America's Best Eye Doctors 2021 - Optometrists

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America's Best Eye Doctors 2021

Demand for professional eye care in the U.S. is expected to increase significantly in the coming years as the population ages. Not only are we collectively growing older, we're also working our tired eyes harder than ever before as more and more of our time — both at work and at play — is spent looking at screens. Meanwhile, serious eye ailments, like glaucoma, which can lead to blindness, are on the rise. With all that in mind, Newsweek partnered with the respected global data research firm Statista, to find the best eye doctors in the country.

We looked at the 20 most populous states in the U.S. and selected the 300 best ophthalmologists (M.D.s who specialize in treating the eye) and optometrists (licensed professionals who have earned a post-college doctor of optometry degree). We did not rank opticians, who are trained to design and fit eyeglasses and lenses but not to diagnose or treat diseases or injuries.

Our research started with a survey of over 10,000 ophthalmologists, optometrists, clinic managers and other health care professionals who we asked to recommend the best eye doctors in the U.S. What we were looking for were the doctors who had earned the most respect from their peers in three categories: the quality of care they provide, the continuity of care and the quality of the technology they use in their practices.

Taking care of your eyes is important and finding the right doctors can make a big difference. If you are looking for an eye doctor, we hope you'll find our ranking helpful.

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America's Best Eye Doctors 2021 - Ophthalmologists
America's Best Eye Doctors 2021 - Optometrists

