In 2022, while raising a 3-year-old and 4-week-old infant, Amber Teten, O.D., opened her cold-start practice, Navigation Eye Care, in Chesapeake, VA.

Now, Dr. Teten channels her compassion as a mom, with a spotlight on “kid-friendly” exams and meeting eyecare needs for the entire family.

Here, Dr. Teten talks “Paw Patrol,” podcasts, and more.

Greatest advice to fellow O.D.s right now?

Live by the “Financial Peace” ways. My husband and I buckled down during optometry school and paid off his student loans. Following optometry school graduation from Southern College of Optometry, we paid off my optometry school debt in three years. It has been the biggest freedom!

Podcasts in your earbuds?

Usually something business or eyecare related: “20/20 Money,” “Vision is More Than 20/20,” “Optometric Insights Media,” and “Marketing Made Simple.” Also, the mom-related podcast “Risen Motherhood” is one of my go-to listens as a mama.

Eyecare hero?

Dr. Joel Zaba. He was a pioneer in vision therapy and behavioral optometry in the 20th century and really paved the way for vision to be recognized as contributing to learning. I had the opportunity to work under him shortly after graduation for several years and learned so much that I implement daily in my practice.

Song playing in the soundtrack to your life?

Is it funny to say “Paw Patrol” soundtrack? That is what is often playing in our home these days. Most likely it would be Disney’s Moana, “How Far I’ll Go.”

Most likely to splurge on:

Gifts for our daughters, such as Montessori toys and vision-skills-improving toys; books for business building.

Most memorable experience as an optometrist?

In the first year of practicing, I had a young mom bring in her 3-year-old son, wanting a second opinion of his “glassy white eye” that the pediatrician had just been watching. I made the diagnosis of retinoblastoma for the child and had to share the life-changing news with the young mom. I was able to use the clinical knowledge and my compassion to help this young boy save his life. I continued to see the young boy for eye protection glasses and his entire family for years.