By Jesika P. Millano
For Al Día Today
WEST MELBOURNE – The most important step to having good vision is prevention, according to local optometrist Dr. Diana Hernández.
This is why she emphasizes the need for frequent eye exams.
Hernández, an optometrist for 11 years, says her interest in the way that eyes function came about when she was a child and had to begin wearing glasses. That curiosity grew after working with an optometrist while she was in high school. This was the experience that made her discover her passion for this discipline.
She then went on to study Optometry at Nova Southeastern University.
After finishing her studies in 2008, she returned to Melbourne and worked with a team of optometrists for over 10 years. She recently opened her own practice, Treasured Eyes, in West Melbourne.
“I started working in the field long before going to college. I wanted to get experience before choosing what to study as I wanted to know if this was what I really wanted to do. Thanks to that experience, I fell in love with this career,” Hernández said.
In her office, located at 964 South Wickham Road, she has the latest technology for the improvement of visual health. The practice offers comprehensive eye exams and professional lens adaptation.
“Vision is perhaps the most important function of the body and that is why eye care should be treated as an essential habit to lead a healthy life,” said Hernández, who was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela. She moved to the United States with her family when she was just 8 years old.
Her experience as an immigrant aroused another passion: helping the community.
“In my practice, the most beautiful thing I have been able to experience is seeing the smile on my patients’ faces when they put on their new glasses and a new world opens up for them. It’s as if they open their eyes for the first time,” she said.
For Dalisa Rodríguez, Hernández’s assistant, quality care is the main philosophy of Treasured Eyes.
“I am only satisfied with a job well done. The patient must feel comfortable with both the lens and the frame. We always have something for everyone,” said Rodriguez, who has 10 years of experience in the area of optics.
Business hours at Treasured Eyes are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays. On weekends, patient care is arranged by appointment through the office phone number: (321) 339-2211.