Hello friendly faces! It’s a new Chicago North Shore Moms spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law.
Chicago North Shore Moms had the pleasure of hearing from Vlada Nakhlis, owner of EyeSee Optometry Clinic, a leading destination in Chicagoland for the prevention and treatment of complex eye conditions. Known for her kindness, patience, and unparalleled expertise, Vlada is one of the most well-versed doctors of optometry we’ve had the chance to meet. Her state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatments, particularly for complex eye conditions like dry eye disease and myopia, set EyeSee apart as a go-to resource for families seeking exceptional care. Get to know more about Vlada’s inspiring journey from her childhood in Ukraine to Chicago and then onto Highland Park where she’s established roots with her three amazing kids, her passion for holistic eye care, and how her practice is making a difference in the community. Welcome, Vlada!
Hi Vlada! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from and what brought you to the North Shore?
Hi, I’m Vlada Nakhlis. I grew up in Vinnitsa, Ukraine until the age of 12, after which I immigrated to the United States and spent my childhood and the rest of my youth in Skokie, Illinois. Before putting down roots in Highland Park in 2011, I lived in Chicago. We all fell in love with this beautiful area immediately. The community and lifestyle along with the easy access to parks made it very appealing for us.
I have three amazing kids that I am extremely proud of – 2 girls and a boy. My two girls are now teenagers; the oldest one is a freshman in high school, and she plays tennis. My second daughter is in middle school, and is a great swimmer. My youngest child, my son, plays basketball.
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
An exceedingly small circle of people knows about this, but I can play piano.
What are your favorite local places, spaces and eats to frequent?
I love going to Tsukasa of Tokyo in Vernon Hills. One of my favorite things to do with my kids is to go to Pinstripes and go bowling.
What are you reading and watching?
I am reading The Toyos Dry Eye Diet: What to Eat to Heal our Dry Eye Disease. I am a dry eye disease expert, and this topic is very dear to my heart because, just like the author, I have more of a holistic approach. I do not solely focus on treatments but I also focus on effective dietary and lifestyle changes that are also extremely important to manage the progressive disease.
What’s one piece of professional advice you’ve gotten OR that you give to others?
The best professional advice that I was given was that if you want to take the best care of the patient, you have to think of a patient as a whole, hence collaborating with other medical professionals and becoming a part of that network is the most critical part of success.
The advice that I give the new incoming eye doctors is to consider the entire human being that they’re treating and to not be shy about communicating with other providers that are collaborating in this patient’s care. Always dig deeper and try to find the root cause not just manage the symptoms.
Your mantra?
Be the change that you want to see in the world. Lead by example. Leave a positive impact on every single human encounter because what goes around comes around. I am very strong believer in karma so I believe what you put out in the world will come back to you threefold.
Let’s get down to business. Please reintroduce EyeSee Optical. When did you start this, what is your role there, what services do you provide?
I am a Doctor of Optometry, the clinical director and owner of EyeSee Optometry Clinic, located in the heart of Lincolnshire on Milwaukee Ave and Aptakisic Road.
EyeSee is a full scope optometry clinic, we use state of the art technology and offer various eye care services. We have a very diversified range of offerings, from comprehensive eye pediatric and adult eye exams, contact lens evaluations, diabetic medical eye exams, glaucoma evaluations, cataract evaluations, LASIK evaluations, genetic testing for eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and more.
My main specialties are ocular surface diseases and myopia control in children.
At EyeSee we also have advanced technology to treat lid disease and provide the best aesthetic eyecare. The best part is it has amazing results on the skin as well because we are targeting the inflammation. We have IPL (Intense pulsed light), Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT), Radio Frequency (RF), LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation, Blepharoexfoliation. I also perform amniotic membrane placement and punctual occlusion.
We also have an optical boutique with the most exquisite selection of high-quality frames, and we have an onsite optical lab which is extremely rare these these days so you can get your glasses done in a matter of minutes.
What’s a common question asked by parents about eye health?
One of the most frequent questions parents ask me is: “At what age should my child have their first eye exam?”
