11835 Carmel Mountain Rd. Suite 1304-211
San Diego, CA 92128
November 2025
Happenings of the Society
As crazy at it seems, 2025 is almost behind us. What a year…and it ain’t over yet! In February, the SDCOS launched its CE program and will conclude its CE series on Novemeber 20th with the final educational event of the year. Not only did our society provide 15 hours of quality education, but we had some fun with our themed dinner events and elevated menus. These meetings provided opportunities for social interaction as well as networking with collogues and industry sponsors. We are grateful to all our sponsors, but especially to WestPac Wealth Partners for providing an incredible venue for our meetings.
As part of its mission, the SDCOS has been addressing the needs of the underserved in the San Diego community. I’m proud to share with you some of the ongoing projects that our society has been involved with this year. In collaboration with the Lions Optometric Vision Clinic, screenings and vision exams have been performed at multiple elementary schools in the South Bay and La Mesa/Spring Valley districts. Our reach has included students at Juvenile Court Community school, STEAM Academy and America’s Finest Charter School. Still to come later this month on November 17, 18 are the Monarch School screenings in our inner city.
The SDCOS once again played an active role in Stand Down San Diego, serving the veterans of our community. Our society also joined forces with the Thumbprint Foundation to collaborate on a new project called Vision of the Future. This initiative was launched with a vision screening at the Salvation Army Door of Hope facility. We continue to support and be an active participant in the Linda Vista Innovation Center which is designed to expose young students to the profession of optometry and to the eye care industry.
Aside from providing CE opportunities for its membership and providing care to those in need, your SDCOS is actively advocating for our profession on a legislative front. This year we sent a delegation to Sacramento on Legislative Day to meet one-on-one with our state representatives. As a legislated profession, maintaining good relationships with our local elected officials is critical to our survival.
The SDCOS also knows how to have fun! We had a summer social picnic for members and their families and launched our first Young OD’s mixer.
I want to take this opportunity to personally thank this year’s SDCOS board for volunteering their time and talents to this great organization. I would also like to thank each of our SDCOS members for choosing to belong to our professional organization. It has been an honor serving as your president and I hope that the legacy of service and commitment to our profession continues to thrive in the years to come!
Blessings for 2026
John C. Pack, O.D.
President SDCOS, 2025
Monarch School in San Diego was the site of the annual vision screening performed by members of the SDCOS in late October.
This school for unhoused K–12 students was the first of its kind in the country and has a capacity of over 300 students, although enrollment has recently been notably lower.The school provides support and stability to families who often lack these due to their circumstances.These youth face many challenges stemming from unstable living conditions, including inadequate access to vision care.While the average stay is 11 months, many students remain longer and ultimately graduate from Monarch.
Dr. Byron Newman established the first SDCOS partnership with the school nearly twenty years ago. Dr. Bob Meisel, one of the original volunteers, has served as the program coordinator for the past 12 years. Dr. Dick Skay has also been a dedicated volunteer throughout the program’s history.
This year’s screening identified 49 students who need further testing. In coordination with VSP and their Mobile Clinic, exams by SDCOS doctors will take place in mid-November.
OD Relations Liaison
Please contact Dr. Lucia Millet, OD, Society Optometrist Relations Liaison at odjobs@sdcos.org to be put on an official list for the following:
fill-in/part-time work
full-time work
purchase/partner in/sell a practice
This service is offered free of charge to SDCOS members.
Looking for Volunteers for these future events:
Exams at Monarch School
17-18 November 9-2pm
1625 Newton Avenue
San Diego
19 Nov @ Lindo Park Elementary
20 Nov @ America’s Finest Charter School
5 Dec @ Rancho
19-20 Nov VSP Mobile @ 2 schools in Lakeside and LaMesa districts
14 November @ Casa de Oro
21 November @ STEAM
5 December @ Rancho
17 December @ Avondale
30 January @ Highlands
27 February @ La Presa
6 March @ Loma
20 March @ Kempton
27 March @ Sweetwater Springs
Please contact Bob Meisel if you’re interested in helping at these worthy events
rmeisel47@gmail.com
(C) 619-818-3031
Retina Corner
Acute Macular Ischemia
Dear SDCOS Friends,
I hope that everybody is doing well. For this month’s Retina Corner, I will be sharing a couple interesting cases from my clinic with different manifestations of macular ischemia that require immediate recognition and urgent action on the part of the eye care specialist.
