Centennial
Millennial optometrist, Darryl Glover, OD ’11, is a global speaker, entrepreneur, and social media expert. As a firm believer in the power of social media, Dr. Glover sees how it can provide an outlet for reaching a greater population – a population in which has led his online sunglasses boutique, Eye See Euphoria to great heights.
In an interview conducted by The Optometry Times, Dr. Glover claimed, “Millennials spend a lot of time on social media, so that’s the best way to dialogue with them. I will post a picture of a product that I potentially want to have on my store. If folks like the picture and I get direct messaging saying, “I want to buy this product” from X number of folks, then I know it’s something I need to do.”
Growing up in the “Triangle area” of Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Dr. Glover spent some time in Orlando, before starting his undergrad in his home state. Upon receiving a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and his Bachelor of Science from North Carolina State University, Dr. Glover began his search for the right optometry school.
In one of his most recent blog-appearances, Dr. Glover spoke with PCC Spotlight OD about why he chose to attend the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University. “PCO was accepting the largest population of black students out of all the schools. It was important for me to see people who looked like me in an educational setting.” He also spoke about PCO’s early clinical education as a reason behind his decision. “I am a firm believer in ‘practice makes perfect’,” he said. “And the idea that I would get a head start was very appealing.”
After graduating from PCO in 2011, he became a licensed optometrist in both the United States and Nigeria. Two years later, Dr. Glover created Eye See Euphoria. Upon seeing how popular his posts were in Nigeria he decided to visit the area and upon seeing their need for eye care products, he opened his own private practice. “There is a dire need for more eye care professionals (in Nigeria) as there is one optometrist for every forty thousand people, unlike the states where there is one optometrist to every three or four thousand people,” he said to PCC Spotlight OD.
Working together with Dr. Jennifer Lyerly, OD, the two ‘millennial optometrists’ cofounded Defocus Media. A company, which specializes in social media management for optometrists, currently holds the number one eye care podcast in the world and uploads weekly content geared toward creating authentic dialogue about eye care news.
A few weeks ago, one of those weekly content stories happened to be “Happy Birthday, Pennsylvania College of Optometry (Salus University)” in which Dr. Glover documented his return to campus for the first time since graduation to attend PCO’s Centennial Gala.
Today, Dr. Glover travels as a COPE approved speaker, works alongside prestige brands such as Oliver Goldsmith and Transitions and is a member of a number of professional associations, the National Optometric Association, and the Essilor Future in Sight Advisory Committee.
During his spare time, Dr. Glover enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and trying new foods at unique restaurants, as he refers to himself as a real “#foodie.”
