Top Instagram Accounts to Follow

In today’s world, your practice’s website and social media accounts are the front door and window displays of your office. Many optometrists, optometry students, and optometric businesses have taken to Instagram to drive patients into their practices and to share their knowledge and experiences with colleagues.

With more than 1 billion people using the Instagram platform each month and more than 500 million logging in each day, this powerful tool should not be ignored.¹ To make things more interesting, according to one study, more than half of these users are between the ages of 18 and 34, making the medium especially attractive for those looking to appeal to millennial and generation Z doctors and patients.² In this article, I profile Instagram accounts that you should strongly consider following.

LOOKING FOR SOME EYEBALL-RELATED FUNNIES?

Dillon Batalo, OD
@dillonbatalo

This is one of my favorite accounts on all of social media. Dr. Batalo describes himself as a 2015 Illinois College of Optometry grad and “geriatric millennial” who practices in Denver. He states, “I’ve found enjoyment making ridiculous videos on social media over the last year.” The topics he addresses are mostly about everyday work struggles, which he has noticed really resonate with people in the eye care professions. He adds, “It’s been amazing connecting with the online community and bringing comedic relief to people while still providing a hint of educational content.”

Nadia Afkhami
@eyeamnadia

Nadia started her Instagram account as a way to document her journey through optometry school for all of her friends back home. Because of her witty and charming short videos, her following quickly grew as more fellow students and doctors discovered her channel. A first-generation Iranian American, this Western University School of Optometry student will be graduating in 2022. She uses her videos to brighten others’ days while inspiring young women from diverse backgrounds that they can be anything they want to be.

WANT TO SEE WHAT THE KIDS (STUDENTS) ARE UP TO TODAY?

Khanh T.
@kt.opt

Khanh T. is a fourth-year optometry student at the University of Houston College of Optometry. She uses her Instagram profile as a creative outlet to promote her future career in optometry through her stories, reels, and photos. Her obvious passion for eye care helps pre-optometry and current optometry students through their rigorous academic journeys. She does a wonderful job documenting her everyday life as an OD student through Instagram while also running a YouTube account that focuses on education and lifestyle tips.

Aubrey Sowers
@future_aub_tometrist

Aubrey is an entering first-year student at the University of Missouri St. Louis Optometry School, class of 2025. She began her account to document her journey through the pre-optometry admission phase with the intent of continuing it throughout optometry school and eventually her life as a practicing doctor. She notes that her account has allowed her to connect with thousands of amazing people while giving her the ability to help others along paths like hers. Aubrey says, “My page will continue to be an open book about my journey, and I’m looking forward to sharing more about it in the years to come; especially as I officially begin the journey in August!”

HOW DO OTHER PRACTICES SUCCESSFULLY USE INSTAGRAM?

Terri Holland Optometry
@terrihollandoptometry

This beautiful Instagram account was awarded @trynottoblink podcast’s “build my insta” award as favorite eye care Instagram. Based in Ontario, Terri Holland Optometry describes itself as “a caring and friendly optometry and optical shop, bringing fun and levity to posts through music, art, color, and education.” It strives to present extraordinary vision of the ordinary things in life.

LOOKING FOR PRACTICING DOCS AND PAGES OFFERING TIPS AND PEARLS?

Jen Wademan, OD
@drjenwademan

Dr. Wademan has found Instagram to be “a fun and creative outlet” that allows her to connect with many people. She uses her platform to share her obvious love of the profession and passion for good ocular health, with her bubbly personality shining through in each post. She states “My goal has been to encourage others, make people laugh, and promote the profession of eye care and its rightful place at the table.”

Rachael Peterson Wruble, OD, FAAO
@dr.eyegotthis

Dr. Wruble is a practicing optometrist and the president of the North Carolina Optometric Society. She wears many hats, and says she created her account because so many colleagues had asked, “How do you do it all?” She jokes that she doesn’t know if she’s doing it all or if she’s even doing it correctly, but wants to share her life as a multipractice business owner, mother of two, wife, consultant, mentor, and community leader. She says that in becoming a business owner, “I found a passion on the finance side, and I believe that started when I was determined to pay off all of my student loans in under 4 years.” She loves sharing her ups and downs along with various tips and tricks in the hope that she can help inspire others in everyday life.

Joseph Allen, OD, FAAO
@doctoreyehealth

Perhaps best known for his YouTube channel with more than 375,000 subscribers, Dr. Allen has also found a niche on Instagram. Whereas his YouTube channel primarily focuses on taking a deep dive into common eye-related issues, most of his Instagram posts are relatively short in nature. Many of these posts end with him soliciting answers to open-ended questions, as he says he is genuinely interested in learning more about his followers.

Daily Optometry
@daily_optometry

Another favorite of mine, Daily Optometry focuses on sharing educational cases so that viewers can learn about different ocular pathologies and management approaches. This account’s ability to pick and choose the best cases from across Instagram and give them better exposure results in incredibly valuable content.

Interestingly, the creator of this page states, “This page has always been about our dynamic, multidisciplinary profession, so I have decided to remain anonymous.” They add that, “The diversity of my posts has attracted followers from around the world including ophthalmologists, dispensing opticians, optometrists, and students. I ultimately want any eye care professional to learn something from my page.”

Harbir Sian, OD
@harbirsian.od

Dr. Sian is the co-owner of two optometry practices in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. He says that he’s always had a passion for education, and he writes blogs, makes YouTube videos, and has an active podcast. He states, “I like creating content both for patients and for colleagues. Instagram is my favorite channel for sharing knowledge because it lets me mix some fun into the learning.”

Joshua Davidson, OD, FAAO, FSLS
@dryeyeod

Shameless self-promotion! My account focuses primarily on interesting cases encountered in our large six-location MD/OD practice. I also report on the creation and development of new products in the dry eye segment (www.dryeyedrink.com).