Congratulations Dr. Paul Barney, O.D., 2017's American Optometric Associations's Optometrist of the Year

Paul Barney, O.D.
O.D. of the Year

Paul Barney, O.D, a graduate of Southern California College of Optometry, started his career at Inland Eye Institute, until he began his work in 1990 at the Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute (PCLI), where he currently serves as director of its Co-Management and Surgery Center in Anchorage. 

Dr. Barney has dedicated more than 25 years of volunteer service to the AKOA, where he has held almost every leadership title possible. A member of the Board of Examiners in Optometry, State of Alaska, since 2011, he has served as the Chairperson since 2014.

Dr. Barney has devoted countless hours over many years advocating for the advancement of the practice of optometry in Alaska so that the needs of optometric patients in the rural areas and villages of the vast state can have access to the best care possible. He currently serves as co-chair of the legislative committee, where he routinely travels to the state capital, Juneau, located 850 miles from Anchorage and not accessible by road, to testify before the state legislature.

Dedicated to profession's future, he has made it a priority to ensure that optometrists in Alaska will be able to practice to the full extent of their education and training. In 2016 he served on a joint committee of health boards for the state of Alaska to develop prescriptive guidelines for Schedule II controlled substances. The purpose of the committee was to establish prescriptive guidelines for opiates for all health care providers licensed to prescribe controlled substances. In addition, he has testified numerous times for expansion of scope and other eye care issues in Washington state as well as Washington, D.C.

Dr. Barney has served as the Great Western Council of Optometry's liaison for several years, including as its President from 2014-2015. His commitment at the national level of optometry includes being a Visionary member of the AOA PAC, a federal keyperson for the AOA, and a member of the Public Affairs Committee. Most recently, he was appointed chair of the New Technologies Committee.

While living in Alaska he has donated his time as a bicycle mechanic to numerous community bicycling charity events. In addition to his commitment at home, Dr. Barney has been a guest lecturer at the Ramkhamhaeng University in Bankok, Thailand since 2005, donating two to three weeks of his time every year to teach, while also mentoring Thai Optometry students via email throughout the year. He served on the Board of Advisors and the Board of Directors for Canvasback Missions from 1999-2002, a Christian medical relief organization focused on delivering humanitarian medical care and education to patients and providers in the tropical Pacific islands of Micronesia.