The friendly, knowledgeable staff at Eyes on Chelsea Vision Care treat their patients like family while providing a full range of services and products, including eye exams for adults and children, vision therapy, fittings for contact lenses and a great selection of glasses and sunglasses.
Eyes on Chelsea can also handle eye emergencies, the treatment of eye diseases and the co-management of surgeries, such as LASIK.
In addition, the optometrists at Eyes on Chelsea take the time to fully explain the results of your eye exam, describe all of your options and listen carefully to your eye care needs.
The optometrists also encourage patients to ask questions and share their health information, which could be vital to monitoring, diagnosing and treating potential vision problems.
This is in keeping with the highly engaged patient care approach of Dr. Jessica Palmer, the owner of Eyes on Chelsea, who was named Shelby County’s Healthcare Practitioner of the Year for 2022.
“I listen to what a patient is telling me,” she said. “I find that helps more than anything when I'm trying to help them with a visual problem.”
Palmer also makes sure that her staff at Eyes on Chelsea have access to the latest tools to treat their patients.
“We’ve continued to add new technology and treatment options,” she said.
“I’m not afraid to take on challenging cases and am open to trying new technology and procedures when the opportunity arises,” Palmer said.
Eyes on Chelsea brought in an exciting new service in 2022 called Cynosure Envy, a device that works with radiofrequency to stimulate collagen growth in the face and neck, in addition to helping to relieve dry eyes.
“The procedure is a non-invasive and pain-free alternative to Botox,” Palmer said.
Eyes on Chelsea also offers Ortho-K lenses, a special product that allows nearsighted individuals clear vision throughout the day without the use of glasses or contacts, and the staff can help patients with hard-to-fit contact lenses.
Palmer graduated from Troy State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree, and obtained her Doctorate of Optometry degree from UAB in 2005.
After graduating from UAB, Palmer worked at Chelsea Eye Care and at a practice in Sylacauga, which she now owns. She moved to Chelsea because it was a central location between the two offices.
“I fell in love with the community and decided to start my own practice here,” she said.
In 2007, she opened Narrows Eye Care off U.S. 280. Nine years later, she opened a second location, the Sylacauga Eye Clinic.
Palmer moved her practice from the Narrows to inside Chelsea city limits in 2019 and changed the name to Eyes on Chelsea Vision Care.
Managing her own business is both rewarding and challenging, Palmer said.
“It’s rewarding in that I have the flexibility to take off to attend a school event with my daughter, and I also enjoy being able to treat patients without the constraints of corporate policies and product availability,” she said.
Running the practice “can also be a challenge at times.” she said, citing such administrative needs as staffing and insurance. “However, the good outweighs the bad for me.”
Women in business often face their own unique demands, Palmer said.
“As a woman, we sometimes have to wear a lot of hats — mom, wife, daughter, business owner,” she said. “I think it is a challenge to multitask while also being able to give yourself the care you need. I still strive to do and be better every day.”
Women bring a lot of positive qualities to the table in business, Palmer said.
“We are typically great at multitasking and are empathetic to others’ needs,” she said. “We are typically good listeners and problem solvers. That helps in most business and management situations. Women rock!”
Her other work associates at Eyes on Chelsea are Dr. Rena Lewis, pediatric optometrist and specialist in myopia control, and Dr. Judson Harrison, general optometrist and Ortho-K corneal reshaping specialist.
Palmer enjoys operating her practice in Chelsea.
“Since moving our office from the Narrows location to our current location in Chelsea in 2019, we have been overwhelmed with the Chelsea community’s support,” she said. “I am fortunate to be able to keep up existing relationships with my Narrows business family while meeting new neighbors in Chelsea. I live and shop in Chelsea already so I was happy to be able to contribute to my home city in this way as well.”
After many years working in the field, Palmer said her work remains gratifying.
“I still enjoy being able to help people see,” she said. “It's my favorite thing about my job. Many would think this just involves selling eyeglasses, but this is not always the case. Sometimes we do vision therapy, or myopia management with eye drops or contacts you only wear at night. There's a lot more to it and we enjoy helping people navigate through their options.”
In-person optometrist visits are better for patients than just ordering glasses online, according to Palmer.
“We offer years of expertise that you won't get online,” she said. “You won't have someone to tell you what frame is suitable for your face shape online. You won't have someone taking your measurements for lenses online to make sure you don't have double vision in your new glasses. You don't have a guarantee that the materials used are of good quality. More so than anything else, you won't be supporting a business that is out there supporting your city or schools.”
