News & Stories

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 19, 2020) —From a young age, Laura Karle knew that she wanted to work in the healthcare field. Although she pondered many different professions, it was ultimately her hometown eye doctor that showed her the positive impact that an optometrist can make not only for patients in private practice but also […]

May 19, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISIONARIES 2020: Linh Chieu, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 19, 2020) —Growing up, Linh Chieu knew she didn’t want to be an ophthalmologist after seeing her mother’s cataract surgery. Ten years later, she’s ready to graduate as a doctor of optometry with hands not graceful enough for scalpels but strong enough to insert contact lenses into her patients’ eyes. She […]

May 19, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISIONARIES 2020: Julia Thi Mai, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 19, 2020) —As a child, Julia Thi Mai had her sights set on becoming an architect but grew fascinated with health and medicine after her first biology class in the 6th grade. Regular visits to the optometrist solidified her career choice. Although she did not pursue architecture as a profession, Mai […]

May 19, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISIONARIES 2020: Rachel Bojarski, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 19, 2020) —Growing up, Rachel Bojarski required glasses early on in her childhood, and ‘it was a source of insecurity’. At the same time, she knew that she wanted to pursue a career in medicine and gained initial exposure as a volunteer EMT. Ultimately her personal experience and professional aspirations came together […]

May 19, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISIONARIES 2020: Constadina Manettas, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 19, 2020) — Ask Constadina Manettas to describe the perfect day, and it would include a visit to the museum: “I’m an enthusiast, it’s the reason why NYC is my favorite city. I would go to at least one museum every weekend when I had time.” Time has been tight as a […]

May 19, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISIONARIES 2020: Abigail Anne Cash, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 18, 2020) —A Midwestern native with a passion for horseback riding, Abigail Anne Cash’s goal is to own a ranch someday. But before Abigail can make that dream a reality, she will ride off into the New York City sunset as a doctor of optometry and recipient of the Dr. […]

May 18, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISION 2020: Sheena Patel, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 18, 2020) — As a student at SUNY College of Optometry, Sheena Patel enjoyed working with contact lenses in the clinic, learning about them in class and electives, and bringing classmates together for events and workshops as President of CLEAR (Contact Lens Education and Research). Her interest in advancing this area of […]

May 18, 2020

SUNY Optometry VISIONARIES 2020: Carol Ren Lin, Class of 2020

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 18, 2020) —The journey to become a doctor for Carol Ren Lin started early. “My mom would say that when she would take my five-year-old autistic brother and me for playtime at the park, I would always let my brother sit in the stroller going there and back, treating him like […]

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