Our Doctors

Undergraduate Education: University of Detroit Mercy. Optometry School: Michigan College of Optometry. Clinical Certifications & Specialties: Primary Care. What drives your passion for optometry? Specifically, the feeling I get when a child gets their first pair of glasses and experiences a visual world like they never knew existed. How are you helping patients live their best lives? By getting patients to not only see their best but also ensuring the eye is healthy and functioning how it should. Hobbies/Interests: I love soaking up sun on the beach, playing with my two cats, hanging with my wife and friends. My interests include smart home technology which is ever improving/evolving.

Undergraduate Education: North Carolina State University. Optometry School: Southern College of Optometry. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? I started practicing in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1980. I enjoy seeing so many of my returning patients and have made many wonderful new friends along the way. The profession of Optometry has been very rewarding. I provide comprehensive eye exams and manage ocular disease. Hobbies: I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy playing golf and watching all kinds of other sports.

Undergraduate Education: Towson University: Bachelor of Science in Biology; Optometry School: Pennsylvania College of Optometry @ Salus University 2007, Pediatric Advanced Care. Professional Achievements and Associations: American Optometric Association, Maryland Optometric Association. Clinical Certifications and Specialties: I enjoy helping patients of all ages and I have a special interest in Pediatrics. The reason I became an optometrist is: I was encouraged by my Optometrist: Dr. Andy Ishak. I have enjoyed working with him in my hometown over the years since I graduated. My favorite part of helping my patients is: Sharing their joy when they realize they can see the world better. I enjoy problem solving for the unique vision needs of each patient. In my spare time I enjoy family time, kayaking, hiking, reading, and gardening.

Undergraduate Education: SUNY -Binghamton; Optometry School: SUNY College of Optometry; Clinical Certifications & Specialties: General eyecare; What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? Ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of all patients.

Undergraduate Education: State University of NY at New Paltz. Optometry School: New England College of Optometry. Professional Achievements/Associations: AOA. What drives your passion for optometry? Introducing new treatments and technologies into the practice. How are you helping patients live their best lives? There is so much new information regarding eye health and so much misinformation that can be found online that it’s important to remain a consistent source of reliable information. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? Introducing innovative ways to enhance vision and mitigate the increasing vision stress today’s technology creates. How are you impacting your local community? Providing vision screenings for local businesses and as a member of the local Kiwanis club. Hobbies/Interests: Birding and hiking and active member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Undergraduate Education: Kansas University; Optometry School: Southern College of Optometry

Undergraduate Education: Providence College. Optometry School: State University of New York College of Optometry. Certifications/ Awards: Brilliant Futures Myopia Management, Zenlens Scleral Lens, Paragon CRT, AOA, NYSOA, CAO. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? By providing up-to-date and clinically relevant personalized care to each individual and ensuring my patients feel comfortable and have all their concerns appropriately addressed. Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family and friends, New York Rangers, playing ice hockey, and cooking.

Undergraduate Education: DePaul University; Optometry School: Illinois College of Optometry; Professional Achievements/Associations: Illinois Optometric Association & American Optometric Association; Clinical Certifications & Specialties: Primary Care; What drives your passion for optometry? I love that we can improve patients' lives through quality eye care. How are you helping patients live their best lives? By meeting patient's eye care needs whether through glasses & contacts or through diagnosing & managing their ocular disease. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? Ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of all patients. How are you impacting your local community? By providing eye care to my local community including Spanish speaking patients. Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my family.

Undergraduate Education: University of Houston; Optometry School: University of Houston; Professional Achievements/Associations: Texas Optometric Association Member; Clinical Certifications & Specialties: Board certified, glaucoma specialist; What drives your passion for optometry? I love interacting with people and helping them see the important things in life. How are you helping patients live their best lives? Providing the best eye care possible using the latest in technology. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? Ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of all patients. How are you impacting your local community? I have given back to my community for over 30 years through volunteer services, donations and sponsorships. Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy jogging, caring for my animals, traveling and spending quality time with my wife and children.

Dr. Benjamin Steger earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Bioinformatics, with a minor in Biochemistry, at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He then worked as a genetic researcher on chronic Hepatitis B infections and how that can lead to liver cancer, at Drexel University. Afterward, Dr. Steger studied, and earned, his Doctorate in Optometry at Salus University in Pennsylvania. Dr. Steger’s optometric training took him to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to a specialty contact lens site, and to the Santa Fe Indian Hospital in New Mexico, to study Native American genetics and disease variabilities. He then focused on diseases in veterans at the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina, as well as primary care Optometry in both Wilmington, North Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a member of Student Optometric Service to Humanity, Dr. Steger participated in a medical mission trip to El Salvador, where he and his fellow doctors and students provided vision correction and disease treatment to over two thousand patients across their country. He continues to offer his time to the community by offering ocular health screenings at the Black Mountain Neuro Medical Treatment Center, and as a volunteer at the Asheville Museum of Science, where he is currently serving on their Education Committee in an effort to expand interest in the sciences to the Western North Carolina region. He is a member of the American Optometric Association, North Carolina Optometric Society, and Mountain District Society of Optometrists. Dr. Steger has been featured on both WBTW-Charlotte, and local WWNC 570 as a professional guest for Glaucoma Awareness Month. Dr. Steger loves science, especially focusing on molecular biology and genetics, watching scientific documentaries, history, archaeology, hiking, biking, and video games. He is happy to bring his expertise, along with his wife’s, to provide the best eye care to the greater Asheville area, always with his patient’s optimal health in mind.

