As we Baby Boomers continue to advance in age, it is sometimes difficult to observe our trusted doctors, dentists, auto techs and other professionals announce their retirements.
Many patients, my family members among them, were sad to hear that Dr. Edward Heinisch of Advocate Health in Aurora was retiring. He had been an optometrist in Aurora since 1988, and had been with Advocate since 1999.
It was refreshing for me to recently discover that Dr. Heinisch is actually coming in one day a week to continue to see both new and old patients.
He has always been one of the kindest and most caring doctors I have ever known. He never rushes anyone and talks to his patients as regular people. He remembers family names and information but, at the same time, projects great expertise and confidence in caring for us.
It says something to me that, for a time, my adult children continued to return to Aurora for appointments with Dr. Heinisch even after they had moved away.
I visited with the good doctor recently at the end of his busy day at the clinic to gain information about his career, and especially of his time in Aurora.
He was born and grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and then attended the University of Wisconsin—Parkside. He had been thinking of going to medical school, but became interested in optometry while at the university.
“Instead of going to medical school. I liked the combination of math involved with doing optics. It seemed like a good blend,” he said. “And I still wanted to care for people.”
He attended the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, and graduated magna cum laude in 1985. He did his residency at the college for another year, and did some training in “hard to fit” cases such as bifocals and astigmatic lenses.
His “Aurora story” began in 1988 when he took over a solo optometry practice located near downtown. Its previous owner was Dr. Martin Kenna, to whom Dr. Heinisch gave much credit.
“Dr. Kenna was a great mentor to me and I learned a lot. He was a very wise man,” he said.
From 1988 until 1999, and with the help of his wife Louanne, his private practice continued on West Galena Boulevard in Aurora.
“My wife did all the books and finances for the practice,” he said. “She is very supportive, and I couldn’t have done it without her.”
Looking to join a bigger practice, ho joined Dreyer Medical Clinic (now Advocate) in 1999 and has continued there until the present time.
I asked him how the fields optometry and eye care have changed over the years.
“The basics remain, but the technology that’s been introduced is phenomenal,” he said. “We can see so much more now than before. The treatments for cataracts and macular degeneration and the tools we have to detect things are amazing.”
I also asked him a sometimes difficult question: what is his philosophy as a doctor?
“My philosophy is always about eye health,” he said. “You will have the ability to see all the days of your life. But you need yearly checks, eye dilation and pressure checks. And if anything happens, you call and we will get you in.”
In his career as an optometrist, and also away from the office, Dr. Heinisch has been a wonderful asset to our community.
He has done free eye exams through the Lions Club and, during the time he had his private practice, would sometimes care for patients who were unable to afford it. He has volunteered with the Big Brothers organization, and was a volunteer basketball coach for several years. He has also served on the Board of Elders at his church.
As I left the clinic, I talked briefly with Vanessa Hernandez, the young lady who was serving as the receptionist in the eye department at Advocate. I asked her about the doctor’s “un-retirement.”
“The patients love Dr. Heinisch, and they were upset when he was going to retire,” she said. “But when they come in and see his name on the board, they get excited and request to be seen by him again because they love him so much.
“If he sees them checking out from a different doctor, he’ll recognize each and every one of his patients. They pick up right where they left off, and will talk about their family members and pets. It’s so sweet to see.”
Tom Strong is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
