In 35 years of existence the UMSL College of Optometry has prided itself in graduating optometrists who have very good interpersonal communication skills, have excellent clinical skills, and have a true desire to help others. In particular, many of our nonresident graduates who had entered optometry later due to making a career change, have defined this type of individual. So with that in mind meet Dr. Karen Aldridge.
Dr. Aldridge began her professional career as a high school teacher teaching both English and Speech. With a parallel to the movie “The Rookie”, it was an assignment that her students were required to complete that ultimately changed her life as she related: “My students were required to do a career speech using three sources, one of which could be a computer program from Kansas State University entitled “Kansas Careers.” They could access the program by inputting likes and dislikes, or simply by listing a career choice; the program then gave them three careers which matched their likes. I entered mine and got (1) teacher, (2) optometrist, and (3) highway patrolman. I joke that if optometry doesn’t work out (after 23 years!) I can always join the patrol!”
Dr. Aldridge – after taking many prerequisites – applied to five schools and the fact that she selected UMSL was a decision that she is very happy with. “I’m glad I chose UMSL and I’m glad they chose me. The small class size allowed interaction with the professors. It also helped us get to know our classmates better. The variety of faculty members—both those who did research and those who also worked in private practice—gave us a good idea of the possibilities of practice opportunities. My externship opportunities also offered variety from Indian Health Service, military base, private practice, and VT at SUNY, preparing me well for private practice. St. Louis was also a straight shot down I-70 so my husband could visit(from Kansas) once a month!”
Dr. Aldridge personifies the desire to help other people improve the quality of their life. She established her practice “Prairie Wind Eyecare” in northwest (Hill City), Kansas and currently works there three days a week having recently sold her second practice, located in the next county. She literally take care of everyone, young and old. Whether it requires going to nursing homes, doing trauma care, performing general optometry, prescribing any type of contact lenses, or examining children, she does it all. Her specialty, however, is vision therapy(VT) and she provides VT for no less than an 18 county radius in northwest Kansas as well as the southern Nebraska region. Her caring, empathetic demeanor, in combination with very good clinical skills have allowed her to build a very good relationship with medical doctors in the area and she has a very strong referral practice.
She has also unselfishly given back to the profession. She has served on the Kansas Optometric Association Board of Directors and, in 2001, was elected the first woman President of the Kansas Optometric Association. Her efforts were greatly appreciated by her peers and, in 1996, she was chosen as the KOA Young Optometrist of the Year as well as receiving the Women Owned Business of the Year in the Professional Category from the Kansas Department of Commerce. In 2012 she received the very high honor of being selected as the Optometrist of the Year from the KOA.
She has been able to successfully combine private practice optometry with an active personal life as she relates: “My husband is my clinic manager, doing our accounting, and training new staff. We have two adult children and 8 grandchildren, the oldest is a Captain in the Air Force; the youngest is a sophomore in high school. Most live close enough that we have enjoyed watching them grow up.”
Optometry truly is one of the highest rated professions in self satisfaction due, in large part, to the impact they have on the quality of life of others. Dr. Karen Aldridge, upon graduation in 1992, embellished this, traveled down highway 70 to Northwest Kansas, dedicated her professional life to caring for the visual needs of everyone in her region and when she retires her legacy will be that she left her professional world a much better place. It is dedicated professionals like Dr. Karen Aldridge that make you proud you are an optometrist. And without doubt, we take great pride that she represents the UMSL College of Optometry family.