Our Team

Susan E. Halstead

Susan E. Halstead

Owner, NYS and Nationally Licensed Optician

Degrees/Certifications: American Board Opticianry Certified, Fellow of the National Academy of Opticians; Member of the New York State Society of Opticians, the Optician’s Association of America, and the Contact Lens Society of America. Attended Hudson Valley Community College, Radiologic Technology School.

Joined the practice in: 1993. Worked as Dr. Ling’s optician from 1993 until purchasing the practice from him in 1997. In 2014 the practice underwent a complete renovation of space and added 400 sq ft the dispensary and purchased new state of the art testing equipment. In 2015, Susan added Myopia Control to the practice offerings and ODs are Orthokertology Certified to treat and manage myopia in children adding a topographer and later an OCT and Optos.

About Susan: Current Member WPO (Women’s President Organization); Current Council Chair of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce Health and Wellness Committee; Past Member of the Saratoga Centennial Committee; Past President and current Member of The Flower and Fruit Mission of Saratoga Hospital; Past Chair, Past Treasurer, Past Vice Chair of Communications and former Board Member, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce; The Wesley Community Past Treasurer and Past Board Member and Event Chair; Soroptomist International Past member and Past Event Chair; Past member of the Board of Directors of Saratoga Bridges; married to Jeffrey Halstead, musician and  educator at Saratoga Springs High School; son, Bradley, brew master, lives in Rochester, New York.

Dr. Robert Burtch

Dr. Robert Burtch

Optometrist

Dr. Burtch is a native of Oswego, NY and attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY for his undergraduate degree in Mathematics. He received his Doctorate of Optometry at the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, and completed a residency in Ocular disease and Low Vision at the Manchester VA Medical Center in New Hampshire. Dr. Burtch enjoys managing primary care cases, contact lenses, and the treatment and co management of ocular disease and refractive surgeries. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, playing hockey, skiing, cooking, and you may see him trying to tire his dog out walking around town.

Dr. Amanda Solar

Dr. Amanda Solar

Optometrist

Degrees and Certifications: Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)

Joined the practice in: 2016

About Dr. Solar: Graduated with honors from SUNY College of Optometry in 2008. Dr. Solar specializes in primary care optometry management, contact lenses and LASIK post operative management. Amanda has volunteered with VOSH International to provide eye exams in Peru Nicaragua and Panama and with the Special Olympics. Amanda enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors with her family. She speaks conversational Spanish and provides eye examinations to the backstretch workers of the Saratoga Race Course.

Additional Team Members

Belinda Bouchard

Belinda Bouchard

Office Manager

Joanne Billington

Joanne Billington

Billing & Insurance Coordinator

Dilyana Mastrianni, ABOC, FNAO

Dilyana Mastrianni, ABOC, FNAO

Optician

Lily Halstead

Lily Halstead

Office Greeter

Karley Engel

Karley Engel

Ophthalmic Technician