Director Emeritus, Optometry Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Serving in Headquarters, Washington, DC., from 1974 to 1989, Dr. Myers led the implementation of PL 93-82 and PL 94-581 and deployment of optometrists into the VA’s physician-dentist personnel system and their appointments as medical staff members holding medical prescribing privileges. He developed national VA medical training rotations for optometry students, and originated national optometry residency programs and led their accreditation by ACOE. During his tenure, VA optometrists became leaders in published clinical articles, CE lectures and the training of students and residents.
A founder in 1978, and life member, of the National Association of VA Optometrists, he served as its Executive Director from 2005-2009 before founding ABCMO in 2009.
Dr. Myers served as dean and professor at the Michigan College of Optometry; chief optometrist at a VA medical clinic; editor of the Journal of the AOA Medical Abstracts Section and is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed papers. A past member of the AOA, Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and President of the AAO Michigan Chapter, he has served on a number of national advisory panels and was a leading advocate for the creation of the ACMO examination offered by NBEO to those completing accredited medical optometry residencies.
He received the M.Sc. in physics in 1969 and the Ph.D. in biological physics from The Ohio State University in 1972, where he was elected to the Sigma Phi Sigma physics honor society and taught optics at the College of Optometry. He was awarded the O.D. degree from the New England College of Optometry in 1974 while a faculty member and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Akron from which he earned undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and physics-mathematics in 1963 and 1965.
Awards & Recognition
The New England College of Optometry awarded its Presidential Medal to Dr. Myers for furthering the clinical education of optometry students, originating optometry residency programs and developing the specialty of medical optometry.
Dr. Myers was also recently awarded the Doctor of Ocular Science honorary degree by the New England College of Optometry.