Alumni Focus for Paige (Scott) Ellis (OD'20) and Sawyer Ellis (OD'20)

THE STORY OF DRS. PAIGE AND SAWYER ELLIS

Hometown

Paige: Evansville, Indiana
Sawyer: Warren, Ohio

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

Paige: Indiana University, major in Biology and minor in Chemistry
Sawyer: Ohio University, major in Biochemistry and minor in Finance

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

Paige & Sawyer: OD’20

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

Paige: My mentors while at The Ohio State University College of Optometry were Dr. Tatevyk Movsisyan and Dr. Greg Nixon. Dr. Movsisyan was my first PVC attending. Her guidance created a great foundation for my patient care today. While in school, I served on the SAAO board, allowing me to work closely with Dr. Nixon, as he was our faculty advisor. Not only is he a great clinician, but also a great instructor, which helped influence the clinician I am today.

Sawyer: Dr. Chris Smiley and Dr. Jacqueline Davis. During fourth year I rotated through Dr. Smiley’s Worthington location. This opportunity helped me distill years of knowledge into actionable steps in growing a private practice. His mentorship was instrumental and helped lead us into the purchase of our first private practice in Ravenna, Ohio.

I worked closely with Dr. Davis, primarily through NOSA and its vision screenings. She represents a prime example of optometry’s compassion and advocacy for its patients.

CAREER IN OPTOMETRY

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

Currently we live in Solon, Ohio, so we have a little bit of a commute to each of our offices. We purchased a long-established private practice in Ravenna in November 2021 and renamed the practice Vivid Vision Eye Care. We also both work part-time at an optometry office in Cortland, Ohio owned and operated by Sawyer’s uncle and fellow Ohio State Optometry graduate, Martin Ellis (OD'78).

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

Our days have steadily evolved over the past few years. When purchasing our practice, our patient volume was quite low. This time was heavily spent building our staff, office processes, and reputation in our community. We have grown steadily over the years and now see about 15 patients per day. We see patients of all ages. We’re fortunate enough to have both Topper and Fergus (our two golden retrievers) travel to the offices with us too. They love lounging in the back office and playing with staff any chance they get!

Which optometric issues concern you the most?

Paige: Public awareness pertaining to the importance of annual eye exams. A common misperception is that an individual will perceive pain when pathology is present, which isn’t the case for most conditions. I make it my objective that my patients understand their diagnosis, and the steps necessary to preserve their vision.

Sawyer: Optometry, as with any profession, must remain vigilant and advocate for itself. One major concern we repeatedly encounter is dealing with insurance. From denied claims to static reimbursements and even coverage. Often, we get patients traveling a great distance because they struggle to find providers in their network. Thankfully we have leaders advocating on our behalf to start improving these situations.

Why did you choose a career in optometry?

Paige: I liked how it offered a nice work/life balance. After looking into the career further, I found optometry to be very interesting and rewarding.

Sawyer: My father worked as an optician for 40 years until he retired, and my uncle still practices to this day. I worked in my family’s office and gained an appreciation for its impact in the community and the flexibility in work it would afford.

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

In five years, we plan to acquire our second location and have brought on an associate doctor. It’s been nearly five years since graduation, so we can attest that it goes quickly. Thankfully we have a plan laid out that we are following to reach our professional goals.

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

Paige: Be confident in your diagnosis! You have received top-tier education from Ohio State and can handle anything that comes your way. But if you need further validation, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Whether it be a colleague or a classmate, everyone is happy to help.

Sawyer: Network. The profession of optometry is surprisingly connected, and we have found that people are more than willing to help as long as you ask. Conversely, be willing to establish a relationship with those who reach out to you.

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

For us it means opportunity. Every day, patients come to see us for their eye care. This gives us the opportunity to ensure their ocular health, connect with a community member, and learn.

OHIO STATE EXPERIENCE

What were your most memorable moments at Ohio State?

Paige: Ordering an Uber XL but a party bus showed up after Eyeball ’17 (and not letting Sawyer on because we were at capacity - who knew what the next year would bring!), EYE tailgates and parties, checking out local restaurants with Lindsay Page and Erin Filbrandt, ski trips, wine nights hosted by Francesco, Belmont parties, and Academy meetings.

Sawyer: There are too many, but to name a few: playing an absurd amount of foosball, studying with live animal feeds in the sixth floor conference room, meme storms, our opt flag football team, EYE tailgates, helping Stevie with his wardrobe malfunctions and fixing Belmont’s dishwasher with Brice.

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

Paige: Ohio State and the College of Optometry mean a great deal to me. My parents met at Ohio State while getting their undergraduate degrees, and I met Sawyer while getting our optometry degrees. I found some of my best friends while in optometry school.

Sawyer: Both are responsible for where I am now. It was the start of my career as well as our marriage. Add in the many friends who have developed into our support system. We are beyond grateful.

How do you stay connected with the College of Optometry?

Paige: We are fortunate enough to have kept in touch with many of our classmates - some of whom live in the Cleveland area with us. We plan group trips each year - this year to NC and MN - and monthly game nights. We also follow the school on social media, attend EYE tailgates, OOA zone meetings, and go to mixers at gatherings like Academy.

Sawyer: I regularly speak with classmates and other alumni over GroupMe. We try as often as possible to meet up with friends and attend optometry gatherings to stay in touch.

FUN FACTS

What are your current hobbies, volunteer work and interests?

Paige: I enjoy baking, traveling, camping, reading, and hanging out with our pups, Topper and Fergus. Lately I have been thinking about taking pottery classes again.

Sawyer: Spending time with Paige and the dogs, traveling, reading, and financial markets. I’m currently planning another spear fishing trip too!

What is an interesting tidbit about you that might surprise people? 

Paige: A fun fact about me is that my Grandpa changed our last name from Skoczylas to Scott in the 1940s.

Sawyer: As a child I learned how to juggle while riding a unicycle.

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

Both: Where does bad light end up? In Prism!

If not an optometrist, I would be …

Paige: I would love to own a combined bookstore/ bakery/coffee shop.

Sawyer: A financial planner.