In July, SUNY Optometry welcomed a new class of 35 residents who participate in a variety of programs, both at the College and at SUNY-affiliated sites across the region. The residents come from all over the United States, graduating from 11 different schools and colleges of optometry.
Dr. Rima Bakhru, a vision therapy resident focusing on neuro-optometric rehabilitation, talks about why she chose her residency and what life is like as a resident:
What was your reasoning for doing a residency? Had you known for a while that you wanted to do one?
For me personally, a residency was always in the cards. I felt that specializing would allow me to provide a higher caliber of care to my patients. Moreover, it would be a gateway to a more challenging and rewarding career path.
Your residency is focused on neuro-optometric rehabilitation. Tell us a little bit about what that is and what interested you in it.
It was during my second year in the OD program at SUNY that I became fascinated with neuro-optometric rehabilitation. It focuses on modifying vision therapy to help patients with neurologically-based visual symptoms. Since this is such a niche field, doing a residency was really important in order to gain the knowledge and experience that I’ll need going forward.
Tell us a bit about what your daily life is like as a resident.
My day involves specialized exams where I evaluate patients with acquired or traumatic brain injuries for visual dysfunctions. Many patients have problems with eye teaming (binocularity), depth perception or eye movements after suffering a brain injury. Some of my patients have lost part of their field of vision or see double. When we identify these problems, we design a customized vision therapy regimen for each patient and usually see them on a weekly basis.
What would you say to an optometry student who is thinking about doing a residency but isn’t sure?
I think that any student with a passion for a particular area of optometry or a desire to continue expanding their knowledge base should consider doing a residency. It’s certainly not for everyone—and many of those who aren’t sure if they should do a residency have good job prospects in either case. There’s no doubt that a residency will make you a better practitioner and it can often open up professional opportunities for you down the road as well.
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Here are SUNY Optometry’s 2015-16 residents, along with their program and alma mater:
| Vision Rehabilitation (Neuro-optometric Rehabilitation) SUNY | Rima Bakhru | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| VA Harbor Health Brooklyn | Marcella Pipitone | Ohio State College of Optometry |
| Shira Radner | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Joanna Komar | NOVA | |
| Mirjeta Abazaga | SALUS | |
| VA New Jersey | Christine Ahn | Western University of Health Sciences School of Optometry |
| Violet Ehiem | Rosenberg | |
| Stella Lee | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Ocular Disease SUNY | Mi Mi Lim | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Luisa Prieto | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Abby Tang | New England College of Optometry | |
| Eva Tsui | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Fromer Eye Centers | Anna Lange | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Pediatrics Optometry SUNY | Noelda Fernandes | Illinois College of Optometry |
| Elsa Sheerer | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| East NY Diagnostic & Treatment Center/SUNY | Sarah Zuckerman | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Cornea & Contact Lens SUNY | Caitlin Morrison | New England College of Optometry |
| Primary Care SUNY | Maegan Sauer | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Amy Steinway | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center | Irene Choi | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Heema Desai | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Alanna Khattar | Southern College of Optometry | |
| Anna Wong | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Hudson Valley VA | Joseph Boos | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Lauren Feroli | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Ruth Hable | New England College of Optometry | |
| Manju Varghese | UoM St Louis College of Optometry | |
| West Point | Lynn Griffin | NOVA |
| Dr. Irwin B. Suchoff Residency Program in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation SUNY | Kimberly Hamian | State University of New York College of Optometry |
| Justine Simon | Western University of Health Sciences School of Optometry | |
| Lauren Strawn | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Northport VAMC | Sarah Arneal | University of California Berkeley School of Optometry |
| Long Dao | State University of New York College of Optometry | |
| Janette Hang | Western University of Health Sciences School of Optometry | |
| Amy Lam | State University of New York College of Optometry |