Case 1:
An 89-year-old female presented from long-term care with the complaint of sudden, painless vision loss in her right eye. She described a diffuse and generalized loss of vision that she noted upon awakening. She was a poor historian but denied any history of heart attack, stroke or other severe manifestation of vascular disease. Her visual acuity was Counting Fingers at 1 foot in the right eye and 20/40 without correction or improvement with pinhole in the left eye. Her IOP was normal in each eye. She had a relative afferent pupillary defect in the right eye.
Her funduscopic images demonstrated patchy macular pallor and a cherry red spot in the central macula OD (Figure 1A). Her image quality in the left eye was degraded by a 3+NS cataract, but her macula appeared unremarkable (Figure 1B). She had healthy appearing optic nerves and attenuated retinal arterioles in both eyes.
The patient was informed that there was evidence of an acute central retinal artery occlusion in the right eye, which is a stroke equivalent warranting emergent evaluation at the nearest stroke center.
Case 2:
An 84-year-old female with history of rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary fibrosis on home oxygen presented with several days of fluctuating patchy vision loss in her right eye that felt looking through a puzzle with missing pieces. She denied any vascular history.
On exam her visual acuity was 20/20 OD and 20/25 OS and her IOP was within normal limits. Her pupillary exam was normal and there was no evidence of a relative afferent pupillary defect. On funduscopic exam in the right eye, there was subtle patchy pallor in the macula without a cherry red spot (Figure 3A) and the left eye was unremarkable (Figure 3D, image degraded by surface dryness).
Fundus autofluorescence revealed mottled hypofluorescence in the macula corresponding to areas of pallor on funduscopy in the right eye (Figure 3B) and normal autofluorescence in the left eye (Figure 3E). Fluorescein angiography demonstrated normal transit time, no leakage, no arteriolar occlusion, and subtle hypofluorescence in the area of retinal pallor in the right eye (Figure 3C) and was normal in the left eye (Figure 3F). OCT imaging revealed multiple patchy foci of inner retinal hyperreflectivity sparing the fovea with a perivascular predilection (Figure 4 A-C, white arrows indicate foci of inner nuclear layer hyperreflectivity) most notable at the level of the inner nuclear layer with relative sparing of the inner plexiform layer, ganglion cell layer and retinal nerve fiber layer and no involvement of the photoreceptor layer, ellipsoid zone or RPE. The OCT of the left eye was normal (Figure 4D).
The patient’s examination and multimodal imaging were most consistent with paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM), a form of watershed ischemia without evidence of acute retinal artery occlusion. Her primary care doctor was contacted to coordinate an expedited outpatient vascular work-up and the patient was told to call immediately with any vision changes or vision loss as that might represent a central retinal artery occlusion or worsening ischemia.
Discussion:
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) and Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy (PAMM) are both ischemic retinal disorders but differ markedly in severity, vascular level affected, and clinical course. CRAO results from complete obstruction of the central retinal artery, leading to global inner retinal ischemia and typically affects older individuals with atherosclerotic, embolic, or thrombotic risk factors. In contrast, PAMM represents partial ischemia of the intermediate and deep retinal capillary plexuses, most often in middle-aged adults with systemic vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, or carotid disease. It can occur as an isolated event or in association with retinal vascular occlusions (particularly branch retinal vein occlusion) or systemic hypoperfusion.
CRAO, patients present with sudden, profound, painless monocular vision loss, often with a relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD). Examination reveals a pale, edematous retina with a cherry-red spot at the fovea due to spared choroidal circulation. OCT in CRAO shows diffuse inner retinal hyperreflectivity and thickening, corresponding to global ischemia of the inner layers. Clinically, PAMM presents with sudden paracentral scotomas and relatively preserved visual acuity, as the fovea is often spared. Fundus examination may show subtle grayish parafoveal lesions, or appear nearly normal, while OCT demonstrates a hyperreflective band in the inner nuclear layer (INL) that evolves to focal INL thinning.
