1. Tell us a little about yourself and your history.
Originally from Arkansas, I moved here two years ago with my partner, Matthew. While not a born and raised Vermonter, I feel at home being an eye care provider here. I provide primary eye care with an emphasis on ocular disease and dry eye disease at Chroma Optics in Burlington.
2. What did your training and education look like to get to this point?
I graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in 2019, then worked for an ophthalmology practice in Arkansas for 3 I am licensed in advanced procedures in the state of Arkansas, including YAG capsulotomy, SLT, and removal of minor lumps and bumps.
3. How would the proposed scope expansion impact your work as a new practitioner?
For me, the importance is for the patients. Vermont health care is so limited as it is, with many patients having to wait many months for procedures that could improve their quality of life.
Increasing the number of doctors available to perform these procedures would greatly increase accessibility for patients, especially those in more rural parts of the state.
4. Share your thoughts about the frustration around a scope that stifles your ability to do what you’re trained to do.
It does affect me as a medical provider to not be able to do everything I am capable of doing. Something to keep in mind is that there are many other states that have a wider scope than Vermont, and that is appealing to many optometrists. When we have the training but aren’t able to help our patients and apply that training, it is frustrating to know we are not practicing to our full potential. It is even more frustrating to not be able to offer an explanation to patients as to why we cannot help. If we want to keep medical eye providers in the state, we have to be willing to accept and utilize their skills to their full potential.