The vision health of children and those with special needs receives devoted, undivided attention at Special Eyes Pediatric Vision Clinic in New Bern, NC.
THE IDEA
Special Eyes’ origins are traceable to a particular patient. In late 2014, Dr. Cathy Doty examined an 18-month-old boy who arrived at Family Eye Care in New Bern, NC, with an untreated strabismus that had notably delayed his general development. Troubled by the fact that his parents, as members of a public health scheme, had been forced to wait three months to see her — one of the few doctors in the area who accepted their coverage — Doty made the decision to dedicate herself to pediatric and special-needs optometry. Her partners were agreeable, and by May 2015 she had opened the business’s children’s facility, Special Eyes Pediatric Vision Clinic.
THE EXECUTION
Doty sees patients up to age 16 and special needs patients of all ages, offering comprehensive exams and emergency visits. “No two days are the same. Some patients come in on gurneys from residential facilities,” she says.
Staffing a niche practice presents unique challenges. “There are definitely some people who enjoy working with children, and the children can tell. I have provided some in-service training, and have put together [fitting] guidelines for our optical staff.” Exam rooms are set up for comfort and fun. The décor draws largely on Doty’s own parenting experience, and audiovisual and sugary treats are deployed at strategic points throughout the process. “It is rare for us to need more than three adults to help us hold the child, but it has happened... I will do as much as the parents want me to do.” Doty has made it a mission to drum home to parents the link between vision health and behavioral issues. “Parents still believe when their children pass vision screenings at school and the pediatrician’s office, that their vision is fine. I see the ‘jaw drop’ reaction almost every day. Many of them have behavioral diagnoses and take heavy medications for issues that may have been related to their +6.00 OU prescriptions. If there are two things that I hope I can help change in this world, it would be: 1. All children deserve to have at least one comprehensive eye exam before they start school; and 2. Comprehensive vision exams should be part of the overall health evaluation of a child before they are labeled as ADD, ADHD, ODD, OCD, autism spectrum disorder, speech-delayed, or behaviorally disabled and placed on medications.” THE REWARDS Getting Dr. Doty to discuss herself is a challenge; this modest but highly accomplished and dedicated professional will turn the conversation back to the “critical issue of vision correction for the most vulnerable.” But she concedes being “blessed beyond measure to have a supportive husband, partner, amazing staff, and community.” She took a leap of faith, she says, “and God has provided. I can’t even put a price on what this has all meant to me personally.”