Dr Donald Carroll, Optometric Physician
Dr. Donald “Donn” Carroll received his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University in 1972. After interning in Canada with the esteemed Dr. Gimbal, he returned to the states to open clinics in Brewster and Grand Coulee, Washington in 1973. In 1977 he sold both practices and moved to Lesotho, Africa working as a medical missionary Optometrist for a year. Upon his return to the states, he set up practice in the lovely mountain community of Morton, Washington in 1978 and has been there ever since. His experience with managing ocular pathology with nutrition ultimately led to Donn graduating as the first Optometrist from the Nutritional Therapy program with certification as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner in 2004.
In 1996 he received certifications from the School of Natural Healing and Nutritional Therapy in Medical Practice. He continues to attend several nutritional seminars annually. Donn is among the founding membership of the Optometric Retinal Society. The retina continues to be the primary focus of his busy practice which deals primarily with patients with diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other disease states in addition to routine family eye care.
Donn’s nutritional emphasis in practice began in the 1980’s when he was in his twenties. He personally developed cataracts and began consulting Dr. Jonathon V. Wright to determine why this would happen in such a young person. The main culprit was systemic mercury from his silver filings and low antioxidant status. He noticed his vision improving as he started Dr. Wright’s protocol which involved taking antioxidants and having his mercury amalgams removed. This started him on his journey to prevent and treat disease states using nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle changes alongside traditional care. He has teamed with his wife, Kat Carroll, also a Nutritional Therapist to continue to educate their patients and provide complementary therapies at Medical Vision Center in Morton. They are currently under consideration to co-author the Ocular Health curriculum to the Nutritional Therapy Association’s course syllabus. Current students will receive materials they have previously published for inclusion in the program this year. Additionally, he has been invited to present on Ocular Nutrition, Pathology and Protocols at the National Convention in Portland, Oregon next year.
He celebrates over 30 years in the same location, but has no desire to retire anytime soon. Donn has seen the profession of Optometry change over the years to encompass the diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease using high tech magnified 3D cameras, and now expanding into the use of nutritional therapies often alongside medication. He continues to write and speak on the topic he is most passionate about.
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Katherine A Carroll, Nutritional Therapist Practicer
Katherine “Kat” Carroll has been involved in the field of nutrition for over 20 years. Entering as a Certified Personal Trainer, she assisted in teaching diet and exercise programs and working directly with clients to achieve their goals. Since 1995, she has been working alongside her husband in their Optometry Clinic counseling patients. She received her certification as a ParaOptometric. Kat also has certifications from the School of Natural Healing, Nutritional Therapy in Medical Practice and numerous others. After receiving professional status as a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner in 2004, she opened a nutritional dispensary and private practice inside the Optometry clinic.
Today, Kat continues to counsel patients from the Optometry practice and implement ocular nutrition and supplementation protocols to affect ocular disease states. She writes on nutrition and other topics for Optometric and Nutritional Therapy trade journals and local publications. She and Dr. Carroll are consulting on the syllabus on Ocular health for the Nutritional Therapy Association’s curriculum, and their recent contributions to the association’s curriculum will be taught to current Nutritional Therapy Practitioner students. She is currently enrolled in Clayton School of Natural Healing to receive a degree in Holistic Nutrition.