The Launch of Key Optique

Key Optique was founded by me, Dr. Keylee Brown, an optometrist in rural North Georgia as a way to give back to our local communities and beyond. The idea was to offer fun products that make people happy and feel good while also being a way we can do good for others.

Key Optique gives back a portion of the proceeds to various organizations. They typically have a couple campaigns running so you can use a designated code and choose which organization you would like to support.

Key Optique also likes to help support fundraisers with optometry schools and optometry related service organizations. All you have to do is promote your specific code that they set up and a portion of the proceeds goes back to your organization.

For now the business offers jewelry but soon enough we will expand and even offer things for the fellas!

Acuvue Oasys Transitions

Playing a little golf at the Johnson & Jonhson Institute with the Acuvue Oasys Transitions contact lens with Light Intelligent Technology.

I was honored to be a part of the faculty for this event and enjoyed educating doctors on the benefits and characteristics of this lens. It’s such a cool new technology and so fun to talk about!

It was fun seeing so many friends and making new ones too! 

Fun Facts about the Acuvue Oasys Transitions contact lens with Light Intelligent Technology:

-Blocks up to 70% of UV light when in its activated state and this lens is always on so it blocks up to 15% of high energy blue light indoors as well

-it takes 60 seconds to darken and 90 seconds to return back to normal

-It does darken you eyes and its more noticeable on lighter colored eyes but it doesn’t make you look like a zombie.

disclosure- I am a speaker with J&J but was not paid for this post

Fly in on Capitol Hill

There is such a vibrant energy in DC with all the history and decision making that goes on there. I always love going to advocate for my patients and optometry. We wrapped up another successful AOA on Capitol Hill last month.

I believe it is important to advocate for the profession to be able to give the best care for our patients. A big part of advocacy is just educating the general public on what we do as optometrists and the level of care we are trained to give. To learn more about AOA on Capitol Hill click here.

Sensitive to most makeup removers?

Easy make up remover

Remove smear-proof, waterproof makeup and mascara with The Original Makeup Eraser. Free of chemicals, this makeup remover gets rid of all types of makeup, including stage, sports, and theatrical makeup. Each cloth will last a thousand washes, and you only need to add water and then remove makeup. This ultra-soft, woven polyester-blend cloth gets rid of tough makeup without leaving behind a residue—just a fresh, healthy feeling

Purchase

This towel is truly magic and is great for anyone but especially people with sensitivities to makeup removers. You just use warm water and it takes your makeup off. I love how soft it is. I will have to say though that for waterproof makeup I do sometimes have to use a oil based makeup remover to get it off.

A Pop of Color This Winter

Typewriter Edition Persols

These Persols are at the top of my wish list! A great unisex pair of sunnies that are sure to turn heads, and add a pop of color this winter. They are more than just a fashion statement. These Persols are polarized to cut glare from the snow, water, or road, and their tempered glass lenses ensure optimal clarity.

Purchase on Amazon

Georgia Injections Certification Class

Filling this classroom are dedicated doctors that love their profession, are passionate about their patients and giving them the best care, are dedicated to practicing at the highest level of their scope of practice, and want to see positive advancements of the profession. The Georgia Optometric Association recently held the mandated course which allows optometrists to do certain types of injections around the eye. The course was 30 hours of lecture, a 90 question test, and then a 'wet lab' to perform the injections. I participated in the course and I am excited to use these skills in the new scope expansion in Georgia. When you love what you do it makes it easier to be in a classroom for 30 hours!

Congressional Visits in DC with the American Optometric Association

Advocacy is so important especially for a legislated profession like optometry. It’s important to advocate for our patients and their safety and to make sure they are getting the best quality care possible. It’s important to have your voice heard. It’s important to show by your actions that you care. What is it that you are passionate about? What are you doing to make a positive influence on your profession?

Mirrored Lenses

I am obsessed with mirror coatings on sunglasses. The blue really pops in the snow and is good for summer time too by the pool. Plus, people can't see your eyes so you can stare if you want to! (hehe) These frames are by Diff Eyewear; they have stylish frames with most come polarized and they have a great business model of giving back to those in need of glasses and vision care. 

Customized Lenses for Sunglasses

After going through optometry school and learning all about optics I like to make standard sunglasses super functional by customizing lenses for them. These have hoya polarized brown lenses that are good for driving and everyday outdoor activities with a back side anti reflective coating. Now these lenses will block out more light then the stock lenses they came with. Once you have good sunglasses with good optics you won’t ever be able to go back!

Help Georgia Optometrists Be Able to Do Injections!

