When Tonya Tira, OD, FAAO, was at the Illinois College of Optometry, she was so focused on her studies that she didn’t have a concrete plan for after graduation. All she knew was that she wanted to enter private practice. Her goal was to be able to offer a niche specialty so that she might eventually buy into a private practice.
After graduating in 2005, she sent her resume to various private practices, but many doctors were wary of hiring new grads, concerned they might not stick around. Thinking a corporate position was a good place to get her foot in the door, she looked in the Chicagoland area, where her then-fiancé lived.
That’s when she met Neil Crofoot, OD, the catalyst for starting her career with the National Vision Doctor of Optometry network. “He was very honest and forward about what working in corporate optometry was like,” Dr. Tira recalls. Dr. Crofoot hired her even before the new store in Joliet, Illinois, was open, and she began working for America’s Best as a float doctor. This allowed her to learn the lay of the land and treat a variety of patients, boosting her confidence in patient care. She became full-time when the store opened in 2008.
During her five years practicing, she got married and had her daughter. While she liked the corporate support and that of the other doctors in the network, she still had a desire to complete a residency and open her own practice.
IN SEARCH OF HER DREAM
Dr. Tira left to pursue a residency in vision therapy, rehabilitation and pediatric optometry. She began her search for her dream setting. That search brought her to a practice in the mid-Atlantic region, but the potential ownership situation didn’t come to fruition. She returned to a private practice in Illinois where she spent some time working as a pediatric OD.
Ultimately, she and her husband made the bold decision to relocate to Canada for “one more shot” at private practice. After a short honeymoon period in another practice she joined as an independent contractor, red flags started popping up. She realized this wouldn’t be her “forever practice” either.
Feeling exhausted and like she was never really off duty, her husband said something that she recalls in earnest. “You’ve always wanted to work in private practice,” he told her, “but the happiest I’ve seen you is when you worked at America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.”
A NEW CHAPTER WITH NATIONAL VISION
The National Vision team had always made it clear that if life changed, Dr. Tira was welcome to return. Dr. Crofoot had stayed in touch during her absence, often asking, “When are you coming back?” In 2020, she called in that favor. Dr. Crofoot told her that their stores were closed and safety was the priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that a job and support would be waiting for her as soon as those restrictions were lifted.
The family headed back to Illinois in spring 2020. As offices reopened with new safety protocols in place, Dr. Tira floated for a month before becoming the doctor at a location in Geneva, Illinois. “National Vision respects their doctors so much,” Dr. Tira says. “I’ve worked at places where I did not feel as respected. At America’s Best, I can practice in a way I’m proud of.”
She appreciates the independence she has in her practice and the confidence she feels during one-on-one patient interactions. Plus, National Vision also includes doctors in leadership positions and decision-making roles, such as Dr. Tira’s new role as an OD ambassador. In this position, Dr. Tira advocates for the America’s Best brand, welcoming new doctors and team members. “We don’t want there to be a fear of reaching out and asking questions,” she says. “We’re advocating to make sure others feel welcome.”
A COMFORTABLE PLACE
She also values the support she receives, even in unexpected situations like power outages or issues with electronic health records. Reflecting on her time in private practice, she recalls a patient record breach that was a nightmare to handle. Those experiences made her reassess her career goals.
“My original dream was to eventually open my own practice, but seeing what owners deal with, including staffing, bringing work home and handling things that don’t go right… if I can keep the stress at work and focus on my family at home, then I’m in a much better position.”
Dr. Tira also extends special shout-outs to Dr. Crofoot; and her friends, Alison Stock, OD, and Swati Gandhi-Patel, OD, and Sarah Manongdo-Joya, OD. Dr. Tira and Dr. Joya were classmates at ICO and both initially hired and rejoined America’s Best around the same time. “At America’s Best, I have lifelong friends, fellow optometrists and the support of an organization that has continued to grow alongside me,” she shared in a LinkedIn post. “In this setting, I feel comfortable upholding my optometric oath in caring for patients, and [am] truly independent in my exam lane. …I feel extra lucky for the opportunities I have received and the experiences I have had that empower me to be independent.”
Learn more about National Vision here. Read more stories from National Vision and WO here.