![Dr. Molly McDonald, OD, Optometrist | Vision Therapy](/doctor_images/1/1a/1401501.jpg?v=74b1)
Dr. Molly McDonald, OD
Optometrist | Vision Therapy
20094 Kenwood Trl Lakeville MN, 55044About
Dr. Molly McDonald is a graduate of Lakeville High school,where she was a four-year varsity women’s hockey player. With two girls’ State high school hockey tournament appearances. Dr. Molly was the first recipient of the Herb Brooks Award her senior year. The Herb Brooks Award is presented to the most qualified hockey player in the state tournament who strongly represents the values, characteristics, and traits that defined Herb Brooks. She went on to play Division 1 women’s ice hockey at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York graduating in 2008.
Dr. Molly is a 2012 graduate from The Ohio State University College of Optometry; where she fostered her professional interests in primary eye care with an emphasis on contact lenses, disease detection and treatment, and pre- and post-operative surgical eye care. After graduation she worked at Minnesota Eye Consultants, focusing on cataract, corneal, and glaucoma surgeries. During that time she helped write two chapters in “Limbal Relaxing Incisions: A Practical Guide” with Doctors David R. Hardten and Richard Lindstrom. She also spent time with a local Lasik group determining a patient’s candidacy in preoperative appointments and managing patients after Lasik surgery.
Dr. Molly fostered her development in Vision Therapy by continuing her education through the Optometric Extension Program (OEP). OEP is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of the discipline of optometry through the gathering and dissemination of information on vision and the visual process. It strives to advance human progress on vision, the visual process, and clinical care through research, education, and a dynamic network of professionals.
As President of The Vision Performance Center of Minnesota, she enjoys helping athletes enhance their sports specific visual game. She is a vision consultant to the Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators. She also enjoys working with children and adults in Vision Therapy for academic and post-concussion treatments. Vision Therapy is a treatment developed by an optometrist, who specialize in how vision is used, known as neuro-behavioral or developmental optometry. This is different from a standard optometrist who identifies and corrects defects in visual acuity (20/20 vision) and evaluates eye health. As a Behavioral/Neuro-behavioral optometrist we can look at eyes that are otherwise healthy, but function poorly due to disruptions in development or brain injury, this is different from Ophthalmology, which is a specialty that focuses on surgery for pathology (disease) of the eye. Because the brain tells the eyes what to do, visual function can be poor even when standard eye tests have found nothing wrong. Vision therapy is a non-invasive and proven effective option in addressing a variety of vision issues, including eye turn, “lazy eye” (strabismus and/or amblyopia), convergence insufficiency, double vision, post-concussion vision syndrome and more. There are numerous benefits to vision therapy, and it can be used to treat a wide variety of disorders and Dr. Molly enjoys seeing a spectrum of patients that suffer from these vision disorders (oepf.org).
Dr. Molly was voted the 2016 “Young OD of the Year” by the Minnesota Optometric Association and Readers Choice “Best Eye Doctor” in Lakeville.
Dr. Molly enjoys working with the community in Lakeville, the community that shaped her career. She loves working alongside her father, who inspired her career as an optometrist and her sister in their second generation family practice. Dr. Molly enjoys being involved again in the Lakeville Hockey program through her daughter and son! Her other hobbies include hanging with her husband and children, staying active outside during any season, as well as reading books for book club!
Education and Training
The Ohio State University OD 2012
Provider Details
Faculty Titles & Positions
- optometrist McDonald Eye Care Associates -
- Minnesota Eye Consultants -
- President The Vision Performance Center of Minnesota -
Awards
- Young OD of the Year 2016 Minnesota Optometric Association
- Best Eye Doctor Year Readers Choice
Professional Memberships
- American Optometric Association
- Minnesota Optometric Association
- Optometric Education Program
What do you attribute your success to?
- My father. He fostered my interest, showed me you can love what you do, but only ever encouraged me to pursue what I thought I'd love.
Teaching and speaking
- Preceptor for Salus University 3rd and 4th year studentsConcussion Management for the OT.
Favorite Place to Vacation
- Arizona
Hobbies / Sports
- Hockey, Volleyball and keeping up with children!
Dr. Molly McDonald, OD's Practice location
McDonald Eye Care Associates
20094 Kenwood Trl -Lakeville, MN 55044Get Direction
Dr. Molly McDonald, OD's reviews
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Continuing a Family Legacy of Exceptional Eye Care in Lakeville, Minnesota
Dr. Molly McDonald, OD, a dedicated and experienced optometrist, is proud to be a part of the multi-generational family practice, McDonald Eye Care Associates, located in the heart of Lakeville, Minnesota. With a commitment to providing comprehensive and supportive eye care, the practice focuses on continuity of care, ensuring that patients receive the treatment they need not only for immediate issues but also for their long-term vision health.
Dr. McDonald brings an impressive background to the team, having graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2012. Her extensive training includes a focus on primary eye care, contact lenses, disease detection and treatment, and pre- and post-operative surgical care. She has previously worked at Minnesota Eye Consultants, where she gained invaluable experience in cataract, corneal, and glaucoma surgeries, and contributed to the medical community by co-authoring chapters in “Limbal Relaxing Incisions: A Practical Guide.”
In addition to her clinical prowess, Dr. McDonald actively engages in sports vision care, serving as the President of The Vision Performance Center of Minnesota. Her role as a vision consultant for professional teams, including the Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators, showcases her dedication to enhancing athletes' performance through specialized visual training.
Dr. McDonald’s passion for eye care extends into her involvement with Vision Therapy, a unique approach that addresses a variety of vision disorders through tailored exercises and treatments. This method, distinct from traditional optometry, focuses on the functional use of vision and is particularly beneficial for children and adults dealing with visual challenges, including those recovering from concussions.
A proud Lakeville native and former Division 1 women’s ice hockey player at Cornell University, Dr. McDonald is deeply committed to her community. Voted the “Young OD of the Year” by the Minnesota Optometric Association in 2016 and recognized as the “Best Eye Doctor” in Lakeville by Readers Choice, she is excited to be actively involved in the Lakeville Hockey program once again through her daughter, Lainey.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Dr. McDonald cherishes time spent with her husband Luke, their daughter Lainey, sons Eli and Zeke, and their dog, Shooter. She looks forward to continuing the legacy of excellence in eye care at McDonald Eye Care Associates, where patients can expect a personalized approach to their eye health needs.
Nearby Providers
- Dr. Toni J Scheper OD18275 Kenrick Ave, Lakeville, MN Lakeville MN 55044
- Dr. Joel Sollom OD7598 160TH ST W LAKEVILLE MN 55044
- Dr. Scott Fontana O.D.18488 KENYON AVE LAKEVILLE MN 55044
- Dr. Jacqueline Alice Jones O.D.10100 Deer Haven Ct Lakeville MN 55044
- Dr. Elizabeth Ann Stenzel OD18275 Kenrick Ave Lakeville MN 55044
- Margaret Mcdonald OD20094 KENWOOD TRL LAKEVILLE MN 55044
Nearest Hospitals
FAIRVIEW RIDGES HOSPITALl
201 EAST NICOLLET BOULEVARD BURNSVILLE MN 55337NORTHFIELD HOSPITALl
2000 NORTH AVENUE NORTHFIELD MN 55057ST FRANCIS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTERl
1455 ST FRANCIS AVENUE SHAKOPEE MN 55379