My name is Trinita, and over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working as an optometric assistant at Dr. Fink Optometry. After graduating from the University of Guelph with a degree in biomedical science, I decided to take a year to build my clinical skills and solidify my decision to pursue a career in optometry. This clinic was the perfect place for that. As I get ready to begin my studies at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry this fall, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I’ve learned here.
My first exposure to optometry came as a child after watching my dad undergo multiple eye surgeries and frequent visits to his optometrist. That early experience showed me the importance of ocular health to overall quality of life. Years later, while shadowing optometrists, I was drawn to the profession’s unique ability to offer both immediate solutions with glasses and long-term care through disease management and therapy. Over the past year, I have seen that firsthand at the clinic. I have helped patients pick up their first pair of glasses and witnessed their amazement at seeing clearly for the first time. I have also heard stories from parents about how vision therapy improved their child’s performance in school.
I also came to understand that optometry goes far beyond simply achieving 20/20 vision. Optometry is deeply tied to how our eyes work together and how our brain processes visual information. At the clinic, I learned how binocular vision disorders can contribute to migraines, balance issues, and eye strain, and how vision therapy can provide significant relief. I was also introduced to dry eye therapies that addressed the root causes of this often chronic and uncomfortable condition. Another area I was introduced to was myopia management, which focuses on slowing the progression of nearsightedness in children to reduce the risk of more serious conditions in the future. These specialties highlighted how broad, preventative, and impactful the field of optometry is.
Most of my time at the clinic was spent in the pre-test room, where I had the opportunity to prepare patients for their exams. It quickly became one of my favorite parts of the job. Those few minutes gave me a chance to build connections while answering questions and easing anxieties. Through pre-testing, I was introduced to different technologies and witnessed diagnoses I had only read about before. I was fortunate to work with doctors who were willing to share their knowledge about complex cases and help me understand what I was seeing. These moments doing pre-test taught me so much clinically and personally, confirming that this is the right path for me. I also gained practical knowledge in areas like frame selection, lens options, and contact lenses. These experiences will give me a strong foundation as I head to my first year of optometry school.
Thank you to the entire team for your guidance, support, and opportunities to grow over the last year. I am grateful to have started my journey in such a collaborative and knowledgeable environment, and I hope to carry forward the same level of care and professionalism that I witnessed here every day.
For anyone exploring a career in this field, gaining hands-on experience in a clinic setting is invaluable. It helped me confirm my path and build practical skills that I’ll carry with me into school and beyond.
