VT Works

As we revisit your story years after your first interview, how would you describe your current role within developmental optometry, and how that role has evolved since your early years in practice?

Currently my role in developmental optometry includes clinical patient care, mentor and speaker. My role has shifted over the years with the biggest impact coming during my 12 years on the OVDRA board of directors. There were many volunteer hours but my time on the board were incredibly rewarding years. If you have the opportunity to get involved with the organization, I am sure you will agree that you can get more out of it than you put into it. I have found that my personal strength is working one on one, that includes patients in the exam room, mentoring students and younger colleagues and spreading our message to professionals outside of developmental/rehabilitative optometry. 

You brought vision therapy to Park Ridge, IL with the goal of building a comprehensive, evidence-based program. Looking back, what has surprised you most about growing a VT practice from the ground up?

I have been incredibly fortunate with the growth of the practice since moving here 14 years ago. What has surprised me most is how much less resistance to VT I have experienced compared to what I expected. That is thanks to the tireless efforts of those that have come before me and my colleagues that are currently publishing and publicizing research. There is much less doubt about the work that we do because we can point to the data. Medical/health care knowledge is no longer solely in the purview of doctors. When patients search on their own, the objective evidence gathered by AI engines positively reflects on the work that we do. The future is bright for VT!

The last time we collaborated in this format, you spoke openly about stepping out from your father’s shadow and finding your own professional voice. How has your relationship with legacy, comparison, and identity changed over time?

As expected, I am no longer the same person I was when we collaborated 13 years ago. The first interview was when I first moved to Chicago from NJ with two kids under the age of two and was trying to establish my own identity after 5 years of practicing with my father. We have three kids aged 15, 13 and 11 and a lot has changed. Life has been an incredible teacher and I am thankful for the struggles that I have experienced. I have learned to appreciate each day as a blessing and to not worry about the future as much. It has taken many hours in therapy, but I feel very close to the point where I can truly serve without interference from my ego. I think we do our best work when the only question we are asking is “how can I help the moment in front of me?”  I try to no longer be concerned about legacy or comparisons; it is true when they say that comparison is the thief of joy. With that said I am forever grateful to my father for all that he has done for me and for our profession as a whole. I continue to be in awe of how much he has given to the profession over the course of his life. 

You’ve now served the profession in multiple leadership roles, including as President of OVDRA. What has leadership taught you that clinical practice alone never could?

There are many times in clinical practice where I have felt relatively isolated.  I am involved in a business owner group that meets monthly in the local community. When it is my turn to speak, I introduce myself as an Optometrist that is pretending to be a business owner. In practice, it is so easy to get caught up in putting out fires. My time on the OVDRA board taught me so much about strategic leadership and collaboration. The board experience has helped me zoom out and see the bigger picture at any given moment which has been incredibly helpful. 

What do you believe today’s optometry students are most receptive to, or most surprised by, as they learn about the developmental side of optometry?

The students we work with are most surprised by how many adults we help with vision therapy/rehabilitation. The optometry students typically come in to our practice with little to no experience in a VT oriented private practice. Most students come in to the practice with the impression that VT is only for children. It is fun for them to realize that we help as many adults improve the quality of life as children! Additionally, students are receptive to a mode of practice that allows you to develop genuine connection with patients. Unfortunately, the health care system (at least in the US) has devolved to become less personal and rushed and eye care is no different. Most practices that specialize in VT function outside of traditional molds and tends to allow for more time with patients which seems to be attractive to many students.  

For those just discovering developmental optometry today, what mindset do you most hope they adopt early and what pitfalls do you hope they avoid?

My advice for people in the early phases of discovering developmental optometry is to enjoy the ride. Success is inevitable when you show up and do your best every day. Personally, that starts with making sure that I am at my best. That includes being aware and intentional about taking care of my physical, mental and spiritual self. The pitfall I would avoid is working with a fixed mindset.  Working in VT allows you to be creative in helping people with various vision problems. We have so many tools at our disposal and there is rarely only one right way to help an individual. Part of the reason I love the work that we do is the individualization of our care. It is rare to feel bored since each patient experience is so unique. 

