Advocating for optometry’s littlest patients

Excerpted from page 46 of the Fall 2025 edition of AOA Focus 

It was no surprise to anyone who knows John Tassinari, O.D., when he was named the 2025 recipient of the Dr. W. David Sullins, Jr., InfantSEE® Award. As a dedicated advocate for pediatric eye care, Dr. Tassinari exemplifies the spirit of the award, which honors doctors of optometry who have made significant contributions to the profession or their community through outstanding public service with the InfantSEE program.  

From 1988 to 2015, Dr. Tassinari operated a private optometry practice in Pasadena, California, that specialized in vision therapy and pediatric optometry. At the same time, Dr. Tassinari served as a part-time faculty member for the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO). He became an associate professor in 2013, and in 2016, he joined the Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry full time, where he continues to serve as the chief of Pediatric Optometric Services at The Eye Care Institute. 

“When I was new to practice, an iron-clad health care strategy was that pediatric ophthalmologists were the only qualified providers of infant primary eye care,” Dr.Tassinari says. “InfantSEE has changed many minds outside of optometry, including and especially pediatricians.” 

In an interview with AOA Focus, Dr. Tassinari shares his passion for caring for our youngest patients. 

How did your optometric journey lead you to pediatric eye care?  

My first passion was vision therapy, and the children came along with it. During my O.D. training at SCCO, I was fortunate to learn from top-tier pediatric specialists Drs. Julie Ryan and Mike Rouse. During my residency at SUNY in the late ’80s, I trained under two other legends in pediatric optometry, Drs. Dave FitzGerald and Bob Duckman. I marveled at how these four doctors connected with young children and obtained meaningful exam information. That connection—that bond that occurs when a child’s trust is gained and their apprehension allayed—is an extremely fullling clinical moment. 

What is the biggest challenge optometrists face when it comes to pediatric eye care?  

The biggest challenge is the conviction by many that infants and young children do not need routine eye exams with eye doctors. Vision screenings are thought to be sufficient, but they are not. 

What are you teaching students when it comes to pediatric eye care?  

First and foremost, I teach that specializing in eye care of infants and youth can be learned. It is not an aptitude that a young doctor has or does not have. Next, I teach retinoscopy, retinoscopy, retinoscopy. 

Why is the InfantSEE program valuable?  

I recommend optometrists participate in InfantSEE for three reasons. First, on a very practical level, the optometrist can confidently and easily recommend a baseline eye exam of the babies their existing patients are having. Staff can easily be trained to be advocates for these in-house patients. Second, infant eye care is dominated by measuring and analyzing refractive status. Optometrists are experts in refraction, and that expertise translates to infant ametropia. Third, providing an eye exam to a baby can be a rejuvenating change of pace from the endless dry eyes, vitreous floaters, presbyopia, astigmatism, etc., that our adult patients experience. Babies emanate joy, even when crying from drops and lights! That joy can feed the soul of a busy optometrist.