Optometry Residency Program

Program Description

The program was established on July 1, 2008, with one residency position and currently has three positions. It is a twelve-month, post-graduate clinical education program in which the resident is an employee of LVAHCS as a clinical staff member in the Optometry Clinic.  The Optometry Clinic at LVAHCS is the primary training site for the resident.  The resident will also spend time at the University of Kentucky’s Department of Ophthalmology. Affiliated with Indiana University School of Optometry, the program provides residents a high-quality learning experience.   

Program Details

The program focuses on advanced competency in the clinical skills and scholarly development of the residents by exposing the residents to direct patient care enhanced by lectures, conferences, presentations, and consultation with other medical services. Residents will become proficient in ocular disease diagnosis and management, and comanaging systemic conditions that have ocular manifestations. The residents will also attend weekly Grand Rounds and Fluorescein Angiography conference at the University of Kentucky's Department of Ophthalmology during the academic year, with opportunities to participate in the department's sub-specialty clinics. Residents will also participate in and lead daily educational exercises with the optometry staff and student externs, which are structured to foster an evidence-based medicine approach.

Lexington VA Health Care System is a dual-division facility, with four clinics in the community. The optometry clinic is located at the Franklin R. Sousley campus, established in 1931, is on the west side of Lexington on Leestown Road. It occupies almost 5,000 square feet in newly renovated space, which includes 9 examination lanes, a clinic conference area, and 4 specialty testing rooms. Residents have access to a retinal camera with fundus autofluorescence, anterior segment camera, OCT, Pentacam topographer, Humphrey and Goldmann visual field analyzers, specialty contact lens fitting sets including RGP and scleral lenses, and low vision fitting equipment. All exam lanes were renovated with state-of-the-art equipment. This program is uniquely designed to offer residents the opportunity to participate in several specialty clinics. In addition to primary eye care examinations, the residents provide low vision outpatient blind rehabilitation services to visually impaired Veterans, vision therapy services to combat Veterans with a history of polytrauma or traumatic brain injury, and medical contact lens fittings. This multi-faceted experience helps to produce well-rounded, capable physicians who feel confident to enter the workforce and pursue a variety of career paths.

The didactic portion of the residency has been developed to help the residents become proficient in reading and applying medical literature. Residents can expect to enjoy discussions and books about the importance of evidence-based medicine, as well as medical ethics and the arts of doctoring and teaching. These lessons are put to clinical practice while precepting student externs in the second half of the year. We also routinely read medical journal articles and meet to discuss practical applications.

Program Information

Optometry Residency Program Admission Requirements

• O.D. degree from an accredited program by starting date
• 3 Letters of recommendation
• Interview
• Eligible for state optometry licensure
• Must be a US citizen
• Completion of ORMatch (https://natmatch.com/ormatch/index.html)

Interviews typically start in January and end the third week of February. Qualified applicants, who have applied through ORMS, should email to schedule an interview. For additional information, contact Dr. Ashley Rone at  ashley.rone@va.gov or .

2024-25 Residents

( Left to Right) Erika Marrs, Killen Day, and Alexis Showalter

Optometry Staff

Tara L. Foltz, OD is the Optometry Resident Program Coordinator.

Dr. Foltz is a native of Princeton, Kentucky.  She obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Kentucky and then went on to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.  Upon graduating in 2006, she did a residency in Geriatrics and Low Vision Rehabilitation at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama.  After several years of private practice experience in Birmingham, Dr. Foltz was excited to move back to Lexington in 2010 and join the staff at the Lexington Veterans Affairs Health Care System. She served as co-coordinator of the student externship program from 2012 to 2013 and then took over duties as chief of optometry from August 2013 to present. She also now serves as the residency co-coordinator.   

Ashley K. Rone is the Optometry Residence Program co-coordinator. 

Ashley K. Rone, OD, FAAO, is a native of Owensboro, Kentucky and graduated from Transylvania University.  She attended Optometry School at Indiana University, graduating in 2007 after completing an externship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.  Interested in eye disease, Dr. Rone did a residency in Ocular Disease/Low Vision at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. She has worked as a staff optometrist at the Lexington VA Health Care System since July 2008. She served as the Student Program Coordinator from 2008-2012, and as residency coordinator from 2012 to present.   

Breyne L. Middleton, OD, FAAO, serves coordinator of the student externship program.

Breyne L. Middleton, OD, FAAO, is a native of Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 2004. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Michigan College of Optometry in 2008. Dr. Middleton went on to complete a residency program in Primary Care at WJB Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina.  She joined the Optometry staff at the Lexington VA Health Care System in January 2010 and began serving as coordinator of the student externship program in 2012.

Taylor N. Beaton, OD, MS is a staff optometrist at the Lexington VA Health Care System.

Taylor N. Beaton, OD, MS, is a native of New York and graduated from the Michigan State University in 2017. She received her Doctor of Optometry and Master of Vision Science degrees from the Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2021. Dr. Beaton went on to complete a residency program in Primary Care and Ocular Disease at WJB Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina.  She now works as a staff optometrist at the Lexington VA Health Care System.

Phillip K. Haiman, OD, is an Optometrist with the Lexington VA Health Care System.

Phillip K. Haiman, OD, is a native of Florida. He graduated from Indiana University School of Optometry in 1999 and upon completion went on to complete a residency in Primary care and Low vision rehabilitation at Boston VA Healthcare System.  After his residency, he spent 2 years working alongside Ophthalmologist treating advanced ocular disease at New England Eye Center.   He returned to his home state of Florida in 2002.  He gained additional experience working in both his private practice as well as working as a staff Optometrist at West Palm Beach Veterans Hospital. He also spent 3 years as an adjunct faculty member at Nova College of Optometry.  In private practice his focus was on dry eyes and specialty contact lenses.  Dr. Haiman moved to Lexington in 2023 and joined the staff at the Lexington Veterans Affairs Health Care System. He has a passion for specialty contact lenses and anterior segment disease.

Past Optometry Residents

• 2008-09 Kyle Oroku
• 2009-10 Christa McPeek
• 2010-11 Candice Elam, Gerianne Mulanix
• 2011-12 Bhavika Patidar, Meghan Schutte, Lawson Spruiell
• 2012-13 Drew Anderson, Brandon Sanders, Ethan Woodbury, Vicky Wong
• 2013-14 Beth Eyler, Jared Gervais, Christina Kreinest, Amanda Korth
• 2014-15 Justin Macklin, Kristen Piery, Tyler Roberts, Chelsea Spalding
• 2015-16 Jacob Hillard, Marianne Johnson, Sarah Killingbeck, Colleen Podd
• 2016-17 Scott Amoruso, Namrata Donthamsetti, Tania Patel, Megan Tomsik
• 2017-18 Celia Baker, Taylor Bowman, Christian Meyer, Kirsti Roehm
• 2018-19 Todd Christensen, Ada Sanchez Juan, Christina Nguyen-Canter, Lina Savickas
• 2019-20 Chad Bechtle, Abigail Gonsalves, Jenny McKenzie, Mao Yang
• 2020-21 Kaydee Laird, Heather LaVallee, Margi Patel, Emily Scully
• 2021-22 Lindsey Hutchinson, Marina Naguib, Riya Philip, Pheba Shibu
• 2022-23 Tenley Bands, Kelly Huynh, Julie Kang, Lily Sun
• 2023-24 Jordan Carrington, Alysa Figgins, Ashley Reinstetle, Maryann Robin