Optometric Scholar of the Month - Lydia Smith

Please provide a brief summary of your background.

I grew up in Jamaica with two older brothers and migrated to the United States 6 years ago. Growing up, I was involved in interpretive dance, track and field, theater, and various academic programs. Being from a third-world country, my parents didn’t have the means to attend college, but they sacrificed a lot to ensure I had the opportunity to further my education. In 2021, I completed my Bachelor of Science in biology at Norfolk State University in Virginia.

Describe your current situation.

I am a third-year student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry, where I observe in specialty clinics and see patients in primary care, vision therapy, and community eye care.

Additionally, I was selected as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow to conduct a service project over a 13-month period. My partner and I will be administering comprehensive eye examinations to individuals recovering from substance abuse, as well as to the marginally housed population.

What sparked your interest in optometry?

My spark for optometry ignited in my sophomore year of undergrad, when I was introduced to the profession by my mentor, Paula Boone, OD, at a Lion’s Club vision screening. While volunteering, I was captivated by the instantaneous effect eye care services have on patients’ lives. I value how the profession consists of a balance of safeguarding vision and identifying precursors to systemic conditions.

What causes or specialties are you passionate about?

I’m interested in ocular disease because it is medically based. I start my specialty rotation this semester, so I’m keeping my mind and options open.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your training so far?

Bringing joy to patients through my ability to connect with them while providing a quality eye examination. It is a delight when patients compliment you on a job well done, recruit you for their next examination, or mention that you made them very comfortable.

What have you found most challenging in your optometric journey?

Adjusting to the mental and physical demands of each curriculum year. There is a lot to cover in a short amount of time, and it can become overwhelming. It helps to understand your own strengths and weaknesses in order to capitalize off both and stay on track.

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Fifteen years from now?

Establishing a private practice and creating an educational eye care platform for the public are goals of mine. Moreover, I am interested in partaking in mission trips to provide quality eye exams to Jamaica and other underserved communities. In Jamaica, the optometrist-to-patient ratio is 1:180,000, so there is a dire need for eye care services. As mentioned by technology executive and writer Sheryl Sandberg, “We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”