Patricia Ruiz, O.D.
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Patricia Ruiz, O.D.

Primary Care Optometry and Contact Lenses

  • PRIMARY SPECIALTY

Primary Care Optometry and Contact Lenses

  • PRACTICE LOCATIONS

Dunnellon Office & Heath Brook Office

  • LICENSE & NPI

FL License #OPC5453
NPI #1982127882

  • BOARD CERTIFIED

Nova Southeastern University

Schedule Appointment
Call 352-622-5183
VERIFIED PATIENT REVIEWS
rater8
4.9 ★★★★★ (1226)
Google
4.9 ★★★★★ (262)

About Dr. Patricia Ruiz

Patricia Ruiz, O.D. has been practicing primary care optometry for over six years and uses a full-scope approach to her patient care. She loves getting to know patients and provides a pleasant experience with education and reassurance that she will strive to meet each patient’s visual and ocular needs.

Dr. Ruiz was born in Cuba but later raised in South Florida. She has spent most of her life living in South Florida, but in 2023, she decided to leave the hectic and fast-paced city environment to live in Dunnellon. The more country lifestyle has been a nice change for her and her husband.

Dr. Ruiz earned her bachelor’s degree in Vision Science from Nova Southeastern and simultaneously earned a mini MBA certification while there. She continued her studies at Nova Southeastern University and earned her Doctor of Optometry. After graduating, Dr. Ruiz started her career in optometry in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, gaining experience in private practice and at major retailers like Target and Sears.

Outside of work, Dr. Ruiz enjoys cooking, long road trips with her husband and two dogs (German shepherd and Labrador mix), boating, hiking, and traveling with family.

Specialties & Conditions Treated

  • Primary Specialty

Primary Care Optometry and Contact Lenses

Optometry

Primary Care Optometry

  • Conditions Treated
  • Refractive Errors including Nearsightedness, Farsightedness, & Astigmatism
  • Contact Lens Fittings
  • Age-Related Vision Changes
  • Urgent Eye Concerns
  • Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Disorders
  • Glaucoma & Macular Degeneration Screenings
  • Surgical & Medical Procedures
  • General Eye Exams

LASIK

Laser vision correction designed to reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses.

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Dry Eye Treatment

Personalized therapies to relieve burning, irritation, and blurry vision caused by dry eye disease.

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Education, Training & Certifications

Nova Southeastern University | Davie, FL

O.D. – Optometry
MBA Certification
B.S. – Vision Science

Florida International University | Miami, FL

B.S. – Biology

Professional Affiliations

American Academy of Optometry

Broward County Optometric Association

Professional Profiles

Healthgrades

Rater8

Practice Locations & Hours

Dunnellon Office

  • 11352 N. Williams St, #201A
    Dunnellon, FL 34432

  • 352-622-5183

  • Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Heath Brook

  • 4414 SW College Rd, Suite #1462
    Ocala, FL 34474

  • 352-622-5183

  • Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

200 West Office

  • 8520 S.W. State Road 200
    Ocala, FL 34481

  • 352-622-5183

  • Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Patient Reviews & Testimonials

rater8 Verified Reviews
4.9 ★★★★★
1226 reviews

Verified patient reviews collected by rater8, an independent healthcare review platform.

Read reviews on rater8 →
Google Verified Reviews
4.9 ★★★★★
262 reviews

Google Business Profile reviews from verified Google users.

Read reviews on Google →

Recent Patient Testimonials

“My experience getting my eyes checked. It was a VERY thorough exam. Dr. Ruiz is very nice and very pleasant. Everyone was very nice. Keep Dr. Ruiz as long as she wants to be there.”

Sandi Rhoads

Jun 2026

“Staff is very nice and Patricia Ruiz was very thorough. The Dunnellon, FL location of Ocala Eye is my choice for eye care.”

Tamara Slagle

Jun 2026

“She is very professional explaining to you how vision is and the way she treat you like she care for your health. I recommend to my family hIw good she is”

Nelson Roman

Feb 2026

Review Authority & Citation: Patient reviews are independently collected and verified by third-party platforms including rater8, Doctor.com, and Google Business Profile. These external sources provide authoritative trust signals recognized by search engines and AI systems. All review links redirect to the original platform for full transparency.

Video & Media

What Dr. Ruiz’s Patients Are Saying

“Doctor displayed knowledge when answering questions, explained what she was looking for during her exam, did not seem rushed, and was very upbeat.”

-Vitals Review

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean that Dr. Patricia Ruiz uses a "full-scope" approach to optometry?

Full-scope optometry means Dr. Patricia Ruiz provides comprehensive, end-to-end eye care. Beyond simply checking your prescription for glasses or contacts, she thoroughly evaluates the overall health of your eyes, screening for and medically managing conditions like dry eye syndrome, ocular allergies, and early signs of systemic diseases like diabetes.

Yes, Dr. Patricia Ruiz has a clinical focus on contact lenses. Whether you are a first-time wearer needing guidance or someone looking to transition to specialized lenses for astigmatism or presbyopia, she carefully evaluates your ocular surface and lifestyle to find the safest, most comfortable lens option.

Absolutely. As a primary care optometrist, Dr. Patricia Ruiz is often the first doctor patients see for urgent eye concerns. She frequently evaluates and treats acute conditions—such as sudden flashes, floaters, or visual disturbances—providing thorough examinations to ensure your eyes are healthy and referring you to a specialist if surgical intervention is necessary.

After earning her Doctor of Optometry degree, Dr. Patricia Ruiz practiced extensively in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Her experience spans both private practice and major medical retail settings, giving her a broad, highly adaptable skill set. She is adept at handling a wide variety of patient needs with efficiency, accuracy, and excellent bedside manner.

As an Optometrist, Dr. Patricia Ruiz provides primary medical eye care—she is your go-to doctor for annual eye exams, contact lenses, and the medical management of surface eye diseases. If during your exam she determines that you need eye surgery (like cataract removal or LASIK), she will seamlessly refer you to one of Ocala Eye’s surgical Ophthalmologists.

Many serious eye conditions, such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, develop slowly and show no early symptoms. Routine, preventative eye exams with Dr. Patricia Ruiz allow her to look deep into the back of your eye to detect these microscopic changes early, protecting your long-term vision before permanent damage occurs.

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