Sheri McGurk, OD

Winter Park Eyewear

Dr. Sheri McGurk’s interest in eyes started in elementary school.  In 1st grade, she badly wanted to wear glasses like her mom, but didn’t need them. Then a failed vision screening in 5th grade resulted in her first eye exam and a REAL pair of glasses, which seemed like magic. She could once again clearly see the board at school and individual leaves on trees, instead of blurry blobs.  And the headaches went away.  A 7th grade school assignment on careers led her to spend the day with her optometrist at his office, looking through the instruments and helping to make lenses for glasses. It was that day she decided to become an optometrist.

Doing the “magic” of making people see clearly and comfortably is Dr. McGurk’s favorite part of practicing optometry.  “If your vision is messed up, your whole day is messed up,” she stressed.  “Having comfortable eyes and clear vision allows people to do their days more accurately and efficiently, AND in a better mood, which benefits us all!”   She talks with each patient about how they use their eyes, so she can determine the best lens prescription for the glasses.  Their office has a large, constantly changing selection of eyeglass frames from which to choose for the finished product.

Nearly half of her patients also wear contact lenses. Utilizing a large supply of in-stock trial lenses, patients can try out lenses for several days before deciding to purchase.  “Contacts,” she said, “are now more comfortable than ever, and can give more accurate correction with complicated prescriptions like bifocals and astigmatism.”  She said patients that previously weren’t able to wear contacts are more likely to be successful with the newer lens types.  

Seeing clearly is one part of the vision exam, the other is eye health.  Dr. McGurk teaches patients about nutrition and lifestyle choices made throughout life that can have beneficial effects on eye health.  A member of the Ocular Wellness & Nutrition Society, she believes taking correct actions while younger can prevent or minimize vision and health issues down the road. 

Growing up in Iowa, Dr. McGurk obtained her undergraduate education there, before heading to Indiana University School of Optometry, where she received her Doctorate degree.  After a spring break in Ft. Lauderdale, she decided she’d had enough of the cold Midwest, and moved to Florida after graduating in 1986.  She’s been at the Winter Park Eyewear location for 22 years. “I’m now seeing the children of patients who were children themselves when I first saw them years ago.  It makes me feel a little old, but I love it!”  She said she’s so thankful to her 7th grade self for putting her on this path.