Defocus Media Eyecare and Optometry Podcast Network

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Key Takeaways

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing healthcare, but for optometrists and practice owners, the biggest opportunity may not be replacing people. It may be helping good people perform their jobs better. That distinction matters especially as virtual assistants gr...

What happens when a beloved children’s television mascot becomes a ruthless killer? In this episode of the OD’ing on Movies Podcast, Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson review Buddy, a horror comedy that transforms the cheerful world of 1990s children’s programming into a bloody nightmare. From its outrageous violence and dark humor to an unexpected discussion of ocular injuries, the two optometrists explore what makes this unconventional film both entertaining and unsettling.

A Childhood Favorite Turned Nightmare

At first glance, Buddy resembles a familiar children’s television show, complete with colorfu...

Childhood myopia, or nearsightedness, does not have to mean stronger glasses every year. Myopia management offers treatment options designed to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children, including MiSight contact lenses, orthokeratology (Ortho-K), atropine, and myopia-control glasses. As these options become more widely available, optometrists can move beyond simply correcting vision and help families take a more proactive approach to their children’s eye health.

In Partnership with CooperVision

On the Defocus Media Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Lyerly and Dr. Alicia Barnes explore how to select the right myopia control treatment, educate parents, and ma...

Dry eye care has become far more than recommending artificial tears and sending patients home. For practices willing to build the right systems around diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, it can become a sophisticated clinical service that improves patient care while creating a meaningful new revenue stream. On the 20/20 Podcast, Dr. Harbir Sian and Dr. Trevor Miranda explored what it takes to build that kind of practice and why success depends as much on people and processes as it does on technology.

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Burnout has become a familiar word in optometry, but Dr. Adam Ramsey believes it may not tell the whole story. In a solo episode of Play Chess Not Checkers, Ramsey challenges doctors to consider a different question: Are they truly burned out—or have stress, repetition and shrinking margins simply made the profession less enjoyable?

When the Business Becomes the Burden

Ramsey acknowledges that practicing optometry has changed. Greater financial pressures and tighter margins can leave practice owners working harder while feeling less fulfilled. Rather than immediately considering an exit, he encourages doctors to...

A flock of sheep solving the murder of their shepherd may not sound like an obvious starting point for a conversation about optometry. But on OD’ing on Movies, Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson welcomed Dr. Janette Pepper for a discussion that moved effortlessly from The Sheep Detectives to grief, belonging, ocular anatomy, optometry education, and the relationships that shape a career. Pepper, an associate professor at Southern College of Optometry who teaches pediatric eye exams and vision therapy, brought both an educator’s perspective and a personal connection to the film’s rural setting, having gr...

Dry eye disease rarely presents as a straightforward clinical puzzle. Some patients report burning, grittiness and blurred vision despite showing few visible signs; others have significant corneal damage yet feel little discomfort. In a conversation with Dr. Darryl Glover, dry eye specialist and researcher Dr. Kaleb Abbott explains why this disconnect matters—and how recognizing it can lead to more thoughtful, individualized care.

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What Really Drives Treatment Decisions?

Dr. Abbott, an a...

Long before Phernell Walker became a master optician and the first Black chair of the American Board of Opticianry, a childhood encounter gave him a reason to care about sight. Speaking with Tarrance Lackran at the United Opticians Association Leadership Conference in Chicago, Walker traced a remarkable journey from poverty and limited expectations to national leadership, while outlining the urgent work still needed to strengthen opticianry across the country.

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A Childhood Promise Takes...

In part two of their discussion of The Odyssey, Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson are joined once again by honorary co-host Dr. Morgan Jones. Together, they follow Odysseus through the darkest and most dangerous stages of his journey home. Between thoughtful analysis and hilarious side conversations, the three doctors explore the film’s horror elements, standout performances, and whether Odysseus should truly be considered a hero.

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For optometry students and new graduates, choosing where and how to practice can be challenging—especially when reliable career information is difficult to find. Dr. Wynn Nguyen is helping close that gap through the Canadian New ODs report, a crowdsourced survey exploring compensation, career priorities, work-life balance, practice location, and professional goals among Canadian optometrists.

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Opportunity May Be Outside the Big Ci...

Dry eye disease affects women at approximately twice the rate of men, yet the relationship between women’s health and the ocular surface is often overlooked. In a conversation on The 20/20 Podcast, Dr. Harbir Sian and Dr. Janice Luk explored how hormonal changes, beauty routines and inflammation can influence dry eye throughout a woman’s life and why optometrists must become more comfortable discussing these factors with patients.

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Hormones and the Ocular Surface

Hormonal balance...

In this episode of the Play Chess Not Checkers Podcast, Dr. Melissa Barnett joins Dr. Adam Ramsey to reflect on her evolution from a shy student into an internationally recognized optometrist, educator, author and coach. Their conversation explores how mentorship shaped her career, why individualized patient care matters, and how community, coaching and thoughtful leadership can help eye care professionals build sustainable, meaningful careers.

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From Shy S...

