3 Minutes on a Park Bench with Dr. Laura Frederick of Clearfinity

We emailed Patch partner Dr. Laura Frederick of Clearfinity Eyecare Optometrist and she tells us how she knew she wanted to become an Optometrist and recommends three great books.

Patch: What is your definition of success?

Dr. Laura Frederick: Success is when you have finished achieving a personal long-term goal that results in you feeling happy and satisfied. However, achieving success does not mean you have reached an endpoint, but it allows for one to regain motivation and develop momentum to further pursue new challenges with more confidence.

Patch: How are you involved in the community?

Dr. Laura Frederick: I am a member of my local church, I take care of little children in the church nursery and sing in the choir. I volunteer my time with my children's school.

Patch: If you had to recommend someone three books what would they be and why?

Dr. Laura Frederick: "The Bible" provides the answers for how to handle the daily challenges that faces us in life and to do it with respect and dignity. "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish teaches us about proper communication that can be applied to all ages and all settings. "The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?" by Rick Warren helps us to understand our value in this world and that all of us are here for a reason — we are all valuable and this book will help one to realize this.

Patch: What is your favorite part of working in the Lorton/Woodbridge area?

Dr. Laura Frederick: Being able to provide the needed quality customer service, eye care, and eyewear products in an area where there is a lot of new and continuing growth. It also helps that I live very close so it feels like I am taking care of my community.

Patch: Can you tell us a little bit about your new practice?

Dr. Laura Frederick: I have been practicing since 2004 and I always knew that one day I wanted to have my own practice where I can provide the service and care to the community the same way I would with my own family. My practice exudes a feeling of comfort, calmness, a low-stress environment and feeling at home. We appreciate each person that chooses to have their eyes cared for by us and we value their eye and overall health. We take time to understand patient concerns, their overall health, and general lifestyle so that we can provide tailored care and accomplish solving any concerns. We have a modern office with the latest technology, frames, lenses, and contact lenses in order to provide the clearest possible vision. Technology moves fast in our field and our goal is to keep up with any improvements and offer it to our patients.

Patch: What are the most common conditions you treat?

Dr. Laura Frederick: Aside from the usual vision correction through providing quality glasses and contacts for all ages, I also evaluate and treat medical issues like dry eyes, eye infections, allergies, injuries and glaucoma. I am trained to assess for any retinal or corneal abnormalities so that I can refer patients to the appropriate specialist. I treat lazy eye (amblyopia) and assess for any binocular vision issues. Finally, I can achieve better vision for complicated cases like keratoconus, corneal injury, irregular astigmatism, or high astigmatism with medically necessary or customized contacts in the form of scleral rigid gas permeable contacts or rigid gas permeable lenses.

Patch: What made you want to become an Optometrist?

Dr. Laura Frederick: I first needed glasses when I was 11 years old. I became very curious and excited about the fact that one can learn to make people see better. I knew that I enjoyed medical science but also wanted a career that would allow me to work in many different settings and schedules with minimal stress. Optometry offered that as well an environment to identify what it means to achieve good vision and that helps me to be a better Optometrist for my patients.

Patch: How does Clearfinity distinguish itself from the others?

Dr. Laura Frederick: The name Clearfinity was chosen because it covers several things. It exudes a sense of clarity, quality, a lifetime of vision and care. We all want to feel that we are cared for and appreciated, but it's not easy to find that in many places. We make it a point to welcome each and every person who walks in or calls us. We treat each person like they are family and educate our patients thoroughly about their eyes and how we can assist in solving any concerns they have about their vision or eyes. When we treat the patient's eyes, we take a holistic approach and consider them in the context of the entire body. The eyes are connected to every part of us like any other body part and therefore we look out for any other potential health issues beyond just your eyes. You are not going to be in and out in five minutes and treated like a number. We also strive to communicate to our patients any new developments in eyewear, eyeglass lenses, and contact lenses. We also keep the lines of communication open about any eyewear orders. If we are not satisfied with the workmanship on any order, we will send it back and let you know about it. All eyewear purchased automatically comes with additional services (lifetime frame adjustments, glasses re-verification, prescription re-checks, etc.) and a one-year warranty on frames and premium lenses that one would normally have to pay for separately if eyewear was purchased elsewhere.

Patch: How does someone know when it is time to see an Optometrist?

Dr. Laura Frederick: Generally, one will often wait until their vision seems unclear before they see an Optometrist. However, sometimes patients may not be aware that they are not seeing optimally as they can and may experience other symptoms like headaches, strain, fatigue and light sensitivity before they notice that their vision is the issue. Children are not aware of how they should see, especially if only one eye is blurred and the other eye is clear. Eye diseases often are quiet with no pain or signs until it is too late. These diseases can manifest even in a person who has never needed glasses. Just like we should have a physical annually to capture silent diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and clean our teeth every 6 months to minimize dental problems that can affect our overall health, one should have an eye exam annually. The American Optometrist Association recommends having your eyes evaluated by age 6 months, 1 yr, 3yrs and annually after that if there are no issues.

Patch: What are the top three tips you could give readers to help improve or maintain their eye health?

Dr. Laura Frederick: 1. Get your eyes examined annually — so that we can keep up with any vision changes and help you maintain optimal clear vision. We can also identify any other health issues that may show up in your eyes first. 2. Eat lots of leafy green vegetables, carrots, fruits — remember, the eyes are connected to your whole body so healthy living will allow for the best eye health. 3. Take breaks from near devices (computers, tablets, smartphones, and books). For every half hour spent on the computer, look far away for 30 seconds to rest your eyes. For children, limit electronics and tablets to a maximum of two hours a day and try to spread it out so that their eyes take breaks. This also applies for intense readers of books. Take breaks from reading the same way you would take a break from a computer or any other electronic device that's near your eyes.

Patch: How can readers contact your or learn more about Clearfinity organization?

Dr. Laura Frederick: Visit our website: www.clearfinityeyecare.com. Visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clearfinityeyecare/