This blog post is a special thank you to Dr. Lawrence Cusma, who retired last week. I've worked at Dr. Cusma's office since August 2016.
In 2016, I was the new doctor at Dr. Cusma's office in Glenville. I found a lot of patients were a little unsure about seeing me for their exams. I discovered right away why that was. Dr. Cusma was one of those rare doctors who demonstrated care, concern, and quality. Patients were loyal to him and he was loyal to patients.
Beside opening Maltavista in 2018, I've had 9 jobs in the optometry field. So I've seen it all. There are some great doctors and some not-so-great doctors. Some who take time with patients, and some who rush. Some who remember your name and others who see you as a number. Some with humility and others with arrogance. Dr. Cusma embodies the mantra: "It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice." I aspire to be among his ranks. It's a dying breed.
Before retiring, Dr. Cusma was involved in the NYSOA, and the TLC advisory board. He was well known among peers by always being a friendly face at meetings and continuing education events. He never missed an issue of "Review of Optometry" magazine. His love for the profession was apparent in the pride he had in his office and the optometry community as a whole.
When I first told Dr. Cusma that I was thinking of opening my own office, he was nothing but supportive. He was quick to offer advice and help. Not only that, he was not threatened or competitive in the least, even though my new office would be just 20 minutes from his. I learned from him that the best and most successful optometrists are those that support and collaborate with fellow optometrists. It's all about building others up, so we can rise together. That is precisely why, even though he is retiring, his legacy lives on through all he's helped.
For those of you who are wondering- Dr. Cusma's office was purchased by Dr. Paloma Salam (She's awesome!) and is now called 518Eyes. The phone number is the same: 518-399-6368.