Women's Health & Vision Symposium 2023

The theme for the 2023 Women’s Symposium presented by Heads Up Technologies is Vision Caregiving. This year’s theme will focus on supporting individuals across the caregiver space who assist with navigating and assisting those with low vision or vision loss.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 7 million Americans have vision impairment, and chronic health conditions are more common among older people with vision impairment than those without vision impairment. A 2016 study published in JAMA Opthalmology found this number is expected to double by 2050 because of the aging U.S. population. The public health burden of vision impairment and chronic diseases that can cause vision loss, such as diabetes, is also expected to increase. Loss of vision—whether it happens suddenly or over time—can have a major impact on one’s mental and emotional health. Older adults may face a compounding risk in health status stemming from an inability to adapt mentally and emotionally to changes in vision, leading to distress, anxiety, or depression that may cause them to disengage from physical activity and social isolation.

As the population ages and the number of individuals with low vision increases, it is important to understand the physical and mental health burden on caregivers, the range of tasks caregivers may perform, and the societal and economic impacts of long-term chronic diseases or disability. Leading the discussion on these topics enables PBT to plan for public health approaches to assist individuals as well as their communities and maintain the health of caregivers and care recipients.

Agenda

6:30 pm- Check-in, appetizers, cocktails
7:00 pm- Introductions and Purse Bingo
7:30 pm- Keynote Speaker
7:50 pm- Panelists and Audience Discussion
8:45 pm- Dessert

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Melanie Truong-Le, caregiver and physician perspective

Neuro-ophthalmologist, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology

Dr. Melanie Truong-Le received her bachelors degree in Chemical Sciences from Wichita State University before attending optometry school at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Shortly after graduating from optometry school, she married her high school sweet heart who is also an optometrist and opened her own business which soon expanded to a full-service optometry practice while assisting her father-in-law during his terminal diagnosis of amyotrophy lateral sclerosis by helping him navigate the health care system. This time managing the psychological effects of a terminal disease was eye opening and led to Dr. Truong-Le becoming a physician who could who understand how patients feel in the system while fighting disease. After years out of academics, she returned to the Texas Osteopathic College of Medicine and matched into the UTSW neurology residency and realized her passion in serving people as a teacher while being a neuro-ophthalmologist. She completed two fellowships: one at the University of Iowa and then one at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

"It was through the care of my father-in-law that prompted me to go back to school. My hope was to become a physician that my father-in-law would have wanted. He felt lost in the system and he was fighting to stay alive. As a result, I continued his care, and resolved to apply to medical school after being in practice and working for the last 10 years."

Panelist: Dr. Lauren J. Bailey, low-vision physician perspective

Optometrist

Dr. Lauren Bailey attended Texas A&M University and the University of Houston College of Optometry and in 2010 she went into private practice in Plano. Since 2019, she has been working on several special programs including a dry eye and aesthetics clinic (West Plano Aesthetics), a sensory program for athletes (Sports Vision Institute), and a clinic for the visually impaired (Low Vision Institute of Texas). Dr. Bailey works with patients who have irreversible vision loss and need help with their daily life activities which the average sighted individual takes for granted. Low vision refers to a specialty providing eye care to patients with significant vision impairment secondary to ocular disease that cannot be fully corrected with traditional glasses or contacts.

"Whether it's getting a sweet granny with macular degeneration able to get a crossword done or read her Bible, a 55-year-old with fast-acting glaucoma able to get another 10 years in of running his business under his belt or drive out to his lake house, or getting a patient who is lights out blind to navigate an airport, we work to provide solutions so patients can gain more independence."

Her work is not limited to North Dallas, as she is also involved in international medical humanitarian work. For 16 wonderful years, she has been married to her college sweetheart Joel, who owns a corporate litigation firm, Hedrick Kring Bailey. They have three unusually beautiful children Rhett, Tag, and Joanna, who attend Prestonwood Christian Academy and will eventually go to Texas A&M University (WHOOP!). They stay busy with sports, piano, school, and friends. Helping vision-impaired patients maximize remaining vision, treating dry eye, and sensory training for athletes are Dr. Bailey's professional passions.

