Abbey Martin graduated with a degree from the College of Optometry and will be working at Regional Eyecare Associates, a private practice with multiple locations across St. Charles, Jefferson and Crawford counties in Missouri. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)

The motto of OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, the largest eye care nonprofit in the world, is “good vision changes everything.”

That sentiment has stuck with Abbey Martin, a student in the College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, ever since she participated in a humanitarian trip with the organization in late April. Martin traveled to central Alberta, Canada, to serve patients in the Maskwacis Cree tribe on their reservation through a trip organized by UMSL’s chapter of Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity. Over the course of several days, the students and a group of licensed optometrists performed vision screenings and helped patients, including many young kids, get fitted for a pair of glasses. It was Martin’s first humanitarian trip as a student in the College of Optometry, and it left a lasting impression.

“It gave me a new perspective on the importance of clear vision,” Martin said. “Even being back in the clinic today, it’s just a good reminder that people come to you first to see. Of course, we want to make sure that people’s eyes are healthy, and that is our top priority. But we can also make such a huge difference in people’s lives just by giving them glasses if they need them, and it really can improve quality of life.”

Martin’s interest in optometry stretches back to her own childhood. She got her first pair of glasses at a very young age and also had a lazy eye that turned inward, so she’s been going to the eye doctor for a long time. Her uncle was her optometrist growing up, and she looked up to him.

“I was able to see how my uncle helped me personally but also how he helped his whole community, both at work and outside of work,” she said. “I just thought it would be a really great field and a special skill set that you can use to help others.”

While Martin knew she wanted to pursue a career in a health field, she also loves music, so she double majored in biology and music at the University of Missouri–Columbia, which allowed her to stay involved in a flute studio while also taking biology courses. With its small class sizes and close-knit community, UMSL’s College of Optometry was a perfect fit to start her next chapter.

“I honestly can’t say enough about UMSL’s College of Optometry,” Martin said. “My class is wonderful. They’ve been a great group of students to learn and grow with, and it’s very much a family atmosphere where everyone is really supportive of each other. I’ve loved being with my classmates, and the professors there are really top-notch. I’ve learned so much. They’re all very inspiring and encouraging and willing to share their knowledge and advice about future career paths.”

Martin, who graduated from the College of Optometry this past weekend, has accepted a position working at Regional Eyecare Associates, a private practice with multiple locations across St. Charles, Jefferson and Crawford counties in Missouri. Martin has previously worked at the practice as an optometric technician and is excited to have the opportunity to learn from the multiple other optometrists she’ll be working alongside. She and her husband have found a good community in St. Louis and plan on staying in the area, and she’d love to continue growing in her work as an optometrist at Regional Eyecare Associates for years to come.

In particular, she enjoys primary care, which allows her to see a wide spectrum of patients that could include her entire family, from young nephews or nieces needing their first pair of glasses to grandparents experiencing cataracts. She also enjoys working in pediatrics and contact lenses, having learned how to fit soft and specialty lenses from the College of Optometry’s top-notch contact lens faculty. She feels her experience in the college has prepared her to serve a wide range of patients with different needs.

“I think the professors at UMSL have really prepared us as a class to enter the field,” she said. “And of course, you can’t ever quite learn everything in school; there’s lots of on-the-job learning that happens, too. But I think they really gave us a comprehensive education that has allowed us to confidently enter the field.”