CRAO is a true ophthalmic emergency and represents a cerebral stroke equivalent; management requires immediate recognition, urgent stroke workup, and attempts to restore retinal perfusion within hours. Long-term management focuses on systemic secondary prevention and stroke risk reduction. Management strategies also differ. PAMM is largely a sign of microvascular compromise, so treatment centers on identifying and managing systemic vascular disease (e.g., blood pressure, diabetes, or cardiovascular risk factors). Visual prognosis is usually good, though paracentral scotomas may persist.
I hope that you enjoyed this month’s edition of Retina Corner. As always, if you have any questions or there is ever something I can help with, please feel free to contact me at any time. I am also open to any requests, if there is a topic or case that you would like for me to discuss in this space.
Best wishes, and until next time,
Thomas
Thomas Lazzarini, MD
Retina Consultants San Diego
626-537-5857 (cell)
lazzarini@rcsd.com
Where to Start
Phased planning can help a great variation of business owners in unique situations.
When we start any important project, it is common to choose to plan in phases. Sometimes we choose to plan in phases because there is a certain aspect of the project that we consider to be more urgent than others. Maybe it can be overwhelming to try to focus on the big picture. Regardless of the reason, a phased planning approach can be a great strategy to help alleviate the stress of a large project like planning for the future of the ownership of your business.
Even if you know you are interested in a phased approach to planning, you may still not know where to begin the process. Considering every business owner and every business is different, there are many ways to approach planning for your business. To give a sense of the more common starting points, here are some examples.
Prioritize Your Goals & Objectives
Carol owns a structural engineering and design firm with an average of eight million dollars in annual revenue. She owns 100% of the company. Her family has never been involved in the business. She has a few key employees that she trusts, but she is not completely confident that they will be able to manage the business for her once she is ready to step back. A year ago, Carol’s husband passed away unexpectedly in an accident. Her key employees did a great job of keeping the business going while she was grieving and taking care of her husband’s affairs. But now that she is starting to return her attention to the business, she’s realizing that if something unexpected happens to her again, the business may suffer, company debts may not get paid, and employees may be out of work. She is aware that she needs to start developing a plan for the worst-case scenario, but she is not exactly sure where to start.
Carol is a good candidate for phased planning. If one of her main concerns is the success of her business long-term (and possibly without her), the first phase she might focus on is business continuity. Business continuity planning is a means of handling in advance a variety of events and consequences that can impact the business and the remaining (or new) owner when the original owner’s involvement with the company is somehow interrupted. A sole owner, like Carol, can benefit from business continuity planning because it works to mitigate the impact of a serious disruption in areas like customer or vendor relationships, day to-day operations, or management of critical business. Carol’s lack of confidence in her management team tells us there is potential for reduced business value and/or challenges in the business carrying on without Carol. Carol may be able to act now to change these outcomes through planning.
Small Wins Lead to Clarity of Next Steps
Abe is 77 years old and a successful entrepreneur in the hospitality industry. He owns a variety of assets, including hotels, restaurants, food distribution facilities, transportation vehicles, and even parking lots, all in separate entities. He also owns a management company with his sister Glenda that provides all types of services connected with many of the assets, including marketing, sales, data analytics, staffing, and accounting. The hospitality industry has recently been hit hard by a world-wide economic crisis. Abe and Glenda have seen the value of their business go down. At age 77, Abe needs to act quickly to protect the business value they have left and rebuild value so that he and his family can live comfortably for generations to come.
Abe is another great candidate for phased planning for his business. His attention is likely being pulled in many directions and his anxiety level may be high. His first priority should be protecting and building (or rebuilding) business value. Abe can first focus on a variety of key business activities, often called value drivers. In Abe’s case, he may need to take a fresh look at all the assets that comprise his business interests, and think creatively about how they might be reorganized or repurposed in light of more traditional value drivers, including:
Stabilize and increase cash flow.
Establish a stable, motivated management team.
Put in place reliable business systems that improve the sustainability of cash flows.
Develop a solid, diversified customer base.
Build a business facility with a physical appearance consistent with the asking price.
Devise a realistic, documented growth strategy.
Establish effective financial controls.
Once Abe progresses on the value drivers that he deems most useful, he may begin to gradually build the value in his business. He can then move on to other phases of planning, including updating his estate plan and preparing for the sale of the business.