Panelist: Dorothy Jones, caregiver perspective

Dorothy Jones is a skilled and high-energy executive leader who specializes in strategic marketing and business innovations. She brings decades of experience and insight in digital growth and strategic management to the organizations and businesses she serves. In her current role as the chief marketing officer of Dallas College, she leads and inspires a group of more than 70 creative professionals across communication, brand strategy & media, marketing activation, digital experience, creative services, and events to advance the college’s mission of serving its 125,000 students, 6,000 employees and countless industry and community partners to transform and revitalize the communities of the D-FW area through accessible higher education.

Dorothy’s expertise expands across a myriad of industries, bringing transformative change and empowering growth to companies and organizations in consumer-packaged goods, beauty, nonprofit, retail, automotive, oil & gas, and higher education. She has played significant roles in companies such as ExxonMobil, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Frito-Lay, Inc., and Nestle where she led their brand strategy, marketing, and outreach activities.

“Navigating corporate America as a Chief Marketing Officer did not prepare me for the caregiving responsibilities of my 79-year-old mother with Type 2 Diabetes, glaucoma, and stage 5 renal failure and my legally blind, 58-year-old sister with Type 1 Diabetes who also experiences retinal detachment and glaucoma tunnel vision. It was extremely hard to manage their medical care and daily lives especially with transportation and accessibility access. Due to poor vision, there were many broken bones and bruises due to trip and falls because others leave items on floors or kept drawers and doors open. I will always be filled with gratitude for the work organizations like Prevent Blindness do to help those who are challenge with their eyesight. They are saving lives.”

A passionate storyteller at heart, Dorothy thrives in advancing action-oriented strategies and executing alignment with corporate values and mission, taking great pride in always being on time, on scope, and on budget. A prolifically trained marketer with robust experience in marketing sales, Dorothy achieved an award-winning reputation receiving ‘Silver Effie’, ‘Grand Ogilvy’, ‘PepsiCo Chairman’s Award’, as well as ‘Mentor of the Year Award’ given by Women of Visionary Influence.

Dorothy earned a master of business administration degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a bachelor of science degree in finance from The American University. She currently lives in Dallas with her dog Cairo, and enjoys cooking, global travel, and fine dining in her spare time. Her daughter, Loren is currently a student at the University of California, Berkeley.

Panelist: Dr. Layla Lohmann, patient perspective

DDS, Dallas Dental Group

At 12 years old, Dr. Layla Lohmann was diagnosed with Graves’ disease with exophthalmos, and 20 years later during her first pregnancy, she learned she actually has a rare eye disease known as Thyroid Eye Disease. Dr. Lohmann is a mom of 2 young kids, a wife, a practicing dentist, and the co-founder and Clinical Director of Apex Dental Partners—one of the fastest growing dental support organizations in the country. In addition, she practices in a private practice, has served on the clinical faculty for Texas A&M College of Dentistry, serves on the Peer Review Committee for the Texas Dental Association, and started a mentor program for young pre-professionals in their GAP year. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma and graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. In 2020, Dr. Layla Lohmann became involved with several nonprofit organizations as a patient advocate. After attending art therapy through Prevent Blindness, she connected to others with TED. She became one of the 12 builders of the TED Community Organization and is now the host of TED EDU webinars. Through this journey, she hopes to reach others with her stories and experiences so no one ever feels alone. Dr. Lohmann believes an educated person is a smart person, and smart people are able to make informed decisions. Informed decisions help bridge the gap between patients and providers because the interdisciplinary approach to healthcare brings everyone into the decision-making process.

“Advocating with PBT and groups like them have changed my life and my perspective on expectations of my community. I have become passionate about accessibility, advocacy, and working with groups who help have access to available resources while connecting people with similar conditions to each other so people don’t feel alone. Imagine the ripple effect you can have by sharing your story so others don’t have to struggle alone. YOUR voice and story is such an incredible gift to give to someone who is feeling defeated by a condition or disease they are battling. I can confidently say advocacy helps personally support my mental health but also innovation, collaboration, and education with other groups and companies brings awareness even when it makes you feel vulnerable. Your story is the first step!”