93. Thriving, Not Just Surviving: A Mental Health Check-In for New Grads ft. Dr. Meenal Agarwal

As 2025 comes to a close, Deepon and Amrit are hitting pause to reflect on the year that was, including the lessons learned and the advice they wish they’d heard earlier in their careers.In this wrap-up episode, they each share their top three takeaways from 2025, touching on clinical growth, practice ownership realities, and what it really takes to build a sustainable, fulfilling career in optometry. From navigating change in the profession to staying grounded in your “why,” this episode is equal parts honest reflection and practical guidance.Whether you’re a student, new grad, associate, or practice owner, this conversation is meant to leave you feeling encouraged, grounded, and ready to step into 2026 with clarity and confidence.Thank you for being part of our podcast community–we’re excited for what’s ahead!The Four Eyes Podcast is brought to you by YoungOD Connect

In this episode, Deepon and Amrit break down the pediatric binocular vision skills every new grad needs to confidently crush a primary care eye exam. We cut through the noise and highlight the handful of BV tests that matter most when you’re tight on time but want meaningful clinical data. You’ll learn:

In this case reflection episode, Deepon walks us through uveitis cases that didn’t exactly go as planned, because let’s be honest, not every case fits neatly into the textbook.We share what went right, what went sideways, and how we navigated the unexpected twists that come with managing inflammatory eye disease in the real world.From differentiating anterior vs intermediate vs posterior uveitis, to grading inflammation clearly in your charts so your associate ODs can easily follow your management, we cover practical strategies you can apply in the clinic tomorrow. We’ll also break down when and how to order lab workups.Whether you’re a new grad still getting comfortable with the slit lamp or an OD looking to refine your charting and workup flow — this episode will help you feel more confident tackling your next uveitis case (even the tricky ones)!

High astigmatism in pediatrics is one of the most common challenges optometrists face in the exam room. In this Case Reflection episode, Amrit walks through a case where she approached a young patient’s high astigmatism in a way that went beyond the standard playbook.Instead of reaching straight for a full cycloplegic refraction and prescribing the high numbers, we undercorrected strategically and focused on the binocular vision issue driving the child’s visual symptoms. The result? The child’s acuity improved, their visual system developed more efficiently, and they didn’t have to rely on an unnecessarily high refractive error.In this episode, we explore why high astigmatism often shows up in pediatric exams, talk about the limitations of relying only on cycloplegia, and share how functional prescribing and binocular vision treatment can transform outcomes.If you’ve ever wondered how to manage high pediatric prescriptions in a way that supports long-term visual development rather than just clearing up the chart, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!You can learn more from the following resources:

Curious about how optometrists are expanding into the world of aesthetics? In this episode, Dr. Carly Rose shares how she built Clear Eyes + Aesthetics—a dry eye specialty clinic—and what that journey looked like from the ground up.