Taking the planning process one step at a time is sometimes the best way to continue making progress. The last thing you want is to lose motivation or momentum because the planning process became too much to handle. It’s easy to become overwhelmed or frustrated over the long laundry list of tasks to complete. Keep the momentum going with little wins that stack up and, eventually, build a more comprehensive planning framework for the future.
The information contained in this article is general in nature and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. For information regarding your particular situation, contact an attorney or a tax or financial professional. The information in this newsletter is provided with the understanding that it does not render legal, accounting, tax, or financial advice. In specific cases, clients should consult their legal, accounting, tax, or financial professional. This article is not intended to give advice or to represent our firm as being qualified to give advice in all areas of professional services. Exit Planning is a discipline that typically requires the collaboration of multiple professional advisors. To the extent that our firm does not have the expertise required on a particular matter, we will always work closely with you to help you gain access to the resources and professional advice that you need. This is an opt-in newsletter published by Business Enterprise Institute, Inc., and presented to you by our firm. We appreciate your interest. Any examples provided are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. Examples include fictitious names and do not represent any particular person or entity. Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian). PAS is a registered broker-dealer offering investment products, as well as a registered investment adviser offering financial planning and investment advisory services. PAS is a member of FINRA and SIPC. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual circumstances.
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Classifieds
Optometry Practice for Sale – San Diego, CA -$195,000
Long established location, full scope optometry practice with optical. Specializing in advanced dry eye care and myopia control. EHR implemented.Equipment includes: OCT Maestro 2, iLight IPL Pro, Virtual Visual field, Medmont topographer, A-scan, pachymeter, and digital slit lamp with anterior seg photos and video capabilities+Meibography; autorefractor with keratometer. Contact: Dave Carlton OD. 909-621-7530 landline; e-mail drdcod77@yahoo.com (P10/25)
Seeking a friendly OD in Chula Vista for 1-3 days/week (any of Sat, Mon, Fri). FT option also available. Pay: $550–$600/day DOE. Supportive staff, low-stress setting.
Great for ODs supplementing schedules.
Send resume: contact@rdreyecare.com (P10/25)
Optometry Practice – Ramona, North East San Diego County. Profitable boutique optical practice with strong growth potential available for full sale or partnership (majority or 50/50). Features modern equipment, curated eyewear selection, and trained staff for a smooth transition. A turnkey opportunity in a welcoming lifestyle community for an OD or investor seeking independence and balance.Owner financing available. Reason for sale: to spend more time with family and child. Email info@methodoptometry.com Call or text: (704)777-1986 (P09/25)
Busy single practitioner Ophthalmology practice located in Mission Hills looking for a Full Time Associate OD Mon-Thu (9a - 5p) and Fri (8:30a - 12p). $500-$525 per day. Experience in co-management of Glaucoma, Cataracts & LASIK a plus. New grads are welcome to apply. Please email admin@myvisionexpert.com with your resume (P09/25)
Optometric Practice for Sale, in National City. Owner wishes to retire as soon as possible after 40 yrs.1200 sq ft, excellent location and excellent for a second office. Price discounted at 75K OBO. Please call. Greg Marlay (owner) at 619- 477-4166. Please come by and we will be happy to show you the office. (P9/25 - 11/25)
Moreno Valley High-Visibility, Well-Established Optometry Practice for Sale (CAO114) Well-established, high-visibility optometry practice grossing $500K with more room to grow. Contact Frank at 425-985-8390 or frank@omni-pg.com for more information. Lic.#2091491 (CAO114) NDA Request: https://www.omnipg-opto.com/california-listings.html (P09/25)
North County O.D. opportunity. Private family practice (Grand Vision Optometry) with 2 locations in San Marcos is looking for a Part-Time Associate OD for Saturdays (8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.). $525/day base pay with a production bonus of up to $650+/day. Additional bonuses opportunities beyond daily production in place as well. Exam appts are booked every 30 minutes, an optical technician will pre-test and pre-chart for the doctor. Please email drmikafu@hotmail.com with your resume to apply. (P09/25)
Vista private practice for sale. Owner would like to retire. 36 yr old thriving practice open only M-Thurs. General optometric practice grossing just over $1M with mostly VSP patients. Please email Gdem@cox.net for more information.
