"The patient was happy to have the mystery solved," said Dr. Harper, "as other doctors hadn't been able to pinpoint the problem. As it worked out, she has a very mild case of the disease and is still working here in Kernersville."

Of course, an optometrist's ability to detect disease is only as good as her tools and her training. That is why Dr. Harper opted to purchase all new state-of-the-art equipment for her practice. "A retiring doctor offered to sell me his 10-year-old equipment," said Dr. Harper, "but, technology has changed so much in the last decade that I couldn't really do my best work without the best equipment."

Dr. Harper learned first hand the vast difference between new and old technology when she attended The Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

"We had old and inferior equipment right along side the latest and most advanced technology. We came away convinced that if we could not see it , we could not detect it. If we could not detect it, we could not treat it. So I decided that this was non-negotiable. My patients deserve the best," Dr. Harper said.

In fact, Dr. Harper's patients are her neighbors. As a resident of Kernersville and a native of North Carolina, she sees herself as merely doing her part using her God-given gift - to make the community a better place.

"I want to do all that I can," said Dr. Harper, "to support this community, because this is the community that will nurture my children."

In addition to her regular practice, Dr. Harper provides free vision screening at elementary schools in Kernersville and free eye exams to all baby ages six to twelve months.

“I’ve always loved children,” said Dr. Harper, “and I chose special pediatric training while I was in optometry school. But, now that my husband, Overton, and I have our own daughter, Hayden, I am even more committed to helping parents get the best possible care for their children.”

Dr. Harper has had outstanding success working with children in Kernersville. They seem to sense her love and commitment to their personal needs. One five-year-old had amblyopia, which is when one eye is considerably stronger than the other eye. As her initial strategy, Dr. Harper prescribed corrective lenses. The girl was very good about wearing her glasses, but they had minimal impact. Then Dr. Harper recommended the eye-patch.

“The little girl was very resistant to that idea. So, I sat down and had a heart-to-heart talk with her and her mother. I explained that we had a limited amount of time to correct this problem and if we went uncorrected, as she got older, she would probably develop a crossed eye,” Dr. Harper explained.

Once the little girl clearly understood her options, she chose the patch and wore it faithfully. Two years later, Dr. Harper is pleased to report that the child’s eyes are fully aligned and the problem has been successfully resolved.

Of course, Dr. Harper also does the typical work of prescribing glasses and contacts. For those who don’t want to wear bifocal glasses, she is often able to fit them with bifocal contacts. She helps patients who suffer from computer vision syndrome—often with a simple prescription. And, Dr. Harper sees a fair amount of men in extreme pain. Usually they’ve been working with saws or grinders and have metal in their eyes.

“If you ever get something in your eye,” said Dr. Harper, “you don’t have to go to the emergency room. I’ve known people that have waited in pain for hours. Instead, go immediately to your optometrist. We have the best tools and we’ll usually have you in and out in 15 minutes,” said Dr. Harper.

However, if you’re scheduling a regular eye exam, prepare to get your money’s worth. Most visits last 30 to 45 minutes.

“My philosophy,” said Dr. Harper, “is that each patient deserves individual and personalized care. That takes time and I’m willing to share that time with my patients.”