In this Defocus Media Podcast episode, Dr. Darryl Glover welcomes Dr. Shelby Brogdon for a wide-ranging conversation that connects three topics many optometrists are thinking about right now: building a dry eye clinic, preventing burnout, and using social media in a way that actually supports (not drains) real life.

From the start, Dr. Brogdon is positioned as more than a “dry eye expert.” She’s presented as a clinician who has intentionally shaped her career around both impact and lifestyle—without losing clinical depth. The episode opens with a clear focus: dry eye care can be practice-changing, but it also requires a strategy that keeps the doctor well, too.

Dr. Brogdon shares that she always wanted to be a physician, but optometry wasn’t on her radar early on. The turning point came through a high school internship program and a relationship with her best friend’s father—an optometrist who became a mentor and “second dad.” That early access to real clinic work (front desk, scanning charts during an EHR transition, then moving into technician work and scribing) made optometry tangible and meaningful.

The takeaway is simple but important: optometry often wins people over once they see it. The episode reinforces that allowing students to shadow, intern, and witness the patient impact firsthand remains one of the strongest ways to grow the profession and help future clinicians find their path.

Dr. Brogdon didn’t start out planning to build a dry eye niche. She describes working in primary care, then joining a large OD/MD setting with heavier medical optometry exposure—glaucoma, retina, diabetes, pediatrics, and more. Still, something felt incomplete.

Dry eye became the surprising “yes,” partly because she was encouraged to step into it. She explains being “voluntold” into dry eye after the practice acquired a LipiFlow and BlephEx that were underutilized—and an ophthalmologist owner pushed her to create something around them. What started as an assignment became her most fulfilling clinical lane, especially because of how deeply dry eye affects patients’ day-to-day quality of life.

As a referral-based dry eye clinician, she emphasizes the emotional and functional toll her patients carry—especially advanced cases—making the work both challenging and highly rewarding.

Dr. Brogdon currently practices at a specialty dry eye clinic in Little Rock, Arkansas, described as a referral center that does not focus on glasses or contact lenses. The clinic collaborates beyond traditional eye care channels, including relationships with rheumatology and hormone health specialists, and serves as a resource for doctors who may not have time—or the equipment—to manage complex ocular surface disease at a high level.

Her schedule is structured for depth over volume. She typically sees around 8–10 patients per day, with extended, hour-long new patient visits. The goal is clear: less rushing, more education, more clarity, and a customized plan patients can understand and follow.

One of the most practical parts of the conversation centers on education systems that build buy-in. Dr. Brogdon explains how she uses an in-office slideshow to teach fundamentals—tear film layers, meibomian gland dysfunction, ocular rosacea—then ties those concepts directly to the patient’s own diagnostic images.

She also describes a scalable approach she used in higher-volume settings: a short pre-visit educational video (recorded simply with an iPhone and ring light) that covers the “dry eye basics” in about five to six minutes. That way, when the clinician enters the room, the conversation can start at a higher level—connecting symptoms and findings to a plan, instead of rebuilding the foundation every time.

The clinical insight is direct: education reduces friction. When patients understand why a therapy is being recommended—especially if it requires prior authorization, isn’t covered, or costs more—they’re far more likely to stay engaged and consistent.

In discussing current tools, Dr. Brogdon highlights biologics as a major asset in advanced care—particularly autologous serum tears. She explains that while serum tears are not typically covered by insurance, access is expanding through service models that allow blood draws outside the practice setting, including home or clinic-based phlebotomy options with shipping and delivery.

She also discusses using a cryopreserved amniotic membrane option placed under a dissolvable collagen shield as part of her toolkit—especially valuable in complex cases like neurotrophic keratitis—sometimes helping stabilize the ocular surface before moving into next-line therapies.

The broader theme is one many optometrists feel: there are more options than ever, but that can create “dry eye fatigue.” The episode frames this as a real issue—too many therapeutics, too many steps, too many prior authorizations—and it reinforces the value of a repeatable system to keep treatments and decision-making clear.

A standout practice-building segment focuses on referrals from rheumatology. Dr. Brogdon explains that some of her strongest physician relationships have grown organically: patients improve, then tell their rheumatologist where they received meaningful help. She also offers a simple entry point for any practice—start with Plaquenil screening relationships. If an optometrist is already monitoring retinal risk, it creates a natural opportunity to communicate that dry eye care is also part of what the clinic can manage, especially when dryness is tied to autoimmune conditions.

The conversation becomes personal when Dr. Brogdon shares how burnout showed up in her life. With two young children and a busy OD/MD clinic schedule, she was also trying to build a specialty lane, participate in industry, create content, and stay engaged professionally. The result, she admits, was that her family—and even her patients—weren’t getting the best of her.

The episode doesn’t glamorize the pivot. It presents it as necessary. She describes the shift to her current role as partly “divine intervention” and partly decision—recognizing that long-term excellence requires sustainability.

Importantly, she also reframes “balance” as flexible design, not perfection. She continues to practice in multiple settings—dry eye specialty care, occasional primary care coverage, and part-time pre- and post-op LASIK work—creating a structure that supports both her identity as a clinician and her life outside the clinic.

Her closing advice to clinicians feeling stuck is practical: write it down. Use a pro-and-con list, define what matters most, and remember that a career doesn’t have to fit in one bucket. It can evolve—and it’s allowed to.

Dr. Brogdon’s social media approach stands out because it’s designed for real life. She shares that she started early (during her fourth year of optometry school) and has evolved with the platforms. But her biggest insight is time-based: she doesn’t always have bandwidth for long “talking to camera” videos. Instead, she leans into simple “B-roll” footage—setting up treatments, showing clinic moments—paired with text overlays and trending audio.

In other words, it’s not about being a full-time creator. It’s about sharing what’s already happening, in a format that feels natural and efficient. The conversation reinforces that this approach can educate patients, create professional connection, and open doors—without requiring optometrists to become performers.

When asked what she wants to be known for when she eventually “retires her phoropter,” Dr. Brogdon’s answer stays consistent with the entire episode: progress and encouragement. She wants to push optometry forward—especially in the dry eye space—and be a voice for younger optometrists still figuring out who they want to be in the profession.

The episode closes with a simple invitation: build what works, protect what matters, and remember that your career is allowed to change as your life changes.