Why I Wrote The Eye Care Guide

“If only I had known, I’d have come in sooner.”

My patient’s voice was thick with fear as I worked quickly to refer him to a surgical specialist who could address the large retinal detachment in his eye. Had he come in when he first noticed flashes of light, his chances of recovering vision would have been significantly better.

No—I did not tell him that his lack of knowledge, and the delay it caused, had irreversibly reduced vision in one of his eyes.
Instead, I said, “We’re going to do everything we can.”

I’ve been a practicing optometrist since 2020, and my career has allowed me to practice across the United States in a wide range of clinical settings. Different states, different clinics, different patient populations. But one thing has remained constant everywhere I’ve worked:

A lack of basic eye-health knowledge.

The harsh truth is that most people don’t know which eye-care professional to see when something feels wrong. Many are under the misconception that eye exams are optional—despite seeing their dentist every six months and their primary care doctor annually. Eye care is often treated as an afterthought.

Many people assume that as long as they can see “well enough,” everything must be fine.

But the eyes are complex organs, closely connected to the rest of the body. They can reveal early signs of systemic conditions—such as diabetes, autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, and vascular problems—long before symptoms appear elsewhere. Certain eye symptoms are time-sensitive, and delaying care can mean the difference between preserving vision and losing it.

Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with patients who said some version of the same thing:
“No one ever explained this to me before.”

That realization stayed with me.

I wrote The Eye Care Guide because patients deserve clear, trustworthy information about their eyes—before something goes wrong, not after. This book is meant to bridge the gap between what patients experience and what they’re told during a short exam. It explains how the eyes work, what common symptoms may actually mean, how everyday habits affect vision, and why preventive eye care matters at every stage of life.

Rather than relying on fear-based messaging or medical jargon, The Eye Care Guide focuses on understanding, prevention, and informed decision-making. My goal is not to alarm readers, but to empower them—to help them recognize when something is worth checking, ask better questions, and feel confident seeking care sooner rather than later.

If this book helps even one person come in earlier, ask the right question, or avoid hearing the words “If only I had known,” then it has done exactly what I hoped it would do.

The Eye Care Guide: What Your Optometrist Wants You to Know is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats.