The Two 'L's in The Pinehills

As The Pinehills celebrates its 25th year, Dr. Lois Townshend at the Eye Center is approaching the first anniversary of her move to The Pinehills. She has loved her time here so far and looks forward to many more wonderful years to come. She is also welcoming a new addition to the Eye Center — Lauren Downey of Spectators Eyewear has been working with the Eye Center since we opened in The Pinehills, and is now moving in to join us. Lauren will have an office and optical shop on the floor above the Eye Center office, on the same floor as Dr. Townshend's new surgical suite, and we are all very excited to welcome her and her assortment of spectacularly fashionable frames!

Lois and Lauren have a lot in common. Both are passionate about their field, both value offering their patients the best possible experience, and both have a highly developed personal style!

In honor of finishing her first year at The Pinehills in the case of Dr. Townshend, and of starting her first year here as Lauren is doing, our two 'L's have answered a few questions to let us get to know them a little better.

1. When did you first become interested in eyes?

Lauren: I started wearing glasses in the second grade when a teacher noticed that I kept moving closer to the blackboard. Twenty years later, I had just completed my Master's when I received a call from a recruiter for LensCrafters, and I decided to take the leap. I fell in love with the field and transitioned into private practice where I completed my apprenticeship to become a Licensed Dispensing Optician for the State of Massachusetts. I love the challenging prescriptions and helping people achieve their best visual acuity, either with glasses or with contact lenses. Also, as a lab certified optician, I get to make 90% of the eyewear I sell. I have been at it for 13 years now and I enjoy it every day...except the days I forget my lunch!

Lois: My father had a cousin who was blind from birth and she was an important part of our family. She helped me value vision and want to help people with visual concerns. One of my fondest childhood memories is describing the antics of Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl so we could watch together.

2. How did you decide on your career?
Lois: I knew quite early in my medical training that I wanted to be a surgeon. Eye surgery was a perfect fit for me, as I discovered when an ophthalmologist teaching at my medical school talked me into helping out in my spare time and I fell completely in love with the intricacies of eye surgery.
Lauren: Prior to opticianry, I had partaken in several different careers. I had a tendency to get bored after 2-3 years of doing the same thing. The day I put a child's first pair of glasses on them, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. You will never see a brighter smile than in that moment.

3. What is your favorite thing about your job?
Lauren: Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am all about fashion. I love bright colors, loud clothes, and of course funky eyewear. I have a huge appreciation for the artistry of eyewear. I love frames that are made by hand and unique. I also love matching my eyewear to my clothes and themes. As someone who lives in my glasses all day every day, my glasses are a part of me and my image. I also love when someone says to me, "I have never seen this well in my life!" I have spent the last seven years in an ophthalmology environment, and I have been fortunate to work with some of the industry's finest, so I have learned a lot about complex and unique visual situations and how to best fit eyewear for them. I take a lot of pride in measuring, making, and selecting each client's lenses.

Lois: I have been operating on eyes and lids for 30 years now and I am still excited every time to hear people talk about how much better they can see after surgery, or to see people happy and confident in the way their lids look after lid surgery. I love my work and I so look forward to coming to the Eye Center every day.

4. What brought you to The Pinehills?

Lois: I have practiced in Plymouth since 1990 when I moved to MA after my studies at Duke. I decided that I needed a change in scenery from Resnik Road, and what better scenery than The Pinehills! Now that we are expanding our surgical suite upstairs, I get to perform lid surgery overlooking the beautiful neighborhoods of The Pinehills — it doesn't get better than that!

Lauren: I am new to The Pinehills! I am currently moving to work alongside The Eye Center, which I am very excited about. I have many clients from The Pinehills that have been with me for many years and I look forward to being closer and more convenient for everyone. Also, being above Mama Mia's is a big sell. My lunch hour is going to be far more exciting with tortellini soup within reach.

5. What are you most looking forward to in The Pinehills' next 25 years?

Lauren: I look forward to expanding my client base within the community from children through adults. I pride myself on the relationships that I create and the client service I provide. I look forward to framing the faces of The Pinehills for years to come.

Lois: Moving in myself — which neighborhood would be best for me?
– The Eye Center & Spectators Eyewear

Celebrating 25 Years

Now that we are expanding our surgical suite upstairs, I get to perform lid surgery overlooking the beautiful neighborhoods of The Pinehills — it doesn't get better than that!

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