FEATURE
woman to watch on GETTING HERE: I grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where I met my fiancé, Cory. We have been together since I was 15 years old. I went to college at Penn State University and studied biomedical engineering. I then went on to optometry school in Philadelphia at Pennsylvania College of Optometry. I moved to North Carolina in 2014 to complete my residency at the VA hospital in Salisbury. on TEAM EFFORTS: I see it as two-fold—I have my team of support from Cory, my family, and friends. The other piece is my work team; I have an amazing staff! Leisa is my office manager, and I would not be successful without her. We support each other every day and match our strengths to help the other’s weaknesses. Monocle Eye Care would not be in existence if Leisa was not on my team.
dr. brittany flaherty Monocle Eye Care And Eyewear Gallery CORNELIUS, NC
on GIVING BACK: While at Penn State, I traveled to Nyeri, Kenya, a remote village east of Nairobi, to connect local people who were unable to afford medical care to doctors in the larger, more developed cities. My role was to design medical equipment that would be sourced locally and used to collect patient health information. I also used my optometry background and worked with people in need in El Salvador by providing eye care and glasses. While in Charlotte, I worked with Metrolina Association for the Blind (MAB), a local nonprofit organization. Here I worked with patients who have low vision as a result of congenital or acquired eye diseases. These appointments focus on educating patients about their vision loss and developing strategies to utilize specialized devices to meet goals specific to their needs.
brittany
DR. FLAHERTY
LKNW RECOGNIZES A WOMAN DOING EXCEPTIONAL WORK IN THE LAKE N O R M A N C O M M U N I T Y, A L E A D E R W H O I S P A V I N G T H E W A Y T O C H A N G I N G O U R AT T I T U D E S A N D I N S P I R I N G C O N F I D E N C E I N T H E F U T U R E .
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34 LKN
| JANUARY 2019
on WHY I DO WHAT I DO: My parents are the two hardest working people I know. They also are extremely giving and caring. I can only hope I live up to their character and model it in my practice daily. When I decided to open Monocle Eye Care, independence was a huge motivator—the ability to control my day while providing the best care for my patients. Technology is improving all aspects of the medical field and optometry is no exception. I try to continue learning and using new tools to provide the best care possible. I want to provide an experience for patients that is interactive, educational, and above all, exceptional! w Dr. Brittany Flaherty is the owner and lead optometrist at Monocle Eye Care And Eyewear Gallery located at 20121 N. Main St., Suite A, in Cornelius.You can reach Dr. Flaherty and her staff at 704.228.8525 or visit www.MonocleEyeCare.com.
WRITER LESLIE OGLE
PHOTOGRAPHER CHELSEA BREN