Janis E. Winters

Janis E. Winters is an Associate Professor of Optometry at the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) since 1995. She practices in the Primary Care and Low Vision clinics and teaches color vision curriculum. As Medical Director of the Vision of Hope Health Alliance, she coordinates eye and primary medical care for low-income uninsured populations. Dr. Winters completed her OD at ICO (1991) and a residency in Geriatrics and Rehabilitative Optometry at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center (1995). Her research focuses on low-income populations’ eye care access, color vision deficiencies, and ocular conditions in elderly patients.

Education:

• BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1987)
• OD, Illinois College of Optometry (1991)
• Residency in Geriatrics & Rehabilitative Optometry (1995)

Research Interests: Low-income uninsured populations’ eye care, acquired/inherited color vision deficiencies, motion sickness in visually impaired individuals, and long-anterior zonules/smoking associations. Her work emphasizes public health, geriatric optometry, and integrated healthcare models.

Publications: Over a decade of studies on geriatric optometry and public health, including eye care access for seniors, pigment dispersion in African-American populations, and clinical techniques in optometry education. Her work highlights systemic health connections, such as diabetes and cardiovascular outcomes in optometric patients.

Awards: 2008 Excellence in Education Award (American Academy of Optometry).

Labs/Teams: Vision of Hope Health Alliance, a collaborative effort providing comprehensive care to underserved communities.