For Sale: Nikon Speedy-K auto refractor/keratometer. Old but reliable unit. $800. Text Jay at (858) 335-6275
Optometry Practice for Sale – Central San Diego – CRT / Ortho-K Specialty. Owner retiring-turn key opportunity. Exceptional opportunity to own a thriving optometry practice located in a high-demand Asian community in central San Diego. This well-established, turnkey office is known for its clinical excellence and specialization in Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT) / Ortho-K, with a loyal patient base focused on myopia control. Highlights:
•Prime location with strong foot traffic and visibility in a culturally vibrant Asian neighborhood
•Established over 20 years with consistent revenue and profitability
•Strong reputation in the community for CRT / Ortho-K, pediatric myopia control, and personalized care
•Fully equipped exam lane, pre-testing instruments
•Excellent potential for growth with expansion into dry eye, vision therapy, or medical optometry Perfect for a younger doctor looking to step into a profitable practice or an existing owner expanding their footprint in the San Diego area. Serious inquiries only. NDA and proof of funds required for financials. Please text to (858) 333-7618 (M09/25)
Part time associate needed: Join Lake Murray Optometric (San Diego/La Mesa area). Flexible 2 days per week schedule – no weekends! Comfortable, modern clinic with loyal patients and easy flow. Dry eye, myopia management, glaucoma & AMD care. $525/day base pay. If interested please email me at drg@visionsource-drg.com
Part-time OD in San Diego – Only 20 min from downtown -flexible schedule with room to grow full-time.Advanced tech: Optos, OCT, topography, visual fields, meibomian imaging.Bilingual team support for pretesting, insurance, and optical troubleshooting.Mentorship available for specialty care + collaborative, patient-first culture.Grateful patients & great work-life balance! Text/Call 714-420-3806 or email dr.recker@luminoptixeye.com (M08/25)
SEEKING ASSOCIATE OPTOMETRIST for a private practice in Northeast San Diego County. We are a patient focused, high tech office with full staff support. Schedule: 1-2 days per week, flexible days, (you pick!), no weekends. Please call or text (760) 239-7898 for more info. (M08/25)
Owner Wishes to Retire. In an upscale shopping center in Escondido, California. Solo private practice was established in 1996. Has a large patient base. The equipment is in excellent condition. A full scope Optometry practice. Complete sale or buy-out option. Please email basantis2004@yahoo.com. Serious inquiries only.(M05/25).
Slit lamp for sale. SL2 with up to 25X mags and attached Reichert goldmann tonometer. Excellent for a second or third exam room. Please call 858- 245- 9143 to inquire about pricing and photos. Price will be fairly nominal. (M06/25)
Urban Optiks Optometry in San Diego is hiring a part-time Associate Optometrist to join its boutique, patient-focused practice. We’re seeking an enthusiastic, personable OD who is committed to delivering high-quality, personalized eye care. Schedule: 1–3 days per week, flexible based on availability. To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to hr@uoosd.com (M08/25)
Busy Private Practice looking for an associate OD in San Diego and Camp Pendleton military base. Generous base pay plus easy daily bonus pay. Please send resume and questions to: marineeyecare@gmail.com (M12/24)
We’re seeking a motivated and entrepreneurial-minded optometrist to join our growing private practice in Central San Diego. This is a unique part-time opportunity to work in a modern, high-visibility medical office with a 25+ year industry veteran and explore a potential path to equity ownership. Our practice is located in a boutique medical building near downtown San Diego, with upgraded exam rooms, strong patient flow, and a diverse community.
If you're looking to build your career outside of the corporate grind, with the flexibility to grow into ownership, we’d love to connect. To learn more, contact us via text/call 858-504-2020. (M02/24)
Boutique Medical Office Building & Optometry Practice For Sale – Central San Diego. For sale: A thriving optometry practice and modern medical office building in Central San Diego’s high-growth redevelopment zone—just 9 minutes from downtown and surrounded by major freeways and schools.The building features three upgraded suites (7 total exam rooms) and offers flexibility to operate as one large clinic or separate units. Half the building is currently leased to a dental practice, generating steady rental income, while the other half houses the established optometry practice.An ideal opportunity for a healthcare professional or investor looking to own real estate and grow a practice in a dynamic urban location. For details, contact bnemati@earthlink.net or call/text 858-504-2020 (M02/24)
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