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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Longtime faculty member to head IU Optometry's patient services, clinics in Bloomington, Indianapolis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 4, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Dr. Neil Pence has been named associate dean of clinical and patient care services at the Indiana University School of Optometry (IUSO), a position responsible for overseeing the operation and management of IUSO optometry clinics in Bloomington and Indianapolis.

An IUSO faculty member since 1979, Pence's long history with clinical teaching made him especially suited to take over responsibility of the school's care centers, according to School of Optometry Dean Joseph Bonanno.

"Dr. Pence's many years of didactic and clinical teaching experience, his national involvements with optometric organizations and industry, along with his several decades of private practice experience in Columbus (Ind.) make him the ideal person to tackle the complex problems at teaching clinics," Bonanno said. "Dr. Pence is making a huge sacrifice by taking on this job. IUSO is extremely lucky to have someone so capable, loyal and dedicated to excellence in patient care, student training and clinical management."

Pence most recently served as director of the school's contact lens clinic and his teaching duties have included responsibility for Clinical Assessment I and II courses and for supervising weekly morning seminars for fourth-year interns during their Bloomington clinical rotations. During his tenure at IU he has also taught courses dealing with the areas of contact lenses, ocular disease, and clinical assessment or analysis and decision making.

A fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association and its Indiana state affiliate, the Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators, and the Continuing Education Directors SIG of ASCO, Pence has authored numerous publications and lectured at the local, state, national and international levels in continuing education courses and eye care symposiums. He served as chairman of the national Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators from 2002-2004, has served as a referee for several ophthalmic journals, and has sat on advisory panels for the Rigid Gas Permeable Institute and for several contact lens companies.

Pence said he looked forward to continuing IUSO's long history of providing integrated eye care services that meet the needs and priorities of the local communities.

"Patients visiting IUSO clinics will continue to see great benefits from the direct access we have to the latest innovations and technologies in the eye care sciences through the School of Optometry," he said. "From primary care services where routine comprehensive vision exams occur to specialists in advanced ocular care, low vision rehabilitation, and cornea and contact lens services, our doctors and students remain committed to being leaders in the areas of clinical care, patient services and clinical education."

IUSO operates clinics open to IU faculty and staff and the general public at 744 E. Third St. (Atwater Eye Care Center) and 803 N. Monroe (Community Eye Care Center) in Bloomington and in downtown Indianapolis at 501 Indiana Ave. (Indianapolis Eye Care Center). Each of the clinics offers comprehensive patient care, including urgent care and emergency services, pediatric optometry, contact lens care, along with eyewear centers that offer no-line bifocals and lens customization services.

For more information or to speak with Bonanno or Pence, please contact Steve Chaplin, University Communications, at 812-856-1896 or stjchap@iu. edu.

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