Dr. Patel is a native of Chicago, IL, and presently resides with her husband and two children in the northwest suburbs of Illinois. She has had the privilege of caring for patients in the eye care field since 1998. She earned her B.S. in Biology from Benedictine University in 2000, and received her Doctorate of Optometry from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2004.

Dr. Patel has completed her optometric training at VA Hudson Valley Health Care System in Montrose, NY, which provided primary eye care service to veterans. Dr. Patel also pursued additional contact lenses, cornea, pediatric, low vision, and advanced care/ocular disease training from the Illinois Eye institute in Chicago, IL. She practices full-scope optometry and is experienced in fitting both rigid gas permeable and soft lenses, treatment of eye disease, and surgery management.

Dr. Upadhyay received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2009. During her education at the Illinois College of Optometry, Dr. Upadhyay was a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Society, the American Optometric Association, and the Illinois Optometric Association. She also volunteered to provide optometric services in multiple community settings, including the Gift of Sight Program and the Illinois Special Olympics Opening Eyes Program.

Following graduation, Dr. Upadhyay pursued a Post-Doctoral Residency in Primary Care and Ocular Disease at the Illinois Eye Institute where she gained proficiency and experience in treating glaucoma, retina, and various ocular diseases. She also participated in after hours urgent care facility, grand rounds presentations, as a lab instructor, and conferences involving students, residents, and faculty. Upon completion of her residency, Dr. Upadhyay began working at the inherited retinal disease clinic at The Chicago Lighthouse, while continuing to serve as a clinical faculty member at the Illinois Eye Institute. As a clinical instructor, she teaches students to provide patients with highest level of optometric care.

Dr. Maja Hadziahmetovic earned her Doctor of Optometry degree at the Illinois College of Optometry after she obtained her undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Hadziahmetovic is a member of the American Optometric Association and Illinois Optometric Association.

During her optometry externships, Dr. Hadziahmetovic completed a clinical rotations in primary eye care and ocular disease management at the William V Chappell Jr. Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Florida, advanced care training at the Swagel Wootton Hiatt Eye Center in Arizona, and a clinical rotation in contact lenses at Davis Eye Associates in North Carolina. While at the Illinois Eye Institute, she received clinical training in vision rehabilitation, pediatrics and specialty contact lenses.

Dr. Hadziahmetovic enjoys providing eye care to patients of all ages, and has a special area of interest in pediatrics, contact lenses, and ocular disease. She is dedicated to providing the highest level of care to her patients.

Dr. Hadziahmetovic enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Bianca Surti was raised in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. Her interest in optometry grew from a young age and continued throughout her undergraduate education. She earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Biology from Saint Louis University. During her time there, she was the director of eye and vision screening for Lions Clubs International, providing vision screenings to residents and raising awareness of ocular health.

She went on to optometry school and graduated with honors from the Illinois College of Optometry. While at ICO, Dr. Surti completed externships at Chicago Cornea Consultants, Daytona Beach VA Outpatient Center, Illinois Eye Institute, and Woolfsen Eye Institute. Dr. Surti practices primary care optometry with a focus on dry eye, contact lenses, and ocular disease management. She is dedicated to providing optimal eye care to her patients.

Aside from optometry, Dr. Surti is a member of a professional dance company. She also enjoys baking, traveling, and trying new cuisines with her husband.

Dr. Keith Hougas was born and raised in Naperville, IL. He now resides in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two beautiful daughters. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, golfing, and spending time with his family.

In 1995 Dr. Hougas earned a degree in biology from the University of Illinois in Champaigne-Urbana. In 1999 he earned his doctorate of Optometry from the Ohio State University. He has spent over fifteen years of experience working in private practice. He specializes in pediatrics, and has pursued continuing education in contact lenses, and advanced ocular disease training.

Dr. Amreen Farooqi was raised in Skokie, IL and her interest in Optometry grew through non-profit work with Unite for Sight. She completed her undergraduate studies at Loyola University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology with Summa Cum Laude honors. She went on to attend the Illinois College of Optometry where she earned her Doctorate in Optometry. She completed her rotations at Chicago Cornea Consultants, Midwest Eye Professionals, Illinois Eye Institute, and Jesse Brown VAMC. She received her training in managing and treating diseases of the eye, contact lens fitting, low vision, and pediatrics/binocular vision. Dr. Farooqi strives to provide the highest level of individualized care to her patients and enjoys getting to know the whole family through it. In her spare time, she enjoys the adventure of parenthood with her husband as they raise their daughter.

Dr. Connie Copeland has resided in the western suburbs of Chicago for the last five years. Before that, she practiced optometry for many years in Wisconsin.

A native of Ohio, she attended the Ohio State University College of Optometry graduating in 1997. After graduation, she spent a year at a retina practice in Toledo, Ohio completing an Optometric Retina Fellowship. In addition to diseases of the retina, she enjoys all aspects of Optometry from low vision care to contact lens fittings.

One of her favorite things to do is fit young people in contact lenses for the first time. “There’s a special smile these patients get the first time they see themselves wearing contacts,” she says.
Dr. Copeland came to Optometry in 1993 after completing a PhD in cell biology and working in academic research for several years.

In her free time, Dr. Copeland is active in her church and neighborhood, sings in two choirs and plays with her two crazy Cornish Rex cats.