A trailblazer passes: Paul Farkas, O.D., leaves a legacy of innovation

The optometry field has evolved immensely over the past 100 years—the introduction of contact lenses, recognition of optometrists by Medicare, and many other firsts occurred during this pivotal period. Paul Farkas, O.D., witnessed—and contributed to—many of them. Dr. Farkas passed away in early January at the age of 93.  

Dr. Farkas was a man of little fanfare but much vigor. He was a lifelong member of AOA and, more recently, the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association, with 65 years of cumulative membership. He also served as president of the Optometric Historical Society in 2016-17.  

Survived by his son and frequent collaborator, Adam Farkas, M.D., MBA, his daughter, Erika Maroney, and three grandchildren, he left behind a legacy of innovation that spanned more than six decades. He will be commemorated at the CEWire convention January 31-February 1. The virtual optometric conference dedicated to continuing education is just part of his legacy.  

Innovating in a time of discovery 

Dr. Farkas’ career was divided into two main acts: his practice years and his online years. Born in 1933 in the Bronx, music was his first love and he originally had his sights set on the stage. Opera was his passion, and he chose the New York City high school with the biggest stage, one with the capacity to host Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. His love of singing continued throughout his life, though he never made it onto the big stage.  

His parents, immigrants from Hungary, encouraged him to find a profession. A traditional course of medicine required 12 years of schooling, while optometry offered a three-year, combined undergraduate/master’s-level program at Columbia University. In 1955, at age 22, he graduated into his newfound calling, determined to make his practice work around his theater plans.  

In 1956, he was drafted into the Army, where he was promptly put in charge of a poorly run optometry clinic at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey. After striking a deal with the base's commanding officer for a shortened workweek (noon Monday until noon Friday), he got to work organizing and setting up the clinic as an efficient practice, while commuting into the city on weekends to work at top optometry offices in Manhattan and the Bronx. This exposure to different practice styles helped him learn rapidly, and by the time his two-year commitment was up, he knew what he wanted to do.  

Joining forces with his college buddy, Ted Kassalow, O.D., they opened one of the first optometry practices devoted only to contact lenses in 1958. They specialized in hard-to-fit cases and took referrals from other optometrists, in a time when referrals were rare. They established a reputation for handling difficult cases and then sending patients back to their referring doctors for regular care, setting the standard for positive, open referral relationships.  

Those hard-to-fit patients also provided ample opportunity for research, and Dr. Farkas published frequently in the AOA journal in the 1960s and beyond, as they learned more about how to assess and treat unique cases. Over time, he was often called on to consult with contact lens manufacturers, who valued his frank assessments and firsthand experience. He even jokingly claimed to have invented a disease: giant papillary conjunctivitis caused by his patients sleeping in their lenses.  

The practice thrived and added more providers, including his nephew, Barry Farkas, O.D., and Susan Resnick, O.D., who still practice there today. Now known as Farkas, Kassalow and Resnick, it became one of the largest optometry practices in Manhattan.  

A second wind and further impact 

Dr. Farkas retired from the practice in 1993 but found ways to keep busy. After moving to Florida, he taught practice management at NOVA Southeastern University for five years but found he preferred working for himself. He particularly enjoyed collaborating with other optometrists in the field.  

Adam Farkas says his father’s next act grew from ‘Round Robin’ sessions he used to hold with his colleagues in the 1970s; each member of the circle would record their thoughts on a subject via cassette tape, then forward it on to the next person. The resulting tapes facilitated ongoing conversations about their work and lives until 1999, when the group transformed into SeniorDoc, which later became ODwire.org.  

Years before the advent of social media, ODWire offered a place for doctors to discuss day-to-day issues, journal articles, new developments and eventually a podcast featuring guest speakers. Dr. Farkas pressed Adam, who had just taken a job in medical technology, to help create the infrastructure. In the ensuing 25 years, the bootstrapped site grew to more than 30,000 members and sparked the creation of CEWire.com for continuing education.