Health pro: Consbruck keeps eye on patients' well being

Wayne T. Price
Florida Today
Dr. Deborah Consbruck is an optometrist for Florida Eye Associates, which has offices in Melbourne, Viera and Cocoa Beach

Dr. Deborah Consbruck is an optometrist for Florida Eye Associates, which has offices in Melbourne, Viera and Cocoa Beach.

Q: Why did you go into this career?

A: I enjoy the rewarding feeling of really making a significant difference in the lives of others. Optometry can be a great career for women, as it is family friendly regarding life balance and flexibility.

Q: What services do you provide?

A: Management and treatment of ocular disease such as diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, and dry eye as well as general optometry, including contact lens fitting. I offer Wednesday evening and Saturday appointments to cater to the busy lives of patients. As a Registered Dietitian, I can uniquely provide education on nutrition and its impact on eye health.

Q: What makes this area of medicine fulfilling for you?

A: It is an honor to have the opportunity to provide quality eye care while developing many rewarding doctor/patient relationships.

Q: When did you realize this was the right medical career path for you?

I received life changing eye care at Shands Teaching Hospital in Gainesville as a child and then volunteered at their eye clinic later. I was fortunate to be able to build on my background in nutrition and information technology when I entered the optometry field.

Q: What’s the latest advancement in your field that will benefit patients?

A: Currently, Florida Eye Associates has been selected to participate in at least 10 major clinical trials with leading edge treatment research in the areas of Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy. We are excited about new treatments that will be developed through this research. We are also on the leading edge of offering new technology such as scleral contact lenses used for challenging corneal disease and active sports such as cycling.

Q: Best advice for current and potential patients.

A: Remember yearly dilated comprehensive eye exams are important not only for vision checks but also for early disease diagnosis/prevention. For example, dilation is important to check for tumors or other cancer related problems as well as retinal holes, cataracts, and other issues.  

Have an idea for the Know Your Health Professional, contact Wayne T. Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com.

Know Your Health Pro

Name: Dr. Deborah Consbruck, Optometrist

Where you’re based: Florida Eye Associates (Melbourne, Viera, Cocoa Beach locations).

Education: Doctor of Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry; Masters of Science in Computer Information Systems, Georgia Southwestern University; Masters of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, Florida State University; Bachelor of Science, University of Florida.

Professional background: Optometrist for seven years, including one-year residency. Systems Manager, Procter and Gamble, 10 years. Registered Dietitian, 10 years. Fellow of American Academy of Optometry, American Optometry Association, Florida Optometric Association, Brevard Optometric Association, Registered Dietitian.

Address: 502 E. New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, FL 32901

Contact (Phone/e-mail): (321) 727-2020

On the Web: www.FloridaEyeAssociates.com