Before an optometry practice can grow in revenue, efficiency, or patient volume, it must first confront an uncomfortable truth: many eye care professionals are unknowingly holding their own practices back. In this episode of the Defocus Media Podcast, Dr. Fallon Patel challenges the long-standing beliefs that keep clinicians stuck, especially the idea that providing great care and being well compensated cannot coexist. Dr. Patel makes a compelling case that practice growth is not a technology problem or a talent problem, but a mindset problem. The conversation moves beyond theory, arguing that without clear belief in personal value, intentional communication in the exam lane, and systems that turn KPIs into daily action, even the most clinically skilled practices will struggle to scale. This episode is a direct call for eye care professionals to rethink how they value themselves, their teams, and the care they deliver.



Topics Covered :Mindset Comes Before MoneyLanguage Creates Value in the Exam LaneAI as a Tool for Consistency and EfficiencyPulse IQ Solutions: Turning KPIs Into ActionA Legacy Without Regret



Mindset Comes Before Money



Dr. Patel emphasized that many healthcare professionals struggle with accepting financial value for the care they provide. That internal hesitation can quietly shape clinical conversations leading to under-recommending solutions, avoiding advanced options, or deciding what a patient can afford before the patient ever has the chance to choose. In her words, “There is a belief… in healthcare professionals that we tend to… give away a lot of our services… because we have a guilt around accepting monetary value.” That belief does not just impact revenue, it can limit patient care when clinicians stop short of presenting the full range of solutions.



Dr. Glover reinforced the idea that optometrists are not simply delivering products or exams, they are creating real-world outcomes. The mindset shift is recognizing that patients are paying for expertise, trust, and transformation, not just a transaction.



Language Creates Value in the Exam Lane



A practical takeaway from the episode was how much communication matters. Dr. Patel and Dr. Glover both pointed to the importance of connecting recommendations directly to the patient’s chief complaint and lifestyle. When patients feel heard, the solution feels relevant—and the conversation becomes less about cost and more about outcomes. As Dr. Patel put it, “The price will never be an issue if… the confidence and the way in which the information is presented… they will go for treatment.”



That concept applies across dry eye care, myopia management, contact lens comfort, digital eye strain, and other modern demands. Strong communication is not only a “new graduate” skill—it is a growth lever for every optometrist and every team.



AI as a Tool for Consistency and Efficiency



Both Dr. Patel and Glover, highlighted AI as a practical advantage for busy clinics. From creating scripts and refining patient explanations to building training materials and standard operating procedures, AI helps practices become more consistent without adding more hours to the day. Dr. Patel described using AI to reduce the time required to plan and launch clinic initiatives, while Dr. Glover emphasized that AI can help clinicians stay current and ro...

In this episode of the Defocus Media podcast, Dr. Darryl Glover sits down with Long Huynh (optometry student at Indiana University School of Optometry) to unpack a story that feels both inspiring and relatable for anyone building something while still becoming who they are. Long is an optometry student with a creative background, and he’s also the co-founder of Millie Eyewear—a brand that started as a joke, turned into a weekend hustle, and ultimately became part of his bigger purpose in eye care.



Millie Eyewear



Topics Covered From Personal Vision to Professional PurposeMillie Eyewear: A Passion Project Turned BrandCommunity, Storytelling, and Building TrustLooking Ahead: The Future of Eye Care and Legacy



From Personal Vision to Professional Purpose



Long Huynh’s journey into optometry began long before school applications and exams. Growing up in Vietnam with high myopia, he vividly remembers the moment when the right lenses brought the world into focus for the first time. That experience shaped how he views eye care—not just as correction, but as transformation. Combined with his mother’s eye for design and his father’s influence as a physician, Long developed an early appreciation for both the function and fashion of eyewear. When he later came to the U.S. and explored different healthcare paths, optometry kept pulling him back because it felt natural, human, and aligned with his desire to educate and connect with patients.



Millie Eyewear: A Passion Project Turned Brand



Millie Eyewear started as a lighthearted conversation between Long and his partner, Ann Nguyen, about “one day” designing their own frames. Instead of waiting, they decided to start while still in school. Ann brought business and accounting experience, while Long leaned into his graphic design background. After realizing that e-commerce advertising costs were too high, they found their opportunity at local open-air markets in Dallas, where eyewear was noticeably missing. Millie was built around accessibility, offering multiple product tiers so people could choose frames that matched both their style and budget, all while maintaining quality and thoughtful design.



