Samala Khan, O.D.

Samala Khan, O.D. received her Doctor of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry in 2003.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology, Minor in Communications and Chemistry, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  She completed her residency training in primary care and ocular disease at the Illinois Eye Institute at the Illinois College of Optometry in 2005.

As a Girl Scout, Dr. Khan was working on her career exploration patch when she chose to focus on the career of an optometrist.  Every year afterward, she received brochures from optometry schools across the country.  After graduating from college, she was unsure of what she wanted to do with her life but knew she didn't want a desk job and wanted to help people.  She remembered the brochures from all the optometry schools and then spent some time with her local eye doctor.  The rest, as they say, was history!

Dr. Khan enjoys meeting new people and being a valued community member.  Every day, she feels like she makes a difference, no matter how small.  She says the most rewarding times are when she can immediately improve a patient's vision in the exam room, such as fitting a patient with contacts for the first time or removing a corneal foreign body.

When Dr. Khan is not working, she likes to spend time with her family, practice yoga, write, and travel.  She has visited almost fifty countries and six continents (only Antarctica remains).  Though she considers her cooking skills lacking, she sometimes gets adventurous and experiments with new recipes in her kitchen.