Regent, University of Houston System Board of Regents
President, VIEW Optometry

Thomas “Tommy” Lucas, O.D., was appointed to the University of Houston System Board of Regents by Governor Greg Abbott on December 12, 2025, and will serve through August 31, 2031. He is co-founder and president of VIEW Optometry, a multi-location eye care practice and doctor alliance. A licensed therapeutic optometrist, Dr. Lucas has been in private practice since 2006 and previously served as president of the Texas Optometric Association. He has led eye care advocacy initiatives for more than 16 years through engagement with Congress, state legislatures, and regulatory agencies on behalf of the Texas Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. Dr. Lucas has been recognized by his peers as Texas’ Young Optometrist of the Year and later as Optometrist of the Year. He earned his Doctor of Optometry from the University of Houston College of Optometry in 2006 after completing his undergraduate studies at Baylor University in 2002. He is married to Dr. Mary Kate Walters, and they reside in Brenham, Texas, with their daughter, Bethany Ann.