Maternity leave often brings a flood of emotions (and work) for expectant moms. From prepping a nursery to picking a name and baby-proofing the home, new parents have a long to-do list to prepare for their new arrival.
In late 2024, weeks before welcoming her first child, Suparna Bajaj, OD, added “open a private practice” to her to-do list.
UPDATED RETRO
As a first-time mom, Dr. Bajaj wanted to find a location close to home that would also give her room to grow. She found the perfect opportunity in a 1,600-square-foot former restaurant about 10 minutes from home. While adjusting to life with her new baby, she and her husband, Aarohan, simultaneously managed a full-scale renovation and transformed the shuttered space into Core Optometry.
Today, the office includes three exam lanes, a pretest room and an onsite lab with a lens edger operated by Aarohan, who also acts as office manager. The transformation required stripping the space down to its bones and removing restaurant booths, tables and chairs before gutting the walls and taking the flooring down to the concrete.
Dr. Bajaj envisioned an “updated retro” aesthetic, wanting to balance warmth with a modern feel. Light beige walls and natural wood tones create a welcoming foundation, while accents of green and gold add personality and a vintage flair.
The dispensing area features deep green upholstered seating and a custom-built reception desk. The desk includes a white quartz countertop and a wood panel detailing that matches the flooring. To keep the project budget-conscious without sacrificing style, Dr. Bajaj selected frame displays from Ikea that were then customized with laminate to match the rest of the office. In the exam lanes, custom cabinets were completed with quartz countertops and the same laminate wood finishes.
HIGH-TECH FOR EVERY PATIENT
The thoughtful design extends beyond aesthetics. Core Optometry operates as a completely paperless practice, with online check-in and digital forms sent by text before appointments to help visits run smoothly.
Inside the exam lanes, Dr. Bajaj invested in a full suite of Topcon diagnostic technology purchased through Vision Source member pricing, including the KR-1 Fully-Automated Kerato-Refractometer, MYAH Optical Biometer and Corneal Topographer, OCT Maestro 2, CV-5000 digital phoropter and DC-4 digital camera. The technology supports her goal of providing comprehensive care while helping patients better understand their eye health.
Dr. Bajaj specifically accepts Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. She saw firsthand how frequently patients — particularly those on Medicaid or who were low-income or Hispanic — encountered barriers that delayed eyecare during her time at Community Health Centers of the Central Coast.
By the time patients were seen at the health center, she says, conditions such as cataracts, dry eye disease and other ocular changes had often progressed. Over time, she began to see a consistent pattern: the challenge was not simply socioeconomic status. It was a lack of patient education about the importance of eyecare as a facet of healthcare, combined with structural delays in publicly funded care systems.
“It wasn’t that patients didn’t care,” she says. “It was that they weren’t always given the time or context to understand why regular eyecare matters beyond getting glasses.”
That’s why, she says, all patients at Core Optometry are scheduled in 30-minute comprehensive exam slots, regardless of payer. Every exam includes fundus imaging, and a significant portion of the visit is dedicated to explaining findings in clear, approachable language.
“Providing a personalized, boutique experience means taking the time to truly listen and understand each patient’s needs,” Dr. Bajaj says. “When patients feel seen, heard and informed, they feel more confident and connected to their care.”
Dr. Bajaj recently welcomed her second child — a baby girl — and is enjoying a more relaxed maternity leave this time around. She is looking forward to returning back to work full time in the fall.
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