What makes a conference more than just a meeting? 

For over six decades, the Heart of America Eye Care Congress has been one of optometry’s most enduring traditions — bringing together thousands of professionals, students, and industry partners for education, innovation, and community. 

In this episode of Power Hour, recorded live in Kansas City, host Eugene Shatsman sits down with Dr. Susan Lake, Optometrist at Eyecare Specialties, and Dr. Jeffry Gerson, Director of Education at PERC, to take listeners behind the scenes of this remarkable event. 

Navigating managed vision care can be complex. 

Between reimbursements, benefits, and patient expectations, finding the balance between patient satisfaction and profitability is no small feat. But what if the key isn’t fighting the system, but understanding lesser-known opportunities that exist within managed care? 

In this episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman sits down with Todd Lassone, Senior Manager for Strategic Partners at EssilorLuxottica, to unpack how practices can optimize their relationship with managed vision care plans. With over 30 years of industry experience — both in the exam lane and on the corporate side — Todd brings a refreshingly practical perspective on turning managed care into managed opportunity. 

What happens when you bring together some of the sharpest minds shaping the future of optometry and optical retail? 

You get an unfiltered conversation that uncovers where innovation meets patient care, where business decisions meet real-world practice, and where industry leadership is steering the next decade of eye care. 

In this special edition of Power Hour recorded live at Vision Expo West, host Eugene Shatsman takes you behind the scenes of the VSP Vision Innovation Challenge, co-hosted by VSP Vision Global Innovation Center, The Vision Council, and MATTER, and first time involvement for the Power Hour. 

From 50+ groundbreaking submissions to 6 stage finalists and 3 transformative winners, this episode captures the ideas, momentum, and leaders shaping the next chapter of vision care. 

This episode is presented in three mini-conversations that highlight both the architects behind the challenge and the innovators leading the charge. If you're curious about what the future of eye care really looks like, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss. 

Ten Patients. $1.2K Each. How Dr. Evie Lawson Rebuilt the Exam and the Business 

What if your next growth leap didn’t come from seeing more patients, but from redesigning the visit itself? 

What stories are shaping the future of optometry, and how do we know where the industry is headed? 

To answer that, we turned to someone with perhaps the broadest view in eyecare today: Anne M. Cooper, Editorial Director of Vision Monday and 20/20 Magazine. 

In this eye-opening episode of The Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman welcomes back  Adam Cmejla, Certified Financial Planner, Founder and Owner of Integrated Planning & Wealth Management, and Host of 20/20 Money Podcast — to pull back the curtain on the relentless “compression” squeezing optometry practices right now. 

Scaling a practice is never easy, especially when new growth often brings growing pains. 

But what if you could expand your practice, add associates, and increase profitability without losing momentum — or yourself — in the process? 

If you’re in optometry, chances are you’ve heard of — or are already part of — ODs on Facebook. With over 47,000 members, millions of annual comments, and hundreds of ODs engaging daily, it’s the largest and most influential optometry community online. 

In this rare behind-the-scenes episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman is joined by an all-star panel from the American Optometric Association — Dr. Thomas A. Lucas, Jr. (Director of Advocacy, Texas Optometric Association), Dr. Jacqueline M. Bowen (President, AOA), and Dr. Jon F. Pederson (Trustee, AOA). Together, they pull back the curtain on the legislation, advocacy strategies, and state-level victories that are beginning to rebalance the power dynamic in eye care.