Searching for a private practice eye doctor in Chicago does not necessarily mean choosing between neighborhood care and modern convenience. Big City Optical brings both together as a privately owned, family-led practice founded in Chicago and now serving communities throughout the city and North Shore.
Our growth has not changed the idea behind the practice. We aim to provide eye care that feels personal, uses advanced technology, and remains connected to the neighborhoods where our patients live and work.
What Does Privately Owned Mean at Big City Optical?
Big City Optical was founded in 2017 by Chicago-based husband-and-wife team Dr. Rasa Tamulavichus and Mike Kogelis. Their goal was to combine the familiarity of a neighborhood practice with the technology, eyewear selection, and convenience patients expect from a modern optical experience.
Being privately owned gives our leadership and local teams a direct role in shaping the patient experience. From the technology used during exams to the frames selected for our optical collections, decisions reflect the needs, tastes, and lifestyles of the communities we serve.
Why Visit a Private Optometrist?
One reason patients seek private eye care is the opportunity to build an ongoing relationship with their care team. Your prescription matters, although it is only part of the picture. Your medical history, previous examination findings, symptoms, work demands, hobbies, and family eye health can all influence the care you need.
Over time, regular visits give our eye doctors a more complete record of changes in your vision and eye health. That continuity can support more informed recommendations, whether you need an updated prescription, monitoring for an eye condition, specialty contact lenses, or guidance before and after eye surgery.
Is Big City Optical More Than an Eyewear Store?
Yes. Big City Optical provides comprehensive eye care that extends beyond selecting glasses. Our services include comprehensive eye exams, eye disease management, specialty lenses, myopia management, emergency eye care, and surgical co-management.
During a comprehensive eye exam, the eye doctor considers your age, lifestyle, medical history, symptoms, and individual risk factors. Advanced diagnostic tools can provide detailed information about eye health, while your doctor interprets those findings in the context of your overall needs.
This clinical foundation is central to the practice. Eyewear comes after understanding how your eyes are functioning and what your prescription and daily routine require.
How Does Independent Eye Care Shape the Optical Experience?
Eyeglasses are both a medical device and part of your personal style. Our team helps you consider frame fit, prescription requirements, lens options, comfort, daily activities, and budget rather than approaching eyewear as a one-size-fits-all purchase.
Big City Optical’s collection includes more than 700 independent and designer frame options selected by the team. This curated approach gives patients room to explore practical everyday eyewear, understated designs, and more distinctive styles with guidance from knowledgeable optical staff.
Private vs. Corporate Optometrist: What Should Patients Consider?
Ownership alone does not determine the quality of an eye care experience, and individual practices can differ. When comparing a private vs. corporate optometrist, it may help to ask:
- Will the exam address both vision and eye health?
- Can the practice monitor changes over time?
- Does it provide medical eye care when needs become more complex?
- Are recommendations tailored to your prescription and routine?
- Can you access care conveniently near home or work?
- Does the team explain findings and next steps clearly?
Big City Optical’s model combines local ownership with shared clinical resources, modern technology, and a broad network of locations. Patients receive the convenience of a larger organization while visiting teams rooted in their individual communities.
Can a Neighborhood Practice Offer Citywide Convenience?
Big City Optical has 25 locations and continues to grow across Chicago and the North Shore. Each location has its own neighborhood character while sharing the practice’s commitment to approachable, personalized care.
That reach makes it easier to find an eye doctor near home, work, school, or the places already included in your routine. It also allows a locally owned practice to serve more Chicagoans without losing the personal touch that inspired its founding.
What Makes Big City Optical Different?
For patients searching for the best independent eye care in Chicago, the meaningful difference is how the pieces work together: private ownership, local teams, comprehensive clinical services, advanced technology, carefully chosen eyewear, and convenient neighborhood access.
We are proud to be your Chicago neighbors and your partners in ongoing eye care. Find a Big City Optical location near you and schedule your next exam.