Bright Eyes is 20 Years old today!

Bright Eyes is 20 Years old today!

When Bright Eyes Family Vision Care opened its doors on July 1, 2006, the vision was simple: create a practice where families could receive exceptional eye care in a welcoming environment, where children felt comfortable, parents felt heard, and every patient was treated individually. 
 

Dr. Nate Bonilla-Warford had just finished his Optometric Residency in Pediatric and Binocular Vision at the Illinois College of Optometry. With him, Cristina Bonilla-Warford was expecting their first child. We opened in a single office in West Park Village in Westchase, seeing patients just a few days each week. The entire office had 2 computers: one in the doctor’s office and one at the front desk (none in the exam room).  We had a lot to learn.  
 

Twenty years later, it's remarkable to look back and see how far we've come.
 

As our patients grew, so did our practice. We’ve moved and expanded Bright Eyes Family Vision Care. Over the years, we added new technology such as eye mapping and eye length measuring devices. We’ve  expanded our services for children and adults, welcomed additional doctors and team members, and developed specialty programs focused on children's vision, Binocular Vision Disorder, vision therapy, specialty contact lenses, and myopia management. In 2014, we opened Bright Eyes Kids in New Tampa, creating a dedicated space designed specifically for pediatric eye care.
 

The most interesting changes have been in our “lifer” patients. Some of the toddlers who sat nervously in our exam chair during those first few years are now adults pursuing careers, graduating from college, or starting families of their own. It is a shock when the middle schooler who got his first contact lenses with us comes in with a beard and tattoos today!
 

Of course, it is extra special when patients have kids of their own and bring them to Bright Eyes for their first eye exam! 
 

We've also been fortunate to grow alongside an extraordinary team. This is particularly true to note the addition of Dr. Beth Knighton. While Bright Eyes may have started with just a handful of people, today it takes a diverse group of talented doctors, technicians, therapists, opticians, patient care coordinators, and administrative staff working together to deliver the experience our patients expect. We strive to maintain a culture of caring that extends to each individual.
 

Looking back, it's easy to see how much Bright Eyes has changed since 2006. Our offices are larger, our technology is more advanced, and the care we provide has become increasingly specialized. Yet the mission of the practice remains exactly as it was on that first day: to empower people by providing the best in friendly, professional, and innovative eyecare.

20 Years ago: 

• The iPhone hadn't been released.

• Neither had the Amazon Kindle.

• Netflix only mailed DVDs.

• Facebook had just opened beyond colleges.

• Only about half a million people used social media. Now over 5 billion people do.

• Children spent far less time on digital devices.