Seeing Clearly in the Neighborhood: Caring for Queens, NY, the Mr. Rogers Way

My practice sits just steps from one of the busiest cities in the world, yet Sunnyside has an unmistakable small town feel. People stop in just to wave hello, and there’s a warmth here that often reminds me of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood—a close knit community where I’m grateful to live and work.

My relationship with VSP began back in optometry school when I won a $2,000 VSP scholarship for an essay on the importance of private practice. I didn’t know then how big a part VSP would play in my future. Years later, when I was ready to leave a commercial practice and finally open my own cold start, VSP became an important resource once again when I met with them at Vision Expo for guidance. After I opened, a rep helped us meet the criteria to participate in Premier Edge, and in that first year alone, our revenue increased by $70,000—all from VSP patients.

Growth took time—pandemic plot twists included—but by years seven and eight the practice had surpassed anything I imagined. VSP Premier Edge brought a steady flow of new patients, and once they arrived, we kept them through genuine service and high-quality care. VSP’s diverse frame lines through Marchon and Altair make it easy to serve patients across different budgets and lifestyles, and Unity lenses provide consistently clear, comfortable vision, something my associate and I appreciate from wearing the new Unity v3 progressives ourselves.

More recently, I joined PECAA Max, which has been a game changer. The exam rebates alone make it a simple, worthwhile addition to our bottom line, and I’m excited to start taking advantage of other membership benefits to help my practice grow.

At the center of everything is the joy of helping people see better. I’ve had patients tell me they never thought they’d see this clearly again—moments that remind me why I opened my own practice.

Looking back—from that scholarship essay to building a thriving practice in this little “Mr. Rogers” corner of Queens—VSP has been part of every step. As Eye See It, my legacy is simple: taking care of my neighborhood and helping people “C Clearly” every single day.