You’ve spoken often about mentorship and growth within our profession. Watching your teenage son pursue his dream of playing competitive golf has brought those same themes into your personal life. What has that experience taught you about support, risk, and letting the next generation find their own path?

Ethan (Instagram: @ethanpressgolf) is a freshman in high school and attends a golf academy outside of Orlando. Sara (my wife) and I never imagined we would have a child leave home for high school but here we are. This occurred by acting as a guide while he found his path. He played multiple sports but developed a passion for golf that is undeniable. When you see a spark in someone it feels natural to fuel the fire. He would not have this opportunity without the support of family (thanks mom and dad!) but he is taking advantage of the opportunity in order to give himself the best chance to play golf in college and beyond. I have seen similar paths in optometry. I have had the good fortune of working with 100’s of students in our practice over the 19 years I have been an OD. Some have developed a passion in VT and it has been a pleasure to help fuel their fire. Others have developed passions in contact lens specialty, myopia management and ocular disease and it is equally rewarding to see their success. 

Returning to the profession more broadly, as a clinician, educator, and leader, how do you determine when to push the profession forward, and when to protect it from moving too fast or too far?

At this point in my career, I am more focused on the things that are directly in my control on a day-to-day basis. When I assumed leadership of COVD in 2019 it was a goal to formally reincorporate rehabilitation since that is so much of what we do. The COVID pandemic was merely a coincidence in the timing of rebranding the organization to OVDRA. This was an example of pushing something that is going to help more patients find access to providers, including COVT’s, that can help. I believe that if people in the position of leadership continue to ask the question, what is best for public health, then there is little risk of going too far. If going too far does happen, nothing is permanent and you can course correct over time. 

Balancing leadership, practice ownership, teaching, and family life is no small task. What have you learned about sustainability, not just success, over the years?

I have learned that if you surround yourself with good people and have a network of family, friends, mentors, colleagues etc. then you can accomplish many things over a long period of time with less risk of burn out. I have learned a great deal from Michael Singer, author of Untethered Soul, over the past few years and one of my favorite concepts that he discusses is the overview effect that astronauts experience. Sustainability and priorities are a bit easier when I stop and realize that we are spinning on a blue rock suspended in empty space. We are at the perfect distance from a star that allows life on Earth. How lucky are we?!?! Life is a precious. Perceived problems become a lot easier to deal with when I take this perspective. My time with my family becomes a lot more meaningful when I take this perspective. Sustainability is easier for me when I take this perspective. 

Looking ahead, when future generations reflect on this chapter of developmental optometry, what do you hope your contributions – clinical, educational, and organizational – will have helped make possible?

I am hopeful that we look back on this time and see that this chapter was the point when the work that we do gained the most traction and started a wave of general acceptance. That is due to the tireless work of many people in research, academia, policy and clinical care.  I have made contributions but they are a drop in the ocean compared to the collective effort. I hope that my time volunteering and serving this profession allows for more people to receive the incredible care that we all provide. I hope that I have served as a positive influence for those that I have been lucky enough to cross paths with. Robert, thank you for providing this platform that is a great resource to help grow our profession. 

Closing Thoughts from Robert: A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Dan Press for taking time out of his busy life to revisit this conversation with me. His original Sit Down, published in July 2013, marked a turning point for the series, as it was the first time I interviewed a doctor as the format was beginning to take shape. Looking back, it feels only fitting that we would check in for round two all these years later. The profession has evolved, our perspectives have deepened, and yet the core values of curiosity, integrity, and commitment to patient care, remain the same. Conversations like this remind me why I began the Sit Down series in the first place: to capture the wisdom, humanity, and mentorship that shape who we are as clinicians and as people. Dr. Press continues to embody those qualities, and I am grateful not only for his insights, but for his friendship, and steady presence in our field. Please join me in wishing Dr. Dan Press, and his beautiful family, continued health, happiness, and success in the years ahead. Go Ethan!