Alumni Focus on Carole Burns (OD'84)

DR. BURNS' STORY

Hometown

Chardon, Ohio

Which institution did you attend for your undergraduate degree? What was your major?

I attended Ohio University with a major in zoology and a minor in aviation.

Which degree(s), related to optometry, did you earn?

OD'84
My residency was in pediatrics and vision therapy, which I completed at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Manhattan.
After my residency, I completed my Fellowship from the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (now FOVDRA).

Who were your mentors at the College of Optometry? Who had a positive effect on your education?

Dr. John Schoessler influenced me professionally and personally. Dr. Schoessler hired me after my first year of optometry school as an intern and then I attended, at his urging, a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists. This was life changing.

Dr. Mark Wright was my clinical attending for my binocular vision clinic rotation. He inspired me to center my career on pediatrics and vision therapy. He encouraged me to apply to the SUNY residency program, where I was able to work with pioneers in vision therapy such as Drs. Nat Flax, Israel Greenwald, Len Press, Barry Tannen, Jeffrey Cooper, Harold Solan and Marty Birnbaum.

Seven years after graduation, I married Dr. Mark Wright.

DR. BURNS' CAREER IN OPTOMETRY

Name of your employer(s) and title, including location.

I am in patient care two days per week at the practice I started in Westerville, Ohio. I joined Dr. Mark Wright in his Johnstown, Ohio practice, and we eventually combined the practices and created Professional VisionCare.

Mark has since retired and I am blessed to have seven incredible partners in an 11-doctor practice. We have four locations and 50 team members. Each partner is an expert in a different aspect of optometry; therefore, we are able to offer comprehensive eye care from treatment of disease, specialty contact lens care, pediatric care, vision therapy, myopia management as well as examining and treating those with autism and those with special needs.

Give us a glimpse of your typical day as an optometrist.

I currently see patients part time. I spend one day each week in our specialty office where my responsibilities center on patients with special needs. The majority of this day is spent examining patients on the autism spectrum, both adults and children, patients with traumatic brain injury, patients with learning differences, those whose lives center on athletics and those with executive function disorders. My second day each week is in the location we opened in 2018 in Lewis Center, Ohio. In this high technology location, I am able to see adults and children and provide more traditional vision care.

Which optometric issues concern you the most?

I am most concerned about children being told they have 20/20 eyesight by a medical professional and the parent assuming their lack of progress academically has nothing to do with their visual system, when it may play a significant role.

Why did you choose a career in optometry?

When I was an undergraduate student, it was unusual for a woman to pursue a career in the sciences. I knew I wanted to go to graduate school, and I loved the biological sciences. I scheduled shadowing experiences with every medical professional who would let me visit, including family practice physicians, surgeons, dentists, podiatrists and optometrists. I never met an optometrist who didn’t love what they did, not only did they love their profession, but also their patients and their alma mater.

Our class at Ohio State was groundbreaking. There were 16 women in our class, the most ever (at that time)! The year before us had admitted eight women. I am delighted to be part of changing history.

Where do you hope to see your optometric career in five years?

I plan to continue in patient care on a part time basis for many years to come. I love seeing my patients that I have known for many years. I love working with optometrists who believe treating patients like family is just what you do.

What is one piece of advice you can give OPT-IV students as they prepare to graduate and begin their optometric careers?

Be wise. Determine if you wish to create your own destiny when it comes to your career. If you are the type of optometrist who prefers to make your own decisions, have the goal of being in charge of the type of patients you see, the hours you wish to work, and those you wish to work with daily. This may be accomplished in multiple ways. I have chosen to do this in private practice; however, the most important decision is to choose to be true to your own ideals.

What do eye health, and eye care, mean for you?

An eye exam is often easier emotionally for many to schedule than other medical appointments. Often patients feel their health is fine, but they notice their eyesight needs help. This gives us, as the primary eyecare profession, the ability to identify health problems that go overlooked and then we make sure the patient receives the overall care that they need. Every optometrist reading this has stories of how they helped patients get needed medical care just because they scheduled an eye exam.

DR. BURNS' OHIO STATE EXPERIENCE

What were your most memorable moments at Ohio State?

There are many memorable moments from Ohio State, however returning on several occasions after graduation to speak to the students in their academic coursework was an honor that I cherish.

What do Ohio State and the College of Optometry mean to you and your family?

The Ohio State University College of Optometry gave both my husband and I the ability to create our own lifestyle. By owning our own practice, we were able to home educate our two sons. Ohio State gave us the credentials to become trusted national and international speakers, which enabled us to frequently travel with our children. Their schooling was incorporated into life and rarely was there a typical school day. Today, our two sons are physicians with incredible wives and our oldest has a beautiful two-year-old daughter.

How do you stay connected with the College of Optometry?

I am blessed to live in Columbus, I am able to attend education and athletics events, including football and basketball, and stay in contact with local optometrists who graduated from the college.

DR. BURNS' FUN FACTS

What are your current hobbies, volunteer work and interests?

My passion is my faith in Christ and therefore volunteering at Rock City Church in many capacities fits right into this. I served on the homeless ministry team for many years where we met the homeless on High Street where they live, prayed with them and gave them dinner. Currently, I serve at The Bridge at Shiloh downtown where those with food insecurity come on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to have a hot meal for breakfast and dinner.

What is a fun fact about you?

I am a pilot.

What’s the best eye pun you’ve ever heard?

My husband and I, who are both optometrists, are a pair-a-docs.

If not an optometrist, I would be …

An advocate and resource for parents who home educate their children.