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From a young age, Riya Paranthan, OD ‘14, was fascinated by the sciences, particularly with the intricate workings of the human body. So, it was noticeable to her when she was in fifth grade, her vision started to decline and she found herself less attentive at school.
“At that time, there was a lot of stigma around wearing eyeglasses, especially being from an Indian family, where they put so much emphasis on aesthetics. It was almost considered to be a handicap of sorts,” said Dr. Paranthan.
But seeing an optometrist for the first time, and being fitted for her first set of eyeglasses, changed her life overnight.
“I think it was transformative. My whole world, in a sense, came into focus,” said Dr. Paranthan. “This personal experience ignited a passion within me to achieve the same clarity and understanding of vision and hopefully transform other children’s lives.”
And, she can trace her career path, which includes being the current president of the Salus Alumni Association, by maintaining that passion for helping people. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with an undergraduate degree in biology, Dr. Paranthan did some research on ophthalmology and that solidified her belief she belonged somewhere in the eye care and vision world.
“I worked with ophthalmologists and optometrists and I felt that optometry offered the perfect work-life balance that would allow me have time with my family,” she said. “At the same time, I could be involved in a profession that would be so fulfilling and rewarding at the end of the day. It’s always nice to have that sort of instant gratification that you get within this career.”
Once she saw the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, she fell in love with the institution and its people.
"The clinical skills that our school teaches are phenomenal and the fact that it has essentially been a pioneer in the profession, I wanted to be associated with the school,” said Dr. Paranthan. “Every single professor there has helped me grow so much as a person and I’m grateful for the education I received.”
She remembers “having the time of my life” while at PCO, meeting and making friends, including her classmate and eventual husband, Rohit Sachdeva, OD ’14, who proposed to her on graduation day from PCO/Salus.
Dr. Paranthan has been a strong advocate for optometry and served as a student liaison for the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) during her time at PCO/Salus. Her research on corneal neovascularization, angiogenesis, and retinal gliosis has been presented at national conferences such as the Association of Researchers in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and the Southeastern Educational Congress of Optometry (SECO).
She has authored and published in substantial scientific journals such as Molecular Vision, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (IOVS) and Translational Vision Science. She was appointed the Ambassador for National Vision, Inc., in 2017 and Professional Eyecare Associates of America (PECAA) in 2019.
Currently, she is the regional leader for Private Eye Care Associates of America, where she runs peer to peer meetings and lectures with other optometrists in her area. She simultaneously serves on the board of directors at the department of biology at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Paranthan was appointed in 2023 by Gov. Jay Inslee to serve on the Washington State Board of Optometry. Therein, she was unanimously elected to be vice chair of the board and is also a part of the three-member committee responsible for the interpretation, rulemaking and implementation of Bill SSB 5389, otherwise known as The Access to Eyecare Act, which now authorizes Washington optometrists to practice advanced procedures, expanding the scope of practice. She has recently been appointed to the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) review committee for the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry (ARBO).
Dr. Paranthan believes she thrives in leadership positions, which is why she joined the Alumni Association board and advanced to the president’s chair effective July 2024.
“It’s my way of giving back to the school that has given so much to me,” she said. “I hope to foster connections and engage with alumni and future alumni and hopefully be a positive influence on the student body so that we can maintain the integrity for which our school is known.”
Among the goals she hopes to achieve as Alumni Association president includes helping facilitate the merger between Salus and Drexel University.
“I think it’s going to be a great avenue for all of our students to have so much more access to more resources and have the same kind of facilities other schools have,” said Dr. Paranthan. “I think this is going to be a very positive thing and I’m happy to be part of the team during the merger.”
After graduating from PCO/Salus, Dr. Paranthan spent a couple of years in retail optometry and then took a break to start a family. She and Dr. Sachdeva have a daughter, five-year-old Reina, who is starting kindergarten. That has allowed Dr. Paranthan to go back to work. She is now employed at Northwest Eye Clinic in Bellingham, Washington, where she not only provides comprehensive eye exams, but also shares the privilege of co-managing complex ocular disorders.
A typical day for Dr. Paranthan involves a wide variety of cases such as diabetic eye exams, diagnosis and treatment of binocular vision disorders, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and the fitting of specialty contact lenses (including scleral lenses and orthokeratology).
She looks forward to her role as Alumni Association president.
“I hope to be able to help shape initiatives and programs that support both alumni and enhance the experience for current students and contribute to the institution’s growth,” said Dr. Paranthan.
