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Dr. Leanne Lee and Dr. Derron Lee: Expanding Our Vision

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For many people, any medical appointment can trigger feelings of fear, apprehension or dread. However, Dr. Leanne Lee and Dr. Derron Lee of Midtown Optometry are working to completely change that. You may even find yourself looking forward to your visits with them.

There are quite a few layers to the success of this husband-and-wife team of optometrists. They’ve cultivated a welcoming environment in their practice, which of course is due in large part to the level of care they offer; both Derron and Leanne are winners of the California’s Young Optometrist of the Year Award in 2008 and 2009, respectively. However, it’s also because the office itself is, as Leanne says, kind of like a living room. Part of that is because they and their staff are truly kind people (check out their glowing Yelp reviews). You can also chalk it up to their office being filled with arcade video games and Star Wars, Marvel comics and Transformers memorabilia. “People are surprised we have such personalities for eye doctors,” Leanne added.

They’ve got personality in spades. The pair, both raised in Stockton, high school sweethearts who got together when they were at Tokay High School, clearly love what they do, and they see it as more than a job. “We treat patients as people first,” said Leanne.

Midtown Optometry offers state-of-the-art technology, primary care eye exams, contact lenses and glasses, dry eye management and a vision development center that encompasses a variety of treatments and therapies. The vision development center offers neuro-rehabilitation to treat vision problems resulting from concussions, as well as vision therapy, which specializes in diagnosing and treating vision disorders that interfere with reading, learning and other daily activities.

Their Trajectory
When asked how the pair chose optometry as their career path, Leanne responded first. “I chose it and he rode my coattails,” she said with a laugh. And Derron wholeheartedly concurs with her statement. “Both of us went to UC Davis for undergrad. She did psychology and I did neurophysiology. We both interned for a lot of different healthcare professionals, but Leanne interned at a vision center, and then I decided to do it, too.”

Leanne added that this particular internship was quite helpful in determining her future path. “When we did all those medical internships, I asked all the doctors, ‘Knowing what you know now, would you do this again?’” The only doctor who said yes was the doctor at the vision center. “It’s a great profession to be in,” she affirmed. “Especially for women. You can have a family and a career.”

As a lover of both technology and healthcare, Derron found optometry and all its tools particularly interesting. But he still wasn’t quite set on becoming an optometrist; in fact, he was considering a career in tech or at a startup. But Leanne wanted to go to New York to study optometry, and next thing they knew, they were sitting through a joint interview for an optometry program. They threw themselves into their studies to prepare for the entrance exam. Both passed with flying colors, scoring in the 99th percentile, and then they were off to State University of New York’s College of Optometry. Once they finished, the decision to return to Stockton and set up a practice there was a no-brainer, and they opened Midtown Optometry in 2007.

“I get to work with my best friend right next to me,” said Derron. “She’s in the trenches with me. She knows my triumphs and trials and tribulations. We’ve been doing this for so long that she knows what I’m thinking.”

Patient Care and Philanthropy
Leanne loves that in having this practice, she really gets to know her patients on a personal level. “It’s just kind of cool seeing the families grow up over time,” she noted. “Plus, it’s a nice profession to be in. On the neuro rehab side, you get to take these people who are struggling, and you help transform their lives so they can succeed. In many cases, we’ve changed their trajectory.”

But their life-changing work doesn’t stop there. Midtown Optometry is also deeply involved in giving back to the community, with one of their biggest endeavors being their annual Giving Tree. In 2025, they will celebrate the tenth year for this Christmastime tradition, which is a charitable partnership with the Children’s Home of Stockton. “The kids make ornaments and attach a wish list for three items they want for Christmas,” explained Derron. “We found that most of these kids are teens, in between foster homes and about to transition out of the system, and those are the kids that are often forgotten.” The ornaments are sponsored by their patients, and the Giving Tree is now so successful that within a day of announcing that the tree is ready, the ornaments are sponsored immediately.

The business has also sponsored a number of local events, such as the Orange and Black Ball at University of the Pacific, the American Cancer Society Moonlight Gala and plenty more. Derron has also volunteered at St. Mary’s Interfaith Community Center as the eye clinic physician, and both he and Leanne have provided free eye care and eyeglasses for the United Farm Workers Association. The list of good deeds goes on and on; at the end of the day, the Lees are enthusiastic about supporting the community that has supported them and their business.

Vision Education Matters
Beyond their regular appointments, the doctors also undertake extensive educational work, particularly teaching parents and school professionals how to look for the signs of learning-related vision problems. Vision disorders can interfere with learning and reading, and it goes beyond nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. “At vision screenings at schools and at pediatricians’ offices, only about 5 percent of vision problems are caught,” explains Derron. “A lot of parents think 20/20 is perfect vision. But 20/20 isn’t everything; there’s a critical link between vision and learning.”

That dedication to educating is also evident in how they proceed as doctors. “My philosophy is to show them what’s going on, not just tell them,” shared Derron. “I want them to have a full understanding, to show them what we can do to help. It makes it easier for my optical team to help fulfill prescriptions based on exam findings, lifestyle needs and function.” This brings us to an important subject: eyewear. If you think you just need one pair of glasses for everything, think again. Derron suggests a pair for career use (with blue light-blocking lenses), an active pair, an everyday pair and polarized sunglasses, because too much sunlight can lead to the development of cataracts. If you’re a contact lens wearer, Derron warns patients of contact lens overuse; he prescribes daily disposable contacts as the healthiest option. However, the healthiest thing of all is to keep up with your regular eye exams. “If there are any problems, early detection is best,” related Leanne.

If you ever run into the Drs. Lee while out and about in Stockton, don’t be surprised; they’re just as active about embracing local businesses as they are nonprofits. Follow them on Midtown Optometry on Instagram, and you might find out what their favorite restaurants are, as they love to support the local food scene. They were also one of the founding 50 season ticket holders for the Stockton Kings. “I see so much good in Stockton, and so much potential,” affirmed Derron. If you need help seeing that, maybe a visit to Midtown Optometry will expand your vision.

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