Our Doctors

Undergraduate Education: University of Houston. Optometry School: University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? By providing the best eye care to patients to better their daily lives. Hobbies/Interests: movies, traveling, shopping, spending time with family and friends.

Undergraduate Education: Madonna University Livonia, MI. Optometry School: Michigan College of Optometry. Certifications/Awards: BSK Optometric Honor Society, Eschenbach Low Vision Award. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? I love primary care optometry and the variety of patients it allows me to serve and know. The personal aspects of the exam and forming long-lasting relationships with my patients are my favorite parts of optometry. Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy biking, hiking, swimming, birdwatching, breeding exotic ducks, and participating in my church.

Education: University of Georgia 1995, Southern College of Optometry 1999. How do you help your patients? Providing a comprehensive eye exam to assess the health of my patient's eyes and make the best recommendations for each patient to provide contacts and glasses that meet their individual needs. Hobbies: I enjoy spending time outdoors and traveling.

Undergraduate Education: university of Maryland B.S. Optometry School: Pennsylvania college of optometry B.S O.D. Professional Achievements and Associations: Maryland optometric association 2019- pres. The reason I became an optometrist is: Always had a desire to help people, and I always enjoyed going to my optometrist every year. I was fascinated with all the tests and instruments he used. And I thought optometry would be a wonderful career choice. My favorite part of helping my patients is: The fact that I give them their best vision, so whatever job they perform that they can do it clearly and comfortably. In my spare time, I enjoy: I enjoy walking and listening to music.

Undergraduate Education: University of Texas. Optometry School: Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry. Professional Achievements/Associations: Optometry degree, dean’s list, AOA. What drives your passion for optometry? Interest in eye health and sight. How are you helping patients live their best lives? I love helping patients better their quality of life with optimal vision and a compassionate attitude. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? It means allowing science and technology to advance with the current industry and trends to better our profession and patient care. How are you impacting your local community? Serving patients. Hobbies/Interests: Painting, spending time with my husband (Rahul) and daughter (Mila).

Undergraduate Education: George Mason University; Optometry School: Inter American University of Puerto Rico; Professional Achievements/Associations: Member of American Optometry Association, Awarded Best of Arlington Magazine 2018; Clinical Certifications & Specialties: Primary Care and Contact Lenses; What drives your passion for optometry? Helping patients to see better, knowing that each day will bring a new challenge. How are you helping patients live their best lives?: Giving them my 100% attention. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? Ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of all patients. How are you impacting your local community? See better. Live better! Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family and travelling

Undergraduate Education: University of Cincinnati. Optometry School: Pennsylvania School of Optometry. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? By providing comprehensive eye exams for adults and children, diabetic eye exams, contact lens fitting, binocular visual dysfunctions, and ocular disease management. Hobbies/Interests: Reading, hiking, spending time with family.

Undergraduate Education: University of Scranton, BS in exercise science. Optometry School: Salus University, Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Professional Achievements/Associations: graduated summa cum laude, Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Society. Clinical Certifications & Specialties: Primary care optometry. What drives your passion for optometry? Helping people, working with father who is ophthalmologist and seeing how he helped people. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? Listening to patients no matter what. How are you impacting your local community? I work with my church to serve our local community. We help the elderly get to doctors appt's and get groceries. Will try to find a new church once I move to the area! Hobbies/Interests: Artist - I like to paint, hike, play with my dogs (golden retrievers).

Undergraduate Education: Butler University. Optometry School: Indiana University School of Optometry. Hobbies/Interests: In my spare time I enjoy: spending time with my family, dog walks, attending church, playing tennis, exercising, being an avid Bulldogs and Hoosiers fan, cooking, and helping out in the fields on the family farm.

