Increased access to optometry care for Fort Johnson Families, Retirees

Photo By Jean Graves | Optometrist Dr. Catherine Liu, joins the Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, increasing access to care for active-duty Family members and retirees beginning April 1 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana.  

FORT JOHNSON, LA, UNITED STATES

02.27.2024

Story by Jean Graves 

Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital

Optometrist Dr. Catherine Liu, joins the Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, increasing access to care for active-duty Family members and retirees beginning April 1 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson, Louisiana.

Lt. Col. Grigory Charny, deputy commander of clinical services at BJACH, said the addition of Liu to the EENT clinic will allow the hospital to see more patients.

“Dr. Liu’s arrival doubles our optometry practice at BJACH,” he said. “We are thrilled to have her on our team. Now we can take care of more of our patients.”

“I’ve been seeing a full load of patients for about a week,” she said. “I was able to hit the ground running because I am already trained on MHS GENESIS. This has allowed our clinic to get after the backlog of active-duty eye appointments and start paving the way to start seeing dependents and retirees.”

Liu is a Doctor of Optometry with a degree from the Illinois College of Optometry, with residency training in ocular disease and low vision, along with certifications in minor surgical procedures.

Liu is a military spouse and has been working at the Alexandria Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Pineville since their permanent change of station from Fort Carson, Colorado.

Liu said she became an eye doctor because she wanted to be in a profession that was easily accessible and impactful for a patient’s overall health.

“I believe the old adage that our eyes are the window to our souls,” Liu said. “When you look at someone’s eyes, you can tell a lot about their health. As a medical professional, it’s all about preventative care, catching things early is beneficial for the patients and the medical system.”

Liu said she’s diagnosed diseases ranging from diabetes, dry eye, high blood pressure, to cataracts, and brain tumors.

Liu said going to the eye doctor isn’t scary and it’s not invasive.

“Seeing an optometrist at BJACH is helpful for Soldiers and their Families,” she said. “If you come and see me, I will give you a very thorough exam and try to address all of your concerns.”

As a military spouse Liu said she understands the stress her patients are under.

“I know deployments, moving or transitioning out of the Army is stressful,” she said. “I can empathize with my patients because I know where they are coming. Having optometry services at BJACH will hopefully alleviate some of that stress for them.”

• Date Taken: 02.27.2024
• Date Posted: 02.27.2024 16:05
• Story ID: 464833
• Location: FORT JOHNSON, LA, US