Georgia optometrists need your help! 
SB 153, which would allow optometrists to perform certain types of injections in limited areas near the eye, is awaiting Governor Deal’s signature, and we need YOUR help to make it happen. If you have an extra minute call (404)656-1776 and recommend the governor to sign SB 153 into law by May 9th. 
I did it and it makes you feel like a good Georgia citizen! ;)

Simple Steps to Goal Setting

As a fresh new year begins I like to look at all the goals I met this year and set new ones for next year. I always write my goals down so I can refer back to them and see the progress made or get a game plan going on how to achieve the goal. 
Here is a simple way to get started on goal planning:

1. Write down a brief description of what you would like your life to look like in 5 years. Make sure it aligns with your values and life goals. 
2. Write down 5-10 smaller achievable goals for the year
3. For each goal write out a short term plan for the next 30-90 days on how you will reach your goal. (Remember most big dreams are accomplished in baby steps) 
4. Lastly, have fun along the way and don't get so lost in the hustle that you forget to live a little 😉

Importance of being involved in optometry school

Involvement in organized optometry outside of the classroom is very important. It gives you a sense of community through networking, it gives you roots in the profession and it helps you stay in the know with the profession. I always tell people find your niche in the profession whether it be sports vision, vision therapy, ocular disease, or advocacy etc. and reach out to practicing docs in that field. You can even join committees and special interest groups. Go to as many national meetings as you can. Meet as many people as you can and establish a connection with them. Most practicing doctors would love to mentor a motivated student. Networking is a very important part of professional development, you never know when you may need to reach out to someone for advice on a difficult case or need referring doc in a certain town or even get leads for a job.

Be involved in different organizations at your school like AOSA, VOSH, NOSA, Private Practice club etc. There are so many opportunities that will arise from being a active member of these groups that are available only to students and you will gain very valuable experiences during your student years.

5 Simple Steps to Create a Personal Brand

When I graduated optometry school I wanted a way to distinguish myself as a new doctor from other optometrists and have a way to keep up with my patients. In the age we live in the first thing most people do before going to the doctor is a google search. Having a website and public social media account allows the patient to get to know you a sense of who you are before you even meet. A good online presence also gives you the valuable opportunity to educate your patients on topics in your field. I realize that people are not searching the hashtags #maculardegeneration or #glaucoma so I try to ‘sprinkle’ educational tidbits in with fashion eye wear and motivational quotes to keep my content enjoyable for the average reader.

I think it is important for every professional to have an online presence as a place where clients/patients can interact and get to know the professional outside of the the traditional business setting. I outlined 5 of my top tips for developing a professional brand and it is quite simple to do.

1) High Quality Headshot

Hire a professional photographer for a session and get them to give you 2-3 professional photos that you can use for different social media platforms and websites. I would suggest using the same headshot for your profile pics to have consistent branding and you can use the others for bios, blog posts, social media posts, etc.

2) Professional Page on a Social Media Platform of your choice

If you are a millennial or tech savvy you probably have 3 or more different social media accounts that you have been using for years to display your personal life to friends. I think it is a good idea to keep those private and pick one platform that you can connect with your patients/clients with on a professional level. I chose Instagram because it is an easy way to use pictures to tell a story and even use for educational purposes.

3) Relevant Content

Create some interesting content to share on your sites and keep your patients engaged. It can be anything from fun facts to the latest research. I even try to keep things interesting and add fashion, beauty tips, and words of inspiration.

4) Business Cards and Personalized Stationery

These two items maybe the amongst some of the oldest tips in the book, but are still a very important piece to branding and networking. Business cards are an easy way to exchange information or to hand out with marketing material. A handwritten note on some nice high quality stationery goes a long way when making an impression.

    5) Logo and Consistent theme of the brand  

A simple logo and a color scheme is all you need.You dont have to go all out and spend a lot of money on the logo. You just need one for visual impact and brand constancy. There are tons of websites that offer logo making services. I just asked my super talented graphic design friend if she could whip something up for me and I fell in love with the end result.

A good online presence is so important and will be beneficial in many ways. Its great for patient education, it helps the patient remember who you are, and also a great networking tool. If I can figure it out, anyone can!  

A little Friday night inspiration

Being generous doesn't always mean you are generous with material things. Be a giver of time, kindness, a listening ear and compassion. These are simple things we all are capable of, but do we use our abilities to their full potential? Have you done anything today to show your generosity?

6 weeks in my residency and I LOVE it!

Im loving my residency! I'm taking my knowledge of eyes above and beyond what I could have ever imagined every single day. It's exciting and thrilling and everyday I am learning something different. I'm humbled to be working alongside some of the greatest doctors who give the highest quality of care and have pioneered various practices and techniques that have become industry standards. ***nerd alert*** So why the picture of the microscope? Because we take some cells from the lesions and ulcers to know exactly what the cause is of the infection or irritation. We then look at the diseased tissue samples under the microscope. We also send the samples off to the lab for more results.

Did you know blinking exercises are a thing?

Blinking your eyes plays a very important part in keeping your eyes from drying out and helps with focusing. Lots of times when we are concentrating or spending lots of time on a computer we forget to blink. This can cause your eyes to dry out and lead to blurred vision for a couple of seconds until you blink again. So what can you do? You can use a good artificial tear like, refresh optic advanced, and do blinking exercises. 

Blinking exercises:

• Every 5-10 minutes while doing tasks that require lots of concentration like studying or working on a computer make a conscious effort to remember to blink.
• Make 3 good complete and strong blinks by blinking, squeezing and keeping eyes closed immediately after for 1-2 seconds. This allows the tears to coat your eye well and the little glands along your eyelids will produce more of the oily layer of the tear film.