When the OD/MD practice where Amanda Geary, OD, had spent eight fulfilling years co-managing medical patients sold, she heard the calling to look for her own opportunity grow louder. A 2015 graduate of Southern College of Optometry, Dr. Geary says the timing wasn’t ideal. She was pregnant with her second child and in the middle of home renovations. Despite the timing, “I wanted to make my own dream become a reality.”
Dr. Geary’s vision materialized in the heart of the St. Petersburg, Florida, arts district, a place she loves. She found a standalone building that had been a wellness center. Some consultation rooms offered privacy as well as some large open spaces. Just after Thanksgiving in 2022, and after a complete renovation, she opened First Sight Eye Care.
Being part of the arts district has both inspired the style of the practice and contributed to its growth. The practice has an entire outdoor wall mural, with a stylized “Eye Love St. Pete” in the center. Surrounding it are black outline drawings of local businesses and attractions in St. Petersburg, that make the city so special.
“I was inspired by the art trolley in Memphis, Tennessee, where businesses, restaurants and galleries are open late for arts events. So we have our own art gallery nights, where we hang artwork by local artists,” she says.
She has been delighted by the opportunities to work with so many vibrant businesses. “I’d never have thought of collaborating with the opera house across the street, but we did,” she says.
ART AND SCIENCE
While Dr. Geary wants to blend into her arts district home, she is serious about providing advanced eye care to her patients. Her 2,000-square-foot space has potential for two exam lanes, although one is equipped now. Formerly the president of the Pinellas Optometric Society, Dr. Geary has connections with many of her optometric colleagues, who can refer patients for services such as glaucoma testing and scleral lens fittings when necessary.
Earlier in 2024, Dr. Geary secured a small business grant from the city, which made it possible for her to acquire an optical coherence tomography unit. “It’s a micro fund grant for small business owners in my district. I attended seminars, and took business classes with coaches and mentors,” she explains. The result was that she could bring in advanced equipment sooner than she might have otherwise, and it has expanded her scope of practice dramatically.
MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE
First Sight Eye Care strives for a personalized boutique optical experience, featuring upscale frames in a warmer environment. “In previous settings, it wasn’t uncommon for patients to say they felt like a number. I wanted to provide a different patient experience here. The first thing you see is the eye bar with 3D wall art, and plush bar stools for glasses adjustments. It’s a curated experience for the eyes – the art of eye care,” says Dr. Geary.
Dr. Geary’s practice features amenities like iPad check-ins and a hot and cold drink beverage station. The space is inviting with sophisticated gray walls, soft, fuzzy rugs and a blue sofa with a scalloped back. Frames are displayed on glass floating shelves by open windows, or on wooden shelves on the wall. A customized dog sculpture, a puppy bank, encourages donations to a local guide dog association,” she says.
She and her staff of one full-time and two part-time employees also work to make the presentation of eyewear special. She has acquired a collection of cigar boxes that have been customized, and when patients come in for their eyewear dispensing, the optician puts the eyewear, cleaning cloth, spray and a review card into the box. “It’s a different twist to make things feel special” she says.
Their frame selection is equally distinct, featuring fun, funky colors appreciated by the patrons. “We focus on independent lines. We’ve also had great support from PECAA and my colleagues in the local societies,” she says. For example, she meets regularly with a financial advisor from PECAA, who helped her feel confident about financial decisions such as when to bring on a new employee or shift a part-time position to a full-time one.
The first two years of opening a new practice cold are not easy, but Dr. Geary says that it’s been rewarding to bring her dream to life and given her a refreshed sense of pride in the career that she loves.
See other design inspiration stories here.
Would you like to share your remodel/relocation/new practice or office refresh story with WO readers? Email us here.
