After nearly 20 years at the same privately owned practice, Sandra Elston, OD, decided it was time to pave her own way. When the practice sold to private equity during the early days of the pandemic, she seized the moment. “What better time than now?” she thought. With years of design inspiration from her Pinterest board and a trusted team of contractors, Dr. Elston opened Argyle Eye Care in August 2023, bringing her vision to life just north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Dr. Elston began planning her practice in 2021 while still working full-time, partnering with iCare Advisors to guide the process. A geospatial analysis identified underserved areas, leading her to a new medical plaza under construction. “It was still empty land when we signed the documents,” she says. But a new building meant no demolition, which expedited the buildout.
Being situated in a medical plaza has been great for referrals, she says. She neighbors a dentist, urgent care, oral surgeon and orthopedic office. “The urgent care also does primary care, so we’ve had patients come here to get everything done at once— they can see their doctor, get their teeth cleaned and get their eyes checked all in one place.”
DESIGN WITH INTENTION
With 2,000 square feet to work with, Dr. Elston and her team decided on two larger exam rooms rather than three cramped ones. As she enters 2025, she’ll be equipping her second lane as patient demand increase. Everything is American Disability Act accessible, including the exam chairs that can be moved for patients with wheelchairs or accessibility needs.
The practice also features a public restroom, staff restroom, her office, and a breakroom with a kitchen. The space also boasts an onsite lab for edging and cutting, staffed by Junior Munoz, an optician Dr. Elston has known for more than 20 years.
100% HANDS-ON
As a self-proclaimed “crafter and lover of textures and patterns,” Dr. Elston wanted to incorporate the name of the practice to the design. Argyle Eye Care is named for the town it’s in, so argyle makes an appearance in more than one area. The accent wall behind the front desk features argyle diamond millwork that stretches onto the ceiling above, and Dr. Elston crafted the contact lens room table with argyle wrought iron legs.
The south-facing windows bring in great natural light without harsh morning glare or afternoon heat, Dr. Elston says. She chose to lay individual LVP flooring pieces in a herringbone pattern. That way, if one gets scratched or dented, it can easily be popped out and replaced. The sky-high ceilings are great for adding vertical space but require Dr. Elston to bring in her “special ladder” from home should a dusting be needed or a lightbulb replaced.
Dr. Elston found the optical chairs at a local furniture market. “I wanted cozy furniture without it being too big and bulky,” she says. She also visited multiple specialty lighting stores to get ideas for her chandelier, which she eventually found to be most affordable on Wayfair.
PERSONAL FLAIR
Dr. Elston found that it was more cost-effective to create a lot of the features herself rather than find someone to do it. She had the idea to dispense a custom frame holder to every patient who buys a pair of frames. “I went out and bought myself a miter saw, belt sander, craft laser and stains, and I build them in my garage,” she says. “Then, I bought a Cricut machine to make the front door signage. A Cricut cost me less than hiring someone!”
But Dr. Elston doesn’t mind the extra work. “When I get stressed, I craft,” she says. She’s also been able to use her new crafty purchases to customize staff shirts and engrave tissue boxes and water bottles with the practice logo.
EQUIPPED FOR EXCELLENCE
As a Vision Source member, Dr. Elston got a good deal on a Topcon equipment package, which includes the CV5000S digital phoropter; the MYAH optical biometer and corneal topographer; an autolensometer; the Optos Daytona retinal imaging device; an Optovue OCT; the RightEye sensorimotor system; the OptiKam fitting and dispensing tool, which links to an iPad; and a no-puff tonometry test.
She credits her success to her support network, praising iCare Advisors for guiding her through the process, Karina K for the design inspiration and Vision Source for its resources. “I have found my people,” she says. She also highlights her contractor, Chase Claypoole of Claypoole Group, for staying on budget and contributing to her grand opening.
As she heads into the new year, she looks forward to providing comprehensive eye care with her investment in technology and thoughtful design. “It’s been an amazing space to work in every day and I look forward to seeing the practice grow,” Dr. Elston says. “I’ve thoroughly been enjoying practice ownership and I look forward to continuing to help patients see life more clearly.”
In her free time, Dr. Elston enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids. She is a “proud sports mama” and enjoys doing DIY projects.
| GET THE LOOK |
| Optical walls: Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore |
| Wall behind front desk: Cheating Heart by Benjamin Moore |
| Exam lane accent wall: Amazing Gray by Sherwin Williams |
Learn more about Argyle Eye Care and connect with Dr. Elston online:
Instagram @argyleeyecare
Online argyleeyecare.com
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