Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine’s 26th Annual Tech Course was held Saturday, Oct. 26. For the first time, the event was held both in person at the Owens Auditorium on the Johns Hopkins Hospital East Baltimore medical campus and online. Nearly 100 people, including ophthalmic technicians and Wilmer experts, attended the event.

Barbara Gaston, lead ophthalmic technician in Wilmer’s Division of Cornea and External Disease, was the emcee for the event. Gaston accepted the opportunity to emcee the Tech Course primarily because she wanted to combat the glossophobia she experiences when speaking in front of audiences.

“I decided to emcee because I’m very scared of speaking openly in crowds and wanted to combat that fear,” says Gaston. “After the first two introductions, I was hooked. It was fun and I got over a fear.”

Clinton Parrish, an ophthalmic technician in Wilmer’s float pool, attended in person. There were two presentations that stood out to him: Retinoscopy – History, Optics, and Practical Application, presented by David Guyton, the Zanvyl Krieger Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology, and The Essential Role of the Ophthalmic Assistant in Cataract Surgery Evaluation, presented by Fasika Woreta, the Eugene de Juan, M.D. Professor in Ophthalmic Education.

“I enjoyed Dr. Woreta’s presentation, as many of the cataract evaluation attributes she discussed gave me good insight on how to better perform all the measurements for the cataract surgeons,” Parrish says. “I also enjoyed Dr. Guyton’s presentation a lot because I have been curious to learn more about retinoscopy.”

Guyton says he enjoyed presenting about the art of retinoscopy because it is an in-demand skill that some technicians may not necessarily have the knowledge to perform.

“Retinoscopy is a skill that many of the technicians are expected to master and perform when working up patients, but do not necessarily obtain complete instruction in how to do so,” says Guyton.

Other presentations included Visual Physiology by Jennifer Bassinger, certified ophthalmic assistant; Introduction to Goldman Visual Field by Heather Connors, certified low vision therapist; Neuropathological: Brain Tumor by Amanda Henderson, the Frank B. Walsh Professor of Neuro-Ophthalmology; Technician’s Role in Refractive Surgery by Joy Kelly, certified ophthalmic assistant; Biopsy of the Eye — From the Cornea to the Nerve by Shahriyar Majidi, ophthalmology resident; Thyroid Eye Disease by Fatemeh Rajaii, the Odd Fellows Rising Professor of Ophthalmology; and Sharpen Your Critical Thinking Skills! Does It Make Sense? by Donna Vierheller, certified ophthalmic technician.

Nidia Adames, ophthalmic technician training program manager and organizer of the event, says that although it was the first hybrid program, everything went well, and everyone was engaged and involved both in person and online.

She is thankful to the speakers who did an amazing job of presenting, and to all the technicians who participated. Adames says she is also grateful to the team that assisted during the event, including Stephen Chott, Gaston and Parrish.

The 27th Annual Tech Course will take place Oct. 27, 2025.