{"id":8015,"date":"2024-11-16T21:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-16T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8015"},"modified":"2024-11-16T21:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-11-16T21:30:00","slug":"va-optometrist-for-25-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8015","title":{"rendered":"VA optometrist for 25 years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-11-16T21:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

VA\u2019s optometry service has grown into a global leader for eye care and vision rehabilitation since its creation in 1976. The early years, however, proved to be challenging. Limited involvement and insufficient support hindered VA optometry from reaching its full potential. Despite the hurdles, VA optometry services gradually evolved into today\u2019s one-stop-shop for Veteran eye care.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/a>
Dr. John Marshall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Dr. John Marshall Jr., Air Force Vietnam Veteran and George H. O\u2019Brien, Jr. VA<\/a> optometrist, became eyewitness to major changes in VA while serving our nation\u2019s Veterans. He has been treating patients for over 25 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cProviding optometry care proved to be in line with VA\u2019s mission in serving the health care needs of our Veterans. As a provider and Veteran, paving the way for this undertaking proved to be of great benefit for our Veterans,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

Training became a major focus<\/h2>\n

In the early stages, training optometry students and ensuring oversight by experienced providers at VA facilities became the major focus. This approach allowed optometrists to join the VA team, work with Veterans and pursue a career within VA.<\/p>\n

VA also learned that to take on more Veteran patients, it had to either recruit or produce more optometrists. The demand for more clinical training facilities increased. Partnerships with educational organizations became a must. In working with outside entities, VA expanded its trajectory for improved medical care. Ultimately, this symbiotic relationship illustrated the importance of alliances that would reap benefits for the Veteran.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we strengthened our ties with other professional entities, we were able to include specialized surgeries and other types of ocular therapies. We believed that by helping more Veterans, we would allow VA to become more efficient,\u201d Marshall continued.<\/p>\n

Mobile units for Veterans in rural areas<\/h2>\n

VA\u2019s focus on improving its optometry services was backed by procurement of state-of-the-art mobile units to serve rural Veterans. These mobile units include advance communication systems and reliable power sources meant to stand as a self-sufficient post. VA can serve Veterans who would otherwise have a difficult time getting to their appointments in rural areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur George H. O\u2019Brien, Jr., VA is a great example of tackling the unique needs of Veterans living in rural locations. Instead of the Veterans coming to us, we come to them. I\u2019m excited to be developing the ability to bring care to the Veteran. Our optometry clinic consistently scores high with patient trust. VA delivers quality care, and our Veterans know that,\u201d Marshall added.<\/p>\n

VA\u2019s dedication to top-tier optometry services stands as a testament to its unwavering commitment to those who had given so much in service to their country.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Optometrist Dr. John Marshall has been eyewitness to major changes in VA optometric service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nVA optometrist for 25 years - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Optometrist Dr. John Marshall has been eyewitness to major changes in VA optometric service.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8015\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"VA optometrist for 25 years - 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