One to Watch: Nishan Pressley, OD

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Please share with us your background.

I grew up in the small town of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, with my mother and younger sister. I always wanted to be a doctor but wasn’t sure what field I wanted to pursue. Once I found optometry, I fell in love with the profession! I’m the first doctor in my family, and I am passionate about increasing awareness about eye health and mentoring young people to pursue this amazing career.

Describe your current position.

I am an optometrist at Florida Eye Clinic, an MD/OD group practice. I provide routine eye care to all ages and assist with pre- and postoperative patients. Working with ophthalmologists allows me to have a more medical-based position and permits me to practice to the full extent of my license. My patient base is approximately 70% geriatric, with a plethora of disease cases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and so much more. I love working in this mode of practice because it keeps me on my toes!

Who are your mentors?

My chief mentor is Whitney Miranda, OD, with Vision Specialists of Central Florida. I met her while rotating through her practice during my pediatric externship. She’s a developmental optometrist who focuses on treating and managing neuroprocessing and binocular vision disorders. At that time, I had only 6 months left of optometry school. She took me to regional optometric meetings, which helped me get acclimated to the area and build relationships with local optometrists. On top of that, she helped me with my resume and encouraged me to get business cards to pass out to potential employers. Dr. Miranda is now a very close friend of mine, and she continues to provide help and guidance as I navigate through my career.

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

My most memorable experience would be getting my name on our practice door. This might sound clichéd, but for me this signifies that all of my hard work and dedication over the last year of practicing has paid off!

What new technological advances do you find particularly exciting?

I recently read an article detailing how artificial intelligence could soon become part of our screening procedures for diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and many more sight-threatening diseases. I can’t wait to see how this will change patient care over time.

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

As a soon-to-be bride, planning my wedding keeps me busy. Outside of that, my true passion comes from mentoring young students who are interested in optometry and creating social media content that brings more awareness to optometry. My social media profile has become a safe place for people to ask questions during my #MentorMonday series, to receive knowledge about their eyes, and to request a one-on-one mentorship session with me!

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

When you have long days or challenging cases, always remember why you chose optometry, and it will make everything worth it.