Advancing Vision Summit Program

BREAKOUT OPTION Integrating Eye Care into Population Health: The Growing Role of FQHC’s and Community Health Centers 2:00pm – 2:30pm MODERATOR: Dr. Ted Long, Senior Vice President and System Chief Medical Officer, Clinical Services & Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals SPEAKERS: Dr. Louis Pizzarello, Board Chair of Lavelle Fund for the Blind Dr. Andrea Nikki Cotler, Director of Eye & Vision Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/ Gotham Health, Gouverneur Dr. Joy Harewood-John, Associate Clinical Professor at SUNY College of Optometry This moderated panel will explore how Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and community health centers are increasingly integrating vision care into population health strategies to improve outcomes, advance health equity, and expand access for underserved communities. Panelists will discuss the role of eye care as a critical component of whole-person care, its connection to chronic disease management and social determinants of health, and the unique value optometry brings within the primary care setting. The discussion will also examine innovative care models, strategies for addressing access barriers, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and telehealth, that are helping health systems deliver more effective and equitable eye care. Attendees will gain practical insights into how vision services can strengthen community health, improve patient outcomes, and support sustainable care delivery models.

Seeing Further: Myopia Research from Molecules to Meaningful Outcomes 2:45pm – 3:15pm MODERATOR: Dr. Lisa Ostrin, Dean for Graduate Studies and Research at SUNY College of Optometry SPEAKERS: Dr. Alexandra Benavente-Perez, Research Professor at SUNY College of Optometry Dr. Xiaoying Zhu, Lead Clinician for Myopia Management at SUNY College of Optometry Myopia is more than a need for stronger glasses—it is a complex condition shaped by biology, visual experience, and the way the eye grows. But how do we move from understanding what happens at the molecular and cellular level to developing treatments that can make a meaningful difference for patients? In this engaging panel discussion, experts from SUNY College of Optometry will take audiences on a journey across the full spectrum of myopia research including recent discoveries about eye growth, visual signals, and the biology of myopia as they develop into new approaches to prevention and treatment. The discussion will connect fundamental research and experimental models with translational studies, clinical trials, and the practical challenges of bringing promising discoveries to patients. This session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how research moves from molecules to meaningful outcomes and where the future of myopia care is headed. L. Wayne Spencer, Director of the Clinical Vision Research Center at SUNY College of Optometry

6

ADVANCING VISION SUMMIT