Some people only get to choose their optometrist by picking a name from a list given by a health care provider.

Dr. Haleh Guilak in Temecula would like this choice to be more informative and personal.

Patients can stop in to meet her or her staff while shopping at the Wal-Mart on Temecula Parkway.

Two months ago she moved into her new location and personally designed and decorated her waiting room to make patients feel at ease.

"I wanted it to be very different," she says of her practice.

Dr. Guilak says if the receptionist is busy and the phone is ringing she grabs the line herself rather than letting it go to voicemail if she can. She also introduces herself over the loudspeaker system and invites shoppers to get a free vision screening.

"I like people to drop in and see the office for themselves," she says. "They refer family and friends quite often after becoming my patients."

For the last 15 years Dr. G. has been working for LensCrafters, opening two stores and becoming a managing optometrist before deciding to strike out on her own.

She chose her new location because of its high traffic flow but also because it allows her patients to combine visits with shopping.

She even lets them shop for 20 minutes if she has to dilate their pupils.

Once their exam is over patients can step next door to the vision center, which is not part of her practice.

"There is no selling in my office," she says. "We only do a comprehensive eye exam and provide the patient with their prescription."

Dr. Guilak says she always knew she wanted to be a doctor and enjoys improving her patients’ quality of life through better vision. "If I make one patient happy, 15 more will come in."

She also says she doesn’t like to make patients wait long.

Her specialty is contact lenses and working with people who don’t have them because they are afraid of touching their eyes.

"I ease them into contacts," she says. "I put the lenses on the patients myself when initially fitting them. This allows the patient to realize how simple and easy the process really is."

Many success stories she has been a part of involve people who tried contacts years ago or Advertisement

Alternative Care Clinic were told they were not good candidates for them.

"The technology in the last 10 years has changed," Dr. G. says. "I also give them a trial pair to allow the patient to experience the lenses before making their purchase."

While she accepts most health insurance plans, Dr. G. says she is seeing a lot of patients who don’t have insurance. Her basic comprehensive exam, including dilation, is only $58.

Dr. Guilak also would like to stress that parents should have their child’s eyes checked beginning at age 5. Taking her free vision screening can point out problems the parents didn’t even know were there.

"Children don’t know if they have trouble seeing," Dr. G. says. "They may have blurred vision but they don’t know it’s blurry. Some children complain of headaches or rub their eyes, all of which may indicate vision problems."

Dr. Guilak lives in Murrieta with her husband and three children, ages 5, 6 and 8, who have helped her develop skills and relate to little ones.

She takes pride in her education, graduating from the University of California, San Diego and then continuing her education at the Southern California College of Optometry.

"I know I can improve a patient’s vision and that will improve their lifestyle. I like getting to know people and make a human connection," she says.

Getting to know her patients and what they do and enjoy helps Dr. G. match their lifestyle and vision needs.

"I give them more than just glasses or contacts," she says.

Dr. G. is a primary eye care provider. When a serious medical problem is diagnosed, she refers her patients to an appropriate qualified physician.

"During one exam I realized that the patient had had a stroke," Dr. Guilak said. "I picked it up on a visual field test. I immediately referred the patient to seek further testing with his physician."

The patient didn’t realize that the spells he had experienced had been a stroke.

Dr. Guilak’s practice is located inside the Temecula Wal-Mart at 32225 Temecula Parkway. The phone number is (951) 302-8062.

Office hours are Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.