In the U.S., employers usually define full-time employment as 35 hours or more per week. For Miriam Korik, OD, it meant working seven days a week for two months providing boutique care, followed by two months of traveling the world.
Graduating from Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University in May 2020 was an uncertain time. She watched the graduation proceedings from her living room. She canceled her summer travel plans. And she wasn’t sure where she would find permanent work in such flux. So, she began filling in at various optometry offices across New York City. “Luckily I had passed my boards before March and secured my license quickly,” she says. “Or else I would’ve been stuck without a job for who knows how long.”
GAINING EXPERIENCE
Instead of touring Europe like she had originally planned, Dr. Korik spent that summer working seven days a week. “Everything was shut down,” she says. “I didn’t know if I’d have a job in a few months, so I figured I’d just make as much money as possible for as long as I could.”
But the relentless schedule quickly led to burnout. She approached the owner of the practices she was covering with a proposal: she would take over while he took time off, and when he returned, she would take time off to travel. This arrangement continued for years, allowing Dr. Korik to work intensively for two months providing personalized boutique care, and then take two months to explore the world. She visited every continent except Antarctica.
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During this time, Dr. Korik worked in 15 different offices and gained exposure to various practice models, from medical-focused practices to high-end eyewear shops. She learned the ins and outs of business management, insurance plans and optical sales. But one style of practice stood out: boutique opticals that prioritized a personal experience.
“I didn’t want to see a patient every 15 minutes,” Dr. Korik says. “I wanted to enjoy what I was doing.” The ability to truly connect with patients, guide them through lens and frame selections and create a curated experience brought the spark back to her career, she says.
A PERSONAL APPROACH
Now, Dr. Korik is an associate OD at two related specialty boutique care locations: Park Slope Eye Optical Boutique and Brooklyn Eye Loft, which opened in early 2025. These offices operate differently from high-volume retail settings. With 45-minute exam slots, no walk-ins and a focus on premium eyewear, the patient experience is highly customized.
“There’s no handoff. I’m with the patient from start to finish,” Dr. Korik says. From pretesting to consultations and eyewear selection, she guides patients through the entire process. She even checks insurance and discusses pricing directly, since they only take two carriers. Most patients, however, are private pay.
Brooklyn Eye Loft, located on the second floor of a commercial building, evokes the feel of a photography studio by design. The sleek and airy space offers a range of specialty services, including dry eye treatments (radio frequency and intense pulsed light), digital eye strain management, myopia management and binocular vision workups.
Park Slope is a cozy setting with private rooms on the second floor of a Brooklyn brownstone.
Since she’s the only one in direct contact with patients while they’re in the office, Dr. Korik says her schedule is more flexible than ever. “If I need to close early, I just close the schedule,” she says. “There’s no pressure of needing coverage for an optician or receptionist.”
With a lab manager handling orders and an offsite biller managing claims, Dr. Korik can focus on patient care and education. “I take the time to ask about their lifestyle—whether they work outside or on a computer—and educate them on their options. And it’s not salesy—it’s informative,” she says. “People are wowed by how different the experience is here.”
