In this episode of Wavelengths, we connected with Millicent Knight, OD, FAAO, FAARM—optometrist, executive leader, and patient advocate bridging advanced eye care with whole-person wellness. Dr. Knight shares the early experiences that shaped her path, including helping expand optometry’s role in hospital-based care, and the patient-driven moments that led her toward an integrative approach centered on inflammation, nutrition, and long-term outcomes.
Dr. Knight also offers a practical “crawl, walk, run” roadmap for integrating complementary care without derailing clinic flow, emphasizing staff training and internal champions to create a consistent patient experience.
The conversation looks ahead to emerging technology—from AI-driven retinal insights to wearable monitoring—and closes with a clear message for rising clinicians: take calculated risks, stay engaged as a doctor, and keep the full patient story at the center of care.
Recommended Reading:
Visionary Kitchen: A Cookbook for Eye Health — Sandra Young, OD
Eye-Foods: A Food Plan for Healthy Eyes — Laurie Capogna, OD & Barbara Pelletier, OD
Milo and the Microbiome: A Kid’s Guide to Gut Health — Paula Newsome, OD
Wavelengths is hosted by Lee Kuczewski, Chief Customer Officer at Heru, and Masoud Nafey, OD, MBA, FAAO, a leading voice in innovation at the intersection of eye care, AI, and healthcare strategy.
About our Guest:
Dr. Knight is a visionary leader, patient advocate, and the former Senior Vice President of Medical and Professional Affairs, North America for EssilorLuxottica. Before that, she was the Vice President of Professional Affairs for Johnson & Johnson Vision, North America, where she directed their educational platform “THE VISION CARE INSTITUTE” and led the US & Canadian professional strategy. She’s opened multiple practices, consulted for major industry corporations, previously principal investigator for medical devices including in-market research, served on the National Advisory Eye Council of the National Eye Institute, and coaches and cultivates growing practices including advocating for underrepresented populations within optometry.
Guest: Dr. Millicent Knight ([email protected])
Co-host: Lee Kuczewski
Co-host: Dr. Masoud Nafey
Sponsor: Heru
Intro Music by Dan Phillipson from #Uppbeat
License code: 6YGFBXGLEJMJWZRS
