Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO
Program Chair
Dr. Mohammad Rafieetary is a consultative optometric physician who has been is in practice at the Charles Retina Institute (CRI) since 1996. Dr. Rafieetary is a graduate of Boston University and has received his Doctor of Optometry from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has completed a residency in Primary Care Optometry and Ocular Disease at the Southern College of Optometry (SCO) and the Memphis Health Center. Upon complication of his residency in 1989, Dr. Rafieetary joined SCO’s faculty and served as an Associate Professor the Chief of Advanced Ocular Disease Service and at the Southern College of Optometry until he joined CRI. Dr. Rafieetary has received several awards including the SCO Faculty of the Year, American Diabetic Association’s National Achievement of Distinction Award, and the Tennessee Associations of Optometric Physician’s Optometrist of the Year.
Dr. Rafieetary has served on the board of several professional organizations such as the Church Health Center, and the American Diabetes Association.
Dr. Rafieetary is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and Optometric Retina Society. He is board certified by the American Board Optometry as well as the American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry.
Dr. Rafieetary is published in numerous professional publications and lectures extensively on the subject of diseases of the eye with emphasis on conditions of the retinal and vitreous.
Steven Ferrucci, OD, FAAO
Program Co-Chair
Dr. Ferrucci is currently Chief of Optometry at the Sepulveda VA Ambulatory Care Center and Nursing Home. He is also the Residency Director at that sight, and a Professor at the Southern California College of Optometry/Marshall B. Ketchum University. Dr. Ferrucci has lectured and published extensively, with a special interest in Diabetes, Diabetic Eye Disease, AMD and Fluorescein Angiography. He is a fellow in both the American Academy of Optometry and the Optometric Retinal Society, and currently serves as immediate past President of the ORS.
Jeffrey Austin, OD, FAAO
Dr. Jeffrey Austin is an honors graduate from the Southern California College of Optometry and is currently on faculty with that prestigious institution. He has been on the faculty of Pacific University College of Optometry and Houston College of Optometry as well as clinical instructor at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He is director of Optometric
Education and in clinical practice limited to ocular disease at New Eyes Las Vegas. He is a member of the American Optometric Association and a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, the Optometric Glaucoma Society and the Optometric Retina Society. Dr. Austin has been President and is currently the Education Chairman of the Nevada Optometric Association and is currently President of the Optometric Retina Society.
Jeffry Gerson, OD, FAAO
Dr. Jeffry Gerson graduated from Indiana University school of Optometry in 1997, after which he went on to do a VA residency concentrating in low vision and ocular disease. He has been in several different practice settings, including a retina referral practice where he participated in several large clinical trials.
Currently, Dr. Gerson is in private practice that is a collaboration of both OD’s and MD’s. He see’s primary care patients, and has an emphasis on retinal care in his practice. He enjoys having 4 th year optometry interns with him and the challenges that they present. He still participates in clinical trials and utilizes many different diagnostic modalities.
Dr. Gerson is a frequent lecturer in the US and abroad, and writes regularly for optometric publications. When not at work, he enjoys travelling, working out and spending time with his family.
Jay M. Haynie, OD, FAAO
Dr. Jay M. Haynie graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry in 1992 and completed a residency at American Lake Veterans Hospital in 1993 where the focus was on the diagnosis and management of ocular disease. He served as the Executive Clinical Director of Retina and Macula Specialists until 2018 after which time he joined Sound Retina in Tacoma Washington. He is an adjunct clinical professor at Pacific University College of Optometry, a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a member of the Optometric Retina Society. He is a sponsor of a 4th year internship for Optometry students in his private practice. He is a clinical investigator and continues to be involved in clinical studies regarding retinal disease management, both as a principle and sub-investigator. He is a published author and has become a nationally recognized speaker on advances in technology and the management of retinal disease.
Julie Rodman, OD, MS, FAAO
Dr. Julie Rodman graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. in Neuroscience. She received her doctorate in optometry from the New England College of Optometry. She then completed a residency in hospital-based optometry at the VA Medical Center Brockton/West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Since completing her residency, Dr. Rodman has worked in various settings, including an ophthalmology private practice and an HMO-based practice. Dr. Rodman joined the Nova Southeastern College of Optometry in 2000 and currently holds the rank of Full Professor. In 2014, Dr. Rodman received her Masters of Science in Clinical Vision Research from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Rodman is actively involved in patient care, clinical teaching and lecturing in the area of vitreoretinal disease. She serves as the Chief of the Fort Lauderdale Eye Care Institute where she has been seeing patients for over twenty years. She is instructor of record for the retina course at NSU College of Optometry. Dr. Rodman has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Clinical Precepting, and Preceptor of the Year.
Dr. Rodman is a member of the American Optometric Association, American Academy of Optometry, Florida Optometric Association, Optometric Retina Society and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Dr. Rodman is a member of the Optovue Advisory Board where she serves as a lecturer and consultant. She holds her Oral Pharmaceuticals Certification and is Laser/Surgical Certified as well. Her scholarly interests include retinal disease, optical coherence tomography and diseases of the vitreo-retinal interface. She recently authored the atlas “OCTA: A Case Study Approach”.
