Credit: Ainsley Jay

Dr. Erin Civetti poses near the front desk of New England Family Eye. Civetti is an optometrist for a local optometry practice in the Wayland Town Center.

The New England Family Eye opened in Wayland Town Center at 41 Andrew Ave. on June 28. The optometry practice is run by Dr. Erin Civetti.

Prior to working in optometry, Civetti received a Bachelor of Science in Biology at University of Massachusetts Amherst. She would later go on to the New England College of optometry in 2020, earning an optometry degree and graduating with clinical honors.

“I knew that eventually down the road I would love to have that ownership aspect to [an optometric practice],” Civetti said. “I really wanted the chance to have not just a challenge medically and professionally, but a business challenge as well. I think it’s really nice to grow something right from the beginning, and that’s been super exciting.”

Civetti first realized she wanted to go into optometry her sophomore year at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She started her career by shadowing for optometry private practices, and eventually made a goal to open her own practice.

“I talked to the owner [at the practice I shadowed],” Civetti said. “I really liked the balance that he had between having his own shop, and all the doctor stuff with it as well. As soon as I decided that I was gonna go into optometry, I already had that idea in my mind that my goal at some point was to open up my own practice.”

Prior to running New England Family Eye, Civetti worked at an ophthalmology clinic in Westford. Her job consisted of both routine eye exams and complicated medical eyes exams. After Civetti’s job in Westford, she worked in a private practice in Rhode Island. She currently works two days in Easton at Bay Eye Center.

“For people who want to have their own private practice, I would say that working in a private practice setting is really important,” Civetti said. “It allows you to see what you’re going to be getting yourself into, and then just ask a lot of questions.”

Initially, Civetti struggled to find a location to start her practice. She eventually chose a unit in the Wayland Town Center. In September of 2023, Civetti signed a lease to her lot and began a lengthy construction process.

“I ended up falling in love with this town and the plaza and [the unit] just really had everything that I was looking for,” Civetti said. “The specific unit wasn’t built yet, so we had to build all the walls, we had to pour the concrete flooring, we had to paint it and then pick out the equipment, the glasses and the furnishing. So it was kind of a lengthy process with everything. It probably took me about a year and a half to get to this point.”

Civetti is currently the only doctor at New England Family Eye. She hopes to grow her practice with one or two more doctors and technicians to assist her in exams.

“I feel like most [optometrists] are more than happy and excited for people to create something like [an optometry practice],” Civetti said. “I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of really great mentors in my life that I’ve been able to ask questions to. I think just asking questions and shadowing [other optometrists] is one of the best things that you can do to set yourself up for success.”