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OD’ing On Movies: What Merv Gets Right (and Wrong) in Eyecare
Description
In this OD’ing on Movies episode, the hosts use the romantic comedy Merv to spotlight what it looks like when an optometrist shows up on screen and the eye care details Hollywood still tends to miss. Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson are joined by Dr. Nadia Afkhami, who brings a creator’s lens to pop culture, a clinician’s lens to accuracy, and a real-world perspective as she prepares to open her own practice.
What makes this conversation work is the balance. It is light enough to feel like friends talking movies, but clinical enough to give eye care professionals practical takeaways: how patients hear “bad news,” why refraction frustration is universal, what’s “off” about the iCare scene, and how public misunderstanding of optometry can be handled without burning out.
Topics Covered:
Episode overview: Why Merv made the cut
OD’ing on Movies is built on a simple premise: pick a film, watch it, and break it down through optometry. This episode’s hook is immediate—Merv includes a character who is an optometrist, and that alone makes it relevant for eye care professionals who care about how the profession is portrayed.
Dr. Nadia Afkhami heard about the movie the same way many clinicians find pop-culture optometry moments: optometry social groups. A post pointing out “she’s an optometrist in the movie” was enough to spark a watch, and then a podcast-worthy conversation. That’s the sweet spot for OD’ing on Movies—when a casual film becomes a professional mirror.
The hosts also make room for what audiences actually enjoy: personality. Dr. Nadia’s Taylor Swift fandom and content-creator background are not “side quests.” They’re reminders that optometrists are human, and patients respond to that authenticity—online and in the exam lane.
Meet Dr. Nadia Afkhami: Creator to clinician
Dr. Nadia Afkhami graduated in 2022 from Western University and is currently in Las Vegas, working toward opening her own practice. Many listeners likely recognize her from social media, where she built a substantial following during her student journey, especially in the era when short-form video became the default language of the internet.
Her story matters to eye care professionals for two reasons.
First, it reflects what modern trust-building can look like. Patients and prospective patients now meet clinicians in “micro-moments”—a Reel, a comment thread, a shared post. A strong digital presence can create familiarity before the first appointment, which can reduce friction and increase confidence in care.
Second, her experience highlights the emotional reality of visibility: going viral invites criticism, and clinicians cannot afford to internalize every comment. Dr. Nadia’s takeaway is simple but practical: not every misunderstanding needs a reply, and boundaries protect longevity.