Sammy Hashemian, OD, and her twin sister, Honey Hashemian, OD, each came across the idea of becoming an optometrist at a different point in her undergraduate career at UCLA. But they started optometry school at Southern California College of Optometry together and graduated in 2012.
At that point, their paths diverged—a little. Dr. Sammy Hashemian started working as an employed associate in a LensCrafters-affiliated practice immediately after graduation. Dr. Honey Hashemian worked primarily in ophthalmology and private optometry
practices, where she treated complicated postsurgical eyes and complex glaucoma and dry eye cases.
Then Dr. Sammy Hashemian was offered a lease at a LensCrafters in Newport Beach, California, in November 2016, and suddenly, the idea of working together began to take shape. “It had always been our goal to work together,” she says. “I can’t think of a better partner.”
The fraternal twins have distinctive personalities, their own niche and areas of responsibility. They cover 10 doctor days per week; the practice is open seven days a week. They each work a five-day week, and they’re in the office together on Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays. “Even on the days that we’re here together, we are so focused and busy with patients that we often don’t get to see each other until the end of the day unless we are looking for a second opinion,” says Dr. Sammy Hashemian.
reviews an optomap image.
Approaching the end of their first year, they feel that they have the processes in place and are starting to consider adding a second location. “We were offered an opportunity very early on, but we wanted to give our full focus to this one first,” says Dr. Sammy Hashemian.
Dr. Sammy Hashemian:
“When I got my first pair of contact lenses as an undergraduate student, it was a life-changing moment for me. We both needed refractive correction, and I think that made us passionate about optometry. Coming out of school, I was looking for a place where I could see a lot of patients, learn quickly and practice full scope. We offer full-scope medical and primary care exams, as well as specialty contact lens fits including keratoconus and scleral lenses. We have an Optos Daytona and the Clarifye Digital Eye Exam from LensCrafters, technologies that impress the patients and deliver great clinical data.
“The doctor who hired me was a great mentor and took me under her wing to learn the business side. I learned so much from the training and coaching that LensCrafters provides. Now it’s my turn to give back. I was the Orange County Ignite Coach, where I helped train newly graduated doctors for our region and also traveled the states to train doctors in the new Clarifye technology.”
Dr. Honey Hashemian:
“It was nice to learn by being in different practice settings with ophthalmology and optometry. The sublease was a big draw for us because it meant we could manage the practice the way we wanted. Our patient care philosophy is so similar. We are both outgoing, and we want to get to know our patients and have fun with them. We hear about their life outside of work and help focus on their best visual correction options. Our Net Promoter Scores and patient feedback show that patients appreciate it.
“Although many of our classmates went into private practice after school, they are so impressed by how thorough our exams are and how much we do when they cover for us.
“This is a full family business. We’ve brought in our brother, Ehson Hashemian, who comes in two times a week to help us with management. Our patients love him.”