On a special episode of the OD’ing on Movies podcast, hosts Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson welcomed Dr. Darryl Glover, Dr. Ashley Johnson, and their children, Ariyo Glover and Rammona Johnson, to discuss Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic.

For Ariyo, a devoted Michael Jackson fan who enjoys recreating his dance moves, seeing the film in theaters was especially meaningful. Rammona was equally excited because she loves Jackson’s music and wanted to learn more about his life. Their shared enthusiasm made the conversation a lively celebration of music, family, and discovery.

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A patient comes in with red, irritated eyes. Their eyelids are swollen. Maybe they have recurring styes, or perhaps they have tried several contact lenses and insist that every one of them feels dry.

For an eye care professional, the natural response is to start thinking about treatment. But Amy Gallant Sullivan, executive director and co-founder of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS), suggests starting somewhere much simpler.

“What do you wash your face with?”

It was a question Sullivan returned to throughout her conversation with Dr. Jennifer Lyerly on the...

Dr. Jennifer Tsai’s career does not fit neatly into the traditional definition of optometry. She is an optometrist, practice owner, content creator, and entrepreneur who has built a personal brand reaching hundreds of thousands of followers while developing two practices in New York City. But the polished version seen today was built through experimentation, setbacks, and a willingness to question what an optometry practice could become.

In a conversation with Tarrence Lackran, Dr. Tsai shares how working nearly 10 jobs after graduation, opening a practice during the pandemic, and exploring dry eye and aesthetics helped sh...

Optometry is built on measurements, clinical findings, and treatment plans. But some of the most challenging patient encounters cannot be fully explained by what appears under the slit lamp. On The 20/20 Podcast, host Dr. Harbir Sian sits down with Dr. Richard Maharaj to explore a more human approach to care, one that considers pain, psychology, communication, nutrition, and the value of simply slowing down. Their conversation challenges eye care professionals to look beyond clinical signs and consider the whole person sitting in the exam chair.

Slowing Down Changes the Patient Experience

A recurring theme throughout t...

Vision therapy has long occupied an interesting place in eye care. For some conditions, there is a growing body of research supporting its use. For others, questions remain about where appropriate treatment ends and overreach begins.

On the 4-Eyed Professor Podcast, Dr. Chris Lievens sits down with Dr. Marie Bodack, Chief of Pediatrics at Southern College of Optometry, to explore that line—and what optometrists should consider before incorporating vision therapy into patient care.

Where Vision Therapy Has Its Strongest Foundation

Not every application of vision therapy carries the same level of evidence. Con...

What makes someone want to return to a store? It is rarely just the product. For eye care practices, where healthcare and retail intersect every day, the experience surrounding the product can be just as important.

On 4theRecord, host Tyler Kemp speaks with Lea Wilhelm, owner of The Peacock, a three-location consignment business in Calgary, about building an authentic brand, creating memorable customer experiences, and maintaining consistency as a business grows. Her approach offers several lessons that translate naturally to optical retail.

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Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has become one of the biggest cinematic events of the year, but for Dr. Jacobi Cleaver, Dr. Jacob Wilson, and Dr. Morgan Jones, the film offered much more than stunning visuals. Their conversation blended mythology, filmmaking, and optometry into an entertaining discussion that revealed why Homer’s ancient story continues to resonate with modern audiences. From debating Odysseus’ leadership to analyzing the Cyclops’ vision, the trio proved that a great movie can spark conversations far beyond the theater. 

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For many optometry students, graduation comes with one of the biggest career decisions they’ll ever make: Should they pursue an optometry residency or enter practice immediately? While starting a career offers immediate financial rewards, an optometry residency can provide advanced clinical training, specialized expertise, and the confidence to manage complex patient care.

In this Defocus Media Podcast, Dr. Darryl Glover sits down with Dr. Whitney Powell to share her journey from optometry school to practicing in an OD/MD referral center, offering practical advice on choosing the right residency, navigating the application process, and aligning...

When Dr. Cory Lapin opened his dedicated dry eye practice, he was not stepping into a polished operation with a large staff and years of established systems. Just four weeks in, the practice consisted largely of Lapin and a virtual receptionist, leaving him involved in nearly every part of the patient experience. Rather than seeing that as a limitation, he viewed it as an opportunity to understand exactly how his practice worked before eventually asking someone else to help run it.

In a conversation with Dr. Adam Ramsey on Play Chess Not Checkers, Lapin discussed the clinical d...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, from chatbots to autonomous vehicles. In this episode of the OD’ing on Movies Podcast, filmmakers Erin Aine and Kyle Valle discuss their newest micro-horror series, Autonomous, a suspenseful story that explores what happens when technology becomes something we trust without question. Along the way, they reveal how a simple idea evolved into an innovative production that feels both futuristic and surprisingly believable.

Turning Today’s Technology Into Tomorrow’s Nightmare

What makes Autonomous especially compelling is how close its premise feels to reality. Rather than im...

Why do some independent optometry practices continue to thrive while others struggle with staffing shortages, burnout, and stagnant growth? According to Dr. Kurt Steele, the answer has far less to do with marketing or business metrics than most practice owners think. The real driver of growth in optometry practice is culture.

