Hindsight_54_2_FINAL.pdf


34 Volume 54, Number 2, Fall 2023

EDITORIAL VIKTORIA L. DAVIS, O.D.

GUEST EDITORIAL: THE OHS BLAST FROM 
THE PAST STUDENT CHALLENGE

I have always believed that history is 
a living subject–one that gives us the 
very best teacher, experience. I traveled 
extensively throughout the United States 
with my family as a child, and my mom–a 
consummate teacher–adored history. 
She taught me that every readerboard 
deserved my time–“someone took the 
time to write it, and someone took 
the time and money to put it up, you 
should take the time to read it.” I’ve 
read thousands of books, pamphlets, 
informational signs, and attended 
hundreds of living history programs and 
tours. Some would rebel against this 
upbringing. I instead embraced it and 
have passed this love on to my husband 
and children. It baffles me when I hear 
the comment “history is boring.” That’s 
why I was thrilled to join the Optometric 
Historical Society Committee, combining 
both history and optometry!

This edition of Hindsight includes 
papers from three optometry students 
who share my point of view. They are 
three of the outstanding submissions 
from the Optometric Historical Society’s 
“Blast from the Past Student Challenge.” 
As a member of the OHS Committee 
and a coordinator of this annual project, 
it has been my pleasure to read and 
review student submissions each year. 
Requirements are intentionally broad: 
research and prepare information on a 
topic relevant to optometric history.

Students have proven themselves to 
be incredibly creative, with submissions 
ranging from infographics to research 
papers to videos. There is certainly much 
more information readily available than 
when I was a student! It is, of course, 
also a bit humbling when some of the 
“historic” topics are ones that I clearly 
remember as part of my optometric 
career; my 1999 graduation from Pacific 

University couldn’t possibly mean 
something that happened during my 
career qualifies as “historic!”

Submissions are initially scored by 
members of the OHS Committee based 
on how well the applicant explained the 
influential person, event or development 
in optometric history; if the entry was 
informative and engaging; presentation, 
grammar and spelling; creativity; and 
the WOW Factor. The top qualifiers are 
then invited to present to a broader 
group for prize money. This year, this final 
presentation was virtual at a special Blast 
from the Past Zoom Session attended by 
over 500 students and doctors. Attendees 
were invited to vote to help make the 
final determination of first, second, third 
and honorable mention. This year’s first 
place winner was Faye Nie from Southern 
California College of Optometry for her 
excellent video on Otto Wichterle and 
Soft Contact Lenses. I would encourage 
everyone to view at https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=KxG8_1qXnC0 
and see how much you learn! Second 
place was Trevor Phillips from Indiana 
University School of Optometry with 
his paper “All Eyes on Her: Celebrating 
Women in Low Vision History” (found 
in this issue of Hindsight). Third place 
was awarded to Karli Clark of Illinois 
College of Optometry for her paper “Dr. 
Bess Coleman, Optometrist: Kentuckian, 
Chicagoan, and Pioneer” (included in this 
issue of Hindsight). Honorable mention 
went to Jared Denton (Arizona College 
of Optometry) with his informative video 
on Johannes Kepler, found at https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPkxvRigZGI. 
This issue of Hindsight also includes 
the paper “The Development of the 
InfantSEE Program” by Jessica Palmer 
(Indiana University School of Optometry). 
Congratulations to all and thank you 
for your submissions! I very much look 

forward to reading 2024 submissions. If 
you know of students or residents who 
would be interested in submitting, watch 
for the announcement coming in the 
winter and encourage them to take some 
time to apply. Another pearl of wisdom 
came from my mom, incorporating a 
quote from historian David McCullough: 
“History is who we are and why we are 
the way we are. Study it and you might 
learn something.”

Viktoria L. Davis, O.D.

Viktoria L. Davis, O.D.

Madelia Optometric

viktoria@davismn.net

10.14434/hindsight.v54i2.37205