Seniordoc.org is completing five years serving the needs of ODs. This is the time to look back before moving ahead.
The original intention of www.seniordoc.org was to introduce older ODs to the new area of communication called the Internet. Adam Farkas, our web master and web site guardian angel was asked by me, as a personal favor, to design and build a web site so easy to maneuver that even a novice such as myself could use it easily.
The web site was Beta tested on a few personal friends with few computer skills, other than using e mail. Each found it simple to use and found it just an extension of e mail that could be read by the entire group simultaneously.
On 1/1/01 www.seniordoc.org was introduced. The name signified we were looking for older more seasoned ODs to begin sharing experiences. There were forums especially designed to meet the interests of ODs with retirement an issue. Those forums are still part of www.seniordoc.org but sadly hardly utilized.
Much to my chagrin, most ODs over fifty years of age had little interest in using the Internet. Many were intimidated by computers, computer jargon and lacked the typing skills necessary to post in an easy going conversational style. We immediately went to "Plan B".
The seniordoc.org web site was now for seasoned ODs with more than 20 years in practice but all ODs and optometry students were welcome. Forum moderators reflected all age groups. Then the membership expanded dramatically.
Today, we are approaching 3500 members. The seniordoc name is a misnomer since well over half our membership graduated optometry college after 1985. The most active participants have less than twenty years in practice.
Suggestions have been made to change our name. The name must reflect what we do and should be easily translated into a web site URL. For example Proactive Optometric Physicians (POP) is www.proactod.org. Come up with a name we can use with an available address and receive one year free membership in POP. What a deal!
Does www.seniordoc.org benefit optometry? You decide...
Some highlights over the past 5 years
1.Petition to make FDA enforce laws to stop illegal activities of mail order contact lens companies. That led to organized optometry taking an interest which led to the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumer Act (FCLCA).
2.Photograph taken and shown on our web site of a Vistakon bus parked in front of a North Carolina Wal Mart allowing cosmetic contact lenses to be sampled. A red faced marketing group ultimately saw the error of their ways. To the best of my knowledge the Vistakon bus is history.
3.A new optometry college in North Carolina elicited a neutral response from organized optometry. A seniordoc.org poll resulted in an overwhelming number of members (92%) feeling a new optometry college is not needed. This led to a petition that helped the North Carolina decision makers to have second thoughts. This initiative is still underway. Sadly organized optometry still remains quiet.
4.A surprising additional benefit, a large number of optometry students and overseas optometrists have become members.
5. Optometrists have added their opinions on non-optometric issues. Some feel this is inappropriate for an optometric Internet web site. Freedom of speech and expression is what the Internet is all about and no effort is made to censor opinions.
Recently there has been a new spin off Internet organization, Proactive Optometric Physicians (POP) designed and built. The purpose of this new internet group is to fill the needs of private practice ODs who want expert consultants on line and buying group advantages, as membership benefits. The members of www.seniordoc.org had the opportunity to become charter members with deep membership discounts. Many especially those with multi-associate practices became POP members.
There has been and will be in the future a close working relationship between these two Internet organizations. POP will be a funded proactive arm of seniordoc.org. POP Preferred Partners (http://www.proactod.org/partners/) will show their support of private practice by offering substantial member buying group discounts.
There are ambitious plans for 2006. This will be accomplished by your continued support. Your posts are most appreciated. Without your active participation and outspoken opinions that remain free of censorship, seniordoc.org would lose it's special place in optometric communication.
Thank you.
A Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year!
Paul
Paul Farkas,M.S.,O.D.,F.A.A.O.
Web site Administrator
The original intention of www.seniordoc.org was to introduce older ODs to the new area of communication called the Internet. Adam Farkas, our web master and web site guardian angel was asked by me, as a personal favor, to design and build a web site so easy to maneuver that even a novice such as myself could use it easily.
The web site was Beta tested on a few personal friends with few computer skills, other than using e mail. Each found it simple to use and found it just an extension of e mail that could be read by the entire group simultaneously.
On 1/1/01 www.seniordoc.org was introduced. The name signified we were looking for older more seasoned ODs to begin sharing experiences. There were forums especially designed to meet the interests of ODs with retirement an issue. Those forums are still part of www.seniordoc.org but sadly hardly utilized.
Much to my chagrin, most ODs over fifty years of age had little interest in using the Internet. Many were intimidated by computers, computer jargon and lacked the typing skills necessary to post in an easy going conversational style. We immediately went to "Plan B".
The seniordoc.org web site was now for seasoned ODs with more than 20 years in practice but all ODs and optometry students were welcome. Forum moderators reflected all age groups. Then the membership expanded dramatically.
Today, we are approaching 3500 members. The seniordoc name is a misnomer since well over half our membership graduated optometry college after 1985. The most active participants have less than twenty years in practice.
Suggestions have been made to change our name. The name must reflect what we do and should be easily translated into a web site URL. For example Proactive Optometric Physicians (POP) is www.proactod.org. Come up with a name we can use with an available address and receive one year free membership in POP. What a deal!
Does www.seniordoc.org benefit optometry? You decide...
Some highlights over the past 5 years
1.Petition to make FDA enforce laws to stop illegal activities of mail order contact lens companies. That led to organized optometry taking an interest which led to the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumer Act (FCLCA).
2.Photograph taken and shown on our web site of a Vistakon bus parked in front of a North Carolina Wal Mart allowing cosmetic contact lenses to be sampled. A red faced marketing group ultimately saw the error of their ways. To the best of my knowledge the Vistakon bus is history.
3.A new optometry college in North Carolina elicited a neutral response from organized optometry. A seniordoc.org poll resulted in an overwhelming number of members (92%) feeling a new optometry college is not needed. This led to a petition that helped the North Carolina decision makers to have second thoughts. This initiative is still underway. Sadly organized optometry still remains quiet.
4.A surprising additional benefit, a large number of optometry students and overseas optometrists have become members.
5. Optometrists have added their opinions on non-optometric issues. Some feel this is inappropriate for an optometric Internet web site. Freedom of speech and expression is what the Internet is all about and no effort is made to censor opinions.
Recently there has been a new spin off Internet organization, Proactive Optometric Physicians (POP) designed and built. The purpose of this new internet group is to fill the needs of private practice ODs who want expert consultants on line and buying group advantages, as membership benefits. The members of www.seniordoc.org had the opportunity to become charter members with deep membership discounts. Many especially those with multi-associate practices became POP members.
There has been and will be in the future a close working relationship between these two Internet organizations. POP will be a funded proactive arm of seniordoc.org. POP Preferred Partners (http://www.proactod.org/partners/) will show their support of private practice by offering substantial member buying group discounts.
There are ambitious plans for 2006. This will be accomplished by your continued support. Your posts are most appreciated. Without your active participation and outspoken opinions that remain free of censorship, seniordoc.org would lose it's special place in optometric communication.
Thank you.
A Happy, Healthy and Successful New Year!
Paul
Paul Farkas,M.S.,O.D.,F.A.A.O.
Web site Administrator