RankName OptometristScoreLocations2Viola Kanevsky, OD92.00%New York, NY3Alan Glazier, OD92.00%Rockville, MD4Joseph W. Sowka, OD, FAAO, Diplomate91.40%Englewood, FL; Venice, FL; North Port, FL5Thomas P. Arnold, OD90.90%Sugar Land, TX6Oliver K. Lou, OD90.30%Cedar Park, TX7Anne Mika Moy, OD, FAAO89.70%Berkeley, CA8Nyok Alan Lee, OD89.40%Houston, TX9Shannon L. Steinhauser, OD89.10%Phoenix, AZ10Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO89.10%Scottsdale, AZ11April L. Jasper OD, FAAO89.10%West Palm Beach, FL12Aaron B. Mandel, OD89.00%Brooklyn, NY13Kristine M. Eng, OD88.80%Orinda, CA14Gregory D. Actipes, OD88.70%Chicago, IL15Andrew Gurwood, OD, FAAO88.60%Philadelphia, PA16Mark Perry, OD88.60%Orlando, FL17Mina Sehizadeh, OD88.60%Boston, MA18Barry A. Weissman, OD88.60%Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY19Albert Fonticoba, OD88.60%Philadelphia , PA20Richard Madonna, MA, OD88.50%New York, NY21Paul C. Ajamian, OD88.50%Atlanta, GA; College Park, GA22Jill C. Autry OD, R.Ph.88.40%Bellaire, TX23Josh Johnston, OD, FAAO88.30%Atlanta, GA24Kuniyoshi Kanai, OD, FAAO88.30%Berkeley, CA25Jamie Kuzniar, OD, FAAO, FSLS88.30%Bloomfield Twp, MI26Charles Clayton, OD88.20%Bellevue, WA27Thomas A. Myers, OD88.20%Spokane, WA28Ellen Butts, OD88.10%Pittsburgh, PA; Monroeville, PA; Wexford, PA; Sewickley, PA29Phillip B. Brunson, OD, FAAO88.10%Humble, TX30Keith A. Smithson, OD88.10%Reston, VA; Alexandria, VA31Ryan P. Ames, OD88.10%Oshkosh, WI32Alan B. Schlussel, OD88.10%New York, NY; West Orange, NJ; Caldwell, NJ33Andrew A. Anderson, OD88.00%Mishawaka, IN34Gregory J. Nixon, OD, FAAO87.90%Westerville, OH; Johnstown, OH; Lewis Center, OH35Paul M. Karpecki, OD, FAAO87.90%Lexington, KY; Louisville, KY; Middlesboro, KY; Mount Sterling, KY36Reagan M. Ratcliff, OD87.90%Friendswood, TX37Alan P. Levitt, OD87.90%North Miami Beach, FL38Stephen V. Menzel, OD 87.80%Fenton, MO39John Arthur Mcgreal Jr., OD87.80%St. Louis, MO40David Coulson, OD87.80%Phoenix, AZ41Katarzyna Ciesek, OD87.80%Hamilton, NJ42Aaron M. Brewer, OD87.70%St. Louis, MO43Kevin M. Donausky, OD87.70%Scottsdale, AZ; Glendale, AZ; Mesa, AZ44Julie D. Ngo, OD, FAAO 87.70%Sugarland, TX; Webster , TX; Bellaire, TX; Pasadena, TX; Houston, TX; Conroe, TX45Dennis R. Miller, OD87.60%Warsaw, IN46Philip E. Walling, OD87.60%Big Rapids, MI47Michael J. Earley , PhD, OD87.60%Columbus, OH48Shannan E. Brown, OD87.50%Mishawaka, IN49Stephanie M. Baxter, OD87.50%Mishawaka, IN50Emily DePew, OD 87.50%Pittsburg, PA51James M. Caldwell, OD, EdD 87.50%Elkins Park, PA52Adam R. Rosati, OD 87.50%Bethlehem, PA53Sarah D. Appel, OD 87.50%Elkins Park, PA54Marina Su, OD, FAAO 87.50%Bronx, NY55Lisa M. Steward, OD87.50%Linton, IN56Joseph D. Hashim, OD 87.40%Pittsfield , MA57William Goodrich, OD87.40%Pittsfield , MA58Gloria Chow, OD87.40%San Jose, CA59Anita Gulmiri, OD 87.40%Boston, MA; Roslindale, MA60Anna Lange, OD, FAAO87.40%New York, NY61Alexander Choy, OD87.40%Vancouver, WA62Danica Marrelli , OD 87.30%Houston, TX63Hannah Yecheskel, OD87.30%Rockville, MD64Elizabeth F. Ellison, OD 87.30%Gainesville, GA65Kevin T. Corcoran, OD 87.30%Montgomery, OH66Elliot M. Kirstein, OD 87.20%Cincinnati, OH67Alexis Malkin, OD, FAAO 87.20%Boston, MA68Daniel Epshtein, OD, FAAO 87.20%New York, NY69Cheryl Schmitt, OD87.20%Tuscon, AZ70Matthew Palmer, OD 87.10%Tuscon, AZ; Casa Grande, AZ; Scottsdale, AZ; Yuma, AZ71Gloria B. Chiu, OD, FAAO, FSLS 87.10%Los Angeles, CA72Mark T. Marciano, OD 87.10%West Palm Beach, FL73Adam