Board-Certified Medical Optometrist, Educator & Researcher
Caryn LaBuda, OD, FAAO, brings an extraordinary combination of clinical medicine, research, systems thinking and education to Multack Eye Care. A board-certified medical Optometrist, she focuses on comprehensive and medical eye care, complex ocular disease and the intelligent use of advanced diagnostic technology. Her breadth of experience makes her exceptionally equipped to lead sophisticated office-based care and collaborate seamlessly with MEC’s surgical team.
A rare depth of training
Dr. LaBuda earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and graduated valedictorian from the University of Missouri–St. Louis College of Optometry. She then completed an optometric residency at the Marion VA Medical Center, where she expanded her experience in complex ocular disease management.
Her commitment to understanding care from every angle led to advanced graduate degrees in healthcare systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University, pharmacology and toxicology from Michigan State University, healthcare management, and healthcare informatics. The result is a clinician who can evaluate not only the eye in front of her, but also the evidence, technology and systems behind excellent care.
Academic leadership with a patient-first purpose
Before joining MEC, Dr. LaBuda served as an assistant professor at Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Optometry, where she taught ocular anatomy, neuroanatomy, retina and clinical optometry while caring for patients. Her research has appeared in peer-reviewed ophthalmology journals, and she has presented nationally on glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and vascular and choroidal conditions.
Dr. LaBuda holds certifications from both the American Board of Medical Optometry and the American Board of Optometry. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomate in its Comprehensive Eye Care Section. She has also served as an Illinois representative for the American Board of Optometry and remains active in peer review, professional service and volunteer care.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Dr. LaBuda is known for translating complex medicine into a plan patients can understand. Her standard is simple: advanced care should still feel personal.
Selected Research & Publications
PCOS and Uveitis: A Case Report
Advances in Ophthalmology & Visual System, 2018.
CNVM in Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome
Advances in Ophthalmology & Visual System, 2015.
