Your Turn Of River-Newfield Optometrist

Dr. Schulman graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She graduated with her Doctorate in Optometry and Masters in Vision Science degrees from the State University of New York, College of Optometry in 1991 and is currently an Adjunct Clinical Professor and Residency Supervisor for the school. Dr. Schulman received Fellowships in the College of Optometrists for Vision Development and the College of Syntonic Optometry and is an Associate member of the Optometric Extension Program and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association. 

Dr. Schulman has lectured extensively on behavioral optometry topics such as vision in the classroom, vision and aging, visual difficulties in the developmentally delayed, and has lectured and/or published on vision and autism, lenses and prisms, Lyme disease, brain injury, pupillary constriction, functional field testing and multisensory integration. She specializes in integrative optometry and vision therapy with emphasis on vision rehabilitation, pediatrics, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury, concussions and preventative, integrative and alternative vision care for all ages.

Dr. Schulman is always learning and teaching others. She enjoys spending time with her partner, Denny Johnson and children Jordan, Jared and Jessie, reading and doing yoga and Zumba.

Dr. Grygier (“rhymes with Tiger”) graduated summa cum laude from Clemson University with degrees in Psychology and Spanish. He spent several years serving the vision community as both an optician and practice manager before enrolling at the State University of New York College of Optometry. There he began the process of specializing in rehabilitative & binocular vision as well as advanced contact lenses. In addition to receiving academic honors at SUNY, Dr. Grygier served as President of his Class, President of the SUNY Connecticut Association of Optometrists, Research Coordinator for an NIH-funded Amblyopia study, and Treasurer for Student Optometric Volunteer Services to Humanity (SVOSH); through SVOSH he led fellow SUNY optometrists on a mission to help treat the eyes of 1500 community members in Zihuatanejo, Mexico! He is an avid traveler & passionate-but-haphazard tennis player, and he loves spending time with his Westie dog Cameron & 22-year-old cat Misty.

Dr. Singh graduated magna cum laude from Stony Brook University with a BA in Sociology. She then went on to earn her Doctorate of Optometry from SUNY College of Optometry. Dr. Singh also completed a residency program in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation at SUNY College of Optometry where she focused on treating patients with eye teaming problems, eye turns, and patients with traumatic brain injuries. In her spare time she enjoys running and yoga.

Dr. Justin Rapp is a graduate of SUNY Binghamton University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. He then obtained his doctoral degree in 2011 from SUNY College of Optometry. Dr. Rapp's clinical experience exposed him to a diverse array of areas ranging from Ocular Disease, Vision Therapy, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, and Specialty Contact Lenses. He received advanced training in Primary Care and Ocular Disease, completing externships at the Tucson VA Medical Center and OMNI Surgical Center in Atlanta. Dr. Rapp has extensive work experience with a variety of ocular pathology, as well as dry eye, and refractive conditions.  He is licensed to practice Optometry in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

When not in the office, he can probably be found at a Crossfit gym or cooking up something delicious.

Why did you decide to become an optometrist?

I grew up playing in my cousin's office, who had his optometry practice built in the garage of his house. I specifically remember being hyper-focused on the phoropter because I loved the way the lenses moved around and around. At 8 years old, I made a project on what I wanted to be when I grew up, and after astronaut and comedian, optometrist came in as #3! I'd consider that as an accomplishment achieved!

What's your favorite part about working at ECA?

Favorite part is joining a team that seems so supportive of one another. I am so excited to work with all of my coworkers and to be able to provide so many different solutions to a variety of vision problems through each doctor's individual specialty and skills.

What is your most inspirational patient story?

My most inspirational patient story was working with a patient who kept saying she felt "strange." She was having a hard time focusing mentally and visually, occasionally reported having double vision, and her eyelids kept drooping throughout the day. Even her speech was somewhat affected. She came to me for new glasses to fix the vision issues, but confided that she didn't trust her primary doctor to address these problems. After a few tests and consultation with a nearby neurologist, we were able to identify a neurological condition called myasthenia gravis. This patient started to feel better after starting the appropriate medication. It improved her quality of life drastically and I made a lifelong friend/patient.

What is your patient care philosophy?

To provide every patient with the utmost professional care, as well as personalized attention, with a little bit of laughter on the side!

What would you want every patient to know about their eye health?

Just because you can see "well" doesn't mean you have healthy eyes and a functional visual system. Everyone needs to consult with an eye care provider for baseline screening!

What is it about the practice that propels you forward, that helps you develop your passions and enjoy your work day to day?

Patient connection, like talking to my patients, making personal connections, patient satisfaction when the patient walks out and tells me, “that exam was so thorough,” or “I appreciate your time” or more specifically, “I feel so much better” or “my glasses are so much better.” So just the satisfaction from patients, that's what makes me happy. And I also really like all of my coworkers. So it's a good staff and appreciative patients. And that's what drives me to keep going forward.

