I am now ten years into my optometric career and rather than settling in and getting comfortable with the practice that I have joined and help grow, I find myself interested in growing my professional career further.
To understand my interest in sports vision, I’d have to take you back to 2003, when I left the ophthalmology practice where I was working and decided to move to Connecticut to join a well established private practice with two doctors well-known in the field of sports vision. When I joined Dr. Donald Teig and Dr. Alan Berman, I was looking to take my career in a new direction, focus on full scope eye care and become involved in sports vision. Over the past six years, I have had the opportunity to test and train athletes from middle school age to those that play professionally. I enjoy the diversity of the sports in which I help athletes reach their peak performance by improving their visual skills and eye hand coordination. Some days I will test trapshooters, and on others will be working with players of our town’s high school softball team.
I enjoy speaking about sports vision, and have created presentations that I have used when speaking to high school athletes and a physical therapy/conditioning conference. Later this month I will be speaking at an indoor baseball training facility to baseball coaches from six area high schools. While a number of scheduling conflicts have interfered with my opportunity to participate in past SVS events, I look forward to becoming more involved and working with the council to increase awareness of sports vision and shape the future of sports vision programs.
My position as professional editor of the ophthalmic office section of Vision Care Products News magazine offers a platform from which to discuss the benefits of sports vision to optometrists. In addition, as an associate consultant for The Power Practice, I work with clients who are interested in growing their practices and offering their patients outstanding care. I feel that sports vision is certainly an area that can help practitioners improve their patients’ lives while growing their practices.
At this time I am seeking nomination to the council office of the AOA Sports Vision Section. If I could be of further assistance in answering additional questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Eric Bran, O.D.