Family-focused Eye Health
Dr. Roxie Hastings And Dr. Liz Mclemore
Optometrists and owners of Island Girl Eyecare
Where did you receive your schooling and training?
Dr. Liz McLemore: I attended University of Arkansas-Fayetteville and then received my doctorate in optometry at University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry. My associate, Dr. Roxie Hastings, attended Texas A&M University and University of Houston College of Optometry. We both did externships at VA hospitals and various private practices. I was an optometrist in the Navy for almost seven years, and also have worked at several private practices, including a LASIK eye center. Roxie’s husband is an active-duty Marine Corps pilot, and she has had the great experience of practicing in several different states. We decided to open Island Girl Eyecare last year because we both love Hawaii and wanted to offer a bright, cheery and kid-friendly eye-care experience.
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How long have you been practicing?
Between the two of us, we have more than 30 years of experience.
What does Island Girl Eyecare specialize in?
We offer the full scope of eye care for the entire family, and especially enjoy providing care to children. Every child should have an eye exam before entering school to check for refractive error and ocular health. It’s a common misconception that only those with prescriptions should have an eye exam. I’ve had LASIK patients go 10 years without an eye health check! Common diseases such as hypertension and diabetes can have ocular complications. We also check for glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration. We have treatments for tired, itchy or dry eyes that people often suffer with unnecessarily. We also fit contact lenses and have found a dramatic decrease in problems with patients wearing daily disposable lenses.
Are there any seasonal issues that come up?
Ocular allergies are a huge year-round problem here in Hawaii because of vog and flowering plants. Many people are allergic to their own pets. We can prescribe drops that often help. UV light is very damaging to the eyes and can cause pterygiums, cataracts and macular degeneration. Everyone in Hawaii should have a decent pair of sunglasses, including kids.
Can you describe the eyewear you offer?
We have a large assortment of stylish frames for the entire family. Kid’s frames are so adorable these days. Many styles look like miniature adult frames, and women with petite faces often prefer them. We like to carry frames with a purpose. Eco frames are made from 95 percent recycled materials and a tree is planted for every frame purchased. Fetch Eyewear donates all of its corporate proceeds to animal rescue and offers a lifetime warranty, even if your dog chewed your frame! Lafont frames are handmade in Paris, and are very quirky and fun. We carry many other lines, including Maui Jim, Guess, Lilly Pulitzer, Laura Ashley, Candies, Juicy Couture, Charmant and Harley Davidson, to name a few. We also have two lines of “Asian fit” frames that we find fit almost everyone beautifully. We are fortunate to have a licensed optician on staff. Amy King has 18 years of experience and finds the perfect frame for any face shape. I’ve heard figures as high as 95 percent of frames ordered online are made incorrectly. Amy is precise with her measurements and wants every patient to look fabulous when they leave here. We also fill prescriptions from outside doctors.
Anything you’d like to add?
We love to be involved in the community and have donated items for several local charities. We were involved in Cool Kailua Nights last year. Proceeds benefitted The Boys and Girls Club. We have plans to run vision screenings at local elementary schools. In addition, Roxie and I paddle and play tennis in Kailua, and a lot of our patients have come from word-of-mouth. Because of this, Amy has implemented a popular referral program, and she is also a wealth of knowledge about insurance.
We love to meet new people here at Island Girl Eyecare, and our goal is “Vision with Aloha”!
