Local optometrist selected to serve on national body
Dr. Shannon Franklin of Crozet Eye Care, Optometrists, has been named to serve on the national InfantSEE® committee, a program of Optometry Cares – The American Optometric Association (AOA) Foundation.
InfantSEE® is a no-cost public health program developed to provide professional eye care for infants. As part of the program, AOA member optometrists offer a one-time, comprehensive eye assessment to infants ages 6-12 months, allowing for early detection of potential eye and vision problems at no cost regardless of income.
Dr. Franklin accepts appointments for these no-cost infant eye exams year round and also hosts InfantSEE® Day at her office in Western Albemarle in March, closing her office to the public for a full day to perform eye exams for infants.
“Ensuring healthy infant vision for members of our community always has been a priority of my practice,” said Dr. Franklin, owner of Crozet Eye Care, Optometrists, and Virginia InfantSEE® Coordinator for the American Optometric Association (AOA). “To be able to help direct this program on a national scale is very much an honor.”
Experts from the AOA and American Public Health Association (APHA) agree that visual development is most dramatic between 6 and 12 months of age and that early detection can prevent and help reduce the threat of serious vision impairments. In fact, one in every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems by the time they are 18 years of age. If left untreated, eye and vision problems can impact learning and may lead to permanent vision impairment.
Although infants cannot respond verbally, the first year of life is an ideal time to conduct an extensive eye assessment.
To learn more about InfantSEE®, visit www.infantsee.org. For more information about Dr. Franklin’s practice, call 434.823.4441 or visit the website at www.CrozetEyeCare.com.
Local optometrist elected to state association leadership post
Dr. Shannon Franklin, owner of Crozet Eye Care, Optometrists, in Western Albemarle, was elected to serve as vice president of the Virginia Optometric Association at its 108th annual convention in Norfolk last month.
As vice president, Dr. Franklin will lead the operations division of VOA, which includes managing the organization’s budget, personnel, legislative activities, and constitution and by-laws.
“The Virginia Optometric Association is an exemplary resource for our profession,” Franklin said. “I’m honored to be going into my fifth year as a member of the Board of Trustees and look forward to my new role and responsibilities as vice president.”
Prior to becoming an officer, Franklin served three years on the Board of Trustees and four years as president of the local chapter of the VOA. In 2002, she won the Vanguard Award recognizing the best and most outstanding VOA active member practicing less than eight years. In addition, Franklin currently is the Virginia coordinator for the InfantSEE program, a no-cost public health program developed by the American Optometric Association and The Vision Care Institute of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. to provide professional eye care for infants nationwide.
In 2006, she started Crozet Eye Care, Optometrists, a family practice in Western Albemarle that offers comprehensive eye exams, medical diagnosis and treatment, and a wide variety of optical solutions to patients ranging in age from infants to senior adults.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
