Tag Archive for: Global Vision Rehabilitation Center

Meet Sissi Fernandez

For me, optometry has always been about far more than helping people see clearly.

Every patient carries a unique story, and every pair of eyes offers an opportunity to restore confidence, independence, and quality of life. I believe that vision is deeply connected to how we experience the world, and it is a privilege to help patients regain not only clearer sight but also confidence in their daily lives.

As my career has evolved, I have found myself drawn toward complex corneal disease and specialty contact lenses because they represent the perfect balance between scientific precision and meaningful human connection. Whether fitting a patient with advanced keratoconus, restoring vision after refractive surgery, managing irregular corneas following corneal transplantation, or helping someone achieve comfortable vision after years of frustration, I find the greatest fulfillment in solving problems that once seemed impossible.

I believe exceptional eye care is built on careful listening, thoughtful technology, and an unwavering commitment to continual learning. My goal is not simply to improve vision, but to create an experience where every patient feels understood, respected, and genuinely cared for.

I earned my Doctor of Optometry degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in 2021, graduating with Honors in Primary Care Clinical Rotations and Specialty Contact Lens Rotations. Before optometry school, I completed a Master of Science in Biomedical Science at Barry University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Miami.

My clinical education provided the opportunity to train in private practice, multidisciplinary ophthalmology, and specialty eye care. These experiences strengthened my foundation in comprehensive eye examinations, ocular disease management, glaucoma care, diabetic eye disease, pediatrics, dry eye therapy, retinal disease and advanced ocular imaging

A defining chapter of my professional journey is my mentorship under Dr.Edward Boshnick, whose career has been devoted to restoring vision through specialty contact lenses for patients with some of the most complex corneal conditions. Dr. Boshnick’s work with keratoconus, post-LASIK and radial keratotomy complications, corneal transplants, pellucid marginal degeneration, severe ocular surface disease, corneal trauma, and other challenging anterior segment disorders has inspired generations of clinicians and transformed countless lives.

It is both a privilege and an honor to learn directly from Dr. Boshnick. I consider him the foundation of my specialty contact lens education and the mentor who is shaping my approach to caring for patients with complex corneal disease. Under his guidance, 1 am receiving advanced training in scleral lenses, custom specialty contact lens design, irregular cornea management, ocular surface rehabilitation, and visual restoration for patients whose needs often extend beyond conventional treatment options.

My aspiration is not only to master the technical aspects of specialty contact lenses but also to carry forward Dr. Boshnick’s philosophy of compassionate, meticulous, and patient-centered care. I hope to continue his legacy by helping restore vision, comfort, confidence, and quality of life for individuals facing the most challenging ocular conditions.

I remain committed to lifelong learning and continually pursue advanced education in scleral lenses, anterior segment imaging, and emerging technologies that improve outcomes for patients with complex corneal disease.

Fluent in English and Spanish, I strive to create a welcoming environment where every patient feels heard, valued, and empowered. Whether providing comprehensive eye care or restoring vision through specialty contact lenses, my mission is to deliver personalized care with excellence, compassion, and integrity.

/by

About our Specialty Lens Practice: The Global Vision Rehabilitation Center

Our specialty lens practice is devoted to the restoration of quality vision and ocular comfort to patients who have been impacted by corneal diseases, ocular trauma, chronic dry eye, ocular surgery complications, and many corneal degenerations and dystrophies. Many patients who have lost vision due to many corneal conditions such as keratoconus or refractive surgery complications such as LASIK or Radial Keratotomy (RK) have visited our specialty lens practice over the years from almost every state and over 50 countries from around the world. Thousands of our patients are wearing our uniquely designed scleral lenses that have allowed them to function normally once again. Information about this amazing technology can be found at: https://www.sclerallens.com.

The Global Vision Rehabilitation Center in the oldest and one of the largest specialty scleral lens practices in North America. For 30 years we have been associated with many eye institutions and universities that have sent their students to our facility for advanced contact lens and scleral lens training. These former students who are now doctors are helping patients around the world to see clearly and comfortably once again.

For decades our practice has been at the leading edge of treating patients with progressive myopia (nearsightedness) through the use of specialty gas permeable lenses that we design. Recently, FDA approved soft contact lens options were introduced that have been clinically proven to slow or even stop the progression of myopia in children. The GVRC is a pioneer in the use of orthokeratology also known as “orthok” for the non-surgical treatment of myopia. When a nearsighted patient is properly fit with an orthok designed gas permeable contact lens, the patient’s level of myopia can be significantly reduced or eliminated when the orthok lenses are removed. We are passionate about treating myopia in children because if left untreated a number of pathological conditions can develop later in life. These conditions include myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma (at lower intraocular pressures) retinal and vitreous degenerations and reduced best corrected visual acuity. It is estimated that 40% of all retinal detachments are due to high myopia. For more information about this life changing technology please visit: https://www.orthok.com.

The challenging issues described above is what the GVRH is devoted to. It is our main and only focus. Our mission is to restore quality vision to those patients who have often struggled with poor vision for many years. To accomplish this, we have equipped our practice with the latest cutting edge technologies specifically designed to address the many challenging vision and comfort issues that so many of our patients have to deal with on a daily basis. Most of the equipment that we use every day will not be found in a “conventional” eye practice. This is why we are different and unique among all of the optometric and ophthalmic practices. Our patient care philosophy is best reflected in the words of Robert Kennedy: “There are those who look at things and ask why…. I dream of things that never were and ask why not?”

/by
,

Why is it so Hard for Doctors to Get it Right when it comes to Fitting High-Need Patients with a Specialty or Scleral Lens?

Over the years I have received many inquiries from prospective patients about specific specialty contact and scleral lens designs. Most of the inquiries come from patients who have suffered significant vision loss due to keratoconus, corneal transplant surgery, refractive eye surgeries such as LASIK and RK, chronic dry eye, ocular trauma and a host of ocular conditions and diseases.

What must be understood and appreciated is that there are many different lens technologies available to treat these conditions. In addition, these technologies are constantly evolving as is the technology to diagnose and treat these conditions. Because there is so much technology and specialty lens designs available, patients will need to find a doctor with a great deal of experience not only in treating all of these conditions, but also knowledgeable with all of the many specialty-contact and scleral lenses currently available.

Our specialty lens practice, known as the Global Vision Rehabilitation Center, uses the most advanced technologies to help us diagnose and treat all of the conditions listed above. In addition, I approach the selection, design and use of these lenses as an art form. What will work well on one patient’s eye may not work well on another patient. Each lens technology is a tool or instrument that I use to improve vision and ocular comfort. Within each specific lens design or technology, there are fine details that the patient may not be aware of. For example, lenses can be made from different polymers, with each polymer having a specific characteristic. All of the specialty contact lens and scleral lens designs are made with many different curvatures with varying diameters. Any one or all of these lens parameters can be changed as needed during the initial fitting procedure or at any one of the subsequent follow up visits.

Every patient is unique and has vision demands unique to that individual. In addition, every eye is different. Many patients have lost vision and comfort due to LASIK and RK surgeries. Other patients have undergone corneal transplant surgery and have irregular and dry corneas. Other patients have been negatively impacted due to corneal disease and trauma. Every patient is carefully examined by me. After this is done, a decision will be made as to what lens technology will be best suited to restore quality vision and comfort once again. It is important to understand that the fitting procedure is a process. After the patient receives their lenses, careful examinations are done at all of their follow-up visits. At any of these follow-up visits, small adjustments to the lens design may need to be done. It is very important for both the doctor and patient to have patience with the process. As I tell all of my patients, we are embarking on a journey.

/by