Professional VisionCare Johnstown

Optometrist

Dr. Burns graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1984. She completed her vision therapy and pediatric residency at The State University of New York in 1985. She is an assistant clinical professor at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. She is a member of the Central Ohio Optometric Association, the Ohio Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, The AOA Sports Vision Section, and is a Certified Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Dr. Burns represents all of Ohio's optometrists as a member of the Council on Health Information. This organization represents all medical professionals with the goal of improving health care to all people living in Ohio. She is known for the work with children's vision and patients who have special needs. She is a speaker for the Vision Council of America and lectures nationally on the topics of pediatric vision, binocular vision disorders, sports vision, and learning-related vision disorders.

Dr. William Lay graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1992.  He is a previous faculty member in the specialty clinics at The Ohio State University College of Optometry.  He is a member of the American Optometric Association, Fellowship of Christian Optometrists, and served as past governor of the Central Ohio Optometric Association. He has served on the Ohio Optometric Association Board of Directors and was OOA President in 2006. Dr Lay remains very active with the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA) and serves as the Ohio Infantsee State Coordinator, EastWest Eye Conference Education Committee member, OOA Finance Committee member, and Principal Investigator for contact lens studies. In 1991, Dr. Lay traveled to Sierra Leone, West Africa to provide eye care to people of third world countries. He lectures to nursing home care providers and has examined nursing home residents as part of Mobile America VisionCare. He is known for his work with geriatric patients and glaucoma patients. Dr. Lay was named the 2001 Young Optometrist of the Year for the state of Ohio and he received the National Young Optometrist of the Year Award in 2002.  He also received the National InfantSee Award in 2007 for his promotion of the importance of eye care for infants.  In his free time, Dr. Lay serves as an elder and worship team member at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church. He enjoys spending time outside golfing, hiking and camping with his wife, Dr. Amy Lay, and their three children. He also can often be found on the sidelines coaching his children's baseball and basketball teams.  

Dr. Stutler graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2004. She is a member of the Ohio Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. Upon graduation, Dr. Stutler practiced in Northwest Ohio where she specialized in pediatrics and worked closely with a leading pediatric ophthalmologist. She returned to the Columbus area in 2008 to join our practice, where she had been a staff member during her schooling. Dr. Stutler provides comprehensive primary eye care examinations as well as medical eye care for pediatric patients. She specializes in her ability to assess and treat strabismus and amblyopia as well as fitting and elevating contact lenses in the pediatric population.      

Dr. Johnson completed his undergraduate work at The Ohio State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Biology. He graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2008. He completed an ocular disease residency at The Eye Center of Toledo. He is a member of the Ohio Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, and the American Academy of Optometry. Dr Johnson has been involved in many organizational leadership positions and has presented research work at both state and national conventions. In addition to his work in primary vision care, he also specializes in the care and management of ocular diseases such as glaucoma, dry eye and post surgical care. He is also certified in corneal reshaping therapy, a non surgical way to see without glasses and contact lenses.  

Dr. Kate McClure completed her undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. She then continued her education at The Ohio State University College of Optometry receiving her Doctor of Optometry degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2016. After graduation, Dr. McClure completed an Advance Practice Fellowship in Cornea and Contact lens and obtained an additional degree, a Master’s degree in Vision Science. Dr. McClure currently serves as faculty at OSU as a Clinical Assistant Professor where she works with fourth year optometry students and is an examiner for contact lens and myopia research studies. Dr. McClure has a passion for contact lenses, myopia management and dry eye. She has experience fitting specialty contact lenses including gas permeable lenses, scleral lenses, orthokeratology, and other custom designed contacts. Dr. McClure enjoys helping people with keratoconus, high astigmatism, and dry eye see their best in contact lenses. In her free time, Dr. McClure enjoys cooking and baking.

Dr. Rebecca Windham completed her undergraduate degree at the University of West Florida, obtaining a a bachelors degree in Biochemistry and graduating with honors. She garnered extensive experience a an Optometric Assistant working for Professional VisionCare as she continued her education at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, where she graduated with honors to obtain her Doctor of Optometry degree in May of 2018 and was inducted into the national honor society, Beta Sigma Kappa. Upon graduation, Dr. Windham completed an ocular disease residency at the Columbus Veteran Affairs Hospital, where she specialized in treating eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and dry eye. She also took additional courses in gerontology and is passionate about treating geriatric patients with the treatment and management of ocular diseases. Dr. Windham has always been intrigued by the visual system and neurology, as the eyes are a direct connection to the brain and is how most people interpret the world around them. She enjoys connecting with people and enhancing their lives by improving their visual and ocular health. In her free time, Dr. Windham is an avid runner, has participated in the Pelontonia several years in a row, and was the captain of the OSE Optometry Peloton in 2017. She also volunteers as a farmhand at a local farm in central Ohio, and loves horseback riding.

Dr. Aschenbener completed her undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition with a minor in Life Sciences. She continued at The Ohio State University College of Optometry to obtain her Doctorate of Optometry and graduated in May 2019. While in Optometry school, Dr. Aschenbener discovered her passion for binocular vision and pediatrics. She worked as a vision therapist at The Solution Center and was founder and president of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) Club. The COVD Club held lectures and events about vision therapy, sports vision, and serving the special needs population, and helped to fundraise and craft vision therapy equipment for a clinic in Ghana, Africa. Dr. Aschenbener is a member of the Ohio Optometric Association, the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), and is working towards obtaining her fellowship of the COVD. She enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, and cheering on the Buckeyes!

