Optometrists & Staff
Meet the experienced and friendly optometrists and staff who make New Hartford Eye Associates the leading provider of vision care products and services in New Hartford.
Michael Waterman, O.D.
Diplomate, American Board of Optometry
Michael Waterman, O.D. is a board certified Optometrist. To obtain this honor, Michael completed a series of rigorous post-graduate activities. He passed an examination on issues spanning the scope of practice of Optometry. This achievement earned Michael the title of Diplomate, American Board of Optometry.
Michael Waterman, O.D. earned his doctorate from The State University of New York College of Optometry in 1989, following his undergraduate studies at Utica College. He served his primary care internship at The Wilson Health Center in Rochester, NY, and an ocular disease internship at The University Optometric Center in New York, NY. Michael has served his community as a mentor for students through Oneida/Madison County BOCES Regional Program for Excellence. He is a member of The Optometric Association, New York State Optometric Association and is Past President of The Mohawk Valley Optometric Society. Michael has a particular interest in the fitting of bifocal contact lenses.
Steven Ohlbaum, O.D.
Steven Ohlbaum, O.D. is a third-generation Optometrist who earned his doctoral degree from The Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1991 after earning his bachelor’s degree from Oswego State College. He completed internships with honors at The Eye Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and The Veterans Administration Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire. He continued to provide eye care for our nation’s veterans for many years at the Rome Veterans Outpatient Clinic. He has been a member of The American Optometric Association and New York State Optometric Association for over twenty years, and is a past-President of The Mohawk Valley Optometric Society. Steven is particularly well experienced in pediatric optometry, disorders of binocular vision, and treatment of ocular disease. Outside of work, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking and downhill skiing in the Adirondacks.
Katie Bono, O.D.
Katie Bono, O.D. earned her doctorate from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2004 and was part of the Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Society. She completed her undergraduate degree locally, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2000 with a degree in Biology.
Katie completed her pediatric, low vision and vision therapy internships at The Eye Institute in Philadelphia. She also had an internship at the Newington VA Hospital, where she gained experience treating ocular disease. She observed surgeries and also treated ocular disease at the Visual Health and Surgical Center in Lake Worth, Florida. Katie completed her private practice internship at the Wyomissing Optometric Center in Pennsylvania, where she gained experience with vision therapy and fitting contact lenses.
Katie has practiced optometry in our area since she graduated from optometry school. As a mother of 3, she enjoys seeing children for pediatric eye examinations. She also enjoys fitting contact lenses and general optometry.
Sam Bono, O.D.
Sam J. Bono, O.D. has been practicing optometry in the Utica area since graduating from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2004. Sam grew up in the Mohawk Valley and attended Hamilton College in Clinton. He majored in chemistry and graduated Magna Cum Laude with the class of 2000.
Sam attended the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and graduated as Salutatorian. He completed training internships at The Eye Institute in Philadelphia, the VA Hospital in Newington, CT, Visual Health and Surgical Center in Lake Worth, FL, and Wyomissing Optometric Center in Pennsylvania. The experiences at those practices included specialized training in ocular disease and pathology, contact lens fitting, pediatric optometry, and low vision.
Sam loves sports, gardening, and raising his 3 children alongside his wife, Katie Bono, O.D. In the office, Sam enjoys examining and treating patients of all ages with a focus on ocular diseases including glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, and dry eye.
Denys Meade, CMMP, CPOM
Practice Manager
Denys has been the Practice Manager at NHEA for 10+ years. She has over 12 years’ experience working in Ophthalmology offices and was certified as an Ophthalmic Assistant by the Joint Commission of Allied Health in Ophthalmogy. She also served as Business Manager of the St. Elizabeth Family Practice residency program where she taught record documentation and coding to medical residents.
She successfully completed the Management and Business Academy sponsored by Essilor which is a professional education program dedicated to assisting independent optometrists and their managers to improve business management processes. She also successfully completed the ECP University Dispensary Business Manger Program.
Denys received her certification as a Certified Medical Manager Practitioner at Georgetown Wesleyan University in Palm Harbor, FL. She also received the certification of Certified Practice Office Manger from the Professional Association of Healthcare Specialists.
Staff Photos Coming Soon
Optical Manager/Lead Optician
Opticians
Optometric Technicians
Patient Services