Meet Dr. Julian Prosia | Dry Eye Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Julian Prosia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Julian, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In my opinion risk-taking is one of the most important traits a person could have in their “decision making toolbox”. Ones ability to take a risk gives them the opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone. When someone is uncomfortable, it means that they are unfamiliar with a certain thing, person or place. For the human brain, this sense of “feeling uncomfortable” ultimately accelerates our emotional, mental, and psychological growth by putting us in situations where we are forced to problem solve. This brings me to the ideological thought that “ nothing in life comes easy, and that if something presents as easy, it is likely too good to be true.” Being comfortable gives us a sense of ease, since we are familiar with that particular thing, with this being said it also prevents us from challenging ourselves with new experiences. With risk-taking, comes the willingness to learn, the drive to grow and the ambition to succeed.

Risk taking has been a big part of my life and shaped me into the individual I am today. In 2017 I moved from Canada to the United States to pursue my doctorate in Optometry at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida. I had forced myself into this uncomfortable situation where I knew absolutely nobody, with the hopes of learning more about myself and growing as an independent person. In 2021 I made the biggest decision of my life and chose to stay in the United States to work as an eye doctor instead of returning to my family in Canada. About 8 months before graduation, when most people were studying for board exams and were focused on finishing clinical rotations, I decided to venture out to different eye care businesses throughout South Florida. I applied to a variety of eye care businesses, as an “almost eye doctor,” praying that someone would give me the opportunity to meet with them to solidify a job after graduation. Luckily, I got a response from West Boca Eye Center, where I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Brent Bellotte, who has now been a phenomenal colleague, business partner, friend and mentor to me throughout our past year of knowing each other. Reaching out and taking that risk has now put me in a position where I have been able to fulfill my passion in eye care and use my platform to revolutionize dry eye care in South Florida.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an Eye Doctor that works at West Boca Eye Center in Boca Raton. I work alongside Dr. Brent Bellotte who is South Florida’s Top Cataract Specialist and together we run South Florida’s top Cataract & Dry Eye speciality clinic. I think what sets me apart from others is my willingness to jump into uncomfortable situations, both as a person and as a doctor. Diving head first into learning and meeting new people has given me the opportunity to understand what niche’s people are currently occupying and which ones are free for the taking. In my particular field, I noticed that Dry eye care was not only heavily under-served but it was also being managed in a very “conventional” way. This is what has led me to revamp the way that I manage my patients struggling with dry eye disease. Many of the patients who come to see me have struggled with dry eyes for years without any relief from conventional therapies that were administered by general eye doctors. Since I specialize in dry eye care, I am able to offer the newest of treatments and technologies, such as stem cell treatments to people struggling with the chronic nature of the disease. Not only has this treatment revolutionized the way that I treat dry eye but it has also given my patient’s the chance to finally improve their quality of life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my friends were visiting the area I would most definitely take them to Miami. Renting a yacht in Miami where you can see the city from different angles, enjoy a day in the sun and relax in the Miami river is something that everyone visiting the area should do. When it comes dining out, I am a huge foodie, and would most definitely recommend going to Cafe Europa on Las Olas Blvd in Ft Lauderdale. Coming from an Italian immigrant family I’m extremely critical when it comes to my Italian food and Cafe Europa definitely gets an A+ in that department. One really exciting thing I always urge people to do is to go see a Florida Panthers game. Coming from Canada, I was born into playing hockey and am biased to the sport. If you have never seen a hockey game before, it makes for a perfect night out with the boys or date night with the lady.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout Dr. Brent Bellotte for mentoring me, and encouraging me to pursue my passion in Dry Eye Care. I also want to thank my parents, brothers and girlfriend for being there for me and supporting the decisions I have made to start my career in Boca Raton.

Website: https://westbocaeyecenter.com/why-choose-us-dr-julian-prosia/

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Linkedin: Dr. Julian Prosia

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