Eyesight Ophthalmic Services is proud to welcome Dr. Stephen Arsenault, O.D., to the team.
Dr. Arsenault is now seeing patients at our Exeter office, bringing a patient-centered approach to comprehensive eye care, including routine exams, contact lens fittings, and the ongoing management of common and complex ocular conditions.
His arrival means Exeter patients have another trusted doctor to turn to for everything from a yearly vision check to help managing a condition that needs closer attention!
Dr. Arsenault’s Background and Training
Dr. Arsenault earned his Doctor of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry in Boston and holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Biology, with a Pre-Optometry focus, from the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. During his studies, he also spent a semester abroad at the University of Pablo Olavide in Sevilla, Spain.
His clinical training took him through several different experiences that shaped how he practices today, including rotations with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Lowell, Massachusetts, and at DotHouse Health, a community health center in Dorchester, Massachusetts, serving a wide range of patient backgrounds and needs. Each setting gave him experience managing patients with different levels of access to care, from veterans with long medical histories to families relying on a community clinic for their only source of eye care.
Dr. Arsenault’s ties to Eyesight Ophthalmic Services actually predate his new title. As an optometry student in 2018, he completed a rotation at our Somersworth office, working alongside Eyesight’s doctors and getting early hands-on experience with the same coordinated model of care he now provides as a full-time doctor. That same year, he also completed a rotation at Merrimack Vision Center in Merrimack, New Hampshire, rounding out a training path that kept him close to the Seacoast community.
Most recently, Dr. Arsenault spent several years as a practicing optometrist at Maine Optometry in Saco, Maine, where he built a busy practice conducting eye exams, managing ocular conditions, and fitting glasses and contact lenses for patients of all ages.
He returns to the Seacoast region now with that experience in hand, ready to bring the same level of care to patients in Exeter.
What Dr. Arsenault Offers Patients
At the core of Dr. Arsenault’s practice is the comprehensive eye exam. This is a thorough look at both vision and eye health that can catch problems long before they become noticeable to the patient.
He is experienced in diagnosing and managing a broad range of ocular conditions, from routine refractive issues to more complex cases requiring ongoing monitoring.
Patients seeing Dr. Arsenault can also count on him for prescribing and fitting glasses and contact lenses, whether that means an updated pair of everyday glasses or a specialty contact lens fitting for a patient who has struggled with comfort in the past.
He works with patients of all ages, from children who are due for their first vision screening to longtime wearers of glasses or contacts who are simply due for a checkup.
He places a strong emphasis on educating patients about long-term eye health and preventive care. That might mean explaining what a particular finding means for a patient’s vision down the road, or making sure patients understand why annual exams matter even when their vision feels fine, since many eye conditions develop gradually and without obvious symptoms in their early stages.
Part of a Larger, Coordinated Team
While Dr. Arsenault provides primary eye care and vision correction, he’s also part of a much larger practice built around coordinated, full-service care.
Eyesight Ophthalmic Services has offices throughout the Seacoast region, including Portsmouth and Exeter, New Hampshire, and Kittery and Sanford, Maine, giving patients access to a wide range of specialists at the location most convenient to them.
That matters most when a routine exam turns up something that needs a closer look. If Dr. Arsenault identifies signs of a condition like glaucoma, cataracts, or a retinal concern, he can refer patients directly to one of Eyesight’s ophthalmologists without the delay of starting over at a new practice or repeating tests that have already been done. The same is true for patients who mention dry, irritated eyes during a routine exam. Dr. Arsenault can start that conversation and, if needed, connect patients with Eyesight’s dry eye services for more targeted treatment.
Our Exeter office recently moved to a larger space built to support more doctors and a broader range of services under one roof, including expanding retina care right in Exeter.
A Commitment to Accessible Care
Dr. Arsenault’s has volunteered on an optometric mission trip to Chulucanas, Peru, providing eye care to underserved communities abroad, an experience that speaks to his broader commitment to making quality eye care accessible, no matter where a patient is starting from. That same commitment is what he brings to his work in Exeter every day. He is intentional about taking the time to explain diagnoses clearly, walking patients through their options for glasses or contacts, and ensuring preventive care doesn’t get missed.
Ready to schedule your comprehensive eye exam with Dr. Arsenault? Request an appointment at our Exeter office today, or call 603-778-1133 to find a time that works for you.
