Daniel J. Press OD, FCOVD
Dr. Daniel Press is a 2007 honors graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and is a Board Certified optometrist in vision development and therapy. Dr. Press has been serving Park Ridge and the surrounding communities since 2012 when he moved to the area with his wife, Sara and their three children. Dr. Press brought vision therapy to Park Ridge with the goal of providing the most comprehensive, effective, evidence-based vision therapy program in the area. He loves being a Park Ridge eye doctor and additionally enjoys serving patients from Glenview, Deerfield, Skokie, Niles, Des Plaines, Chicago and the surrounding areas.
Dr. Press has been recognized by his colleagues including being named a rising star in the profession in 2017. He is active in his academic pursuits holding faculty positions at Indiana University, Illinois College of Optometry and Southern College of Optometry. Dr. Press has been an invited lecturer at 15 different colleges of optometry between 2014 and 2019. Dr. Press has served as an elected official of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (www.covd.org) since 2012 and was elected president of COVD at the annual conference in April 2019. Dr. Press has lectured professionally domestically and internationally and was honored with the “International Award for Popularization of Science” at the Vision China meeting in Qingdao, China in 2019. In addition to being a wonderful optometrist and eye doctor, Dr. Press has authored numerous peer reviewed articles in professional journals and publications and has volunteered many hours of service to the profession and his community.
Dr. Press is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (www.covd.org), and member of the American Optometric Association (www.aoa.org), International Sports Vision Association (www.sportsvision.pro), and the Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation Association (www.noravisionrehab.org). Dr. Press serves on the editorial advisory board for the Review of Myopia Management (www.reviewofmm.com) and serves on the speaker bureau for multiple contact lens companies. Dr. Press provides full scope optometric care with a special emphasis in vision therapy, pediatric vision and myopia control. We are proud to have Dr. Press as an eye doctor at Park Ridge Vision.
Vesna Simic OD, FCOVD
Dr. Vesna Simic, Optometrist graduated from Loyola University with a degree in Biology and Psychology for her undergraduate degree. She completed her professional studies and earned her degree at the Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Simic is Board Certified in optometric vision therapy and rehabilitation by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Dr. Simic is an eye doctor that has been serving as a Park Ridge optometrist since 2001. Dr. Simic finds immense joy in improving patients lives through vision therapy. Vision therapy has become a passion of Dr. Simic’s.
Dr. Simic is adjunct faculty at Indiana University, Illinois, Salus and University of Missouri St. Louis Colleges of Optometry. Dr. Simic is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (www.covd.org), an active member of the American Optometric Association (www.aoa.org) and the Illinois Optometric Association (IOA). Dr. Simic currently serves as President of the Lake/McHenry Society of the IOA. Additionally, Dr. Simic volunteers her time as an advocate for patients by serving on the Public Health Committee of the IOA. In addition to being an eye doctor, she is actively involved in the “Infant See” program of the American Optometric Association which provides a no-cost vision examination for infants between the ages of 6 and 12 months throughout the United States.
Dr. Simic has provided medical eye care at the University of Chicago, department of ophthalmology and at the Illinois Eye Institute Center for Advanced Care in addition to over 18 years of experience in private practice. Dr. Simic has shared her knowledge selflessly by providing volunteer services for various community organizations including providing exams for the Chicago Public School system. Dr. Simic has lectured extensively to schools and professional groups on the importance of vision development as it relates to child development. She is an active collaborator on vision care and prevention internationally. Dr. Simic provides full scope optometric care at Park Ridge Vision and enjoys serving patients from Park Ridge, Glenview, Deerfield, Skokie, Niles, Des Plaines, Chicago and the surrounding areas. We are fortunate to have Dr. Simic as an eye doctor at Park Ridge Vision!
Kelly Cohen OD
Dr. Kelly Cohen graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Medicine. She continued her education at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry with a special interest in pediatric care and binocular vision, earning an advanced studies certification in binocular vision and vision therapy. She achieved clinical honors throughout her training experience and developed a strong appreciation for pediatric eye care. After graduating in 2020, she moved from Philadelphia to Chicago to pursue a residency in pediatrics and binocular vision at the Illinois College of Optometry. She is beyond excited to continue to provide eye care in the greater Chicago area, which she now calls home.
Dr. Cohen is dedicated to patient care and the pursuit of excellence. She is a member of the American Optometric Association (www.aoa.org), the Illinois Optometric Association (IOA), the American Academy of Optometry, and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (www.covd.org).
Dr. Cohen has had extensive experience with optometric care through her clinical training and residency programs. She has worked closely with low vision doctors in Chicago to treat children with vision impairment. She has a particular interest in providing eye care for children with developmental and intellectual disabilities; she has a range of experience with patients with Down Syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, genetic disorders, mental health disorders, and physical limitations. Dr. Cohen is passionate about providing a safe space for all patients to feel welcome and heard.
