300 We should all bring our optometric shields home from every battle. If we do this no shade shall darken our skies; no arrow shall pierce our resolve and at the end of the day, we shall be successful in every endeavor. Dominick M. Maino,

1. Editorial
“he tan, he epi tas”
(Ή τάν ή Επί τᾶς)
With This or Upon This
Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd
Editor
300
We should all bring our optometric
This story was fairly simple…a
small number of individuals (even
against tremendous odds) can have
during the Battle of Thermopylae.
As the 300 Spartans stood with
their Greek comrades, a Spartan
shields home from every battle. If a major impact on what happens in soldier was informed that the vast
we do this no shade shall darken the future. There are, however, other Persian Empire’s arrows would
our skies; no arrow shall pierce lessons to be learned as well… be so numerous as “to blot out the
our resolve and at the end of the Before the battle, Spartan women sun.” The soldier remarked that, “So
day, we shall be successful in would hand the soldiers their shields much the better, we shall fight in the
every endeavor. and tell them to come home with the shade.”
Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd shield or upon it. This implied that The important message here
to come home without their shield is to take a negative and turn it
I recently saw the movie, 300. I they would have had to commit an into a positive whenever you can.
was ready to dislike it immensely act that brought shame upon Sparta. For instance, when uninformed
since I grew up with a another This act of shame was not necessarily individuals make false statements
movie entitled, 300 Spartans,1 a cowardice but rather anything that about optometric vision therapy, use
1962 movie extravaganza featuring demonstrated a significant lack of the articles in Optometry & Vision
less blood and gore but lots of concern for his fellow Spartans. Development and other respected
action, pomp and circumstance The shield not only protected the journals to show them that we too can
(actor Richard Egan starred as King individual soldier, but it was also take the shade of ignorance and bring
Leonidas). But I ended up enjoying vital in protecting the soldier to in the light of knowledge through
both of these movies because both his left. The shield was symbolic research, review articles, editorials
remained faithful to the story’s core. of the individual’s dedication to and various clinical articles.3-8
his colleagues, his fundamental Although there are probably
Correspondence regarding this editorial importance in the organization’s numerous messages embedded
should be emailed to dmaino@ico.edu
or sent to Dr. Dominick M. Maino, OVD success, and his accountability to his within this story of the Spartans,
Editor, Illinois College of Optometry, friends and comrades.2 the final one I want to bring to your
3241 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Il. You may not be a Spartan, but attention is that the 300 were also
60616. All statements are the author’s you should also hold onto your assisted by thousands of comrades
personal opinion and may not reflect the optometric shield at all times. from many other Greek city states.
opinions of the College of Optometrists
in Vision Development, Optometry & Your dedication to the College of These city states fought against each
Vision Development or any institution or Optometrists in Vision Development, other frequently, but when it really
organization to which he may be affiliated. importance to COVD’s success and counted, they came together shoulder
Permission to use reprints for educational your accountability to your COVD to shoulder, side by side. Our
purposes must be obtained from the editor. friends, colleagues and the patients diagnosis and treatment philosophies
Copyright 2007 College of Optometrists in
Vision Development. we serve should never be far from may differ. Our approaches to
your mind. optometric eye and vision patient
Maino D. With this or upon this. Optom Vis There was another take home care may differ. But we should all be
Dev 2007;38(2):57-58. message of note that occurred a member of optometry’s army when
Volume 38/Number 2/2007 57

2. it comes to supporting the College of 5 Solan HA, Shelly-Tremblay J, Ficarra A,
Silverman M, Larson S. Effect of attention
Optometrists in Vision Development therapy on reading comprehension. J Optom
and all of organized optometry. Vis Dev. 2004;35(2):87–96.
Are you a member of the 6 Bowan MD. Learning disabilities, dyslexia,
and vision: a subject review. Optometry
American Optometric Association 2002;73:553-75.
and your state association? As a 7 Maino D. Playing the game Optom Vis Dev
legislated profession we could 2007;38(1):5-6
8 Pang Y, Maino D, Zhang G, Lu F. Myopia:
literally disappear from the face of Can its progress be controlled? Optom Vis
health care by a simple vote of your Dev 2006;37(2):75-79.
legislature. The AOA and your state 9 http://www.nora.cc/
10 http://www.apha.org/
association make sure this won’t 11 http://aamr.org/
happen. 12 http://www.biausa.org/
Are you a member of the
Optometric Extension Program
Foundation? OEPF offers education
for the optometrist interested in Welcome New JRB Members
functional/developmental vision
care. They provide materials to
help educate your patients and It is with a great deal of pleasure 2008. Marc has written on special
support what you do in many that I welcome to Optometry & populations, contact lenses and
ways. Are you a member of the Vision Development two new children, oculomotor apraxia, and
Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Journal Review Board members: other noteworthy topics. He has
Association,9 the American Public Drs. Samantha Slotnick and Marc presented his research and clinical
Health Association,10 the American Taub. case reports at COVD, AOA, ARVO
Association on Intellectual and Samantha “Mantha” and the AAO. Marc’s current
Developmental Disabilities,11 Slotnick is from White Plains, NY research includes accommodative
the Brain Injury Association of and is a 2004 graduate of the SUNY testing comparisons, research
American12 or any other number College of Optometry who also concerning autism, oculo-motility
of groups, organizations and completed a residency in vision and more.
associations that need an optometric therapy and rehabilitative optometry. All Journal Review Board
presence? You should be. I know you She is scheduled to complete her members have dedicated themselves
cannot be all to all, but you must be Masters in Vision Science in 2008, is to Optometry & Vision Development
supportive of and be active in those a Fellow of the American Academy by not only conducting peer
organizations that need optometry’s of Optometry and is currently review of the articles submitted for
input, skills, and knowledge base. working towards her Fellowship in publication, but by also writing for
We should all bring our COVD. Samantha is a co-founder OVD on a wide variety of topics.
optometric shields home from every of the Westchester/Fairfield vision When you see Mantha and Marc
battle. If we do this no shade shall therapy study group and a frequent at the next COVD meeting, please
darken our skies; no arrow shall contributor to the VTOD email extend a hearty hand shake and
pierce our resolve and at the end of discussion group. She will not only thank you for volunteering for such
the day, we shall be successful in meet all the requirements of the an important position on OVD’s
every endeavor. OVD JRB (writing articles, book editorial board.
As always, I want your feedback reviews, editorials and conducting Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd
and comments not only on this peer reviews of submitted papers) Editor, OVD
editorial, but on all we offer in every but will also bring a new clinician’s
issue of the OVD. Please email your perspective to an established, well
comments, praise (and yes, even respected journal.
criticism) to dmaino@ico.edu . After We also welcome an individual
all, this is your journal. whom many of you know: Mark
Taub. Mark is an assistant professor
References at the Nova Southeastern University
1 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055719/ College of Optometry and is in
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta
3 Ciuffreda KJ. The scientific basis for and private practice in Pembroke Pines,
efficacy of optometric vision therapy in Fl. He’s completed a pediatric
nonstrabismic accommodative and vergence residency and should have met all
disorders. Optometry 2002;73:735-62.
4 Maino D. Stereo Sue(lotions)! Optom Vis requirements for the Masters in
Dev 2006:37(2):49-50. Clinical Vision Research Degree in
58 Optometry and Vision Development