It’s very important to be able to communicate with patients on their level, in their language. I speak Spanish and Portuguese. Taking things that are complicated and explaining them and translating them from medical language to normal English, or from English to Spanish or something along that line, just taking a difficult thing that people don't understand and making it understandable to them.

Dr. Shaby graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York with a BA in mathematics and Dr. Shaby ran the Bayside School of the Association for the Help of Retarded Children. He left AHRC to attend the State University of New York College of Optometry from which he graduated in 1976 with the degree of Doctor of Optometry. He then joined the faculty of SUNY College of Optometry where he served as an Assistant Clinical Professor until he retired from the institution after 37 years. His teaching assignments included primary care, special testing, and for most of his tenure, vision therapy and developmental vision. After receiving his degree he concomitantly took a position as an associate with Dr. Richard Kavner in New York City, a practice specializing in vision therapy. He also served as vision consultant for the Churchill School in New York City, a school serving learning disabled children, and a consultant for United Cerebral Palsy in New York City. In 1981 Dr. Shaby opened a private optometry practice in Stamford, CT, where he continues to practice, with focus on children and adults with learning-related vision problems, wandering and lazy eyes, vision issues related to concussion and traumatic brain injury. He has extensive experience in ocular disease and with contact lenses.

He has achieved fellowship status in the American Academy of Optometry and in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and maintains membership in the American Optometric Association and in the Connecticut Association of Optometry.

In 2017 he joined Eye Care Associates.

Dr. Diana Ngo is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry with a minor in Biology and Spanish. She then obtained her doctoral degree in 2021 from Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry in California.

Her training was involved in various arrays of settings: Vision Therapy private practice in Chandler, Arizona; Glaucoma/Medical based private practice in Cincinnati, Ohio; Community Health Clinic in Atwater, California; and Primary/Ocular Disease in VA Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The exposure to diverse areas of optometry further solidified her passion for vision therapy, enabling her to apply, and as a result, be accepted into our SUNY residency at EyeCare Associates, PC. Since completing her residency, she brings her expertise in vision therapy into the primary care setting as the first line of treatment and educating more patients about vision therapy/ rehabilitation.

After work, Diana likes to wind down her day enjoying a good rom-com movie or drama. On her days off, she loves to explore various cities, try local famous foods/coffee/boba shops, and visit various parks.

Dr. Maryam Nizami is a graduate of Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Psychology. She became interested in optometry during her undergraduate career by shadowing and getting involved in a vision screening. Her interest in optometry grew as she learned about developmental optometry, ultimately becaming a vision therapist in order to fully immerse herself in the field. 

Dr. Nizami went on to pursure her doctoral degree at SUNY College of Optometry. She became involved in the student chapter of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and served as student president. She diversified her optometric skill set by completing internships with a focus in ocular disease at OMNI Eye Services in New Jersey, with a focus in primary care, pediatrics and ocular disease at Woodhull Hospital, and with a focus in pediatrics and vision rehabilitation at Ezra Medical Center/University Eye Center. Upon graduation, Dr. Nizami was awarded the Dr. Louis Herrmann Memorial Award for Outstanding Compassion in Patient Care. She pursued her passion of vision therapy and rehabilitation by completing the Dr. Irwin B. Suchoff Residency program at SUNY College of Optometry. She received advanced clinical training in diagnosis, treatment and vision rehabilitation of patients with acquired brain injury, binocular dysfunction, strabismus, amblyopia and more. 

Dr. Nizami was working at Vanderbilt Health Center, affliated with NYC Health & Hosptials and SUNY College of Optometry, until moving to Connecticut in the spring of 2022. As a new Connecticut resident, she enjoys exploring local coffee shops, restaurants and hiking trails. She is also an avid baker who loves spending time with her friends and family. Dr. Nizami is fluent in Urdu and Hindi, and has some familiarity in conducting optometric exams in Spanish. Dr. Nizami is a compassionate clinician dedicated to providing the highest quality of refractive and medical care.

Dr. Ken Landesman is a graduate of The State University of New York at Binghamton, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences. He then received his Doctorate of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry. He completed his residency, specializing in ocular disease at The Eye Institute of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

Dr. Landesman achieved the prestigious title of becoming a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO). After years of teaching, he is an Assistant Professor Emeritus of SUNY College of Optometry, having been an instructor in Ocular Disease and Primary Care for 3 decades (1983-2013.)

He is a certified Low Vision Specialist of the NYS Commission for Blind and Visually Handicapped, certified Paragon CRT Orthokeratology Specialist, and expert arbiter for Veterans Evaluation Systems evaluating veterans for ocular disabilities.

He is married with one child. Outside of the office, he enjoys listening to jazz music, skiing, and playing golf.