Lee Ann Remington To Receive Massih Prize at May Commencement

Lee Ann RemingtonPacific University College of Optometry alumna and former faculty member Lee Ann Remington ’83, OD ’84, MS ’92 will receive the Kamelia Massih Prize for a Distinguished Optometrist on May 20 at the university’s graduate and professional commencement ceremony, where she also will deliver the keynote address.

Dr. Remington spent her career dedicated to teaching future optometrists and advancing the profession of optometry.

She earned her bachelor of science in biology from the College of Great Falls in 1981, then went on to Pacific University, where she earned a bachelor of science in vision science in 1983, a doctor of optometry in 1984, and a master of science in clinical science in 1992. 

She worked in private practice as a primary care optometrist from 1986 to 1987 but spent the vast majority of her career as an educator, beginning as a teaching fellow at Pacific from 1984 to 1986. She retired and earned professor emerita status from Pacific in 2015 as a full professor.

She is the author of Clinical Anatomy of the Visual System, developed when she discovered her first teaching assignment used an out-of-print textbook. First published in 1997, it is the first ocular anatomy text written by an optometrist. The fourth edition, Clinical Anatomy and Physiology of the Visual System, was published in 2022 in English and Chinese.

She also has published multiple papers in professional optometric journals and written several textbook chapters.

As a faculty member, she taught nearly 30 years of optometry students, serving as faculty advisor for doctoral theses, as well as continuing education courses for optometrists. 

She also served on the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Older Driver Advisory Board in 2000 and was a member of multiple professional associations. 

In retirement, she volunteers with Learning Ally, a nonprofit providing audio textbooks for kindergarten through graduate-level students with visual impairments or learning disabilities.

Dr. Remington will receive the Kamelia Massih Prize for a Distinguished Optometrist and present the keynote address during Pacific’s graduate and professional commencement ceremony on May 20. The ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. at Hanson Stadium on the Forest Grove Campus. An undergraduate ceremony precedes the afternoon event, starting at 9 a.m. Tickets to Pacific University commencement ceremonies are free but required for guests.

The Kamelia Massih Prize for a Distinguished Optometrist recognizes a Pacific University College of Optometry graduate who has made a significant impact on the profession. It was established by the family of Kamelia Massih, who was born and raised in Iran before immigrating to the United States during the Iranian revolution to pursue her education. Massih completed her doctor of optometry degree at Pacific in 1985 and opened her own practice, Beaverton Vision World, in 1989, followed by locations in Portland and Tigard. She died in March 2010 following a battle with cancer. 

“Kamelia had a keen affinity for Pacific University,” said her brother, Fariborz Maseeh, upon establishing the award in her honor. “Our family hopes this gift will recognize excellence of optometry graduates of Pacific University and will inspire other alumni to carry on Kamelia’s passion for serving our community and those in need.”

Tuesday, May 2, 2023