For Tiburon residents Carl and Ellen Weiss, travel is more than exploring new places—it’s an opportunity to serve others. An optometrist at Millard Family Eyecare, Dr. Ellen Weiss volunteers internationally through VOSH International, providing vision care to communities with limited access to eye care.

Dr. Weiss and her family moved to Tiburon in October 2024 and enjoy walking the neighborhood with their dog and relaxing on their deck overlooking the golf course. Her passion for mission work began during optometry school when she first traveled to Mexico with VOSH. Since then, she has participated in 27 mission trips to countries including Guatemala, Jamaica, Ecuador, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.

During these clinics, volunteer teams perform eye exams, treat certain eye conditions, and distribute reading glasses, premade prescription glasses, and custom lenses. For Dr. Weiss, the most meaningful moments come from seeing the impact firsthand.

She recalls an elderly patient whose face lit up with joy the moment he could clearly see through a new pair of glasses. Because the team returns yearly, they often reconnect with patients—including two brothers whose strong prescriptions require specialized glasses that allow them to stay successful in school.

For Dr. Weiss, these trips combine her love of travel and optometry while helping others see the world more clearly.