Dr. Aneglica Cifuentes shares her experiences in building a strong social media presence in December “Cultural Responsiveness” blog
Boynton Beach, FL (December 16, 2025) – Social media has become one of the most effective tools for optometrists to expand their reach, strengthen patient relationships, and engage diverse communities—yet many in the profession are still underusing it. In the December edition of the Cultural Responsiveness blog from Latinos en Optometry and VSP Vision, Angelica Cifuentes, OD, emphasizes how strategic social engagement can fuel practice growth and inspire the next generation of optometrists.
Dr. Cifuentes, known on social media as @TinyOptometrist, uses her platforms to connect with peers, educate prospective patients, and even launch her own e-commerce venture. “I find that my patients love knowing their doctor is on social media,” she says. “They tell me they already feel like they know me at our first appointment, or that their kids are excited because they follow me online. It creates more of a personal connection in the doctor–patient relationship right from the start.”
Born in Colombia, Dr. Cifuentes moved to Miami at age 12. Deeply passionate about her culture, she notes that social media can be a powerful bridge for communication and connection. Hispanic adults are almost three times more likely than non-Hispanic White adults to use social media at least once a month for health information and advice (40% vs. 14%), according to a 2025 KFF poll.¹ They are also more likely to share health content (20% vs. 10.2%), watch health-related videos (42.4% vs. 27.2%), and use that information to make health decisions (22.8% vs. 13.7%).²
“I strongly believe that every optometrist should have a professional social media page,” she adds. “The reality is that patients will look you up on social media whether you proactively use it as a marketing tool or not. They will make judgments based on your personal page—or your lack of a social media presence. So why not use this medium to your advantage?”
In the blog, Dr. Cifuentes offers six practical ways optometrists can get started and build an effective social media presence. Dr. Cifuentes’ blog is available on the Latinos en Optometry website at https://latinosenoptometry.org/news/cultural-responsiveness/.
About the Cultural Responsiveness Blog
Latinos en Optometry has collaborated with VSP Vision™ on the “Cultural Responsiveness” blog series. This initiative seeks to support both existing and prospective practitioners in understanding the importance of healthcare services that are responsive to the social, cultural, and linguistic requirements of patients. Individuals who are not members of Latinos en Optometry who would like to receive the complementary blog can subscribe at https://latinosenoptometry.org/newsletter/.
References:
- Schumacher S, Sparks G, Montalvo III J, et al. 2025 KFF health information and trust tracking poll: Health information and advice on social media. Accessed 11/25/25 at https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-health-information-and-trust-tracking-poll-health-information-and-advice-on-social-media/.
- Rivera YM, Corpuz K, Sanchez Karver T. Engagement with and use of health information on social media among US Latino individuals: National cross-sectional survey study. J Med Internet Res 2025;27:e59387.