Robert Morrison, the Harrisburg eye doctor who treated TV stars, presidents and ... -...

[ODwire.org NewsBot]

Robert Morrison, the Harrisburg eye doctor who treated TV stars, presidents and ...
PennLive.com
The Review of Optometry details how, in the early 1960s, Morrison read a paper by Otto Wichterle, a Czech chemist working on synthetic materials that could be placed within the body. Morrison traveled to the former Czechoslovakia and began trading ideas ...


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[John Wetherhold]

Robert Morrison, the Harrisburg eye doctor who treated TV stars, presidents and ...
PennLive.com
The Review of Optometry details how, in the early 1960s, Morrison read a paper by Otto Wichterle, a Czech chemist working on synthetic materials that could be placed within the body. Morrison traveled to the former Czechoslovakia and began trading ideas ...


Continue reading...

I currently work at Dr. Morrison's former practice and we learned of his passing this week. I would consider him one of the top 10 most influential optometrists of all time with his development of soft contact lenses and how they dominate the market now. Although I never met him, I do enjoy hearing stories of how he treated various celebrities and royalty as patients. That being said, current patients who had him as an optometrist tell me how he treated them personally like royalty.

He also had an office in NYC city. @Paul Farkas , did you have any interaction with him in the Big Apple during your professional career?

 

[Joe DiGiorgio O.D.]

I attended a great contact lens meeting in Atlantic City, NJ.

I believe it was called "How To", i.e. "How to IV", etc. I was a relatively new grad, and Dr. Morrison greeted me and a couple of my young colleagues. He was very gracious and even helped us carry our luggage to the front desk at Bally's Hotel, as I recall, where the conference was being hosted.

You have to admire a guy that was at the top of his profession, but never had an arrogant attitude. I have attended other meetings where some of the key speakers acted like they walked on water and would not "fraternize with the enlisted men".

Kudos to Dr. Morrison for being a class act.

 

[AdminWolf]

He also had an office in NYC city. @Paul Farkas , did you have any interaction with him in the Big Apple during your professional career?

Paul told me a couple of whoppers that had me laughing/with my jaw on the floor -- it sounds like Dr. Morrison was an incredible character.

I hope Paul can share a couple of stories! When I hear stories of these old timers, everyone else seems so freaking bland by comparison these days...

 

[Richard Frankel]

I attended a great contact lens meeting in Atlantic City, NJ. I believe it was called "How To", i.e. "How to IV", etc. I was a relatively new grad, and Dr. Morrison greeted me and a couple of my young colleagues. He was very gracious and even helped us carry our luggage to the front desk at Bally's Hotel, as I recall, where the conference was being hosted. You have to admire a guy that was at the top of his profession, but never had an arrogant attitude. I have attended other meetings where some of the key speakers acted like they walked on water and would not "fraternize with the enlisted men".

Kudos to Dr. Morrison for being a class act.

He was great, I mentioned on another thread that I had him at PCO for contacts. He once told us to buy sewer bonds, and because of our income potential, we should vote Republican.

The last conference in Atlantic City, the speaker for corneal topography failed to show. I got drafted to give the lecture. I had ten minutes to prepare an hours lecture. Afterward, he laughed and said he didn't think I could do it. The following year they moved the conference to Maryland.

 

[Paul Farkas]

Paul told me a couple of whoppers that had me laughing/with my jaw on the floor -- it sounds like Dr. Morrison was an incredible character.

I hope Paul can share a couple of stories! When I hear stories of these old timers, everyone else seems so freaking bland by comparison these days...

Bob relocated to Sarasota,FL dying the last few years after retirement. Speech was difficult for him due to jaw surgery.

I regret he was unable to do an ODwire.org Radio/Podcast to share some of his stories.

Some stories are best told one on one in a dark bar not from a podium or a national medium outlet.

Unlike today where contact lenses are easily managed by most ODs, the early years of contact lens practice and growth were very interesting.