Dr. Cailyn Strupek

“Check please!”

Growing up outside of Washington, DC, with Italian roots and parents who love to cook, Dr. Strupek learned to love trying new cuisines and new recipes. When Dr. Cailyn Strupeck moved to Chicago from Northern Virginia, she began exploring the city via its restaurants.

To get a little break from her studies at the Illinois College of Optometry, Dr. Strupek created an Instagram account (@postgradcravings). She still posts her food adventures there and has become a bit of a food celebrity in her new home town.

What are some of her favorite restaurants? Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, Ava, and Steingold’s. And she’d LOVE to hear your favorites when you’re in for your next exam.

We did ask her—why optometry when you love food so much?

Dr. Strupek’s answer reveals a lot about her as a person and as a devoted professional: “My life’s passion is challenging myself to try new things, foods, activities, and academic innovations. I want to be able to look back on my life and be proud of everything I have done.  I chose optometry because I love how our eyes tell us so much about our overall health—whether it be diabetes, high blood pressure, or even cancer.”

She shared also: “Our eyes are so important in maintaining our qualify of life and I love being about to improve people’s live when I meet them. People of all ages need eye exams so I enjoy getting to meet new children and adults all in one day. Every patient is so different and it is fascinating to learn so much about each one from their eyes.”

Among Dr. Strupek’s favorite ways to help our patients is in Myopia Management (where she helps children who have increasing near-sightedness), Dry Eye Care (where she helps our patients who are experiencing discomfort from the dryness of their eyes—tears, burning, itching, stinging, general discomfort) including the highly specialized and innovative work with amniotic membranes to relieve the most serious cases of discomfort.

Beyond excelling in her coursework at the Illinois College of Optometry, Dr. Strupeck mentored first-year students to help them with their transition into optometry school. She enjoyed being a safe place for the first-years to come for help studying for exams, to be a listening ear as well as a familiar face and friend on campus.

In recognition of her outstanding academic success, Dr. Strupek made the clinical Dean’s list for patient care and was named a Teaching Assistant. She was also an AOA+ Influencer and and AOA+ Leadership Link member. (The AOA is the American Optometric Association, the national professional organization for optometrists.)

When Dr. Strupek is not caring for patients and not dining and posting about her food adventures, you’ll find her belting out Rihanna songs as she drives or her running along the lakefront with her puppy Carla, a big mutt who looks like a short-haired version of a Bernese mountain dog!

Be sure to share with her YOUR favorite restaurants and Chicago specialties when you’re in for your next exam!