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Carlson leads women to top positions in optometry
Dori M. Carlson, OD, FAAO, is credited with being a role model for the future demographics of the profession.
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As part of Primary Care Optometry News’ 20th anniversary celebration, in each issue throughout 2015 we will profile a “Pioneer in Optometry” as chosen by the PCON Editorial Board.
In this issue we feature Dori M. Carlson, OD, FAAO, a recent past president of the American Optometric Association.
“Dori was the first woman president of AOA,” PCON Editorial Board member Jill Autry, OD, RPh, said. “She showed that you don’t have to be politically active as a student or new grad to get involved at any point in your career and make a huge difference in our profession. She is a great speaker who can motivate the audience into becoming involved and a great leader as well.”
PCON Editorial Board member Jennifer Coyle, OD, MS, FAAO, told PCON: “Of course Dori is a pioneer because she broke the gender barrier as the first female president of the AOA. She is the role model for the future majority of the demographics of the profession and has proven that a woman can run a successful practice; be a leader in her state, community and profession; as well as have balance with a family and large cadre of friends.
“I am proud of her for being willing to show such strong leadership and I am grateful for her persistence to see that children’s vision was included as an essential health benefit in the Affordable Care Act during her tenure as president,” Coyle continued. “I am also amazed with her energy and determination to bring the AOA to every optometry school – the ‘20 visits in 20 months’ tour!”
In an interview with PCON, Carlson shared her beginnings in optometry and what she considers to be her most significant contributions to the profession.
PCON: Why did you choose optometry as a career path?
Images: Carlson DM
Carlson: I was the typical kid that became myopic in third grade. That year my optometrist fit me with PMMA contact lenses, and it served as my introduction to optometry. Originally in college I started coursework to be a biomedical engineer. As time went by I realized that wasn’t where my interests were leading me. I knew I wanted to be involved in a health profession and, after looking at a few other fields, I realized my passion was optometry.
PCON: How has your career unfolded?
Carlson: After completing a residency at the VA hospital in Seattle/Tacoma, I envisioned myself working in the Seattle area seeing patients and doing some lecturing. Sometimes it’s the unexpected opportunities that can be the most rewarding. My husband, Mark Helgeson, who is also an OD, and I received a letter in the mail from a small town in North Dakota. It said, “Our optometrist retired and closed his doors. We noticed you had a license in our state and wondered if you’d be interested in opening a practice in our little town.” As they say, the rest is history. While building our practice, I became involved in our state association and ultimately the American Optometric Association. I had the honor of serving as the AOA’s first female president.
PCON: What are you doing now?
Carlson: I’m spending time with my family and loving the opportunity to go to football and basketball games. I’m seeing patients 3 to 3.5 days a week and have started working on other projects. I serve on a few advisory boards, a foundation board and Pacific University’s Board of Trustees. I’ve been doing a little lecturing as well as some other speaking engagements.
PCON: What have you learned?
Carlson: Being involved with organized optometry has made me and my practice better. After all the years of visiting with other optometrists and sharing ideas, I truly believe I’ve taken far more home with me than I was ever asked to give. I’ve learned about strengths I never knew I had and, as hard as it can be at times, I’m learning how to say no.
PCON: What is your most significant accomplishment?
Carlson: During my tenure on the AOA board, I was part of a team that successfully lobbied for the essential benefit in health care reform to be an eye exam instead of a screening. We spent a lot of time and energy educating key decision makers in Washington, D.C., about the difference between an exam and a screening. I was also fortunate enough to visit all of the schools and colleges of optometry over a 2-year time span. Working with the students was so much fun. They are so enthusiastic and really help recharge a person.
PCON: What have you contributed to optometry?
Carlson: One of my first assignments on the AOA board was to be involved with the launch of InfantSee. I, along with some incredibly talented optometrists, helped raise the awareness of infant eye exams. As my time on the board advanced, I had other opportunities to raise the awareness of eye exams for children. It was through that effort the AOA was successful in having several other associations and groups sign a document stating a comprehensive eye exam should be the foundation of care for all children.
PCON: What do you enjoy most about optometry?
Carlson: I love the comradery of our profession. I’m not sure you find that in all professions. My boys are teenagers now, but they were quite young when I was first elected to the AOA board and they traveled with me quite often. On many occasions I told them that if something bad should ever happen to them or if they got lost, find an optometrist. I really believe that if an optometrist discovered their parents were optometrists he/she would go out of their way to help two boys.
PCON: What do you wish for the future of optometry?
Carlson: I hope optometry continues to make strides with being recognized as the primary eye care provider of all vision and eye health needs. AOA has done such a wonderful job of advocating for our profession and raising the awareness of what care optometry can provide. I’d like to see every optometrist join that effort in advocating for our profession. – by Chelsea Frajerman Pardes