Undergraduate Education: Western Illinois University; Bachelor of Science in Zoology. Optometry School: Illinois College of Optometry; Doctor of Optometry,1986. Professional Achievements and Associations: Illinois Optometric Association; American Optometric Association. Clinical Certifications and Specialties: Board Certified; American Board of Optometry. The reason I became an optometrist is: Helping people see clearly and enjoy life is very satisfying. It's a great job. My favorite part of helping my patients is: Helping a young child see properly and knowing what a positive difference it will make in their life. In my spare time, I enjoy: Spending time with my family, including my new granddaughter. Playing golf, swimming and hiking.

Dr. Stelmach graduated from the University of Florida with a senior thesis in ocular protein analysis from the Smith Lab at UF Health Hospital. She earned her Doctorate in Optometry from the New England College of Optometry in Boston in 2020 with Honors from all four of her clinical rotations. She also worked at the Janet L. LaBreck Center for Low Vision Rehabilitation at the NECO Center for Eye Care, for most of her time in Boston, in both administration and patient care to help each patient with visual impairment maximize their functional vision to ultimately improve their quality of life. Dr. Stelmach is passionate about providing kind, compassionate, and comprehensive eye care with her experience and interests in several areas of eye care, including routine, medical, emergency eye care, family and pediatric eye care, binocular vision, low vision, dry eye treatment and contact lenses. Dr. Stelmach enjoys swimming, yoga, and taking trips to visit family in Vermont.

Undergraduate Education: Florida State University, Biology; Optometry School: Illinois College of Optometry; Professional Achievements and Associations: American Optometric Association, Florida Optometric Association; Clinical Certifications and Specialities: General Practice, Contact Lenses; The reason I became an optometrist is because my dad is a (retired) optometrist and I've worn glasses since I was 2 yrs old. In my spare time, I enjoy travel, shopping, reading, playing with my dog. My favorite part of helping my patients is: It's rewarding to help people see their best because it can change their entire life.

Undergraduate Education: West Virginia University, B.A. in Biology; Optometry School: Southern College of Optometry; What drives your passion for optometry? I love helping people. I was inspired to become an optometrist by my grandmother who told me the story of how getting her first pair of glasses as a teenager changed her life after growing up in foster care. How are you helping patients live their best lives? I try to really listen to each patient, not only to help them with their vision issues but their overall health and well-being. What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you? I try to build a relationship with each patient built on trust so that they know my clinical decisions are based upon their individual best interest. How are you impacting your local community? I strive to set a good example of service. Through the years I have been a Cub Scout leader, a Bible class teacher, and a foster parent. I do my best to promote harmony, equality, and unity in my dealings professionally and personally. Hobbies/Interests: I love all kinds of music, outdoor activities, and time with my children and my pets.

Undergraduate Education: UNC; Optometry School: NECO; Clinical Certifications & Specialties: Primary Care Optometry, What does providing a transformational eyecare experience mean to you?: Ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of all patients.

Undergraduate Education: The Citadel 1985. Optometry School: University of Houston College of Optometry 1989. Residence Omni Eye Services, Atlanta Georgia 1989-1990. How are you impacting your local community or helping your patients live their best lives? I have been providing comprehensive eye care in the New Smyrna Beach community for over 30 years. Specializing in refraction for eyeglasses and contact lens fitting. As well as ocular diseases management, glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. Hobbies/Interests: Fishing tournaments, boating, surfing, hiking, running, coaching track for my son and daughter and spending time with my family.

Undergraduate Education: Bemidji State University, BS Biology; Optometry School: Southern College of Optometry; Professional Achievements and Associations: AOA member, NCOS member Publication: The relationship between central corneal thickness-adjusted intraocular pressure and glaucomatous visual-field loss, Optometry 2005 Apr;76(4):228-38; Clinical Certifications and Specialities: "Houston School of Optometry, Residency Certificate in Hospital Based Optometry; The reason I became an optometrist is because I was always interested in science and the healthcare field. When looking for a career that allowed me to explore my interests and include a balanced family life, optometry was a great choice. I love seeing and "maturing" with my patients year after year. My favorite part of helping my patients is that moment when you get "that grin" on a kiddo as they truly see the world around them for the first time. In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with my family and watching the Minnesota Vikings (the second part is enjoyable sometimes...).