MEET OUR DOCTOR
Dr. Beth Summers, OD, MS, FAAO, FSLS
Specialty Contact Lens Optometrist, Plano, TX
Dr. Beth Summers practices in one narrow area of optometry, and she practices in it exclusively. Her clinical focus is the rehabilitation of vision in eyes that standard correction cannot help: irregular corneas, advanced keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, severe corneal scarring, surgically altered eyes, and ocular surface disease severe enough to have exhausted conventional treatment.
At Texas Contact Lens Institute, every fitting is performed personally by Dr. Summers. Diagnostic imaging, trial lens evaluation, lens design, dispensing, and follow-up are not delegated to technicians or support staff. In a specialty where outcomes depend on clinical judgment applied across multiple iterations, that continuity matters.
Training and Academic Background
Dr. Summers earned her Doctor of Optometry (OD) at SUNY College of Optometry, graduating with Beta Sigma Kappa honors, the international optometric honor society. While completing her clinical doctorate, she also pursued a Master of Science in Vision Science, writing her thesis on advanced healthcare screenings.
She was selected as a National Eye Institute T35 Clinical Research Fellow, a research fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Her clinical training spans practice in New York City and a faculty appointment at UT Southwestern Medical Center before establishing her practice in Plano.
Fellowship Credentials
Two fellowships define the scope of Dr. Summers' expertise. Both are earned through demonstrated clinical competency and peer review, not through course attendance or membership.
Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) The FAAO designation recognizes optometrists who meet the Academy's standards for clinical competence, contribution to the profession, and ongoing scholarship.
Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society (FSLS) The FSLS is awarded to practitioners who demonstrate advanced expertise specifically in scleral lens design and fitting. Candidates submit case reports, lectures, and published work for peer evaluation. The fellowship is held by a small group of practitioners internationally, and it is the credential most directly relevant to patients being fitted for complex scleral lens cases.
Teaching and Academic Appointment
Dr. Summers holds an appointment as Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor and Externship Coordinator at SUNY College of Optometry, where she supervises and coordinates the clinical education of optometry students preparing for practice.
She is a COPE-approved continuing education speaker, lecturing to audiences of more than 200 licensed optometrists, and has been an invited guest lecturer at SUNY Envision and SUNY Grand Rounds on interprofessional medical management. She has presented scientific data at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry.
Published Work
Dr. Summers authored "Fitting the Surgically Compromised Cornea" as featured curriculum for Review of Cornea and Contact Lens. That subject — post-transplant, post-LASIK, post-RK, and post-cataract eyes with irregular healing — is also one of the most common reasons patients are referred to this practice.
Clinical Focus
Dr. Summers designs and fits the full range of specialty lens platforms, selecting the design based on corneal topography rather than practice convention:
Custom scleral lenses for keratoconus, corneal scarring, post-transplant eyes, and severe ocular surface disease
Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses for advanced astigmatism and complex prescriptions
Hybrid lenses for patients needing rigid optics with soft lens comfort
Piggyback lens systems for irregular corneas and RGP intolerance
Custom prosthetic lenses designed to replicate the natural appearance of the fellow eye after ocular trauma, congenital defects, or surgical complications
Orthokeratology and myopia control programs for children with progressing nearsightedness
Advanced ocular surface therapies including punctal plugs, autologous serum eye drops, amniotic membrane therapy, and targeted prescription protocols
The conditions she treats most often: advanced keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, severe corneal scarring, post-corneal transplant irregular astigmatism, post-refractive complications including ectasia, Sjögren's syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and refractory dry eye disease.
How She Practices
Dr. Summers designs and fits the full range of specialty lens platforms, selecting the design based on corneal topography rather than practice convention:
Custom scleral lenses for keratoconus, corneal scarring, post-transplant eyes, and severe ocular surface disease
Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses for advanced astigmatism and complex prescriptions
Hybrid lenses for patients needing rigid optics with soft lens comfort
Piggyback lens systems for irregular corneas and RGP intolerance
Custom prosthetic lenses designed to replicate the natural appearance of the fellow eye after ocular trauma, congenital defects, or surgical complications
Orthokeratology and myopia control programs for children with progressing nearsightedness
Advanced ocular surface therapies including punctal plugs, autologous serum eye drops, amniotic membrane therapy, and targeted prescription protocols
The conditions she treats most often: advanced keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, severe corneal scarring, post-corneal transplant irregular astigmatism, post-refractive complications including ectasia, Sjögren's syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and refractory dry eye disease.
Common Questions
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Yes. Diagnostic imaging, trial lens evaluation, lens design, dispensing, insertion training, and follow-up are all performed personally by Dr. Summers. Specialty lens fitting is an iterative process where each visit builds on clinical observations from the last, and continuity of the same clinician across those visits materially affects the outcome.
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Fellowship in the Scleral Lens Education Society requires submitting case reports, lectures, and published work in scleral lens practice for peer evaluation. It is not conferred by membership, attendance, or years in practice. For a patient, it means the practitioner's scleral lens work has been reviewed by other specialists in that specific field.
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No. Many patients arrive on referral from an optometrist, ophthalmologist, or cornea surgeon, and the practice operates within a co-management model. But a formal referral is not required to book. If you have prior corneal topography, surgical records, or contact lens fitting notes, bring them.
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Yes. Orthokeratology and myopia management for children with progressing nearsightedness are a core part of the practice. Most children can manage lens insertion and removal reliably by age eight to ten with parental support.
Accreditations
Clinical Fellowships Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) and the Scleral Lens Education Society (FSLS).
Academic Faculty Former Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor and Externship Coordinator at SUNY College of Optometry.
Honors Society Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society.
Professional Memberships Active member of the American Optometric Association (AOA), Texas Optometric Association (TOA), and North East Texas Optometric Society (NETOS).
Publications
Featured Curriculum Author of “Fitting the Surgically Compromised Cornea” for the Review of Cornea and Contact Lens.
National Research National Eye Institute T35 Clinical Research Fellow funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Vision Science Master of Science (MS) in Vision Science thesis on advanced healthcare screenings.
Lectures & Continuing Education
Provider Education COPE-Approved Continuing Education Speaker, lecturing to audiences of over 200 licensed optometrists.
Guest Lecturer Invited speaker at SUNY Envision and SUNY Grand Rounds on interprofessional medical management.
National Presenter Scientific data presenter at the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting.