Name: Zachary Zlatin 2023 Student Visionary Spotlight

Class Year: 2023

What is your specialty or area of focus (if applicable)?
Myopia Management

List the award(s) / scholarship(s) you have received
JOSH WALLMAN MEMORIAL RESEARCH AWARD

What does receiving this award or scholarship mean to you?
Receiving this award for my research during optometry school means the world to me! It is a validation of the countless hours of hard work and dedication that I put into my research. It is an honor to be recognized.

What drew you to the field of optometry?
My father is an Optometrist and I would tech for his practice most summers between college. While I have always had an interest in medicine and physics but it was not until I saw first hand the difference an eye doctor could make in someones life that I knew I wanted to become an Optometrist.

What are your plans following graduation?
I am planning on working with my father in private practice to provide quality myopia management and advanced orthokeratology to our community.

What was your most transformative experience during optometry school?
Being able to present my research at ARVO was an amazing experiance. I was able to discuss my project with clinicians and researchers from around the world and discuss my work and its future implications.

What advice would you give incoming or prospective optometry students?
Work hard and learn as much as you can! Optometry school is one of the best times to learn from and work directly with experts.