After spending more than three decades building a rural Tennessee practice from approximately $300,000 in annual revenue to more than $4 million, Dr. Steele has discovered that lasting success begins by investing in people before profits. His philosophy challenges conventional practice management advice, arguing that exceptional patie...

For nearly five decades, Alain Mikli has challenged the eyewear industry to think beyond function. In a conversation with Tarrence Lackran on EyeConversations, the legendary designer reflected on building one of the most influential eyewear brands in history, proving that success comes from originality, persistence, and an unwavering commitment to craftsmanship not simply following trends.

Success Doesn’t Happen Overnight

When Alain Mikli launched his brand at just 23 years old, success was anything but immediate. After studying to become an optician, he quickly realized there was little room for another traditional eyewear company. Rathe...

For years, many optometrists viewed myopia management as a service reserved for specialty clinics or private practices with advanced technology. Today, that mindset is changing. In this Defocus Media conversation, Dr. Jennifer Lyerly sits down with Dr. Robert Africano and Dr. Janelle Sventek to demonstrate that successful myopia management can be implemented in corporate optometry, academia, and virtually any clinical setting.

Through real patient experiences, practical communication strategies, and lessons learned from everyday practice, they show that slowing myopia progression doesn’t require a perfect practice—it simply requires a commitment to starting. Whether you’re looking to launch a my...

The Leonardo Learning Platform is transforming the way eye care practices educate, develop, and empower their teams, and Dr. Fayiz Mahgoub, Senior Manager of Learning and Development at Leonardo, believes that continuous learning is one of the most important investments a practice can make. During his conversation with Dr. Darryl Glover on the Defocus Media Podcast, Dr. Mahgoub shares how structured education, leadership development, and role-specific training are helping practices improve staff retention, strengthen leadership, elevate the patient experience, and prepare for the future of eye care.

For Dr. Ansel Johnson, a 40-year career in optometry has never been defined solely by prescriptions, practice ownership, or professional titles. His journey reflects something much larger: the power of representation, lifelong learning, community service, and using eye care as a gateway to better overall health.

Speaking with Dr. Adam Ramsey on the Play Chess Not Checkers Podcast, Dr. Johnson shared how an early interest in science and people evolved into a career that continues to influence patients, students, and the profession.

Choosing Optometry as a Path to Opportunity

Dr. Johnson...

The million-dollar question in eye care is simple: How do you scale an optometry practice without losing what made it successful in the first place? Jamie Rosin helped grow Rosin Eye Care from four locations to more than 50, but his biggest lessons did not come from expansion alone. They came from mistakes, overlooked opportunities, better questions, and learning how to turn everyday behaviors into repeatable systems.

In this conversation with Dr. Darryl Glover, Jamie Rosin pulls back the curtain on what truly drives optometry practice growth—from coaching teams and improving the patient journey to buil...

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide, yet many patients are unaware they have it until significant vision has already been lost. In this episode of the Eye-Q Podcast, Dr. Rudrani Banik breaks down the fundamentals of glaucoma, explaining what every patient and every eye care professional should understand about this often-silent disease.

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What Is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is not a single disease but...

What happens when a science-fiction movie about extraterrestrial life brings together conversations about iris color, specialty contact lenses, career growth, and the importance of having a life outside optometry?

On the OD in Our Movies podcast, Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson welcomed Dr. Lisa Wahl, OD, to review Disclosure Day. The conversation moved from Steven Spielberg’s take on alien life to real-world eye care, complex pediatric cases, professional collaboration, and Dr. Wahl’s unexpected second career in the Los Angeles food scene.

Disclosure Day Blends Science Fiction, Mystery, and the Human...

Running a successful eye care practice requires more than clinical expertise. Practice owners must also lead teams, manage performance, communicate expectations, and build a workplace culture where employees can thrive—often without formal training in human resources. Dr. Alanna Wilson shares how her two-location practice is building a more proactive approach to HR, while Olivia Leduc, manager of strategic HR services at Kleinman, explains how employee feedback, clear expectations, performance management, and core values can help eye care practices strengthen their teams before problems arise.

Employee Feedback Can Reveal What a Practice Needs Most

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For many optometrists, the biggest obstacle to implementing myopia management isn’t believing in the science—it’s knowing where to begin. Questions about treatment selection, pricing, clinical protocols, follow-up schedules, staff training, and equipment often leave practices feeling overwhelmed before they ever see their first patient. While research supporting myopia control continues to grow, translating that evidence into an efficient, profitable workflow remains a challenge for many eye care professionals. 

In this Defocus Media conversation, Dr. Jennifer Lyerly welcomes Dr. Kyle Klute, owner of Good Life Eye Care and co-fo...

Dry eye disease is no longer viewed as a simple problem solved with artificial tears. As Dr. Laura Periman explains, modern research is redefining dry eye as a complex, multifactorial disease that requires personalized diagnosis and targeted treatment. During her conversation on The 20/20 Podcast, she explores how innovations in molecular medicine, neuroscience, and ocular surface diagnostics are reshaping the future of patient care and giving clinicians new ways to improve outcomes. 

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Dry Eye...