Residency in Primary Eye Care | Geriatric Optometry, Tacoma, WA

Sponsor: Veterans Administration Puget Sound Healthcare System, American Lake Division, Tacoma, Washington

Mission: This Primary Eye Care|Geriatric Optometry Residency is a one-year post-doctoral training program sponsored by the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, American Lake Division. This residency program offers qualified Doctors of Optometry an educational opportunity to treat an exceptional outpatient veteran population from the South Puget Sound area of Washington. Primary eye care experiences include diagnosis, treatment and management of primary and secondary diseases and dysfunctions of the human eye, adnexa, and visual tracts. Compassionate and individualized patient care is expected. An interdisciplinary approach to the delivery of health care will be cultivated and full utilization of the medical center and University’s resources will be encouraged. Residents will develop clinical and didactic teaching skills.

Program Goals:

• To improve the resident optometrist’s ability to identify and manage visual and ocular disorders which typically affect the elderly.
• To provide the optometrist a better understanding of the physiological, psychological and social changes which the elderly person experiences.
• To teach the optometrist how to most effectively integrate his or her skills into an interdisciplinary program designed specifically for the geriatric patient.
• To prepare optometrists for careers in hospital-based optometry and/or clinical teaching.
• To improve the quality and efficiency of eye care delivered at the American Lake Division, VA Puget Sound Health Care System.
• To train residents in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases.
• To train the resident in the evaluation and remediation of the visually impaired.
• To develop clinical didactic skills during residency training.