During her last year at the University of Houston College of Optometry, Sarah Zaver, OD, FAAO, completed three rotations. One of them was at the South Texas Veterans Affairs Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. This trauma center has a reputation for handling complex cases, particularly those involving IED blast injuries. The experiences at this rotation and her residency working with pediatrics and neurological conditions shaped the kind of patient care she wanted to provide her own patients.
“I learned that it was really rewarding to diagnose and be able to treat those patients and see them recover. It fascinated me so much,” she says, particularly as she learned the intricacies of how neurology and other systems were involved in the work.
She learned techniques during her residency, particularly in assessing binocular vision and understanding the brain’s connection to visual processing. These became essential tools in her everyday patient care. She recognized that these skills would allow her to provide a higher level of care to her patients, particularly those with complex needs.
DRIVEN BY ENTREPENEURIAL SPIRIT
Dr. Zaver said practice ownership was always on her radar. “Entrepreneurship runs in my blood and is very attractive to me,” she says. She also worked in a family-owned optometry practice during college, and she says that she shared their values for treating patients. She kept her eyes open for location opportunities nearby where she lived, a nonnegotiable item on her office checklist after years of long commutes.
In 2018, her realtor came across a location in Richmond, Texas, about 20 minutes from where she grew up in Sugar Land. Projections showed lots of growth, making it seem like a perfect fit. The brand-new build was a blank slate to make her own, and she reviewed several floor plans before finding the best one.
Dr. Zaver was excited to get involved in the design aspect of the buildout of the space, which is just over 2,000 square feet. She made her budget work for her, and she says she’s happy and proud of the outcome. The clean, minimalistic space has a calming feel. “It’s aesthetically pleasing, and it allows people to focus on the frames instead of being bombarded with so much clutter.”
BUILDING A COMMUNITY NETWORK
In March 2019, nearly five years after her optometry school graduation, Dr. Zaver opened the doors to Frame & Focus Eye Care. She says that her understanding of binocular vision and its connection to the brain has helped her in her everyday patient care. “The patients I see are very healthy, and I have an edge in diagnosing things quickly and know exactly what my patients want.” That means providing not only clear but also comfortable vision. To that end, she offers products such as Neurolens and dry eye treatments.
She says that word of mouth has been the biggest business builder. Her stellar Google Reviews speak for themselves. They help others in the community know that they can trust Dr. Zaver for her expertise.
Her business continues to flourish. Dr. Zaver focuses on building an even stronger network with local health care professionals, including physical therapists, diabetic specialists, pediatricians and more, to provide the best care for mutual patients. She’s also dedicated to growing her dry eye clinic. And she hopes to add an associate OD in her future.
She is prioritizing patient-centered care and fostering a collaborative environment. As such, Dr. Zaver is well on her way to making a lasting impact in her community, ensuring that her patients receive the highest quality of care tailored to their unique needs.
Connect with Dr. Zaver and Frame & Focus Eye Care online:
Facebook: Frame & Focus Eye Care
Instagram: @framefocuseyecare
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