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Home » Our Doctors » John E. Musick O.D., F.A.A.O.

John E. Musick O.D., F.A.A.O.

John E. Musick O.D., F.A.A.O.

JOHN E. MUSICK, O.D., F.A.A.O. practices optometry fulltime in Nicholasville and is co-founder of Drs. Ditto & Musick Eye Care Center. He is married to Helen Denmark Musick and they reside in Jessamine County. They have three children, Nathan, Laura (Saunders) and Will.

Professional interests: General practice of optometry / primary vision & eye care; contact lenses; diagnosis & medical/laser treatment of glaucoma. *NOTE: Dr. Musick is still accepting new patients in his general optometry practice but he is no longer accepting NEW low vision patients EXCEPT for current clients of the Kentucky Office for the Blind and also those interested in the Kentucky Bioptic Driving Program.

License: Licensed by the Kentucky Board of Examiners in Optometry to practice optometry including use of topical and oral diagnostic and therapeutic drugs, and expanded therapeutic procedures including laser surgery for glaucoma. SLT - Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty for certain forms of open angle glaucoma; LPI - Laser Peripheral Iridotomy for certain forms of closed angle and narrow angle glaucoma; YAG Laser Capsulotomy for secondary cataracts aka posterior capsular opacification.

Board Certification: American Board of Optometry (Diplomate 2014-2017); Nation's highest scorer on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry's Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease(1994).

Specialty Certification: Diplomate (Low Vision) - American Academy of Optometry

Education: Vero Beach High School - Vero Beach, Florida; Florida State University (A.A.); UAB School of Optometry, University of Alabama in Birmingham Medical Center (B.S.-Physiological Optics & O.D.-Doctor of Optometry;Class rank: 1)

Past and/or Current Appointments:
-Appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to the National Advisory Council on Health Professions Education;
-Eye Trustee (District 43-C) for Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation;
-Examination construction committee member for Theoretical and Ophthalmic Optics Section - National Board of Examiners in Optometry
-Examination construction committee member for Theory and Practice of Optometry Exam Section - National Board of Examiners in Optometry
-Member of the Examination Council of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry; appointed as co-chairman of the Section on Refractive, Sensory Integrative, and Oculomotor Disorders
-Chairperson of the Examination Council of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry
-Adjunct Assistant Professor in Optometry (Externship Program) for Southern College of Optometry
-Committee on Professional Continuing Education - Kentucky Optometric Association
-Kentucky Medical Review Board, Transportation Cabinet, Commonwealth of Kentucky
-Geriatric Optometry Committee of the Clinical Care Center - American Optometric Association.
-Hospital Privileges/Geriatric Optometry/Nursing Home Committee of the AOA
-Nursing Home Liaison to AOA Low Vision Section Clinical Specialties Committee.
-Admittance Committee member - American Academy of Optometry (Region 3)
-Executive Committee - Low Vision Section, American Academy of Optometry
-Chair - Written Exam (Low Vision Diplomate Program - American Academy of Optometry)
-Chair - Ocular Disease Exam (Low Vision Diplomate Program - American Academy of Optometry)
-Chair - Mentors Committee (Low Vision Diplomate Program - American Academy of Optometry)
-Vice Chair - American Academy of Optometry Low Vision Diplomate Program
-Chair - American Academy of Optometry Low Vision Diplomate Program
-Chair - American Academy of Optometry Low Vision Section
-Immediate Past Chair - American Academy of Optometry Low Vision Section
-Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Louisville

Past and/or Current Affiliations & Memberships:
Vice President - UAB chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa (national leadership honor society).
Christian Medical Society (Team member on three Medical Group Mission Eye Projects to third world countries)
Beta Sigma Kappa (international optometric honorary fraternity)
Nicholasville Lions Club
Kentucky Optometric Association
American Optometric Association
Southern Council of Optometry
Bluegrass Council of the Blind
American Academy of Optometry (Fellow & Diplomate)
Charter member - Low Vision Section of American Optometric Association
Low Vision Consultant to Kentucky Office for the Blind
Low Vision Consultant to Kentucky Industries for the Blind
Low Vision Consultant to Kentucky School for the Blind
Diplomate - Low Vision Section of the American Academy of Optometry (First and still only Kentucky doctor to achieve diplomate status in Low Vision Diplomate Program of the American Academy of Optometry)
Course Director - Orals and Injectibles Update and Review Course, KOA
Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Louisville Department of Ophthalmology (part-time gratis)
American Board of Optometry - Board Certified (Diplomate)

Awards & Honors:
-Omicron Delta Kappa's Most Outstanding Student in the UAB School of Optometry
-Omicron Delta Kappa's Most Outstanding Professional Student in the UAB Medical Center (highest GPA among all professional/graduate school students).
-UAB School of Optometry Dean's Award for outstanding scholarship and leadership.
-Beta Sigma Kappa (international optometric honorary fraternity) Silver Medal for highest academic record in UAB School of Optometry.
-Outstanding Clinician Award - Alabama Optometric Association.
-Co-recipient of Bausch and Lomb Soflens Division Outstanding Contact Lens Clinician Award.
-Outstanding Merit Award for rehabilitation work with the vision impaired (presented by Kentucky Department For the Blind)
-Charles McDowell Award for Education and Advocacy of Visually Impaired - Kentucky Rehabilitation Association
-Meritorious Service Award, Jessamine County 4-H (For Vision Grant)
-Young Optometrist of the Year - Kentucky Optometric Association.
-Award of Merit - Kentucky Optometric Association for outstanding service and leadership in professional optometry
-Optometrist of the Year - Kentucky Optometric Association
-President’s Award for leadership and service - Kentucky Optometric Association
-Dr. Clifford C. Leadingham Award - Kentucky Optometric Association
-Charles T. Moran Resident Teaching Award for outstanding volunteer faculty teaching (presented by the U of L Dept. of Ophthalmology Residents)
-Touching Lives Award - Kentucky Association of Educators in Rehabilitation

Selected Publications:
Musick, J.E., "Low Vision Services and Visual Aids for the Visually Impaired Diabetic"
Musick, J.E., "Questions and Answers on Low Vision Devices and Related Services for Your Visually Impaired Child"
Musick, J.E., "A Better Way to Fit Progressive Lenses", Review of Optometry 128(6): 66-69.
Musick, J.E., "Your Most Important Procedure: The Case History", Review of Optometry 129(1): 72-79.
Musick, J.E., "A New Look at Two Old Tests", Optometric Management 27(2): 49-61.
Musick, J.E., "How to Restore the Gift of Reading-A Guide to Prescribing Hand Magnifiers", Review of Optometry 130(5): 55-62.
Musick, J.E., "Utilizing High Plus Spectacle Lens Systems in Low Vision Practice", Review of Optometry 131(5).
Musick, J.E., “Caring for Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa”, Review of Optometry 132 (5).
Musick, J.E. “When and When Not to Prescribe Tinted Lenses”, Review of Optometry 134 (6).

PUBLICATIONS - Book Chapters
Musick, J.E., "Clinical Strategies for the Visually Impaired Computer User” - a book chapter for Management of Low Vision for the Problems in Optometry Series, Edited by Cole, R. and Rosenthal, B.; Mosby
Musick, J.E. & Alexander, L.J., “Hereditary Retinal and Choroidal Dystrophies and Degenerations” - a book chapter in PRIMARY CARE of the POSTERIOR SEGMENT - 3rd Ed.