We recently connected with Christopher Tumolo and have shared our conversation below.

Christopher , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I didn’t wake up one day and decide to start a business. Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists was born out of years of observation, frustration, and ultimately clarity.

For years, I worked inside other practices and healthcare systems. I had a front row seat to how things were being done, and more importantly, how patients were being treated. I saw incredible potential in what eye care could be, but I also saw the disconnect. Appointments felt rushed. Patients felt processed instead of cared for. Decisions were often driven by volume, insurance limitations, or convenience for the practice, not what was truly best for the individual sitting in the chair.

And that never sat right with me.

I remember specific moments, patients who had lingering concerns that were not fully addressed, families who felt confused about their options, people who just wanted someone to slow down and really listen. I kept thinking, this is not how it has to be. I knew we could do better.

The turning point was not dramatic, it was cumulative. Over time, it became clear that if I wanted to practice medicine the way I believed it should be practiced, I would have to build it myself.

When I created Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists, I started with one simple guiding principle, build everything around the patient. Not around efficiency metrics. Not around maximizing schedules. Not around what insurance companies dictate. Around the human being in front of us.

From the moment someone walks through our doors, the experience is intentional. We take the time to educate. We explain options clearly. We customize care plans. We invest in technology that allows us to diagnose more precisely and treat more effectively, not because it is flashy, but because it improves outcomes. Every system, every protocol, every decision was designed by asking one question, if I were the patient, what would I want?

Logically, I knew it would work because patients are not looking for more appointments, they are looking for trust. They are looking for clarity. They are looking for someone who genuinely cares about their long term vision and health. When you lead with that, everything else follows. Loyalty follows. Growth follows. Reputation follows.

I was not necessarily solving a problem no one else had identified, but I was solving it in a way that many were not willing to. Truly patient centric care requires time, attention, and a long term mindset. It requires building relationships instead of transactions. That is harder. But it is also more meaningful and ultimately more sustainable.

What excited me most was not just the business opportunity. It was the freedom to practice medicine aligned with my values. The freedom to create a culture where our team feels empowered to serve at the highest level. The freedom to raise the standard of care in our community.

Today, when I see the feedback from our patients, when I hear that they felt heard, understood, and cared for, that is confirmation. Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists is not just a practice. It is the model of care I always believed should exist.

And that belief is what made it a worthwhile endeavor from the very beginning.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in this industry. My father was an optician when I was a kid, so some of my earliest memories involve being around lenses, frames, and patients trying on glasses. I did not fully realize it at the time, but I was absorbing the fundamentals of optics and patient care long before I ever stepped into a classroom.

I was raised right here in Port Richey. At 18 years old, I started working as a technician at Visionworks in Port Richey. That was my first real immersion into the clinical side of eye care. I quickly realized I had a passion not just for the technical aspects of vision correction, but for helping people see better in a way that truly improved their quality of life.

In 2001, I earned my optician’s license. I went on to manage opticals all over the Tampa area, which gave me a deep understanding of both the business and operational sides of eye care. I learned how practices function behind the scenes, what makes them efficient, where they struggle, and most importantly, where patients often fall through the cracks.

While managing opticals, I pursued my education in premed and eventually attended optometry school. What makes my journey unique is that I did not just enter optometry from an academic background, I entered it with years of hands on experience in optics, refractions, frame selection, lens design, and business management. I understood how to prescribe, how to fabricate, how to troubleshoot, and how to run a practice effectively.

When I founded Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists, I combined all of that experience. The optician. The manager. The business operator. The clinician. I built a practice that integrates precision, advanced technology, and patient centered care.

Clinically, I specialize in optics and accurate refractions. Refraction is both a science and an art, and I take pride in getting it right. Many patients come to us after struggling elsewhere with prescriptions that never felt quite right. I focus heavily on precision because even small inaccuracies can significantly affect comfort and visual performance.

I also specialize in specialty contact lenses, particularly for patients with corneal dystrophies and other complex corneal conditions. These are often patients who have been told their options are limited. Helping them achieve functional, comfortable vision again is incredibly rewarding. In addition, I am highly experienced in refractive care and prescribing glasses and contact lenses that truly fit a patient’s lifestyle, whether that is professional demands, sports performance, or daily comfort.

What sets me apart is the combination of technical depth and real world optical experience. I understand lenses from manufacturing to fitting. I understand the economics of healthcare. I understand patient psychology and the frustration that comes when vision is not quite right. That perspective allows me to approach care more comprehensively.

I am most proud of building Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists into a truly patient centric practice in the community I grew up in. We are not just delivering prescriptions, we are delivering clarity, education, and trust. I am proud of the reputation we have built, the relationships we have developed with families in Odessa, Port Richey, and surrounding areas, and the fact that patients consistently say they feel heard and cared for.

What I want potential patients and followers to know is this: we take vision personally. We are not a volume driven clinic. We are a precision driven, relationship driven practice. Every recommendation is tailored. Every prescription is intentional. Every patient interaction matters.

Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists represents decades of experience, a lifelong connection to optics, and a commitment to raising the standard of care in our community. That is not just our brand, it is who I am.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I met my business partner, Dr. Vicky Than, in optometry school. From early on, we both shared a clear vision of the kind of practice we wanted to build and the standard of care we believed patients deserved.

At the time, I came into the partnership with more experience on the business side, having managed multiple opticals and worked in operations for years. Dr. Than was eager to learn, open minded, and humble enough to absorb everything she could. What stood out to me immediately was her work ethic and her commitment to growth.

Over time, she not only mastered the business side, but eventually surpassed my abilities when it came to managing the back end of the practice, including insurance, finance, and operational systems. Her attention to detail and ability to refine processes have been instrumental in our growth.

We truly complement each other. I naturally gravitate toward vision casting, innovation, clinical precision, and big picture strategy. She excels at structure, execution, and optimization. I am the creator, she is the refiner. Together, that balance has allowed Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists to grow in a way that is both ambitious and sustainable. I like to say she is the brains behind the operation and I am the beauty but in reality she is both.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Personally, I make myself very accessible. Unlike many physicians, my patients can text, call, or email me directly. I believe that when someone trusts you with their vision and their health, accessibility matters. I am readily available to guide them when questions or concerns arise, even outside of the exam room.

I go out of my way to support my patients beyond routine care, especially when it comes to surgical referrals. I do not simply hand them a name and move on. I guide them to the right surgeon for their specific situation, and in many cases, it is the same surgeon I trusted with my own mother. That level of trust is not something I take lightly.

We truly treat our patients like family. As cliché as that may sound, it is an accurate reflection of how we operate. I have developed close professional relationships with many surgeons in the area, and I personally reach out on behalf of my patients when needed. Whether it is helping secure a self pay discount, advocating for a complex case that requires special attention, or coordinating urgent care, I stay involved.

At the end of the day, it is always about the patient. Their outcome. Their comfort. Their confidence in the process. That level of advocacy and personal investment is something I believe sets our practice apart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beyond2020vs.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond2020visionspecialists/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Beyond2020VS
• Linkedin: Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists