From one independent optometrist to another.

The story behind GSA

Why I started GSA.

I created GSA because most practice owners need what I learned, but shouldn’t have to go through what I went through to get it.

1. 01

   I thought AI would build my website.

   I never planned to start a website company. I was just tired of paying about $1,000 a month for Park Slope Eye’s website. With AI getting better every month, I figured I could build a better one myself and save a ton of money doing it.

   I started with the idea most owners have: a website is a digital sign. It’s where a prospective patient learns about your practice and checks whether you take their insurance, and where current patients find your hours and how to reach you. It was built for two audiences, patients and Google, so the goal was simple: get as close to the top of Google as possible.

2. 02

   Then I realized who else was reading it.

   

   Partway through the build, it hit me. There was a third audience I needed to design for: AI. We’re at the dawn of the AI era. I started seeing patients ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and AI search, “Who’s a good eye doctor near me?” They don’t get a page of links. They get a few names. And AI agents are starting to do the searching for them.

   So my goal changed. I didn’t just want to be #1 on Google. I wanted to be #1 on ChatGPT, too. Strong SEO is still the foundation. But AI pulls together what it can find about your practice, from your website to your listings and reviews, and decides who to recommend. So clear answers, consistent facts and checking what AI actually says became just as important. My old website was built for SEO alone, and that isn’t enough anymore.

   That raised a question I’d never asked before: was my website giving AI enough information to confidently recommend my practice?

3. 03

   So I built my website differently.

   

   Most practice websites, including my old one, mention eye exams, insurance and contact lenses, but leave out the details that help AI match a practice to a patient. Which insurance plans are actually accepted? Which doctor provides myopia management? Does the practice see children?

   So our pages now answer questions like those in plain language. Behind the scenes, structured data spells out the practice, our doctors, our location and our services in a format search engines and AI tools can read. The content is organized around real patient questions, on pages search and AI tools can read. And I worked to make our Google Business Profile, directories and other listings match the website. None of this is a secret trick. Google’s own guidance for AI Overviews and AI Mode points to the same fundamentals: important content in text, structured data that matches what’s on the page, and an up-to-date Business Profile. Read Google’s guidance ↗ (opens in a new tab)

   I didn’t stop at launch. I kept testing what ChatGPT, Gemini and others told patients about Park Slope Eye. Gemini got our VSP and EyeMed participation wrong, even though our website listed both correctly. That’s when it clicked: a website AI can find isn’t the same as a website AI understands. See what happened →

4. 04

   AI made it possible. It didn’t make it easy.

   Even with AI helping at every step, building a website that works for patients, Google and AI was far more complicated and time-consuming than I ever imagined. There was so much to learn, so many decisions to make, and so much testing, correcting and refining.

   I had a few things going for me. I’m semi-retired: after years of running Park Slope Eye, I’ve stepped back from daily patient care, which gave me the time to really dig in. I’m a perfectionist: if something isn’t working the way it should, I keep at it until I understand why. And I’ve always had a passion for technology, for learning how things work and how new tools can solve real problems.

   AI didn’t come up with the ideas, though. My experience as an optometrist drove every decision. AI helped me bring them to life.

5. 05

   I saw how many practices were in the same spot.

   So many practice websites were designed a few years ago, before AI, and haven’t been updated for it. That amazing website you’re proud of may need a revamp if you want AI to recommend your practice.

   Most owners know about AI. What they don’t know is that their website has to change, both behind the scenes and on the pages patients see, so ChatGPT and other AIs have the information they need, in the way they want it, to recommend their practice to the patients who are asking.

   And if it took this much work for me, with the time, the interest and AI helping every step of the way, how could I expect another independent OD to do it? You’re busy seeing patients, leading a team and running a business. You shouldn’t have to become an expert in web development, technical SEO, structured data and AI discoverability, or spend a fortune on it.

6. 06

   So I made it easy and affordable.

   As an owner, I know how this goes. Even when upgrading for AI is the right call, if it’s hard or costs a lot, it keeps sliding down the to-do list. Not because it isn’t important, but because you already have enough to manage.

   I did the learning. I put in the hours. I figured out the hard parts. Now you confirm the facts about your practice, and I handle the rest, with the same curiosity, persistence and attention to detail I put into my own.

   No one can promise you a #1 spot on Google or a recommendation from ChatGPT. What I can do is give your practice a stronger foundation for being found, understood and recommended.

7. 07

   You work directly with me.

   

   I’ve always enjoyed helping fellow optometrists succeed. As an optometrist and practice owner, I understand how details like insurance, services, and appointment policies shape a patient’s expectations. That helps me ask the right questions and explain your practice clearly, so patients can make informed decisions before they book.

   AI helps with research, analysis, and development. I review the claims, clinical language, and how the website works for patients. You confirm the facts about your practice before they become public.

   AI is a powerful tool, but it doesn’t replace experience or judgment. Your practice, your vision and what makes you different should always lead. Technology should help bring those things to life, not define them for you.

   You review the website before launch, after I’ve checked how it works on phones, its accessibility, and its links and patient actions. After launch, I keep it up to date as your practice changes.