Get to know...
Dr. Linda Rappa
SVOS Board Member
Tell us about yourself.
I grew up just outside of Buffalo, NY (go Bills!) and attended undergraduate at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. After graduating from the New England College of Optometry, I relocated to Sacramento in 2006 and have called California home ever since. I love Sacramento and do not think I could survive those harsh North East winters ever again! I fully take advantage of our fabulous weather here and enjoy outdoor activities with my two dogs including camping, kayaking, gold panning and gardening. I also enjoy reality TV and admit that I have the worst taste in shows. Along with the SVOS I am an active Board member for the non-profit group Sacramento Feed from the Heart and a member of the Polish American Club of Sacramento.
What made you want to be an optometrist?
I have been wearing glasses / contacts since a young age and remember thinking of my optometrist as a magician who could grant me the gift of sight! (As opposed to the dentist who only caused pain). In high school I made up my mind to pursue optometry. Working as a technician and then manager in an optometry office in college solidified that decision. I witnessed every day that optometrists have the unique position to not only improve a patient’s health but also the quality of their life.
Tell us about your practice.
After moving to Sacramento I first joined a large OD/ MD practice and then, years later, a multiple location OD practice. I cannot express enough my gratitude to all the doctors I worked with in those years and the knowledge they shared with me, not just clinically but in life. In August 2023 I joined the Stanford Ranch Optometry team in Rocklin and truly feel blessed. Not only do I have state of the art technology at my fingertips but the environment makes it feel like home already. The office has 4 optometrists offering primary eye care, contact and specialty contact lens fittings, myopia control, ocular disease management and a fast growing dry eye clinic. My passion is in medical optometry.
What do you enjoy most about being an optometrist?
Soo many things:
1.) I love the personal relationships that we are able to cultivate with our patients and the impact that we have can in their lives.
2.) I love how diverse our job as optometrists can be. Not only can an OD choose to concentrate on specialities like vision therapy or low vision but even in primary care no day or exam is ever the same. In a single day we can see a healthy 5 year old for first exam, then an elderly patient with a cranial nerve palsy needing prisms, then a foreign body removal, then a contact lens fitting, then a Prokera for neurotrophic ulcer (etc.etc.). I love how the variety keeps me on my toes and provides challenges on a daily basis.
3.) Going to geek out here a little - I love how our profession is constantly evolving. Just in this past year a few new medications have been FDA approved that have changed how I treat demodex blepharitis and dry eye. Here at Stanford Ranch Optometry, after 20 years in practice already, I am now learning IPL, radio frequency therapy and scleral lens fittings. (You really can teach an old dog new tricks!) Instead of just becoming complacent with the skills I was already taught, the ever evolving face of optometry allows me to grow to become a better practitioner. I am excited to see what the future holds!
What do you enjoy most about being a member of SVOS?
I love the close-knit society that we have here in Sacramento. There is always a member willing to give advice or a shoulder to lean on.
What advice would you give to young ODs?
I am always amazed on how little education we received in school on billing and coding when it
is such a vital part of our day to day. I would encourage young / new OD’s to spend time with a
good biller and learn the in’s and out’s of coding to maximize your profits. As a profession I feel
we often leave a lot on the table when we have already done the work.
Anything else you'd like to share?
I am so happy to be back on the SVOS Board again and feel privileged to be a voice for our society. Thank you for the opportunity.