Optometrist – Belmont, MA
Learn More About
Dr. Nayiri Ajoian
For Dr. Ajoian, the best part of being an optometrist is having the ability to help improve her patients’ quality of life. The gratification that comes when someone looks through their glasses or contact lenses for the first time and their face lights up in amazement as they finally see all the details they were missing is an incredible, joyful moment. Happy tears are even shed sometimes! These experiences are the driving force and fuel for her passion regarding eye care. Interested in learning more about her? Just keep reading below.
Why Did You Want to Become
an Optometrist?
As long as she can remember, Dr. Ajoian has been fascinated by medicine! She would sit and watch medical documentaries on TV from the age of five, as well as chase ambulances down the street to see if she could help at the scenes of accidents. At the age of 12, she started squinting at the board at school, so she took a family trip to the local optometrist. When she put her new glasses on for the first time, it felt like magic, and she thought to herself that she wanted to learn how to help other people see more clearly too. All these years later, she’s never regretted that decision!
Where Did You Study Optometry?
Dr. Ajoian studied at Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts before moving onto the New England College of Optometry in Boston, where she graduated with clinical honors. During her training, she learned from the best around the country, starting at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, OR. There, she focused on ocular disease, low vision, and specialty contact lenses. Her next rotation was at The Braverman Eye Center in North Miami, FL, which involved pre/post-operative care for ocular surgeries such as cataracts, PRK, and LASIK. She trained in pediatrics and furthered her skills in cosmetic contact lenses at the South End Community Health Center. Finally, she finished up her clinical rotations at the University of Maryland Department of Ophthalmology in Baltimore, which involved a lot of specialty care such as glaucoma, cornea, and neuro-ophthalmology.
Outside of the Optometry Office, What Do You Like to Do?
Dr. Ajoian’s parents came to the United States when she was two years old, and she grew up in an Armenian/Greek household with an older sister and a younger brother. She met her husband Dr. David Salibian at the Oakley Country Club, and they’ve celebrated over a decade of marriage. Together, they have two children named Christian and Catalina, who are passionate YouTubers. Dr. Ajoian enjoys serving as their director, producer, videographer, editor, marketer, and manager. She also regularly does crafts with her daughter and watches basketball games with her son, who is a die-hard Celtics fan. During some “me time,” she and David watch various TV shows.