Breeze Bellen, OD
Dr. Breeze Bellen is a 2005 graduate of Illinois College of Optometry, where she received extensive clinical training in the areas of primary care, contact lens care, ocular disease, and pediatric/binocular vision. Dr. Bellen has been serving Chicago and surrounding communities since 2005, including 14 years as a private practice owner, where she developed a reputation for her empathy and compassion, providing patient care that extends beyond the eyes to supporting the whole person. Dr. Bellen has a passion for taking the time and listening deeply to patients and their families so that they are fully heard and are provided the best individual care and experience possible.
Outside of the office, Dr. Bellen is a devoted and engaged member of the Park Ridge Community. Following her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, her love of water, art, connections with people, and a passion for medicine drew her to Chicago, and now Park Ridge, a place she and her family have a strong connection to and are grateful to call home. She has a commitment to serving others and has done so as an organizer of the Labor of Love charity event, as a co-chair of the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Angel Event, and as an active participant in her son’s school, Mary, Seat of Wisdom.
Dr. Bellen lives in Park Ridge with her husband, a Park Ridge native, and their son. In addition to her active role in the community, she enjoys the outdoors, yoga, and exercising her creative side, which she tapped into during a year of homeschooling her son amidst the pandemic. Her creative passions include painting, pottery, dance, and playing the clarinet, which bring her a sense of joy and relaxation and nurture her ability to be a stronger support for her patients.
Myhanh Bui Patient Care Technician
Myhanh has worked in vision care for 5 years as a technician. She joined the Park Ridge Vision team in 2017 and finds it rewarding to be part of the process of helping patients see better.
Myhanh grew up in Champaign, Illinois, also the home of the University of Illinois where she earned her B.S. in Biology. After graduating, she relocated to the Chicago area with her fiance, Rick. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, trying new recipes, traveling, and spending time with family.
Jazzlyn Feliciano Patient Care Technician
Jazzlyn was born and raised in Chicago. She had known from an early age that she wanted to work in the health care industry.
In 2017 Jazzlyn found her passion in eye and vision care and is intrigued and excited to this day by all that there is to learn regarding eye health and visual processing in the brain. Jazzlyn loves working with children, especially the moment when a child’s face lights up when their vision improves with glasses, contact lenses or vision therapy.
Away from the practice, Jazzlyn enjoys baking and spending quality time with her daughter.
Alondra Mora Patient Care Coordinator
Alondra first started in the retail world, then after having her first job in the optical world she shortly realized it was something she truly enjoyed doing.
Alondra is passionate about helping others and enjoys working with children. As a child she always wanted to work in the medical field. What she enjoys most about working at Park Ridge Vision is seeing the joy in kids faces when they are able to accomplish new goals that they were previously not able to achieve. Alondra was raised in Chicago. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her nephew, cooking and traveling. Alondra looks forward to greeting you with a smile at your next visit at Park Ridge Vision!
Michele Thill Patient Care Coordinator
Michele raised her family in Park Ridge and was active in the community. She is excited to return to the area as a Patient Care Coordinator at Park Ridge Vision. She loves working with people and has always been interested eye and vision care. She is grateful to find a role that combines the two.
Right away Michele could see how much the team at Park Ridge Vision really cares about healing the patients that we are fortunate enough to work with. This is extremely important to her, as her goal is that everyone who calls or comes in feels cared for. She is honored to play a part of your journey to better eye health. When not working Michele enjoys wellness webinars and walking out in the sunshine. She looks forward to helping you at your next visit with us.
Melanie Bradshaw, COVT Optometric Vision Therapist
Melanie grew up in Palatine and attended Eastern Illinois University to pursue early childhood education.
Melanie taught at a local Park Ridge preschool for seven years before joining the Park Ridge Vision team. She was immediately inspired by the vision therapy process and has earned her board certification from the College of Optometrists in Vision Development in 2021, a vigorous multi-year process. The board certification process includes a prerequisite of thousands of hours as a treating vision therapist and defending your knowledge in front of an examining board. Melanie values connecting to her patients and working together to achieve their goals. Melanie teaches dance in the local community and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Katie Kelly, COVT Optometric Vision Therapist
Katie has been working with Park Ridge Vision since 2013. She earned her board certification in Vision Therapy in April 2017 and is a proud Certified Optometric Vision Therapist. The board certification process is a vigorous multi year process that requires thousands of hours as a treating vision therapist and defending your knowledge in front of an examining board.
Katie keeps a busy schedule helping patients succeed in the classroom and in sports. She enjoys spending time with her family especially her niece Grace and nephews Jack and George. In her spare time, she enjoys attending country music concerts and rooting for the Cubs and the Blackhawks.
