with. 

Jeff Nagge

Jeff Nagge completed his Bachelor’s and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees at the University of Toronto; and a pharmacy residency at McMaster University Medical Centre.  After completing his training, he spent two years as a Clinical Team Leader in Cardiology at Toronto General Hospital.  Jeff is currently a clinical pharmacist at the Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team in Kitchener, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo.  His areas of interest include anticoagulation, cardiovascular therapeutics, and engaging patients in the process of shared decision making.

Earl L. Smith

Smith received his OD (1972) and PhD (1978) from the University of Houston and subsequently joined the faculty of the UH College of Optometry. During his tenure in the College of Optometry, he has served as the Chair of the Basic Sciences Department, as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research and as Dean. Professor Smith currently holds the Greeman-Petty Professorship in Vision Development and is serving as the Interim Chief Health Officer of the University of Houston.

Professor Smith’s research interests are focused on the optics of the eye. He received the Glenn Fry Award (1996) and the Prentice Medal (2010) from the American Academy of Optometry for his research on the role of vision in regulating refractive development and eye growth. Professor Smith has published over 160 refereed papers and received 33 years of research funding from the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Eye Institute (NEI). He is also an accomplished lecturer, having received teaching awards at the department, college and university levels and in 2003 was selected by the Texas Optometric Association as its Educator of the Year.

Professor Smith is an active member of the vision science community. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, an ARVO Fellow (inaugural class), a past President of the American Optometric Foundation (2002), a past President of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (2010), a past Member and Chair of NIH NEI’s Central Visual Processing Study Section (1998-2003), and a past member of NIH’s National Advisory Eye Council (2005-2008).

Ian L. Bailey

Bailey is a clinician/scientist whose main interests have been in clinical visual optics and psychophysics with a special focus on low vision. He obtained his optometric and research training at the University of Melbourne, The City University in London and Indiana University. Since 1976, he has been as a Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

He is perhaps best known for his work with Jan Lovie-Kitchin developing new “logMAR” design principles for visual acuity charts and the method of scoring visual acuity in terms of logMAR.  He has made noteworthy contributions towards developing a more rational and scientific approach to optometric low vision care, and he also has developed new tests and procedures related to the clinical assessment of vision. He has received many awards recognizing his contributions to vision science and to clinical low vision care.
 

Nadine Furtado completed her undergraduate studies at McGill University. She then earned a Doctor of Optometry and a Master of Science in Vision Science from the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry. After graduation, she completed a residency in Ocular Disease and Primary Care at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hudson Valley Healthcare System. She is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science. She is an active member of the Ontario Association of Optometry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.

Dr. Irving has received the Governor General's Gold Medal, the Royal Society of Canada’s Alice Wilson Award, a Premier’s Research Excellence Award, a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Vision and a University Research Chair.

Dave Kading

Dave Kading owns a 3 doctor 2 location practice in Seattle Washington. He graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry before being accepted to their prestigious Cornea and Contact Lens Residency. Dr. Kading specializes in complicated contact lens fitting.  His referral based dry eye and contact lens clinics are well known for utilizing the latest technology for complex or rudimentary dry eye or contact lens fits.

Dr. Kading welcomes interns from 5 different optometry schools into the practice, and is a frequent guest lecturer at schools around the US.  Outside of practice he co-owns Optometric Insights with Dr. Mile Brujic.  Optometric Insights inspires success by helping emerging optometrist’s transition into the practice of their dreams as well as educating clinicians in novel and unique ways to diagnose and treat patients. 

Dr. Kading enjoys conducting clinical research within his practice, he has written over one hundred articles and papers, and has given several hundred lectures in North America, Europe, and Asia. He works closely with industry, publications, local, state, and national organizations.  He has a regular column in contact lens spectrum, contact lens today, and a digital video series called Clinical Insights on Eyetube OD.

Above all things, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Dr. Kristi Kading and their two daughters (Olivia 3, and Elise 1 year old) at their Woodinville home.