In the December edition of the Cultural Responsiveness blog from Latinos en Optometry and VSP Vision, Angelica Cifuentes, OD, emphasizes how strategic social engagement can fuel practice growth and inspire the next generation of optometrists.
Dr. Cifuentes, known on social media as @TinyOptometrist, says in a press release issued by Latinos en Optometry, that she uses her platforms to connect with peers, educate prospective patients, and even launch her own e-commerce venture.
“I find that my patients love knowing their doctor is on social media,” she says in the press release. “They tell me they already feel like they know me at our first appointment, or that their kids are excited because they follow me online. It creates more of a personal connection in the doctor-patient relationship right from the start.”
Born in Colombia, Dr. Cifuentes moved to Miami at age 12. Deeply passionate about her culture, she notes that social media can be a powerful bridge for communication and connection. Hispanic adults are almost 3 times more likely than non-Hispanic White adults to use social media at least once a month for health information and advice (40% vs 14%), according to a 2025 KFF poll.¹ They are also more likely to share health content (20% vs 10.2%), watch health-related videos (42.4% vs 27.2%), and use that information to make health decisions (22.8% vs 13.7%).²
“I strongly believe that every optometrist should have a professional social media page,” she adds. “The reality is that patients will look you up on social media whether you proactively use it as a marketing tool or not. They will make judgments based on your personal page—or your lack of a social media presence. So why not use this medium to your advantage?”
In the blog, Dr. Cifuentes offers 6 practical ways optometrists can get started and build an effective social media presence. Dr. Cifuentes’ blog is available at https://latinosenoptometry.org/news/cultural-responsiveness/. OM
References:
1. Schumacher S, Sparks G, Montalvo III J, et al. 2025 KFF health information and trust tracking poll: health information and advice on social media. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-health-information-and-trust-tracking-poll-health-information-and-advice-on-social-media/
2. Rivera YM, Corpuz K, Karver TS. Engagement with and use of health information on social media among US Latino individuals: national cross-sectional survey study. J Med Internet Res. 2025;27:e59387. Published 2025 Feb 24. doi:10.2196/59387