Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maria Bontrager. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Maria , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
Since I started the journey to become an optometrist, I have always been the only one in the room who looks like me. I grew up in a conservative Mennonite home where higher education was discouraged. When I decided to pursue my dreams in my early 20’s, I immediately became someone who was “different”. In my church setting, few people had college degrees. None of my peers were interested in college. At school, I was the only Mennonite. People routinely mistook my faith for Amish, Jewish, Mormon, Catholic and others. Making friends was difficult. Few people wanted to hob nob with the weird religious girl.
Graduate school was a different experience. While I was still the only Mennonite, I was able to form deeper connections with peers and mentors. I also found a more supportive Mennonite community in the new city where I lived. While none of these people had an education, they did not ostracize me or treat me differently because of my education.
This experience of being surrounded by supportive people helped me to develop confidence. I found that my perspective was just as valuable as someone else’s, even though it was different from the majority.
After earning my doctorate, I moved to another state to complete a residency. Here again I found supportive people, both within the clinical program and within the Mennonite church. During this time I developed confidence in my professional skills and responsibilities. Support and acceptance of both my clinical and faith communities were key in this growth.
In 2023 I moved back to my home town and opened an optometry clinic. While running my own business has been very challenging, the confidence I developed over the last 5 years gave me the courage I needed to do this. Again I find myself being the only one in the room who looks like me. I don’t know of any other female Mennonite optometrists. All the courage and grit that it took to get through 9 years of education to reach my goals have served me well. Being different is not a handicap. In some ways, it is what got me here.
I could not have reached this point without the support, love, and care of countless people. I am truly grateful for what each one of them has poured into my life. I think that the key to being successful is to find those people who help you on your journey. None of us can do it alone. Even though we are different on the outside, we are all the same on the inside.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As an optometrist, I have the privilege of helping people see better. Usually people only think about glasses and contact lenses. But there is so much more! That is the exciting part!
Many eye diseases affect vision. Allergies, dry eye disease, exposure, eyelid parasites, and more are conditions that I can treat to improve someone’s vision.
Vision is more than seeing 20/20! Visual skills needed for reading and learning include tracking, focusing, and eye alignment. By treating poor visual skills, I am able to help a child or adult overcome poor reading comprehension, headaches, and ADHD-type behavior.
The newest product we offer is an FDA-approved computer program to improve vision naturally. This is such an exciting product! Over the course of several months, I have seen people’s vision change by using this program.
It’s a great time to be an optometrist! I love helping people see better with all the tools that are available today.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Rest: We are created with the need for rest and when we don’t honor that, we suffer. I take off every Sunday to spend time in worship, community, and quietness. This practice helped me to avoid burnout in school. It helps me manage stress today as a business owner. Make rest a part of your weekly routine.
Grit: Anything worth doing takes effort. Usually it takes a lot of effort. I think this applies particularly in school and in business where the results of our efforts take years to realize.
Relationships: surround yourself with people who believe in you, encourage you, and are smarter than you. None of us can do life alone. We need the support and influence of people who will lift us up, not pull us down.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
I had strabismus as a child; my eyes pointed in different directions. Because my eyes were not aligned, my depth perception was terrible. I could not do simple things like pour water into a glass. Playing sports was torture. My self confidence was very low because I could not do things that everyone else did with ease. I grew very quiet and insecure.
My parents found an optometrist who could straighten my eyes with vision therapy. For years, we drove 4 hours one way to spend a day at Dr. Childress’s office doing vision therapy. My parents sacrificed so much time and money to make this possible.
Vision therapy changed the trajectory of my life. With straight eyes, my depth perception improved. My self esteem sky rocketed and my whole personality changed. I became more outgoing and confident.
My experience with vision therapy was the reason that I decided to become an optometrist. My parents’ sacrifices gave me the gift of a wonderful life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.smallwondereyecare.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/small_wonder_eyecare/
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