How did you first become interested in optometry?
I was in college, and I wanted to pursue a medical career, but I wasn’t sure what to do specifically. At the end of my sophomore year, I met James Caldwell, OD, EdD, an alumnus of my college and a faculty member at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He gave an informative talk on what it was like to be an optometrist. I processed it over the summer and decided that was the path I wanted to follow.
What has been the most memorable professional experience of your career thus far?
There have been many memorable experiences throughout my career, including my graduation as an optometrist, my ocular disease residency, and my retina fellowship. In 2019, I was awarded the Salus University Presidential Medal of Honor. That was a huge compliment. I’ve also won the Educator of the Year award five times, which is chosen by the students. Another memorable moment was when I became a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, which took a lot of time and effort.
I also wrote a book in 1999, based on a collection of my lecture outlines. I have updated and sold the book to optometry students every year since, and I donate 100% of the profits.
How do you expect the practice of optometry will evolve in the next decade?
Through expanded scope of practice, which may include all states gaining laser privileges or performing minor surgical procedures. To accommodate this expanded scope of practice, future optometry graduates may need to undergo mandatory residencies and/or complete fellowships. The profession has already adopted a more medically oriented approach to patient care. However, with an extended scope, optometry schools will find it challenging to maintain its core skills, such as expertise in refractive status, specialty contact lenses, low vision, and accommodative and binocular disorders, while following the medical model in the time frame allotted.
Dr. Pelino (left); Luis Trujillo, OD (center); and Jeffrey Nyman, OD, (right) at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry graduation in May 2022.
In order to balance our future responsibilities, there will be an increased need to leverage technology, including telehealth and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence will help analyze or diagnose diseases and telehealth will allow optometrists to serve rural populations.
Thinking back over your career thus far, what is one case that has stuck with you?
There was a pediatric patient who was diagnosed with a rhabdomyosarcoma of the medial rectus muscle. He was seen at a practice on the West Coast, where a former student worked. She asked me where I thought was the best place for her to refer her patient.
I made a phone call to a prominent university hospital and gave her a few other options. Because I had created relationships with doctors (OD and MD) throughout the United States, we were able to get this patient seen quickly. He went through his treatment plan, but the cancer eventually returned. Although he lost his eye, he now enjoys a healthy, cancer-free life.
I never actually saw the patient, but I was told that the family was extremely thankful for the efforts I’d made. This case is memorable to me because it shows the importance of building strong interdisciplinary relationships and having the trust of your former students. It was a very rewarding feeling to know that my connections allowed me to help this family.
As someone who loves to travel, what’s the most number of times you’ve traveled in one calendar year? Do you have a list of places you want to visit?
The most I have traveled in 1 year is approximately 30 out of 52 weekends. I go to Italy as much as I can because I’m a second generation Italian and many of my relatives and family friends are there.
My top places to visit still are Turkey, Egypt, Ethiopia, Syria, Greece, Iraq, and Iran. These places are all very significant to me because I have a library at home with an extensive collection of books on the Metal Age (2300 BC to 1 BC). I enjoy studying the ancient history of this period and the associated civilizations, such as Sumer, Acadia, the Hittites, Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Macedonia, Medo-Persia, etc.
What three items would you want with you on a deserted island?
A molecular biology book, a glass of cold milk, and Oreos.
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