WesternU College of Optometry student helps patient receive free corrective lenses

WesternU College of Optometry student Kristine Karimian helped secure a WesternU Health Eye Care Institute patient complimentary contact lenses through the CooperVision® Give Brightly™ Program. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry student Kristine Karimian (Class of 2026) was on a clinical rotation in the WesternU Health Eye Care Institute when she identified a patient who might qualify for free corrective lenses through CooperVision's Give Brightly™ program.

A 16-year-old boy who was active in sports had been without his glasses for three months due to the financial burden of replacing his lost pair, Karimian said. During his intake, we discovered that he had been playing high school soccer either with his outdated prescription glasses or without any visual correction at all, she said.

CooperVision's Give Brightly™ program provides complimentary contact lenses to patients who may otherwise not have access to contact lenses as a vision correction option. Give Brightly™ also promotes a positive contact lens fitting experience for optometry students and residents, according to the Give Brightly website.

Karimian provided a firsthand account of connecting her patient with the Give Brightly™ program in CooperVision's ECP Viewpoints blog. After fitting him with Biofinity toric lenses, the transformation was remarkable. He experienced a significant improvement in his peripheral vision, a reduction in visual distortion, and an overall boost in his performance on the field, Karimian said.

"Witnessing his joy and relief as he regained clarity and confidence in his game was truly rewarding," Karimian said in her testimonial to CooperVision. "It is the Give Brightly™ program that we have to thank for allowing him to have access to such an impactful and beneficial tool in his young life. It has been a privilege to support this young patient in experiencing the joy of enhanced vision, alongside Dr. Tassinari, at the WesternU Eye Care Institute."

WesternU College of Optometry Chief of Pediatric Optometric Service John Tassinari, OD, BS, FAAO, FCOVD, and College of Optometry student Kristine Karimian talk in the WesternU Health Eye Care Institute. (Jeff Malet, WesternU)

WesternU College of Optometry Chief of Pediatric Optometric Service John Tassinari, OD, BS, FAAO, FCOVD, said Give Brightly™ is a very generous program from CooperVision.

"The children benefit for sure, and the students get more learning opportunities," Tassinari said. "I think it's important for our students to be grateful to the people who support their learning."

Helping both the patient and his family was rewarding, Karimian said.

"When there is a minor, we are also seeing the patient's parent. You can tell there is a relief coming from his mother, who was in the room. It not only benefits the child, it's also benefiting the parent," Karimian said. "The parent wants their child to have their best life, but she can only do so much. Helping a parent and a child was twice as rewarding."

Karimian became interested in optometry after shadowing optometrist Gordon Wong, OD, at his private practice in La Jolla and then working for him at GW Eye Associates for five years. When applying to optometry schools, she wanted a more personal experience than what she had as an undergraduate at UC San Diego, where she would sit in lecture halls with 200 to 400 other students.

"I wanted to go to a program where the professors were more personal with you, so I talked to someone at WesternU. She loved it. She said you really get to know all your professors. You have multiple classes with them," Karimian said.

She was nervous interviewing with two College of Optometry professors as a prospective student, but they put her at ease.

"By the end, I was so comfortable with them. They wanted me to be comfortable here," Karimian said. "I was really drawn to that at Western University of Health Sciences. I think that was big pull here."

CO Assistant Professor An Vo, OD, FAAO, was the best professor to have for her first year, Karimian said.

"He was such a kind and comfortable doctor. He made sure we understood everything," she said. "He created an amazing learning environment. Having him holding our hand all of first year, I don't know if I would have liked WesternU as much if he wasn't doing that for us. He helped students build comfort and confidence."

She completed a summer pediatric rotation with Dr. Tassinari earlier this year, which is when she referred her patient to the Give Brightly™ program. Dr. Tassinari guest lectured throughout the summer.

"WesternU does a really good job of intertwining lecture material and showing what we are seeing in the clinic," Karimian said. "Dr. Tassinari used another patient of ours in his presentation. That was special. It shows that clinic isn't entirely separate. It's all one big part of your education - clinic, lecture, labs, everything."

While she is keeping her options open as she completes her education, Karimian said she appreciates her time working in private practice.

"Private practice is amazing. You are the primary care provider for their eyes," Karimian said. "You are seeing the entire family. In my six years in the office (in La Jolla), I got to know so many families. If you're seeing the father of this family has glaucoma, when his son comes in, you know to conduct a glaucoma screening so we're on top of it. Primary care is special for that reason. It's nice to be part of the community."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.