One to Watch: Fayiz Mahgoub, OD

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Please share with us your background.

I spent my early childhood in Omdurman, Sudan, and moved with my family to Fort Collins, Colorado, when I was 10 years old. I attended Colorado State University before attending optometry school, and then returned to Fort Collins after graduating.

Describe your current position.

I am the founder and CEO of Augmented Vision Labs, a technology company focused on leveraging emerging technologies to empower eye care providers and patients.

Who are your mentors?

I chose optometry as a career because of the great group of ODs that I had the opportunity to shadow during my undergraduate years. This group included Scott Haugen, OD; Ron Bateman, OD; Christopher Eddy, OD; and Mason Bryant, OD. They showed me that optometry is both a fulfilling and impactful profession.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of members of optometric communities: the National Optometric Association (NOA), the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), the Global Specialty Lens Symposium (GSLS), the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), and the Intrepid Eye Society.

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

Volunteering on optometric service trips. It is rewarding in the sense that you know you’re making a positive impact in people’s lives and also challenging in the sense that you can clearly see the disparities in access to care that exist within the communities we serve. Those experiences showed me that eye care providers have a unique capacity and responsibility to help reduce those disparities and make access to eye care more equitable.

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

Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, additive manufacturing, and cloud computing. They all have the power to radically change the way eye care will be delivered in coming years. by facilitating the development of new clinical tools, allowing the automation of clinical and clerical tasks, and making new care delivery models possible.

Describe a typical day in your life. What keeps you busy, fulfilled, and passionate?

Running and growing Augmented Vision Labs. Making a positive impact in patients’ lives and spending time with my family and friends. Working with ambitious colleagues on important projects.

I have recently been involved with a number of organizations and projects, including Young Leaders in Optometry, the Intrepid Eye Society, the Optical Foundation’s Advisory Committee, and NOA’s Strategic Planning Committee.

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

Look outward. Explore the many career opportunities that optometry provides, including clinical specialties and practice modalities, as well as opportunities outside of patient care. Look inward. Take time to reflect on what you would ideally want your career and life to look like. Begin with the end in mind. This is a concept from Stephen R. Covey’s book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.¹ It suggests visualizing what a successful end to your journey looks like and then reverse-engineering a path to take you to that desired destination.