How Dr. Anith Pillai Built Evolutionary Eye Care from the Ground Up

Defocus Media Eyecare and Optometry Podcast Network

When two driven minds meet in optometry school, a decade later, they can build one of the most respected specialty eye care practices in Houston. On this episode of Play Chess Not Checkers, host Dr. Adam Ramsey sits down with Dr. Anith Pillai, co-founder of Evolutionary Eye Care, to talk about mentorship, business ownership, personal values, and how passion can shape a doctor’s legacy.

Topics Covered

From Engineering to Optometry

Cultural Expectations and Family Influence

Fashion, Identity, and Professional Presence

Building Evolutionary Eye Care: Partnership and Purpose

Overcoming Early Setbacks

Teaching the Next Generation

On Not Doing a Residency—and Still Excelling

Beyond the Exam Lane: Speaking, Mentorship, and Social Media

Why He Chooses Industry Partnerships Carefully

From Engineering to Optometry

Dr. Anith Pillai’s story begins in Houston, Texas, where family expectations were clear: become a doctor. Ironically, his path started in a different direction—engineering. “I was an electrical engineering major for two years,” he said, laughing. “After an internship, I realized this isn’t it.”

A part-time job at an optometry office changed everything. What started as a pragmatic choice—“it’ll be a good job”—quickly became a lifelong calling. “The moment I started seeing patients, I fell in love with it,” he reflected. “Clinic days and externships just sealed it.”

Cultural Expectations and Family Influence

Dr. Ramsey, himself an immigrant from Trinidad, drew parallels between their stories. Both men grew up with the pressure to “make something” of themselves through medicine, law, or engineering—professions equated with success and family pride.

For Dr. Pillai, that expectation came with humor and heart. “When I told my dad I wasn’t going to be a doctor, he said, ‘Fine—but at least marry one!’” he recalled with a smile. Beyond career choices, both doctors shared how family sacrifice shaped their work ethic. “My parents came from India with nothing,” Dr. Pillai said. “Their dream was stability for us. That’s what drove me.”

Fashion, Identity, and Professional Presence

Anyone who’s seen Dr. Pillai at a conference knows his three-piece suits are as much a signature as his clinical expertise. “It started when I began speaking more,” he explained. “You’re on stage, and you want to represent yourself well. Then it became part of my identity.”

Dr. Ramsey laughed, comparing it to his own signature hats. “If I see a three-piece suit, I know that’s you,” he said. “And if someone wears a hat, they’re trying to be me.”

Behind the sharp style lies a message of professionalism and pride in the field. “Patients notice how you present yourself,” Dr. Pillai said. “It sets a tone. It shows respect for the profession.”

Building Evolutionary Eye Care: Partnership and Purpose

Dr. Pillai’s journey to ownership began during his fourth year at the University of Houston College of Optometry, when he and classmate Dr. David Chow drafted their plan for a private practice. “We were young and probably foolish,” he admitted. “But that conversation became the blueprint for everything that followed.”

Years later, after thriving in a successful OD/MD setting, he finally took the leap. “My employer even offered to double my salary to stay,” he said. “But my heart was set. I had made this decision years before.”

The partnership worked because it was rooted in balance. “We weren’t best friends in school,” Dr. Pillai said. “That helped. Everything was business-focused. We challenged each other, respected each other, and grew together.”

He credits their success not to luck, but to that dual dynamic. “He grounds me when I go too big. I push him to think bigger. That’s what makes us work.”

Overcoming Early Setbacks

Like most entrepreneurs, their journey wasn’t smooth. Six months into construction, a lender error cut their startup funding by $60,000. “We were devastated,” Dr. Pillai said. “But my partner helped me calm down and focus. We figured it out together.”

It’s in those moments, he explained, where partnership proves its value. “When you’re down, you need someone who’s equally invested. Someone who says, ‘We’ll figure it out.’”

Teaching the Next Generation

Five years into practice ownership, Dr. Pillai became an adjunct professor, hosting externs from the University of Houston. “It slows the clinic down,” he admitted, “but it’s rewarding. You have to explain your thought process and show students how decisions are made in real-world care.”

The experience also keeps him sharp. “When you teach, you can’t fall behind. Students ask hard questions—you have to stay current.”

Dr. Ramsey agreed, emphasizing how mentorship strengthens the profession. “You have to invest in the next generation. That’s how we grow.”

On Not Doing a Residency—and Still Excelling

One of the most striking revelations from the conversation: Dr. Pillai never completed a residency. Instead, he built his expertise in specialty lenses through self-study, continuing education, and practice.

“I watched every webinar, every lecture, and just started doing it,” he said. “At first, I thought specialty lenses were a good niche with financial potential. But once I saw how they transform lives, that’s when I fell in love.”

He now holds dual fellowships in scleral lenses and orthokeratology—an achievement few in the country share. “Helping a keratoconus patient go from 20/400 to 20/20, that’s life-changing,” he said. “That’s why I do it.”

Beyond the Exam Lane: Speaking, Mentorship, and Social Media

When asked how he prefers to educate others, Dr. Pillai didn’t hesitate. “Speaking is my favorite,” he said. “Especially lectures I create myself. They come from what I wish I’d known earlier or from questions other doctors ask me.”

Still, he acknowledges the reach of digital platforms. “Social media is probably where I have the biggest impact,” he admitted. “I post daily. It allows me to share real cases and insights that help doctors around the world.”

Why He Chooses Industry Partnerships Carefully

Dr. Pillai speaks for several companies but makes it clear his involvement stems from authenticity. “These were products I already believed in,” he said. “The partnership just made sense.”

He and Dr. Ramsey discussed the responsibility of holding brands accountable. “We should ask what they’re doing to give back,” Dr. Pillai agreed. “If they want us to represent them, we should know how they’re supporting the profession and the community.”