C. Cherry, OD87.10%Greenacres, FL74James M. Kernodle, OD87.10%Asheboro, NC75Jerome Sherman, OD, FAAO 87.10%New York, NY76Lawrence E. Addison, OD 87.00%Rochester, MN77Derek N. Cunningham, OD, FAAO 87.00%Austin, TX78Aaron M. Banta, OD 87.00%Kennewick, WA79Shauna Lushko, OD 87.00%Pittsburg, PA80C. Douglas Stine, OD 87.00%Weston, WI81Laurie Sorrenson, OD, FAAO 86.90%Cedar Park, TX82Alberto Camacho, OD 86.90%Lubbock, TX83Robert Kessen, OD86.90%Weston, WI84Lauren Sanchez, OD 86.90%Mishawaka, IN85Parker S. Berg, OD86.90%Florissant, MO86David Evans, OD86.90%Memphis, TN87Rebecca Kammer, OD, PhD 86.90%Irvine, CA88Shane Presson, OD 86.90%Knoxville, TN89Aaron D. Thornton, OD86.90%Oakland, CA90Randy W. Charrier, OD 86.90%Houston, TX91Ajay S. Patel, OD86.90%Duncanville, TX92Michael Tortorici, OD86.80%Elmwood Park, NJ93Julie Manry, OD 86.80%Fort Wayne, IN94Beverly Miller, OD86.80%Laguna Niguel, CA95Thuy Tran, OD 86.80%Bronx, NY; Jamaica, NY; Jackson Heights, NY; Manhattan, NY; Brooklyn , NY96Craig Thomas, OD86.80%Dallas, TX97Andrea P. Thau, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, FNAP 86.80%New York, NY98Yin C. Tea, OD, FAAO 86.80%Fort Lauderdale, FL99Meredith M. Whiteside, OD, FAAO 86.70%Berkeley, CA100Aaron Erdmanczyk, OD 86.70%San Antonio, TX101Mary Gouris, OD 86.70%Chicago, IL102Mark T. Dunbar, OD 86.70%Miami, FL; Palm Beach, FL; Coral Gables, FL103Julie Rodman, OD, MS, FAAO86.70%Fort Lauderdale, FL104Justin Bazan, OD 86.70%Brooklyn, NY105R. Aaron Werner, OD 86.70%El Cajon, CA106Reed A. Hopping, OD86.70%Friendswood, TX; Houston, TX107Susan Resnick, OD, FAAO 86.60%New York, NY; Roslyn, NY108Aleshia N. Luu, OD86.50%Raleigh, NC109Benjamin Casella, OD86.50%Augusta, GA110Monica Kalia, OD86.50%Evansville, IN111Lindsay Greiten, OD86.40%Tucson, AZ; Douglas, AZ112Autumn Mantel, OD86.40%Redmond, WA113Renee K. Lane, OD 86.30%De Soto, MO114Nicole D. Pogue, OD, FAAO 86.30%Boston, MA115Leonard J. Press, OD, FAAO, FCOVD 86.30%Lakewood, NJ116Ian Benjamin Gaddie, OD86.30%Carrollton, KY; LaGrange, KY; Louisville, KY117Judith Schaffer, OD86.20%Fort Lauderdale, FL118Randall Go, OD 86.20%San Francisco, CA119Aaron Lee, OD 86.10%Fort Worth, TX120Sonia J. Rose, OD 86.00%Fredericksburg, VA121Sam M. Stumer, OD 85.90%McLean, VA122Marilyn Vricella, OD 85.90%New York, NY123Aaron W. Bronner, OD85.90%Chehalis, WA124Negin Nikahd, OD 85.90%Oxnard, CA125Alex Reed, OD85.80%Ardmore, OK126Dat Bui, OD 85.80%Cupertino, CA127David Geffen, OD, FAAO85.80%San Diego, CA128Gabriel G. Lazcano, MD 85.80%Miami, FL129JulieAnne M. Roper, OD85.80%Columbia , SC130N. Ron Melton, OD 85.70%Charlotte , NC131Mindy C. Nguyen, OD, FAAO 85.70%Huntley, IL132Joanna Cotter, OD85.70%Miami, FL133Andrew Rothberg, OD 85.70%Tampa, FL134Todd J. Agnew, OD 85.60%Dallas, TX135Aaron C. Lahman, OD 85.70%Dover, OH136Randall K. Thomas, OD, FAAO 85.60%Concord, NC137Angela Nguyen, OD 85.60%Long Beach, CA; Sacremento, CA138Lori Ann Vollmer, OD 85.60%Venice, FL; Sarasota, FL139Leonard Messner, OD, FAAO 85.60%Chicago, IL140Aaron Wiens, OD85.60%Fresno, CA; Madera, CA141Karla Zadnik, OD 85.60%Columbus, OH142Marie I. Bodack, OD, FAAO 85.60%Memphis, TN143Aaron Evans, OD85.60%Boca Raton, FL144Aaron Thompson, OD 85.60%Chattanooga, TN145Amanda L. Havens, OD 85.60%Los Angeles, CA146Kevin Biermann, OD 85.50%Washington, MO147Kelly Malloy, OD, FAAO, Dipl. 85.50%Philadelphia, PA148Aaron Neufeld, OD85.50%Los Altos, CA149Long D. Tran, OD 85.50%Jacksonville, FL150Joel Ackerman, OD 85.50%Phoenix, AZ

