An optical industry blog sharing thoughts, tips, and tools from eye care influencers, As Eye See It offers an inside look into the past, present and future of what drives the industry.
From a very young age, my eye doctor was my hero and eventually my mentor. I had worn glasses since third grade, and my eye doctor switched me to contact lenses at the age of 11. It was life-changing—being able to go to school and see without glasses ...
The prevalence of diabetes is on the rise. Between 2015 and 2030, the number of Americans who have diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, will increase by 54%.1 As Doctors of Optometry, we can help slow the impact the disease can ...
My first eye exam was a magical experience for me. I was a typical nine-year-old kid who thought my vision was just fine. But, after that 30-minute exam, I realized I could see even better than I previously imagined. I couldn’t believe that ...
I chose optometry as my field of study because it ties together everything I care about. I knew I wanted to help people and I love the idea of instant gratification—someone comes in who cannot see very well and leaves seeing significantly better. I ...
I met my husband in optometry school; we opened our first practice, cold, in 2005 and our second one three years ago—private practice optometry is what we know. It has been so rewarding to watch our practice, something we built from scratch, grow and ...
When I was in high school, I was mesmerized that my contacts, tiny pieces of plastic that I couldn’t even feel in my eyes, could correct my vision so that I could clearly see the trees. I decided then that optometry was what I wanted to do for the ...
We all know that clear communication with patients is fundamental to our ability to connect with them and provide the best care. Cultural, linguistic, and generational differences can sometimes create barriers to that communication, limiting our ...
You might say healthcare is in my blood--my father was an army surgeon during the second World War and my mother was his nurse. In college, I gravitated toward physics, optics, and all the sciences, so optometry seemed to be a natural fit. I was also ...
One of the things I find so exciting about optometry is that it is ever-evolving, and in order to be successful, you have to evolve with it. Adapting to change has been a common theme throughout my career, most notably during the past year, and I have ...
I always knew I wanted to be in the sciences and that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. Private practice optometry offered me the best of both worlds. Today, I co-own a large practice in Chicago with 13 locations, many of them cold starts, and I am very ...
The events of 2020 were really challenging--everyone in the community was affected. Like many others, our practice was closed for a month and when we reopened, our patient flow was down significantly. It was difficult and unnerving to navigate through ...
With an optical center on virtually every corner, patients coming to our practice may pass three or four of our competitors on the way. So, in order to attract and retain patients, we need to make sure we stand out. Differentiating our practice from ...
When I was in my fourth-year externship, one of my advisors gave me a valuable piece of advice that I’ve never forgotten: whatever you do, make sure your patients walk out with a positive experience. That advice really resonated when I opened my own ...
With many experiencing job loss or decreased benefits as a result of COVID, it has been especially critical for our practice to find ways to continue to provide care to these patients. We want them to be able to maintain their exams and continue to ...
Nothing has had a greater impact on our profession than this pandemic. It changed the landscape of eye care across this country. Everyone was impacted by it. It brought eye care to a standstill. If this wasn’t a wakeup call to what can happen on a ...
Growing up, everyone in my family wore glasses, so regular visits to the optometrist were a must. On one of our many trips there, my parents commented that it would be a good profession for me. As a kid, I always enjoyed going to the optometrist, so I ...
With my father being a forester and my mother a nurse, you could say the woods and patient care are in my blood. Both themes are woven throughout my life, culminating now as I find ways to support my peers during this pandemic.
From about the fourth or fifth grade, I knew I wanted to be an optometrist. Being nearsighted, I was at the optometrist’s office often, and I always loved the warm and welcoming staff. Today, replicating that experience for our patients is how we ...
School aptitude tests in the fifth grade determined I should either become an FBI agent or an optometrist when I grew up. Both sounded like cool jobs to me, but I really liked going to the optometrist and seeing all their equipment. So, I decided in ...
I fell into optometry by accident. I was a biology major wanting to be a veterinarian, and heard veterinary school was very competitive. A friend recommended optometry; I applied to school, got accepted, and it was the best decision of my life. I ...
As a private practice owner, my number-one priority is to do right by my patients and employees. When COVID-19 hit, finding ways to do that became challenging. Eight months in, I’m pleased to report that with the support of our partners, the ...
When I was a child, my family traveled to different countries as my parents sought a better life for us. During that time, I developed a fascination for the medical field and volunteered in medical groups whenever I could. I experienced firsthand the ...
Prior to the pandemic hitting, we were at the peak of our practice. We were doing very well financially, and we had more staff working for us than we had ever had before.
As a current resident and recent graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), I often reflect on all of the people who have supported me along the way—starting with my parents, who moved our family from Jamaica to Canada to give us more opportunities, to my peers and mentors at school. I know first-hand the impact of that support, and it is my personal mission to pay it forward to others as I grow as a clinician.
Our two practices are located on Amelia Island, a small coastal paradise boasting thirteen miles of pristine beaches and spectacular views of the Atlantic. We are a tight-knit community whose residents have come not only for the beauty of the island ...
