Three men to be honored at Optometry’s Meeting in Boston.
The American Optometric Association (AOA) and Optometry Cares-The AOA Foundation have announced that three AOA member doctors will be inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame.
The AOA offers the following biographies of the three inductees:
Joseph Babcock Sr., O.D., of Ohio. The late Dr. Babcock understood the need for optometry’s representation within the military. He worked to gain parity within the armed services and was successful in securing draft deferments for optometric students. He was instrumental in the Optometry Corps bill presented to the House of Representatives, and the formation of an optometry section in the Medical Service Corps within each branch of the armed services. Additionally, he helped win doctors of optometry the status of Commissioned Officer. During and following World War II, the AOA appointed him as director of national affairs, and he was selected by President Franklin Roosevelt as advisor to the Healing Arts Educational Advisory Committee.
Richmond Lewis Scott, O.D., of Indiana. The late Dr. Scott worked to advance the profession’s scope of practice to improve patient care. He was a strong proponent of mandatory continuing education for health care providers and was the key proponent of legislation in Indiana to require continuing education for optometrists. In the early 1970s, he promoted the expansion of the scope of care across Indiana, speaking at all 12 optometric societies to expand the use of pharmaceutical agents that served optometry until the passage of a new therapeutic law. Dr. Scott testified in many states at legislative hearings on therapeutic drug laws.
Louis Catania, O.D., of Florida. Dr. Catania was a pioneer in post-graduate residency education and the expansion of the scope of optometry to not only diagnose, but also treat eye disease. Over a 14-year period, he provided his expertise in primary care optometry to 49 states and 32 countries in the areas of legislative, statutory, education and clinical care. Not only has he given generously of his time to his profession, he also has actively volunteered for a number of community organizations, including Special Olympics, the Association for the Blind of Monroe County, Upper Dublin Committee on Teenage Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and Orbis International, participating in humanitarian missions in eye care to third-world countries.
The inductees will be honored at a ceremony during Optometry’s Meeting in Boston, MA on Thursday, June 30 from 7-8 p.m. To learn more and register, click here.