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METHODOLOGY
Survey participants were asked to recommend eye doctors in their own state as well as throughout the U.S. (In-State and Out-of-State recommendations).
The ranking distinguishes ophthalmologists and optometrists in separate lists to account for differences in services and treatments. Ophthalmologists complete 12 to 13 years of training and education. Typical training includes a four-year college degree followed by at least eight years of additional medical training. An ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats all eye diseases, performs eye surgery and prescribes and fits eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems (American Academy of Ophthalmology). Optometrists are essential health care providers and are recognized as physicians under Medicare. They examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the eye. In addition to providing eye and vision care, they play a major role in an individual's overall health and well-being by detecting systemic diseases, and diagnosing, treating and managing ocular manifestations of those diseases, and providing vaccinations (American Optometric Association).
A score was calculated for every eye doctor that was part of the analysis. This total score is based on four sub scores: the In-State recommendations, Out-of- State recommendations, recommendations from the other specialty as well as a quality score.

Score for Each Ophthalmologist/Optometrist
In cooperation with Newsweek, Statista invited over 10,000 medical experts (ophthalmologists, optometrists, clinic managers and health care professionals) to complete an online survey. Additionally, experts from all over the U.S. could participate in the survey of America's Best Ophthalmologists and America's Best Optometrists on newsweek.com. All data was collected during a survey period from April to June 2021. It was mandatory for participants to verify their email addresses. Quality checks were performed to avoid self-recommendations. More than 4,000 votes from medical experts in the field of ophthalmology and optometry were collected.
Calculation of Recommendations Score
For the In-State recommendations participants were asked to name up to 15 of the best eye doctors for each specialty in their state. They were asked to recommend eye doctors by considering the quality of care, continuity of care and quality of technical equipment. For the Out-of-State recommendations, participants were asked to recommend up to 15 eye doctors in the U.S. Optionally, participants could also recommend doctors from the other specialty (ophthalmologists for optometrists and vice versa). These recommendations were weighted lower than recommendations from the same specialization.
Entry of recommendations was aided by an autocomplete function, which showed eye doctors based on the letters entered. It was also possible to recommend eye doctors that were not proposed by the autocomplete list.
Recommendations received different weights depending on the order in which they were given, with the first recommendation being assigned the highest weight. For example, recommendations for the best optometrist or ophthalmologist in each state received a 36 percent higher weight than recommendations for the fifth best optometrist or ophthalmologist in a state. A score was assigned to each eye doctor based on the number of weighted recommendations.Recommendations constitute 85 percent of the overall score.
Calculation of Quality Score
Within the In-State recommendations participants were also asked to rank the quality dimensions which influence the quality of eye doctors. Participants were asked to differentiate between these variables:

- Quality of care (e.g. treatments, consultation with a doctor)
- Continuity of care (e.g. degree to which consistent and constant care is provided including preventive care and follow-up care)
- Quality of technical equipment (e.g. use of the most recent equipment)

The quality dimensions were shown to participants in a randomized order. Based on the reported importance of each quality dimension a quality score was assigned using the following weights: 50 percent Quality of care, 30 percent Continuity of care and 20 percent Quality of technical equipment.
For each recommended eye doctor, the participant rated the three quality variables on a scale from 1 ("Poor") to 7 ("Excellent"). A quality score was assigned to each eye doctor based on the weighted average of these ratings. The quality score contributes 15 percent toward the overall score.

Disclaimer
The rankings are comprised exclusively of eye doctors who were eligible based on the scope described here. A mention in the ranking is a positive recognition based on peer recommendations. The ranking was created through an elaborate process, however, the information in this ranking should be considered in conjunction with other available information about eye doctors or, if possible, accompanied by a visit to a facility. The quality of eye doctors not included in the rankings is not disputed.

You can download the full methodology here.

Note: As with all our rankings, the America's Best Eye Doctors 2021 is continually updated based on available information. We have deleted one doctor from this list.