“Doctors need to be able to practice to the best of their abilities and for the greatest benefit of their patients,” says Dr. Javier E. Villalobos. “Working with Dr. Leonard, I can do that here more than any optometry office I’ve ever been a part of.”
“Doctor V”, as he is called by his patients, joined Dr. Barry Leonard, OD & Associates in the fall of 2017. He brings with him a warm personality and a real devotion to his patients, which becomes apparent the moment you meet him.
Retail and Corporate Optometry
Dr. Villalobos began his optometry career in 2009 and worked many years in corporate optometry. One of the things he found was that sometimes corporate ownership or management provided limited resources in caring for his patients.
“I want to help my patients with their ocular health in more ways than writing prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses.”
He found that certain professional groups/offices would at times under-utilize their talented optometrists. “Our skills must be practiced: as an optometrist we can be THE managing eye health provider. A visit to an optometry office is a unique experience and we have the privilege of really listening to our patients and connecting with them.”
“Corporate settings present a lot of moving parts, so after some time I knew I needed to take my skills elsewhere.”
So when Dr. Leonard and Dr. V had breakfast together in September of 2017 they found that their personalities and ideas for patient care matched closely. Dr. Leonard had known Dr. V for years and knew how good a doctor he was, his commitment to his patients and his friendly demeanor. Just a short while after that meeting, Dr. V joined the office and has meshed perfectly into the nearly-historic practice.
About Dr. Barry Leonard & Associates
Dr. Leonard’s father, David Leonard, founded the practice in 1957 in the middle of the San Fernando Valley to care for people locally and all throughout Los Angeles. Dr. Barry Leonard joined his father’s practice in 1986 and continued the commitment to patients that his father had begun. He has since taken over the practice which has helped thousands of people overcome their mild to severe vision problems.
The practice offers general eye care and can diagnose and treat nearly any eye disease or condition. The practice specializes in several eye conditions and treatments, including the diagnosis and treatment of Myopia, which is currently an epidemic in the United States partially caused or made worse by the increasing use of small screens at close distances.
Dr. Leonard has Keratoconus, a degenerative eye disease that is often treated with surgery. So he has a passion for treating patients with this disease using non-surgical Keratoconus treatments, mostly with the use of custom scleral lenses, which are also used for other types of corneal dystrophies and to correct High Order Aberrations.
Both Dr. Leonard and Dr. Villalobos believe that patient care is made better with the latest technology, which is why the practice invests heavily in the most advanced technology, but also the training required to use the technology to the greatest benefit of their patients.
Dr. Villalobos says “This is the best technologically-equipped optometric facility I’ve ever worked in. It truly enables us to do our work and ensures the best quality of care.
A Return To Patient-Centric Optical Care
After working in different optometric settings, Dr. V truly enjoys being a part of Dr. Leonard’s practice. “What I noticed instantly was the level of dedication that each employee has to patient care. Not so much a dedication to the practice, but to each patient directly. When everyone is focused on the patient, then everything is in harmony.”
He continues, “This is the one place where I or any patient can ask a staff member for help and it’s given immediately, there is a true sense of “team” here. You can’t create this, it’s good hiring. We all get along with the same goal of doing what is best for the patient.”
“Every office is different…the management style, the team and the population it serves.” Here in the San Fernando Valley, there is a large population of Spanish-speaking people, and as a fluent Spanish speaker, Dr. V can give his Spanish-speaking patients that extra level of care with nothing lost in translation.
“I’m very happy here at Dr. Barry Leonard & Associates”, says Dr. Villalobos. “Dr. Leonard is a near-celebrity in this town because of his community involvement and outreach. Patients and others naturally gravitate towards him, his big smile and even bigger heart.”
As for Dr. Leonard, he says that Dr. Villalobos is, “a great addition to our team. He fits in seamlessly and we’re aligned in our mission to deliver the best optometric care in the San Fernando Valley. He is a perfect addition to our practice.”
Meet Dr. Villalobos in Person
Do you need eye care? Are you overdue for an eye exam? Or are you looking for a new and more personable optometrist? Dr. V would love to meet you and care for you and your family’s vision. Call our office at 818-891-6711 or make an appointment online.
