Optometry mourns the loss of Woody Witt, president of Woodlyn, who died October 12 after a three-year battle with cancer. Mr. Witt has been a fixture in the ophthalmic industry for decades. CEO responsibilities are now under the direction of Eileen Bowen-Witt, who has been an executive with the company since its inception. Day-to-day operations, delivery of products, customer service and plans for 2015 will continue with the current management team and staff, the company announced. 

The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) announced a new $17 million Patient Care Center for its Colleges of Optometry and Nursing. Scheduled to open in 2016, the new 48,000-square-foot facility will enhance and expand the services offered through the existing University Eye Center, which it will replace.

Patient Care Center at UMSL

The new two-story Patient Care Center will provide space for clinical education and research, as well as comprehensive eye and vision care, UMSL says. Each clinic will feature student-faculty consultation space as well as individual and group learning space, which will promote collaboration between the students, faculty and staff. Funding for the new center is coming in part from a supplemental fee that will be assessed to optometry students, the university says.