Dr. Zachary Keesee graduated with his Doctorate of Optometry from The Ohio State University. Before beginning his graduate education at Ohio State, Dr. Zak completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at Washington and Jefferson College where he was a member of the college’s baseball team. Dr. Zak grew up in Johnstown and first developed an interest in optometry as a patient at Professional VisionCare where he completed a Sports Vision Therapy Program at The Solution Center. While studying Optometry, Dr. Zak’s interest in binocular vision continued to grow. He worked as a vision therapist and was an active member in the College of Optometry in Vision Development and Sports Vision clubs at OSU. While Dr. Zak has a love for pediatrics and binocular vision, he enjoys seeing and treating ocular disease in patients of all ages. In his free time, Dr. Zak is an avid sports fan and loves cheering on the Cleveland sports teams and the Buckeyes. He also enjoys spending time outdoors with his fiancé, Katie, and their Siberian Husky, Comet.

Dr. Kimberly Patton completed her undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2014. She then continued her education at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, where she graduated first in her class to obtain her Doctor of Optometry degree in May 2018. 

Upon graduation, Dr. Patton completed a two-year Advanced Practice Fellowship in Cornea and Contact Lenses at OSU, where she studied tear film changes after instillation of various over-the-counter artificial tears to earn her Master’s degree in Vision Science in 2020. Dr. Patton now additionally works as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Optometry at OSU, where she enjoys serving as an instructor overseeing optometry students in various clinical and laboratory settings.

Dr. Patton has a passion for contact lenses and has experience fitting specialty contact lenses for a variety of conditions which cause irregularity of the front surface of the eyes. She also enjoys contributing to optometric research projects relating to myopia control and innovation in contact lenses.

Dr. Cologgi graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1991.  She is an active member of the Ohio Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. She formerly taught optometry students at The Ohio State University College of Optometry pediatrics and vision therapy clinic. Dr. Cologgi has served as president of the Central Ohio Optometric Association and participates in Vision USA by donating basic eye health and vision care services to uninsured and low-income members of the community. In 2006, Dr. Cologgi visited Nuevo Progresso, Mexico to bring optometric services to the town through a medical mission trip. Early in her career she traveled to nursing homes throughout Ohio providing vision care to elderly patients and she continues to serve them through the co-management of cataract and refractive surgery with several local surgeons. As a result of her experience caring for patients across all age groups she has developed a special interest in how nutrition affects the whole body and the visual system. Dr. Cologgi has been featured in Columbus Parent Magazine and has appeared numerous times on local television during her career. She has been involved in area school programs which demonstrate vision therapy and the visual system in a fun way to young children. She is known for her work with pediatric patients regarding how vision problems affect learning development.

Dr. Edwards graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1996. She is a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. She is involved with many local and national organizations, including the Ohio Optometric Association, College of Optometrists in Vision Development, American Optometric Association, and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry. During her residency, she worked with a local school system to establish a relationship between vision and academic achievement. She has worked extensively in the area of visual perception and is well published in the area of depth perception and the relationship between visual perception skills and academic achievement. She is known for her experience with preschool age children and lectures to colleges and universities on the importance of vision care for children.

Dr. Evans graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1987. She is a faculty member at The Ohio State University in the specialty clinics. She is a member of the American Optometric Association, Ohio Optometric Association, and past secretary and trustee of the Central Ohio Optometric Association.  She also participates in VisionUSA where she donates her services to low income families in need of vision care. Dr. Evans lectures to schools and civic organizations on how to improve visual performance. She is currently a consultant for the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center in Columbus, where she provides vision screenings for children with special needs. She is known for her work with pediatric patients, including patients with learning-related vision problems and those who need vision therapy.  

Dr. Lay graduated Summa Cum Laude with an undergraduate degree in biology from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. She then graduated from Ferris State University College of Optometry in 1993 as valedictorian of her class. She finished her training with a strong background in specialty contact lenses and vision therapy after completing externships in these areas. She is a previous faculty member in the specialty clinics at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Dr. Lay is a member of the American Optometric Association and a past governor of the Central Ohio Optometric Association. She has served on the Ohio Optometric Association’s Vision Performance Committee and is a past chair of the Public Information Committee. She also has served on the School Vision Forum Planning Committee. Dr. Lay has lectured on vision therapy and has been on television to promote VisionUSA. She participates in the Realeyes program by going into classrooms to teach children about the importance of a lifetime of comprehensive eye care. Dr. Lay was the 1998 recipient of the Young Optometrist of the Year Award in the state of Ohio. In 1999, she was selected as the American Optometric Association Young Optometrist of the Year from among over 10,000 optometrists! She and her husband, Dr. William Lay, are the only husband and wife team to ever both win this national award.

Dr. Nixon graduated in 1996 from The Ohio State University College of Optometry as Valedictorian of his class. He is an active member of the Ohio Optometric Association where he is co-chair of the legislative committee and member of the EastWest Eye Conference Education committee. His work on behalf of the organization has earned him recognition as an OOA Special Merit Award winner in 1999, 2005 and 2006 and as the Ohio Optometric Association Young O.D. of the Year in 2000. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Nixon is an Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry and Director of Extern Programs at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. His area of expertise is specialty contact lenses, including bifocal contact lenses. He also has a special interest in ocular diseases, including glaucoma. He has published several articles in the area of contact lenses and has been involved in research in a corneal disease called keratoconus.

Dr. Wright graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1980. He is an assistant clinical professor at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. He is a member of the Central Ohio Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, is a Certified Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, and is the chairperson of the Ohio Optometric Association Health Systems Committee and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development Insurance Committee. In addition, he is a member of The Ohio State University Dean's Advisory Board and Vice-President of the Ohio Eye Health Network Dr. Wright has been featured in numerous publications and is a consultant to Anadem Publishing. He lectures nationally on the topics of managed care, sports vision, and vision and performance. He is recognized for his work in the area of visual problems affecting performance at work, school, and play.