Community, Storytelling, and Building Trust



One of the biggest lessons Long learned was that people don’t just buy frames—they buy stories. Early on, he tried to make Millie look overly polished, but real growth came when he showed the brand’s human side: real customers, market days, and behind-the-scenes moments. As an introvert, entrepreneurship pushed Long outside his comfort zone, teaching him the power of conversation and community. He emphasizes that meaningful connections often lead to unexpected opportunities, and that trust—built through genuine interaction—is what allows a brand to grow organically.



Looking Ahead: The Future of Eye Care and Legacy



Long sees optometry continuing to thrive because, even with advancing technology and AI, the profession is rooted in human connection. He views new tools as ways to enhance care,

In this episode of The 2020 Podcast, host Dr. Harbir Sian welcomes leadership consultant Nancy Dewald for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, team effectiveness, and how optometry practices can better execute ideas without burning out their teams. Drawing from her extensive experience in staff training and consulting, Nancy introduces listeners to the Working Genius framework—a practical leadership model designed to improve productivity, reduce burnout, and help teams actually get things done.



Developed by leadership expert Patrick Lencioni, the Working Genius model is built on a simple but powerful idea: burnout is not caused by doing too much work, but by doing the wrong type of work. The framework identifies six types of “genius” that are required for any project to succeed—Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity. Each individual typically has two areas of genius, two competencies, and two frustrations. When people spend most of their time working in their areas of genius, they are more energized, effective, and engaged.



A major challenge in optometry practices, Nancy explains, is implementation. Doctors often return from conferences inspired by new ideas, only to see them fall flat once introduced in the clinic. The Working Genius framework addresses this by emphasizing sequence and teamwork. Successful implementation requires moving through each stage intentionally—from identifying the need for change, to generating and vetting ideas, rallying the team, enabling execution, and finally seeing the project through to completion. Skipping steps or relying too heavily on one type of strength often leads to stalled initiatives and frustration.



The conversation also highlights the importance of self-awareness in leadership. By understanding their own strengths and limitations, practice owners can delegate more effectively, build complementary teams, and avoid taking on tasks that drain their energy. Team mapping, a key part of the Working Genius approach, helps practices identify gaps and make smarter hiring decisions based on what the team truly needs.



Beyond execution, the episode explores how leadership intersects with generational dynamics in the workplace. Nancy emphasizes that while different generations may have different communication preferences or expectations, they are far more alike than they are different. Effective leaders focus on equity rather than equality—providing team members with what they need to succeed, rather than treating everyone the same. Clear expectations, empathy, curiosity, and intentional communication are central to bridging generational gaps.



The episode concludes with a reminder that leadership starts with presence. When leaders take time to understand their teams, set clear expectations, and align people with roles that play to their strengths, practices become more resilient, productive, and fulfilling places to work. For optometry leaders seeking practical tools to strengthen their teams, this conversation offers actionable insight and a compelling case for working smarter, together.

In this powerful episode of Play Chess, Not Checkers, Dr. Adam Ramsey sits down with Dr. Chris Wolfe—clinician, educator, entrepreneur, and one of the most respected voices in modern optometry—for a conversation that goes far deeper than practice management. What unfolds is a masterclass in resilience, purpose, leadership, and the responsibility optometrists carry as both clinicians and business owners.



One of the most vulnerable moments comes as Dr. Ramsey shares how he failed Part I of boards years ago, during the abrupt CAMK exam transition. Schools had no resources, students were left panicking, and the shame was heavy. A free KMK study session in Omaha—where Dr. Wolfe was part of the instructional team—became the lifeline that shifted the trajectory of his career. Dr. Ramsey openly credits that experience as one that “saved” him at a critical moment.



Dr. Wolfe reflects on this era with humility, reinforcing that failure often becomes the foundation of better clinicians. What matters, he says, is the willingness to confront gaps honestly and choose the harder path of learning the material, not just the test.



