My Story

When I chose optometry as my lifelong profession 30 years ago, I also had a love and passion for fashion and art.  The eyewear aspect always intrigued me… from the designs to the colors to the fit and the craftsmanship involved to pull it all together.

Although I was an accomplished eye doctor, I wanted to learn more about the manufacturing process of frames.  I was curious about the different countries’ craftsmanship and decided to start learning first hand.  About 15 years ago, I travelled to Beijing to attend an optical conference and meet with manufacturers there and just gather information.  And of course I had to walk the Great Wall of China which made the whole trip an experience to remember.

I ultimately did have one of my designs manufactured. It was a win to have a concept become materialized into an actual product.  

Fast forward to 2022. I turned 50 and decided to write out my bucket list and everything I still needed to accomplish over my next 50 years. I met some amazing people in my industry at a trade show in NYC who invited me to Italy.  Next thing I know I’m on a plane visiting an Italian factory in  Italy working on some custom pieces.  It was the experience of a lifetime for me, especially since my parents were born in Italy and I was raised with all the beautiful Italian traditions; being there felt very natural for me. I returned again 6 months later with my son and husband deciding to make this a family business.

Since then, I’ve also had the unique opportunity of attending a frame making workshop in the USA with an experienced craftsman where I was able to make a frame, from my own design, from start to finish including sawing and polishing.  This whole experience truly gave me a deep appreciation for the art of eyewear making and the quality of materials and hardware used.

Tommasina Eyewear is my passion project.

It involves a story that we can do anything we choose to in life, and that you are never too old to start

Because Life is ART. 

With love,
Tommasina