Optometry
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Eyesight has always been at the forefront for twin sisters Katie and Emily Sardella. Not only is their father, Renaldo “Renny” Sardella, OD ‘94, a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), but the sisters’ Pop-Pop, their mom’s father, was completely blind the entire time they knew him.
It’s no surprise the sisters attended PCO’s recent Optometry Learning Experience (OLE) - an opportunity to explore the optometry profession they’re already drawn to and one that may inspire them even more to follow in their father’s footsteps.
“Our father loved PCO and we see what he does and the business he’s created and we love it,” said Katie Sardella, who along with sister Emily, both natives of Downingtown, Pennsylvania will be entering their senior year at Penn State, both majoring in bio-behavior science. “Our family enjoys watching him do what he loves to do.”
Dr. Sardella’s practice is Sardella Eye Associates with offices in Coatesville and Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
“He likes that we want to be involved in the profession and he’s excited for us,” said Katie. “He’s experienced everything that we are about to do and he told us we’re going to have so much fun.”
Emily Sardella added that her father isn’t pressuring either sister to follow him to PCO or into the optometry profession. “Our dad is letting us make the choice. He told us to do whatever made us happy,” she said.
They both said that what they learned during the OLE put PCO at the top of their lists of schools.
The OLE program is designed to offer participants the opportunity to investigate the academic study associated with the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree programs, as well as the profession of optometry and the many career opportunities available.
OLE student groups have visited the Oak Lane and Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campuses of PCO for almost four decades in order to gain insight into the academic life of an optometry student.
For Camille Blakemore, of Falls Church, Virginia, she’s been interested in eyes since she was in the seventh grade. Although she didn’t have any serious eye issues, she started seeing a pediatric optometrist and was fascinated by the experience.
“I would always pepper him with questions, I just thought it was really cool,” said Blakemore, who graduated in May 2025 from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia with a degree in psychology. “I loved how he got to see his patients grow up. That made me want to go into pediatrics.”
Blakemore enjoyed connecting with PCO’s Doctor of Optometry faculty, exploring the on-campus labs, getting hands-on with the equipment, and touring The Eye Institute (TEI).
“I’m very excited about PCO. I have a friend who just finished her first year in the (Doctor of Optometry) Accelerated Scholars program and she loves it. I am definitely going to apply here,” said Blakemore.
