World Optometry Day 2026
World Optometry Day
Featuring Eyebot Chief Medical Officer, Alexander Martin, OD FAAO
1. What drew you to optometry in the first place?
Three things:
- I spent a long time deciding what kind of doctor I wanted to be. One of the most exciting classes I ever took in college was neurobiology and physiology. It was incredible to finally have a glimpse into how neurons work and how the brain processes stimuli such as vision.
- One of the most incredible moments of my life was as an eight year old and getting my first pair of glasses. I had no idea I could not see. For the first time I was able to see high definition, I was surprised to see that trees were not just green blobs but actually had leaves. With glasses I could see even far away. I could finally see features on faces and identify people much further away. That's a transformative moment that I try to ensure patients see as well.
- Finally the missing piece was shadowing my optometrist and seeing how much optometrists change their patients' lives. Dr. Teresa Seim showed me the power of providing medical eye care.
2. What do you think people most often misunderstand about optometrists?
Optometry is so much more than giving people glasses. We don’t just say “one or two” all day long. We take care of patients with macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. We specialize in dry eye referral, surgical co-management, and specialty contact lens fitting. Often, we perform minor surgical procedures and handle emergencies such as corneal foreign bodies, ulcers, and abrasions. Due to our size, optometrists perform the majority of eye exams in the United States. We take a lot of pride in our training and love to collaborate with ophthalmologists and opticians for great patient outcomes.
3. What’s something patients don’t realize about taking care of their vision?
Ocular health does not just mean 20/20 vision. Eye exams often catch disease not just in the eye but often lead to discovering underlying systemic disease. We are on the verge of your eye doctor being as important as your primary care doctor with the rise of oculomics. With the power of AI and linking eye health and systemic health, eye exams will reveal risk for neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular risk, even longevity.
There is nothing like providing clear vision or saving someone's eyesight when they previously thought there was no hope.
4. What part of your work do you find most meaningful?
I enjoy taking care of patients and providing access to care in multiple languages. I love being able to provide second opinions and putting all the pieces together and finding solutions for difficult problems. There is nothing like providing clear vision or saving someone's eyesight when they previously thought there was no hope.
5. In your view, what defines a great optometrist?
In general, I have found optometrists to be passionate, competent, and truly care about their patients. Optometrists want to see each other succeed and we like collaborating with all health professionals to improve patient outcomes. I think what makes great optometrists great is the same quality that makes any health care professional great, genuinely caring and listening to patients. So many patients complain about not being heard.
