Joshua Falk, a third-year optometry student at The College of Optometry at Western University of Health Sciences, was one of three finalists selected for our first ever TLC Laser Refractive Excellence Scholarship – awarded to third- and fourth-year optometry students who exemplify clinical and academic excellence in laser refractive technologies.
Joshua Falk is a New Brighton, Minnesota native who found his passion for optometry after taking a high school aptitude test. After doing some research and shadowing many local optometrists, Joshua discovered a love for the profession. Upon graduating, Joshua plans to practice four years of military optometry and then run his own private practice.
An active member of the ROTC, Joshua had firsthand experience with the difficulties of vision correction devices during training. He wore glasses for heavily intense training exercises such as obstacle courses and marksmanship and struggled with them on a day-to-day basis. Glasses notoriously moved around during training exercises and became more of a burden. Contact lenses offered their own array of problems and were constantly overused and abused when individuals spent weeks in the field. Soldiers would take their lenses out with dirty hands, wash them in their canteen cups, and store them in muddied contact lens cases – opening themselves up to eye infections.
Joshua’s interest in laser refractive technologies expanded after seeing how poor vision could hinder military success. While in optometry school, Joshua met with military personnel who had undergone laser vision correction. He found that many of these individuals performed better after their surgery, boasting quicker and more accurate results. This inspired Joshua to use his skills in optometry to make a difference for those serving.
To learn more about the TLC Laser Refractive Excellence Scholarship.
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