Another Ortho-K Pioneer Is Gone

We have lost another pioneer in the field of Orthokeratology. Nick Stoyan immigrant,inventor,founder of Contex and developer of the OK3 and Contex E lens designs has passed away at the age of 74. Nick who started his career with The Plastic Contact Lens Company owned by Wesley Jessen,as did many of the future leaders in the field,brought innovative concepts to contact lens design and fabrication. Nick was awarded the prestigious Excellence In Orthokeratology Award by the academy and though unable to travel much due to health reasons gave support to our efforts to educate practitioners and the lay public about corneal reshaping. Nick with Newton Wesley and Charles May,who both passed away last year,contributed mightily to the first twenty five years of corneal reshaping so much so that they all could be referred to as the pillars of the field.

My best memories of Nick came during my days leading The National Eye Research Foundation trying to deal with a man that was anything but predictable. Difficult but worthwhile negotiations were always the order of the day as we worked through issues large and small. I will never forget that twinkle in his eyes and the feeling that whatever we had just agreed to was somehow exactly what he had intended in the first place. Whether he was involved in negotiating lens sales at the yearly educational meetings of NERF in Las Vegas or lecturing all us on difficult fits or future innovative design challenges he was always involved and passionate.I will miss him greatly.

Cary M Herzberg O.D. FOAA

Dr. Newton K Wesley : 1917-2011

Dr. Newton Wesley died on July 21,2011 from complications related to congestive heart failure at the age of 93. Newton was an enormous figure in the field of contact lenses and the specialty of Orthokeratology . It would be appropriate to describe him as being a figure that was bigger than life. It would also be appropriate to use the terms Renaissance Man,Humanitarian , Scientist,Researcher, Optometrist and friend. Newton lived his life fully and you could well describe his journey as one that literally touched millions of people. One of those was myself as I had the supreme honor of being chosen to run his National Eye Research Foundation (NERF) for a period of time. Though Newton and I did not always agree, I left the foundation due to one of those disagreements, I always respected the "man". My time spent working with him is still to this day one of the highlights of my journey. I am proud to call him one of my Mentors.

Newton began his journey in the Pacific Northwest. He ended up practicing in the Chicago area because the US government interred his family of Japanese Americans in an Idaho camp during the war. Newton was only permitted to leave if he moved to the Midwest. Despite being in the Midwest Newton played a key role in the survival and flourishing of his alma mater Pacific University College of Optometry where he graduated in 1939. Despite all the adversity and possible embitterment caused by his relocation Newton remained throughout his long life one of the greatest humanitarians I have ever known.

Everyone realizes that Newton invented the modern corneal contact lens in the 1940s to try to deal with his Keratoconus. A condition if left untreated can lead to penetrating Keratoplasty today but back then there was a very real threat of functional blindness. What is less known is that the lenses he developed later in his life to treat his Keratoconus worked so well that when I checked his vision in the late 90s I described the condition of his Corneas as pristine!

Newton had an immense impact on the eye care field. With George Jessen he opened up the Plastic Contact Lens Co. (PCL) later to be renamed Wesley Jessen. Many of the folks who originally worked for Newton became great pioneers of their own in the contact lens field including Nick Stoyan (Contex) and Bob Cotie (C&H).During the early years when contact lenses were not a household word Newton traveled extensively around the country barnstorming the local and national press and media about the health and refractive advantages of contact lens wear. He campaigned to get "contact lenses" into the dictionary.

With the formation of the National Eye Research Foundation in the 1950s Newton cemented the future for all aspiring contact lens fitters. The foundation was suppose to be the educational arm of Wesley Jessen but it became so much more! NERF became the primary engine of research, education and discovery for the exciting new specialty called Orthokeratology. If you imagine how tough our job is now as we promote corneal reshaping worldwide without the efforts of Neton's organization to lay all the ground work for us our job would be impossible. I remember back in the 90s how despondent we all were after the FTC and FDA had come down on Dr. Hurt and his organization over his advertising and promotion of Orthokeratology. There was Newton and the NERF leadership drawing up our game plan for bringing Orthokeratology into the scientific mainstream of our profession! Those decisions made possible the subsequent FDA approval in the next decade and brought us into the exciting era we now reside in.

My best memories of Newton however had to do with his graciousness . Whether you were invited to one of his many dinners he held or a guest visitor at his foundation he never let you leave without a personal word from himself and a robust handshake. Attending the NERF meetings in Las Vegas every October were lots of fun and learning because Newton would have it no other way.I remember all the late night meetings I attended at Newton's house in Northbrook and how he made me feel right at home even when we agreed or disagreed about the future path of NERF. He will be sorely missed!

- Cary Herzberg OD FOAA

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