Business, News 
A Camas optometrist has received a statewide honor from his peers.
Dr. Raj Patel, a partner and president of Vancouver Vision Clinic, received the “President’s Special Recognition Award” from the Optometric Physicians of Washington. The award, presented during the professional association’s annual meeting in September, in Portland, recognizes his involvement and leadership in the association.
The association includes 560 optometric physicians.
“It’s the first time in over 10 years that an optometric physician in southwest Washington has been the recipient,” Patel said. “That means a lot to me.”
In addition to serving as a past president of the southwest Washington society of the OPW for two years, he provides charitable eye care to patients at the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington. Patel has lectured to his peers on various topics, and he holds an adjunct faculty position at Pacific University, in Forest Grove, Ore. He also meets regularly with state legislators in Olympia and southwest Washington to explain issues related to optometry.
Patel moved from Texas to the northwest in 1996, to complete his residency in hospital-based eye care at the Portland VA Medical Center. He earned a bachelor’s degree in vision science and a doctor of optometry from the University of Houston.
The Vancouver Vision Clinic is located at 405 N.E. Sixth Ave., Camas, and 314 E. McLoughlin Blvd., Vancouver. For more information, call 834-4802 or 694-8303 or visit www.vancouvervision.com.
