Chris Meyer, a lifelong Owensboro native and graduate of Daviess County High School, has officially taken ownership of one of the city’s oldest optometry practices — now known as Bluegrass Eye Care.
Previously called Owensboro Eye Care Center, the practice has roots dating back to the 1910s. Meyer said he was drawn to the historic office because of its deep local legacy and continued independent operation, something he believes is increasingly rare in the medical field.
“I’m proud that when people bring their business to Bluegrass Eye Care, it stays here,” Meyer said. “These days, so many medical offices are bought up by large corporations. I like that this is still locally and privately owned.”
The practice was previously operated by Dr. Vaughn Sanders and Dr. Charlie Heck. Heck has now fully retired, while Sanders remains on staff part-time, working two days a week. Meyer assumed care for a lot of their patient base, in addition to his own longtime patients from his previous work in the area.
“I’ve been practicing for about 10 years,” Meyer said. “Right after graduating from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis in 2015, I helped launch a startup office in Newburgh, Indiana, and that gave me hands-on experience in running a practice — even though I didn’t own it.”
When Meyer decided to branch out on his own, he reached out to Sanders and Heck about their long-term plans.
“It was kind of a cold call,” Meyer said. “It turned into a lunch meeting, and that eventually led to the sale.”
To avoid confusion with his former employer, Meyer opted to rebrand the business to Bluegrass Eye Care. The office is located at 1905 Frederica Street and has been at its current site since the early 1990s.
While Meyer is a new owner, many of the staff members are longtime employees.
“Some have been here for decades, and patients come in to see them just as much as they come in to see me,” Meyer said. “They’re really the heart of the place.”
Meyer earned his undergraduate degree from Murray State University and says he always knew he wanted to go into optometry.
“I’ve had terrible vision my whole life, so it started as a personal connection,” he said. “Back in middle school, I did a project on careers and ended up shadowing my own optometrist. It just clicked, and I’ve never wanted to do anything else.”
Meyer said he hopes to continue the office’s long legacy with a modern touch — while still keeping care and ownership rooted in Owensboro.
“There’s no place I’d rather live,” he said. “This community has been so good to me, and I just want to give back the same.”
