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. Anita Han received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 2003. She graduated Magna cum Laude from the Illinois College of Optometry. After graduating, Dr. Han leased a space within a large retail location, where she built up experience and her practice.

Dr. Han is an Illinois native, born and raised. She currently resides in Northbrook with her loving husband, three vivacious children and their dog named Oreo. She loves exercising, playing volleyball, traveling and, most of all, spending time with her family.

Dr. Han has received extensive training in primary care, ocular disease management, pediatric care and contact lenses. Her philosophy is giving quality care, specific to the needs of her patients. She is conversational in English, Korean and Spanish.

Dr. Svetlana Pekovic, a native of northwest Indiana, was inspired by her hometown optometrist to pursue optometry. She graduated from Ball State University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree and the honored distinction of Summa Cum Laude. She received her Doctorate of Optometry with High Honors from Indiana University School of Optometry in 2014. Dr. Pekovic is board certified by the American Board of Optometry.

Dr. Pekovic’s training included caring for the veterans at VA Hudson Valley in Montrose, NY and VA Jesse Brown in Chicago, IL. She also practiced comprehensive eye care, pediatrics, and contact lenses at the Indianapolis Eye Care Center and the Atwater Eye Care Center in central Indiana. Furthermore, she provided pediatric eye examinations to children through a mobile vision clinic with Chicago Public Schools.      

Dr. Pekovic’s hobbies include gardening and home improvement projects. She also enjoys camping, traveling, and listening to music.

Dr. Breeze Bellen is a 2005 graduate of Illinois College of Optometry, where she received extensive clinical training in the areas of primary care, contact lens care, ocular disease, and pediatric/binocular vision. Dr. Bellen has been serving Chicago and surrounding communities since 2005, including 14 years as a private practice owner, where she developed a reputation for her empathy and compassion, providing patient care that extends beyond the eyes to supporting the whole person. Dr. Bellen has a passion for taking the time and listening deeply to patients and their families so that they are fully heard and are provided the best individual care and experience possible.

Outside of the office, Dr. Bellen is a devoted and engaged member of the Park Ridge Community. Following her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, her love of water, art, connections with people, and a passion for medicine drew her to Chicago, and now Park Ridge, a place she and her family have a strong connection to and are grateful to call home. She has a commitment to serving others and has done so as an organizer of the Labor of Love charity event, as a co-chair of the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Angel Event, and as an active participant in her son’s school, Mary, Seat of Wisdom.

Dr. Bellen lives in Park Ridge with her husband, a Park Ridge native, and their son. In addition to her active role in the community, she enjoys the outdoors, yoga, and exercising her creative side, which she tapped into during a year of homeschooling her son amidst the pandemic. Her creative passions include painting, pottery, dance, and playing the clarinet, which bring her a sense of joy and relaxation and nurture her ability to be a stronger support for her patients.

Dr. Payal Patel graduated from Illinois College of Optometry after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biology from University of Illinois in Chicago. While at ICO, Dr. Patel completed her externships at Illinois Eye Institute, Gottlieb Eye Center, Daytona Beach VA Outpatient Center, and Chicago Cornea Consultants. Then, she went on to work for a multitude of Optometry practices gaining experience in both refractive and Medical optometry. Dr. Patel practices primary care optometry with a focus on Dry eye, Contact Lens and Ocular Disease management.

She believes in providing the highest level of care with integrity to her patients. When she is not at work, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two kids.