Inspiring Conversations with Kathryn Ordonez, OD of Invision Optometry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Ordonez, OD.

Hi Kathryn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m Dr. Kathryn Ordonez, a practicing optometrist in San Diego. My interest in optometry started in college when an optometrist spoke to our health professions class. I was drawn to how the field blends science, problem-solving, patient care, and the opportunity to explore practice ownership. I joined the pre-optometry club, shadowed doctors, and got a real sense of the day-to-day work.

After college, I worked as an optometric technician at Invision Optometry, and that’s when it clicked. I loved hands-on patient care and seeing the difference proper eye care can make. I went on to study at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, and after graduating, returned to San Diego to practice at Invision. It’s come full circle, from student to technician to optometrist, working where my passion began.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not entirely! Growth almost always comes with challenges. Working with patients, staff, and colleagues has taught me communication, patience, and leadership. Making tough decisions, even when uncomfortable, builds confidence and strengthens leadership. These experiences helped me define the professional environment I want, one rooted in integrity, respect, and support. And it made me more intentional in my career while fostering spaces where others feel empowered and valued.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Invision Optometry?
At Invision Optometry, we make eye care both stylish and stress-free for the whole family! From comprehensive eye exams and contact lens fittings to advanced dry eye treatments and myopia management for kids, we provide care that keeps your eyes healthy and comfortable. We can also diagnose and treat a variety of eye health concerns, helping you to maintain clear vision every day.

Our curated collection of designer eyewear is carefully chosen for quality and features brands you’ll actually get excited to wear, like:

▪ Lindberg
▪ Face A Face
▪ Blackfin
▪ Ray-Ban and Ray-Ban Meta
▪ Ørgreen
▪ Kate Spade
▪ Tom Ford
▪ Silhouette
▪ Blake Kuwahara
▪ ProDesign Denmark
▪ SALT.
▪ Rudy Project
▪ Persol
▪ Life Italia Kids

Patient care is very important here at Invision. We take the time to understand your individual needs, answer your questions, and make sure you feel confident in every part of your eye care. You’ll be seen by a team that genuinely cares about helping you see and feel your best.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m really excited to keep growing both as a clinician and as a business professional. Right now, I’m focused on expanding our dry eye and myopia management clinics, two areas that make such a big difference in people’s everyday lives.

Dry eye is something I see all the time. It happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears or when the tears evaporate too quickly, leaving them feeling dry, irritated, or gritty, almost like there’s sand in your eyes. It can make simple things like reading, working on a computer, or even driving really uncomfortable. Helping people finally find relief from that constant irritation is incredibly rewarding.

We recently launched our Dry Eye Recovery Program that includes several in-office treatments designed to get to the root cause:

▪ IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) helps calm inflammation around the eyelids and improve the oil glands that keep your tears healthy.

▪ LLLT (Low-Level Light Therapy) uses gentle LED light to stimulate those glands and boost natural tear production.

▪ LipiFlow provides heat and gentle massage to clear out blocked oil glands so the eyes can stay moist and comfortable.

▪ NuLids is an in-office treatment that gently exfoliates the eyelid margins, removing debris and biofilm that can interfere with healthy gland function.

It’s amazing to see how much better patients feel once we personalize a plan that actually works for them.

Our Myopia Control Program has more of a long-term focus, especially for kids. Myopia, or nearsightedness, means distant objects look blurry because the eye grows a little too long. It’s important to slow that progression to protect their vision and long-term eye health. Depending on the child’s needs, we might recommend:

▪ MiSight soft contact lenses, the first FDA-approved daily contacts proven to slow myopia progression in kids.

▪ CRT (Corneal Refractive Therapy) lenses, which are worn overnight to gently reshape the cornea so kids can see clearly during the day without glasses or contacts.

▪ Low-dose atropine eye drops, which help slow the eye’s growth rate over time.

We always make it a team effort, working closely with both kids and parents so everyone feels comfortable and confident. And soon, we’ll be adding Stellest lenses, the first FDA-approved eyeglass lens that’s been shown to slow myopia progression, which I’m really excited about.

Looking further ahead, I’d love to take on a larger leadership role through ownership or partnership. I really enjoy mentoring staff and colleagues, supporting their growth, and helping the practice evolve—always keeping patient care at the heart of everything we do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://invisioncare.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invisionoptometry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InvisionOptometry
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIw6ngkOFsS4jGjY2WgW_8Q
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/invision-optometry-san-diego
• Other: https://invisioncare.com/resources/san-diego-optometry/