The conversation then turns toward the profession itself—specifically how optometrists build, grow, and transition private practices. Dr. Wolfe shares the long, intentional process of buying into his family practice: a decade of gradual ownership, reinvesting distributions, learning business operations, and developing into the leader patients and staff recognized as the next generation. His parents modeled a transition strategy that prioritized sustainability over lump-sum payouts, something he believes more practices should consider.



Both doctors get honest about the current challenges facing independent practice: inflated valuations, the pressure of private equity, and the need for earlier, more open conversations with associates about ownership. As Dr. Ramsey emphasizes, “You only end up with one option when you wait too long to create more options.”



Dr. Wolfe also opens up about his entrepreneurial ventures, ICode Education and Peak Eyelid Hygieneand why he chooses transparency and authenticity over traditional KOL roles. His mission is clear: remove barriers that prevent optometrists from providing the care their patients deserve.



This episode is a reminder that the most successful clinicians are the ones willing to evolve personally, professionally, and as leaders.

In this Defocus Media Podcast episode, Dr. Darryl Glover welcomes Dr. Shelby Brogdon for a wide-ranging conversation that connects three topics many optometrists are thinking about right now: building a dry eye clinic, preventing burnout, and using social media in a way that actually supports (not drains) real life.



Dr. Shelby Brogdon, Optometrist



From the start, Dr. Brogdon is positioned as more than a “dry eye expert.” She’s presented as a clinician who has intentionally shaped her career around both impact and lifestyle—without losing clinical depth. The episode opens with a clear focus: dry eye care can be practice-changing, but it also requires a strategy that keeps the doctor well, too.



Table of ContentsHow Dr. Brogdon Found Optometry and Why Exposure MattersWhy Dry Eye Became the “Yes” After Everything ElseWhat a Dry Eye Referral Clinic Can Look LikePatient Education: The Real “Technology” That Changes OutcomesWhat’s “Hot” in Dry Eye Right Now (and Why It Matters)Building Referral Relationships with RheumatologyBurnout and the Career Pivot That Changed EverythingSocial Media: Why Her Strategy WorksLegacy: Pushing the Profession Forward



How Dr. Brogdon Found Optometry and Why Exposure Matters



Dr. Brogdon shares that she always wanted to be a physician, but optometry wasn’t on her radar early on. The turning point came through a high school internship program and a relationship with her best friend’s father—an optometrist who became a mentor and “second dad.” That early access to real clinic work (front desk, scanning charts during an EHR transition, then moving into technician work and scribing) made optometry tangible and meaningful.



The takeaway is simple but important: optometry often wins people over once they see it. The episode reinforces that allowing students to shadow, intern, and witness the patient impact firsthand remains one of the strongest ways to grow the profession and help future clinicians find their path.



Why Dry Eye Became the “Yes” After Everything Else



Dr. Brogdon didn’t start out planning to build a dry eye niche. She describes working in primary care, then joining a large OD/MD setting with heavier medical optometry exposure—glaucoma, retina, diabetes, pediatrics, and more. Still, something felt incomplete.



Dry eye became the surprising “yes,” partly because she was encouraged to step into it. She explains being “voluntold” into dry eye after the practice acquired a LipiFlow and BlephEx that were underutilized—and an ophthalmologist owner pushed her to create something around them. What started as an assignment became her most fulfilling clinical lane, especially because of how deeply dry eye affects patients’ day-to-day quality of life.



As a referral-based dry eye clinician, she emphasizes the emotional and functional toll her patients carry—especially advanced cases—making the work both challenging and highly rewarding.



What a Dry Eye Referral Clinic Can Look Like



Dr.

From Winnipeg to Edmonton, from student to private practice owner, and from shy content creator to “Dapper Eye Doc,” this Depth Perception episode with Dr. Shaminder Dhaliwal is all about owning your path in optometry—and looking good while you do it.



Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Dr. Dhaliwal completed his optometry degree at ICO in Chicago before moving to Edmonton, Alberta, where he now co-owns a private practice in the most northern major city with over one million people. His journey took a bold turn in October 2020, when he moved provinces and opened a practice in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic—an era when even his cousins called him “the crazy cousin” for starting a business in so much uncertainty.



