One to Watch: Jade Coats, OD

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Please share with us your background.

I was born and raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the oldest of six children in a blended household. I spent my childhood growing up on the many local lakes, playing tennis and basketball, and working summers at the family beverage flavoring business, Grapette International.

Throughout college and after obtaining a BS in biology from the University of Arkansas, I worked as a licensed optician apprentice for a large corporate optical and as a licensed pharmacy technician for a locally owned pharmacy. The skills and customer service experience I learned during that time have been invaluable since then, throughout optometry school and beyond.

Describe your current position.

Since graduating from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis in 2016, I have been a full-time associate at McDonald Eye Associates in Rogers, Arkansas. I routinely perform comprehensive eye exams and provide perioperative care, with a passion for treating dry eye and ocular disease.

Who are your mentors?

As someone whose first prescription at 8 years old was roughly -4.00 D sphere OU, I had my fair share of eye exams as a kid. My first eye doctor was an incredible female optometrist who went on to be a president of the Arkansas Optometric Association. Annette Webb-Stevenson, OD, not only inspired my young self, but has continued to be an inspiration for decades since.

I am also lucky to be surrounded by influential mentors within the Arkansas Optometric Association, the Intrepid Eye Society, and at home with Jeff Coats, OD, my husband and greatest source of daily mentorship and motivation.

What has been the most memorable experience of your career thus far?

During the 4 years I spent abroad serving with the Student Volunteers in Optometric Service to Humanity (SVOSH), I witnessed an octogenarian receive their first pair of reading glasses and provided eye care services to individuals who never would have received them otherwise. These experiences have helped me to become a better optometrist and have given me confidence in my clinical acumen.

What new technological advances do you find particularly exciting? Which advances in the pipeline are you most enthusiastic or curious about?

The possibility of presbyopia-correcting eye drops is exciting. I am not yet presbyopic; however, as a post–refractive surgery patient I look forward to having an alternative to readers one day when that time arrives. It excites me that presbyopia has the potential to be a household term that can help bring to our offices a demographic of patients who would not have presented to an eye doctor otherwise.

Describe a typical day in your life.

A typical day in my life involves waking up at 6:30 am and getting to the office for patients starting at around 8 am. I usually see 20 to 25 patients per day and work exclusively with two or three rock-star technicians. After work, I enjoy spending time in my garden, researching and writing articles, planning future travel adventures, or volunteering in my local community. As a chondrosarcoma survivor, I am also passionate about serving on the Board of Directors for Hope Cancer Resources in Northwest Arkansas and working as an advocate for cancer patients and their families.

What advice can you offer to individuals who are just now choosing their career paths after finishing optometry school or a residency?

Do what makes you happy. If you know what you want—go for it!