David A Goss

This book preserves the memory of Carol B. Pratt, Ph.D., O.D., a highly significant figure in the history of the Pacific University College of Optometry and in the lives of hundreds of optometry students, creating a record of the innovative optometric testing and analysis procedures he devised and the original research he conducted. It is hoped that the book will be of interest to persons who wish to celebrate Pratt's life and work, and those curious about aspects of the history of Pacific University or the history of optometry and optometric education. It is also possible that optometrists studying nearpoint visual function may find inspiration in the principles that Pratt delineated.

From Spectacle-Making Trade to Scholarly Profession takes a look at the long span of optometry history, with a primary focus on the United States: examining its path from spectacle making to its current status as a profession with strong academic standing integrated into today's health care system. Along with an overview of the history of optometry from the invention of spectacles to recent years, the book considers the maturation of the optometric examination from simple trial and error of spectacles to today's comprehensive eye and vision examination; the history of optometric education from the brief instructional programs offered in the late nineteenth century to the challenging academic programs of the present; and the increasing sophistication of optometric publications. Optometrists and other readers will gain an appreciation for the struggles, advancements, and contributions of optometry.