Member Profile - Whitney Lauer, OD

Where do you currently practice?

Theobald Family Eye Care, Duluth, MN

Where are you from originally?

Perham, MN

What school did you graduate from (undergraduate and optometry)?

The College St. Scholastica- Duluth, MN Southern College of Optometry- Memphis, TN

What are your hobbies?

Spending time with family and friends, quilting/sewing, gardening and canning, trying new restaurants, and when able, traveling.

Tell us about your family and pets?

My husband, Dominic, and I have one daughter, Sadie and three pet fish of which one is named Ralph.

Why do you choose to be a member of the Minnesota Optometric Association?

When you are a member of a legislated profession, I believe it is vital you are involved with those who can advocate on your behalf.

What do you like best about the profession of optometry?

I was drawn to optometry for the personal connections a medical provider can have with their patients while providing care. I feel we often build lifelong relationships with our patients, and in some cases, that extends beyond the exam lane.

Describe your favorite memory from your optometric career.

Two memories come to mind. The first, while in school, I was on a pediatric clinic rotation, I finished a teen's refraction and asked, "How does that look?" in order to take a final bilateral visual acuity. The teenager responded, "I don't have to squint anymore to see!" The second, early in my career, I fit an elderly post corneal transplant patient in a scleral lens. Their visual acuity improved from 20/400 to 20/40. This change restored an incredible amount of functionality for them. Both of these memories remind me that our work is both meaningful and life changing.

What fun fact would you like to share about yourselves that your colleagues may not know about you?

Once, I spent St. Patrick's Day in Ireland. Surprisingly, it wasn't as much of a holiday there, as it is here!