Optometry School: Northeastern State University

Undergraduate Education: University of Iowa; Bachelor of Arts in Biology. Optometry School: Nova Southeastern University 2014. The reason I became an optometrist is: When I was in high school, I shadowed an Optometrist who became my mentor, and I really liked the aspect of helping patients understand their eye care needs and taking care of any eye issues. I also liked the idea of being able to establish and keep those good patient relationships too. My favorite part of helping my patients is: I enjoy being able to make a patient’s day by meeting or exceeding their vision or eye health needs whether it’s new glasses, contact lenses, treating an eye disease, or even removal of a piece of metal from the eye. In my spare time, I enjoy: Spending time with my family, checking out new restaurants in downtown Chicago, and cheering on the White Sox.

Dr. Cara Ystad is a graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry. She is passionate about helping people see their best. In addition to providing excellent care through comprehensive and diabetic eye exams for children & adults, Dr. Ystad enjoys treating those with urgent care needs. When she isn’t helping her community see better, she likes to run, cook, read, play piano, and spend time with her family.

Undergraduate Education: Bachelor of Science in Biology at The Pennsylvania State University. Optometry School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. Certifications/Awards: Graduated Summa Cum Laude from PCO; Clinic Excellence in Primary Care at The Eye Institute and Affiliated Patient Care Sites. Hobbies/Interests: Playing music with family and friends, keeping active outdoors, snowboarding, hunting, and fishing.

Undergraduate Education: Washington & Jefferson College, B.S. Optometry School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University 1993. Professional Achievements and Associations: West Virginia Optometric Physicians; Virginia Optometric Association; Maryland Optometric Association; Pennsylvania Optometric Association. Clinical Certifications and Specialties: Corneal disorders and Glaucoma Therapy. The reason I became an optometrist is: I had a desire to help people with their most precious sense - sight, and in doing so help them live a better life. My favorite part of helping my patients is: Seeing the look on their face and smile when they can see better or if I can help them with an eye disorder. In my spare time, I enjoy: Vegetable gardening and working on a small farm with my family.

Undergraduate Education: Kenyon College, Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Minor in Anthropology. Optometry School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, 2011. Professional Achievements and Associations: Member of the AOA and POA. The reason I became an optometrist is: I had troubles with my own eyes as a child and I always recall having a good experience with the optometrist. I was in undergrad and seeing my optometrist while home on a break and we were chatting about my next step in life - he had been seeing my family for many years - and he suggested I look into optometry. It has been a great fit ever since. My favorite part of helping my patients is: I enjoy being able to evaluate and meet the individual visual needs for each patient. Finding the right combination of factors to help patients improve their visual function can improve so many aspects of their lives. In my spare time, I enjoy: I love to be outside exploring the natural areas and hiking trails in the area. I also practice yoga and teach occasionally at a local studio.

Undergraduate Education: Boston University. Optometry School: New England College of Optometry. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? By providing comprehensive eye exams for adults and children, diabetic eye exams, contact lens fitting, and ocular disease management. Hobbies/Interests: Travelling with my husband and 2 daughters. I’m also fluent in Romanian and Armenian.

Undergraduate Education: University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC); BS in Biological Sciences. Optometry School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University; Doctor of Optometry (2010); Completed optometric residency in Ocular Disease at Baltimore VA Medical Center (2011). Professional Achievements and Associations: Member of the American Optometric Association (AOA) and Maryland Optometric Association (MOA); Has lectured at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins; Has presented a poster at SECO International. Clinical Certifications and Specialties: Certified by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and Maryland State Board of Optometry; Completed residency in Ocular Disease at the Baltimore VA Medical Center (2011). Skilled in: Comprehensive eye examination; Contact lens fitting; Diabetic eye exams; Diagnosis and management of eye disease; Management of ocular emergencies. The reason I became an optometrist is: to help fellow humans see better and function better in the world and be able to do the activities they enjoy the most. My favorite part of helping my patients is: to educate my patients about eye health and preventative measures to preserve eye health and vision. In my spare time, I enjoy: traveling around the world, spending time with friends and family, meditation, hiking, and outdoor activities.