I never knew optometry existed, even though one of my family member practices it!I just knew
her as an optician. Growing up, I admired my mum so much that I wanted to follow in her footsteps
and be a police officer mainly for the uniform, the marches, and the respect that came with it.
To my dad, I felt this strong desire to prove something, but I wasn’t quite sure what. To make him
proud, I threw myself into my studies and chose a different path from what I had originally
planned. At that time, one of my siblings was studying to become a veterinary doctor, and in my
mind, I needed to aim higher. I set my sights on becoming a medical doctor.
After my Form Four exams, I got an A-minus, which was enough to get into medical school. But
when I tried to apply, I found out that the nearby universities were full, and traveling far wasn’t an
option for me. So, I turned to Google and searched for medical courses at Masinde Muliro
University of Science and Technology it is close to home. That’s when I discovered optometry,
searched the pay and saw something promising and I decided to apply. Even then, I still had this
lingering dream of being a police officer.
In my first year, I was just going through the motions showing up to class, cramming for exams, and
trying to get by. The same went for the first and second semesters of my second year. I was
struggling and honestly unhappy, but I kept pushing through because I knew it made my dad proud,
and that was enough for me at the time.
Then came my third semester, where I failed my assessment on refraction. I got a +3 when I
needed a +5, so I had to repeat it. To be honest, it didn’t bother me much.I thought to myself,
finish this degree, show my dad, and then I’ll change careers.
” Little did I know..
“I’ll
One day, when I went home, my mum’s neighbor called and said her eye had swollen. I went over
to check on her and found out she had a stye. I advised her to use warm compresses and to stop
wearing makeup for a while. Within ten days, her eye had healed. The neighbor called me “Daktari
wangu” (my doctor), and from that moment on, everything changed. It made me realize that there’s
something far more powerful than intimidating people it’s about helping others and putting a smile
on their faces.
That moment marked the turning point in my life. I decided then and there that I wanted to be an
optometrist, someone who could make people feel good about themselves and see the beauty in the
world. Since then, my passion for optometry has grown exponentially.
Now, I’m fully immersed in my studies, in the clinic, and in any community outreach I can get
involved in.
Optometry has transformed me into a more selfless person, and for that, I’m grateful. What once
felt like a backup plan has become my true calling, and I’m excited for where this path will take
me.