New Kids on the Block: 2017 Edition

Meet the Contact Lens Club

The prescription of contact lenses has become more and more popular among patients who regularly see an optometrist. With new lenses constantly being developed to provide increased patient comfort and even better vision, it is a field in which you never stop learning. Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry contact lens specialists and faculty are some of the most knowledgeable in the field. The contact lens field however is always changing with the development of new lens technologies, lens materials and specialty lenses. 

To ensure students could keep pace with this rapidly changing field, a group of third year optometry students who were passionate on the subject, along with assistant professor Kriti Bhagat, OD ‘14, decided to start a contact lens club. The club's goal is to provide students with the ever changing information in the field of contact lenses and hands-on experience in fitting specialty lenses. 

The Contact Lens Club, which now includes more than 100 members, is open to second and third year students who wish to network with representatives from contact lens companies while also participating in workshops. When asked about the goals of the club, current president Chad Killen ‘19OD said, “This club is unique because it provides students with the opportunity to fit and learn the benefits of the newest daily, multifocal, scleral, and other types of specialty contact lenses. Having the interface with the company representatives gives students the opportunity to make connections that will last throughout their professional career.”

Besides planning workshops with companies like Johnson & Johnson and Valley Contax, Inc., the newest student organization plans to team up with other clubs, like the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), to have discussions on legislation aimed at protecting patients from online companies dispensing the wrong prescription or expired contact lenses.

“It really is an interactive club that allows students to expand their knowledge and grow their passion for contact lenses,” Chad said. “Students now have a greater opportunity to expand their hands-on experience during their second year, making them better rounded student doctors.”