WORCESTER, Mass.—State-of-the-art classrooms and optometric instrumentation rooms provided an ideal meeting space for the almost 300 opticians at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University (MCPHS) School of Optometry.

Gathered for the Opticians Association of Massachusetts (OAM) spring education conference, held April 12, 2015, participants could choose from lectures and smaller workshops conducted by both national and local speakers. The school’s large ballroom was set up with tables for 35 of the companies who support the OAM and for the day’s breakfast and lunch.

Speakers for the day included educators Phernell Walker, ABOM; Gregory Naes, CEO of Eye Solutions Technology (BluTech Lens); Mark Dolabony of Best Image Eyewear; Brad Main of Rochester Optical; along with James Slightom, consultant for ABB Concise, and dispensing optician, John Parrelli of Parrelli Optical, heading up the NCLE contact lens education.

Smaller workshop sessions provided hands-on training with both national speakers and local opticians that included Catherine Selucky of Parrelli Optical, Donna Schaub of Menicon, John Jeffrey of Essilor Instruments, and Dibby Bartlett, board member of both the OAM and the Opticians Association of America.

Student ambassadors from the MCPHS optometry program offered assistance in the contact lens instrumentation workshops led by Parrelli Optical’s John Parrelli and Jeffrey Bird, RDO, NCLC, and Brighton Optical’s Bill Eichhold. Review classes for the ABO and NCLE certification exams were also part of the meeting agenda. MCPHS University’s support staff and student volunteers from Ben Franklin Institute’s opticianry program helped the day run smoothly.

A packed audience attending the “7th Hour Lecture” that concluded the meeting heard inspirational stories by speakers Phernell Walker and OAM executive director Blair Wong. The OAM expressed its gratitude to MCPHS University dean Joseph Zinkovich, OD, and others for hosting the conference.

Meeting planners Blair Wong (l) and Diane Matuck joined forces for a successful spring education conference. Keynote speaker Phernell Walker (r) met with MCPHS third-year optometry student Rebecca Bridger. John Parrelli and Catherine Selucky of Parrelli Optical taught contact lens workshops and general sessions.
MCPHS students assisted with ophthalmic instrumentation classes. MCPHS’s ophthalmic instrumentation proved useful for workshops. John Jeffrey of Essilor Instruments USA taught a hands-onedging class.