Ideally that should happen at 6 months and then again when the child turns 3 years. It is mandatory for each child to get a comprehensive eye exam before they start school at 5. There is also a requirement by the state for that. As from this requirement, regular eye exams are extremely important and help identify vision problems early on such as nearsightedness (myopia) farsightedness, amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes).
It is estimated that 80% of what a child learns is through their vision and good vision is essential for their overall development and academic success.
As a myopia control expert and a parent, it is my duty to raise awareness on the importance of regular eye exams, especially now since we are facing myopia epidemic. Studies show that by 2050, nearly half of the world’s population will be myopic.
Your practice pays particular attention to myopia control therapy for kids and meibomian gland disease/dry eye disease among kids and adults. What are these conditions and how does your office treat these conditions?
Yes that is absolutely correct. I am a myopia control and ocular surface diseases expert, and these two issues have indeed become increasingly prevalent particularity in today’s digital age since everyone is glued to their phones.
The increased screen time has led to reduced blink rates which leads to insufficient moisture on the surface of the eyes. Poor dietary habits, pollution, dry air, hormonal changes, certain medications are among the main causes of dry eye disease as well.
We offer a variety of treatments to manage the progressive condition such as IPL (Intense pulsed light), Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT), Radio Frequency (RF) , LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation, Blepharoexfoliation. I also perform amniotic membrane placement and punctual occlusion. We curate a personalized treatment plan for each of our patients to ensure we manage the progressive disease properly.
When it comes to myopia, studies suggest that increased screen time and reduced outdoor activity are among the main contributors in developing myopia which may lead to serious vision threatening conditions later in life.
We offer a few different options for slowing down the progression in the office: Low Dose Atropine Drops, and MiSight® 1 day soft contact lenses specifically designed for myopia control and slowing down the progression, and Orthokeratology (Ortho-k) specialty designed lenses that are worn at night that eliminate the need for corrective eyewear during the day. Those are great for kids who play sports.
At EyeSee we use a state-of-the-art equipment called Lensar Myopia which precisely measures the axial length (length of the eye) and assists us in choosing the best course of treatment for managing myopia progression for the child.
Does your office take insurance? If so, which ones?
We are in network with almost all medical and vision insurances, and we also do a courtesy check of our patients benefits prior to their appointments.
Why is your optical practice such a destination for families? Why do you see people drive the extra mile or so to see you?
Believe it or not, I have patients driving from the city to see me or even from different states. EyeSee is different than any other optometry clinic. From the minute you walk through our doors our team is here to provide the best possible eye care. My team and I are extremely compassionate and love what we do and most importantly we care for our patients like they are our family.
I chose optometry as my calling because I strongly believe that being able to see is one the biggest blessings that a person can get and it has to be treasured, as well as regularly and properly maintained to assure its preservation.
My years of experience in optometry have equipped me with an understanding of my patients’ needs. This extensive background allows me to provide not just high-quality care for them but also to build genuine relationships with them.
Additionally, my dedication and commitment to ongoing education helps me to stay informed about the latest advancements in the medical field. My patients trust that my team and I are knowledgeable and informed, providing them with the best eyecare possible eye care and they feel valued and cared for.
The EyeSee Optometry Clinic family
What’s on the horizon for EyeSee?
We have a lot of exciting things coming up, and, as cliche as this may sound, the sky is the limit. We are planning to expand our service offerings even further and meet diverse patient needs.
My biggest goal is to ensure there is increased accessibility to underserved communities. As a mom, a doctor and a practice owner it is extremely important to me that I serve the community effectively, whether that is through school partnerships for vision screenings or educational workshops.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about EyeSee?
EyeSee‘s mission statement is “Changing lives by shaping the brighter future of your vision” and this is a motto I bring into practice every day. I am extremely grateful and proud that EyeSee offers innovative dry eye and myopia control treatments and specializes in treating these conditions because we are helping people improve their day to day lives and achieve their personal goals.
How do we reach out for more information for a consultation?
The best way to schedule an appointment is to contact the clinic at 847-243-3330, email us at [email protected] or go to our website www.dreyesee.com and request an appointment.
About our Meet of Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