Beyond clinic life, Dr. Dhaliwal is widely known online as @dappereyedoc, a brand that blends optometry, lifestyle, and fashion. He originally launched his page in 2018 but kept it secret at first because of imposter syndrome and past experiences of being teased for posting tech reviews on YouTube as a kid. This time, instead of deleting his content, he pushed through the discomfort and kept creating—proof that growth often comes from doing the thing that scares you.



Imposter syndrome is a recurring theme in his story, especially in his early clinical years. Dr. Dhaliwal shares a powerful example of seeing a young patient with a serious corneal issue and immediately questioning whether he caused it or missed something. In that moment, a mentor reminded him of two key truths: patients appreciate when you bring in a second set of eyes, and as the optometrist, you are the expert in the room. Learning to ask for help, trust his training, and still be honest about his limits helped him move past self-doubt and into confident clinical decision-making.



He also emphasizes how important it is to collaborate with other professionals—family doctors, pharmacists, vision therapy providers, and more. Knowing when to refer and when to lean on someone else’s expertise does not make a doctor weaker; it makes patient care stronger.



On the practice side, Dr. Dhaliwal is honest about the perception that private practice sits on a pedestal in optometry. While he loves ownership and wouldn’t trade it, he pushes back on the idea that it is the only successful path. Optometry is incredibly flexible: doctors can work full-time, part-time, in industry, in sublease models, or in a mix of clinical and non-clinical roles—and all of those can be fulfilling.



One of the most memorable parts of the episode is his philosophy on style and confidence in clinic. For him, fashion isn’t about vanity; it’s about mindset. He lives by the idea that “80% of feeling good is feeling that you look good.” When he feels put together—whether it’s a fresh haircut, coordinated frames, or a sharp sweater—he’s more confident, more joyful, and more engaging with patients. That energy, he believes, directly elevates the patient experience.



Finally, Dr. Dhaliwal credits networking as a turning point in his career. A simple decision to attend a school practice symposium, follow up with an email every quarter, and stay connected with a Winnipeg practice owner eventually led to his first associate job—and later, his current business partnership. His message to students and young optometrists is clear: show up, introduce yourself, nurture relationships. You never know which connection will shape your future.

The topic of low-dose atropine, not FDA-approved, has become one of the most important conversations in pediatric eye care this year, especially as clinicians turn to the STAR Study for clarity on atropine’s role in modern myopia control. Despite decades of global research supporting low-dose atropine and its widespread off-label use in the United States, the FDA’s request for additional data prompted many to re-examine the evidence and understand what the STAR Study truly means for clinical practice today. This discussion occurs alongside significant progress in the field, including the introduction of FDA-approved myopia-control glasses and the continued success of FDA-approved contact lenses, which shape how eye care professionals manage progressive myopia in children.



Dr. Ashley W. Tucker, Therapeutic Optometrist, FAAO, FSLS, Diplomate, ABO, Myopia Control Expert



Table of ContentsWhat “Low-Dose Atropine Not FDA Approved” Really Means for CliniciansFDA-Approved Tools: Glasses, Contacts & the Continued Role of Ortho-KThe Research Foundation: ATOM, LAMP & LAMP-IIInside the STAR StudyWhy the STAR Study Results Surprised the Myopia-Control CommunityHow Clinicians Should Approach Atropine TodayPractical Protocols From the ExpertsThe Bigger Picture: Individualized Myopia Control



What “Low-Dose Atropine Not FDA Approved” Really Means for Clinicians



While the phrase “low-dose atropine not FDA approved” may sound discouraging to parents, clinicians understand its true meaning: atropine remains one of the most researched, trusted, and globally used therapies for slowing myopia progression. Low-dose atropine has been used safely and effectively off-label for years. Its regulatory status reflects a request for additional study details—not a lack of efficacy or safety concerns. Clinicians across the United States continue to prescribe it confidently, grounded in decades of strong international evidence.



FDA-Approved Tools: Glasses, Contacts & the Continued Role of Ortho-K



One of the biggest milestones this year was the introduction of FDA-approved myopia-control glasses. This breakthrough expands access to treatment for children who may not be ready for contact lenses. These glasses join FDA-approved myopia control contact lenses, which have been available longer and are widely used in practices across the country. Meanwhile, orthokeratology (ortho-k) remains a foundational tool in myopia care, even though it is not FDA-approved for myopia control. Show more...