The Organizing Group
Louise A. Sclafani, OD, FAAO, FSLS ’89 ICO, served as Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of Optometric Services at University of Chicago from 1993-2017. Her main interests include contact lenses, corneal disease, and surgery co-management. She applies her experience of challenging hospital based care as Vice President of Professional Affairs for SynergEyes and continues to see patients at SoLo Eyecare, a private practice in Chicago and at the Illinois College of Optometry where she trains optometry interns. She has held leadership roles in the American Optometric Association including Illinois State President and Chair of the Cornea and Contact Lens Section. She was awarded the status of Diplomate by the American Academy of Optometry CCLRT and serves as Vice Chair of the Section. She’s a Fellow of the Scleral Lens Society and Associate Member of the International Society of Contact Lens Specialists. She was selected by Review of Optometry as one of the Top 10 Females at the Forefront of Optometry and is founding member of GLOW, Global Ophthalmic Women.
Daddi Fadel, DOptom, FSLS, FBCLA, FAAO, is a contact lens designer, a Pioneer of modern lens designs, and a specialist in contact lenses for irregular cornea, scleral lenses, myopia control, and orthokeratology. She speaks five languages; Arabic, French, English, Italian, and Greek. She studied optometry at Istituto Superiore di Scienze Optometriche (ISSO) in Rome (1998-2001), a four-year course achieved in three years with honors.
Daddi Fadel and Dr. Melissa Barnett are authors of the “Clinical Guide for Scleral Lens Success”. Daddi Fadel is the author of the book “Scleral Lens Complications: Their Recognition, Etiology, and Management”. She also is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Contact Lens Research & Science (JCLRS).
Fadel is Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society (SLS), British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), and American Academy of Optometry (AAO). As well, she holds numerous prestigious board seats.
Karen DeLoss, OD, FAAO, FSLS is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, Kellogg Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology in Ann Arbor Michigan. Her practice primarily concentrates on specialty contact lenses for corneal ectasia and ocular surface disease. She also sees patients for primary care optometry. Her research is focused on clinical outcomes of specialty contact lenses and anterior segment disease. She has published several manuscripts in American Journal of Ophthalmology, Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, Eye and Contact Lens and Cornea. Dr DeLoss serves on the program committee for the Global Specialty Lens Symposium. She is currently the chair of the Maintenance of Fellowship Committee for the American Academy of Optometry. Dr DeLoss is also an advisory board member for the Gas Permeable Lens Institute and is and advisory member of the Scleral Lens Research Meeting. She is a journal reviewer for Cornea, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye and Contact Lens, Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, and Optometric Clinical Practice.
Dr. Karen G. Carrasquillo, OD, PhD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA is Vice President of Clinical and Professional Affairs at BostonSight. In addition, she is an adjunct clinical professor at the New England College of Optometry, an adjunct clinical professor at the school of optometry, MCPHS University, Advisory Board member for the Gas Permeable Lens Institute (GPLI), Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), Fellow of the Educational Society of Scleral Lenses (FSLS), Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association (FBCLA), and Global Ambassador of the BCLA. She is the founder and Program Chair of FitAcademy, an educational retreat for Cornea and Contact Lens Residents, and is also a planning committee member for the International Congress of Scleral Contacts (ICSC) Meeting and Global Ophthalmic Women (GLOW) meeting.
She is an international key opinion leader and speaker, having delivered more than 70 presentations locally and internationally, also the author of numerous publications on the therapeutic use of scleral lenses and prosthetic replacement of the eye surface system (PROSE) and is also the author of several patents. Prior to completing her doctorate degree in Optometry and her residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses, she completed a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico and a postdoctoral fellowship in ophthalmological research from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, MA.
Patricia Flores Rodríguez, OD, MSc, PhD, IACLE, FSLS
- Doctor in Optics, Optometry and Vision (PhD) from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).
- Master in Optics, Optometry and Vision (MSc) from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).
- Diploma in Optics and Optometry from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain).
- Optician from the P.U.C de Valparaíso (Chile).
- Medical Technologist Mention Ophthalmology from the University of Chile (Chile).
- Fellow Scleral Lens Education Society (FSLS).
- IACLE member.
- Specialized in the adaptation of contact lenses in diseases of the ocular surface.
- Dra. Flores conducts conferences and publications in the area of optometry and specialized contactology.
- Currently serving as a Global Professional Service. Specialty lens Division. Menicon Co., Ltd (Japan)
Dr. Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA is a principal optometrist at the University of California, Davis Eye Center in Sacramento and Davis, California. She is an internationally recognized key opinion leader, specializing in dry eye disease and specialty contact lenses. Dr. Barnett lectures globally and publishes extensively on topics including dry eye, anterior segment disease, contact lenses and creating a healthy balance between work and home life for women in optometry. She is Chair of the American Optometric Association Contact Lens and Cornea Section, a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a Diplomate of the American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry, a Fellow and Global Ambassador of the British Contact Lens Association, serves on the Board of the Gas Permeable Lens Institute, International Society of Contact Lens Specialists and is Past President of The Scleral Lens Education Society. Drs. Melissa Barnett and Lynette Johns authored and edited the book Contemporary Scleral Lenses: Theory and Application with the unique perspectives and contributions of international experts. Dr. Barnett most recently chaired the BCLA CLEAR report on scleral lenses. She is currently serving on the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS): A Lifestyle Epidemic Ocular Surface Disease Workshop. Dr. Barnett was awarded the inaugural Theia Award for Excellence for Mentoring by Women in Optometry. She was granted the Most Influential Women in Optical from Vision Monday in 2019. Dr. Barnett and Dr. Tom Arnold are co-hosts of the popular podcast GlobalEyes. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, yoga, hiking and spending time with her family, Todd Erickson, also an optometrist, and two sons, Alex and Drew.
Charter Members of Women of Vision 2005
We are a professional organization designed to create opportunities for educating, mentoring, and networking dedicated to helping women optometrists be proactive in defining themselves.
Charter Members of
Women of Vision
- Rhonda S. Robinson, OD
- Jan Jurkus, OD
- Mary Jo Steigemeier, OD
- Linda Casser, OD
- Kristine Eng, OD
- Kelly Kerksick, OD
- Millicent Knight, OD
- Glenda Secor, OD
- Jennifer Smythe, OD
- Loretta Szczotka-Flynn, OD
- Denise Whittam, OD
- Siu G. Wong, OD, MPH
- Sally M. Dillehay, OD, EdD
- Christine Sindt, OD
- Gretchyn M. Bailey, NCLC, FAAO
International Ambassadors for GLOW:
- Carmen Abesamis-Dichoso, OD, FSLS
- Elena Belousova MD, PhD
- Lynette Johns, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA
- Muriel Schornack OD, FAAO, FSLS
- Mindy Toabe, OD