Editor’s Column #2
Save as PDF
As the Journal of Medical Optometry grows, I’m struck by the desire of so many of us to publish our work for the benefit of our peers. There is no shortage of submissions for publication; there is a demand by medical optometrists to have a space to call our own. I think we all benefit from this. The author benefits from being motivated to dig deeper into a case, into a disease. The reader benefits by being able to take away a better understanding of a condition they could easily see in their chair tomorrow. And, of course, the patient benefits when the field increases its shared knowledge.
When you publish an article on a particular disease, you remember it forever. You have developed a certain level of understanding about that condition, and (although science moves on, and we all have to keep up) you can start to teach it to others on a higher level. The authors published in this issue have done a tremendous job of developing an understanding of certain conditions and then presenting that understanding to us, the audience. The featured article this issue is entitled “Primary central nervous system diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as homonymous hemianopia” by Grace Bissonnette, Kendra Pollard and Shikha Mehta. These doctors describe a case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder which caused a rare finding of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the occipital lobe. Thanks to their fast diagnosis and management, the patient underwent neurosurgery within the week. Take the time to read that case.
Jackie Lopez, Kelsey Jordan and Cory Siegel present a case of proptosis from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Many of us have seen cases of Graves’ disease, but can we explain the differences between Graves’ and Hashimoto’s? Read that article and you will be. And take a look at the excellent images in the scleromalacia perforans case by Danielle Toms and Elizabeth Phillips. Would you know what to do next if you saw that tomorrow? I know I would immediately reread their article! Finally, my favorite photo we’ve published thus far is the Christmas Tree Cataract in the photo essay written by Loren Bennett and Leon Nguyen. I did a Google Image search, and I think it’s the best out there. The most tinsel-like, in my opinion. You’ll click on the article for the picture, but you’ll learn something about its connection to myotonic dystrophy.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the editorial board and myself by clicking the Contact tab in the upper-right corner. The journal is still new; we’re growing and changing each issue. If you have any questions/comments/thoughts/ideas, then send a message through that portal. This is your journal. We want to give you the best product we can, and we’ll always be open to your ideas. If you have a longer message you’d like to see published, then consider writing your message as a Letter to the Editor. We want to give everyone a voice.
Doug Rett OD FAAO ABCMO
Editor-in-Chief; Journal of Medical Optometry
Secretary; American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry
Chief; Boston VA Optometry
Dr. Rett is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medical Optometry and the secretary for the American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry. He is the Chief of Optometry at VA Boston and sits on the national Field Advisory Board for Tele Eyecare at the VA. He is adjunct clinical faculty at several optometry schools, lectures nationally and enjoys writing about eyecare whenever and wherever.
