After a decade of working in private practices, Crystal Eylar, OD, knew exactly what kind of office she wanted to build. She spent 10 years learning the ins and outs of business ownership and patient care at three different private practices as an associate OD. So when her kids were all old enough to go to school, she decided to prioritize her work/life balance and combine all she’d learned at her own practice, Midlothian Eye Care, about half an hour southwest of Dallas.
DESIGNING AN EXPERIENCE
Dr. Eylar toured several locations with iCare Advisors before leasing a 2,000-square-foot shell space with great foot traffic. “I’m in a medical office building, but we get people walking by like it’s a retail space,” she says. After eight months of design, permit delays and a surprise $17,000 city permitting fee that pushed her over budget, she saw her first patients in September 2024.
Dr. Eylar worked with worked with an iCare Advisors architect and Karina K Designs to create a light, spa-like atmosphere. Luxury vinyl plank flooring runs throughout, with blue accent walls in the exam lanes, her office and behind the front desk. The same shade appears in the practice logo and marketing materials. Gold accents warm the space, and much of the lighting and furniture are affordable finds from Wayfair and Home Depot.
Outside, a large backlit sign helps her business stand out. “The city actually denied the size permit twice, but I fought to get the largest one possible—10 feet wide by 3 feet tall,” she says. “We often see people that say they saw our sign driving by and decided to stop in. People come here because they can’t see. But they can definitely see my sign!”
The layout includes three exam lanes—two for primary care and one with room to expand into a dedicated dry eye spa—as well as an optical, onsite lab, pretest and contact lens storage rooms, a waiting area with a beverage bar, two bathrooms and Dr. Eylar’s office. Optical frame boards were made from IKEA shelving. Custom hanging frame displays also hang near the front window that were “tricky to level, but worth it.”
A beverage bar in the waiting area gives patients the option of bottled water, sparkling water, coffee and tea. Dr. Eylar got the idea from one of the private practices she worked in before. “We were trained to ask everyone who walked in the door, ‘may I offer you a beverage?’ We weren’t allowed to say ‘drink.’ I wanted to bring that level of customer care to my practice.”
The onsite lab allows for quick turnaround on eyewear. While Dr. Eylar is trained on edging, her optician manages most of the lab work. The team currently includes three employees—a technician, front desk coordinator and optician—who are all cross-trained to cover multiple roles. She expects to add a fourth team member this fall as she opens her second exam lane.
The other two exam lanes are equipped with a Topcon package she received with attractive Vision Source pricing, including an autophoropter and the DC-4 digital camera. “The camera is great for patient education,” Dr. Eylar says. “It helps show patients exactly what’s wrong—such as a corneal ulcer or 
demodex—and helps patients understand their diagnosis.” She also invested in IPL and radiofrequency technology for dry eye treatments and plans to add a spa chair later this year. She also provides specialty and scleral contact lenses and has formed relationships with various ophthalmology groups in the areas for referrals.
As her own boss, Dr. Eylar says her two main priorities are patient care and time with her family. “Because my kids are young—12, 10 and 8— I want to be more present with them and attend the many activities they are in. I spent years working nights and weekends. Not anymore.”
Follow Dr. Eylar and Midlothian Eye Care online:
Facebook: Midlothian Eye Care
Instagram: @midlothianeyecare
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