An ophthalmologist, optometrist, and two glaucoma patients will discuss the importance of working with the right doctor, and how to know if you have the best doctor for you.
Speakers:
John Berdahl, MD
Ophthalmologist | Glaucoma Specialist
John Berdahl, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist, practicing in Sioux Falls, SD at Vance Thompson Vision. He is widely regarded as one of the leading international cataract surgeons, and is one of the very few surgeons in the United States who is also fellowship-trained in cornea, glaucoma, and refractive surgery. His published work has primarily focused on the fundamental causes of glaucoma, Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, and Astigmatism Management, during and after cataract surgery.
Dr. Berdahl has been involved in numerous monitored clinical trials on some of the most exciting technologies in ophthalmology. He also founded Balance Ophthalmics which is developing the first non-surgical, non-pharmacologic way to lower eye pressure for glaucoma treatment. He is the co-founder of ExpertOpinion.MD, which provides online opinions to patients from top doctors around the world.
Dr. Berdahl is a member of the Board of Directors of The Glaucoma Foundation.
Murray Fingeret, OD
Optometrist
Dr. Murray Fingeret is a Clinical Professor at the State University of New York, College of Optometry and was Chief of the Optometry Section, Brooklyn/St. Albans Campus, Department of Veterans Administration New York Harbor Health Care System from 1983 until 2020.
Dr. Fingeret was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame in 2019 and sits on the Board of Directors of the Glaucoma Foundation. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, Silver Fellow of the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and a member of the American Glaucoma Society, the American Optometric Association, and the National Academies of Practice. Dr. Fingeret is a founding member and past president of the Optometric Glaucoma Society and currently the president of the Optometric Glaucoma Foundation.
Patricia Lee Caulfield
Glaucoma Patient
As a visually impaired artist, Patricia raises awareness about glaucoma and other diseases which cause vision loss. She works primarily in mixed media.
Patricia takes part in the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s annual event, Art Ability, in Malvern, PA. She recently founded her own nonprofit, InSight Arts, to promote the artwork of visually impaired artists. Her first public show runs for six weeks at Creative York in York, PA, May 2026.
Patricia founded an art show benefiting research and educational programs for the Glaucoma Research Foundation in San Francisco, CA, in 2022 – 2025. A keynote speaker and patient advocate, she received the President’s Award from GRF for her work in promoting hope through art. She was the keynote speaker at the Autumn Social for TGF in October of 2024 and recently gave a talk on “Ownership of your disease: My advice to patients afflicted with glaucoma” at the Foundation’s annual Think Tank. She contributes her artwork annually to TGF’s annual online fundraiser, VISIONS FOR VISION: The TGF Art Challenge to Celebrate Vision.
Mitch Hill
Glaucoma Patient
Mitch retired as the CFO of Inari Medical in late 2024. He joined the company in early 2019 and helped lead Inari through its IPO in May 2020 and significant growth thereafter. Mitch completed his undergraduate work at Brigham Young University and his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mitch served as public company CFO for several companies. Most recently, he worked in the medical device industry as well as in health care services. Prior to his healthcare career, Mitch worked as CFO in e-commerce (Buy.com) and in entertainment (Walt Disney Imagineering).
Mitch has an additional, personal interest in serving as a TGF Board member, as he was diagnosed with normal-tension glaucoma in 2017. He appreciates the amazing glaucoma research which is underway and focused on helping to arrest and someday reverse the course of this disease.