1. Brown’s Eye Center
Sector: Optometry and Vision Care
Service Areas: Brown’s Eye Center provides comprehensive eye exams, pediatric eye care, dry eye treatment, contact lens fitting, designer eyewear, eye disease management (glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration), and emergency eye care.
Year Founded: Established optometry practice in Macon
Employee Count: Optometrists including Dr. Smith and support staff
About: Brown’s Eye Center provides personalized eye care services for individuals and families across Macon. The practice uses advanced diagnostic technology for comprehensive eye exams and early detection of eye conditions. Dr. Smith, who received his Board of Examiners in Optometry certification in 1990 and joined Brown’s Eye Center in 2008, leads the practice. He completed his education at Valdosta State University and Southern School of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. Services include dry eye treatments with in-office therapies, pediatric eye exams with child-friendly techniques, contact lens fitting from daily disposables to multifocal and toric lenses, and designer eyewear from brands like Tiffany and Oakley. The practice accepts many insurance plans.
Address: Macon, GA
Contact: (478) 779-0053 (eye care center) | (478) 757-8600 (office) | https://www.brownseyecentermacon.com
Operating Hours: Contact for appointment scheduling
2. Vision Eye Group
Sector: Ophthalmology and Optometry
Service Areas: Vision Eye Group provides comprehensive eye care, cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment, retina services, cornea treatment, pediatric eye care, routine eye exams, and eyewear through First Look Opticians.
Year Founded: Decades of service in Middle Georgia
Employee Count: Ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, and staff
About: Vision Eye Group is a comprehensive eye care practice serving Middle Georgia with locations in Macon and Warner Robins. The practice includes both ophthalmologists and optometrists providing decades of experience in compassionate, innovative vision treatments. Services range from routine eye exams to advanced surgical procedures. First Look Opticians, a locally owned eyewear shop within Vision Eye Group, provides quality eyeglasses and contacts with personalized customer service. The experienced staff serves each patient with customized care and has a rich history of serving the Middle Georgia community.
Address: Macon, GA (and Warner Robins location)
Contact: https://www.visioneyegroup.com
Operating Hours: Contact for appointment scheduling
3. Eye Center of Central Georgia
Sector: Ophthalmology and Eye Surgery
Service Areas: Eye Center of Central Georgia provides routine eye examinations, cataract surgery, refractive surgery, advanced diagnostic procedures, glaucoma care, diabetic eye care, pediatric eye care, cornea services, and oculoplastic services.
Year Founded: 1965 (providing eye care in central Georgia)
Employee Count: Physicians with over 60 years of combined experience, surgical staff including CRNA, RNs, LPNs, and certified technicians
About: Eye Center of Central Georgia has provided eye care in central Georgia since 1965 and opened the first Ophthalmic Ambulatory Surgery Center in Georgia in 1985. The physicians have over 60 years of combined ophthalmic experience and have performed refractive surgery as a team for over 20 years. The center offers advanced technologies including ReSTOR multifocal IOLs and Toric IOLs for refractive surgery. Comprehensive care includes cataract and anterior segment, cornea, oculoplastic, pediatric and strabismus, glaucoma, and diabetic care. The surgical staff includes certified nurses and technicians. More than half of patients come from patient referrals.
Address: Central Georgia (Macon area)
Contact: https://myeyecenter.com
Operating Hours: Contact for appointment scheduling
4. Eyesight Associates
Sector: Ophthalmology and Eye Surgery
Service Areas: Eyesight Associates provides cataract surgery, laser vision correction (LASIK), eye disease treatment, narrow angle glaucoma treatment, comprehensive eye exams, and medical eye care.
Year Founded: Established eye surgery practice
Employee Count: Ophthalmologists including Dr. Gayton (25+ years experience) and Dr. Johnson, plus support staff
About: Eyesight Associates serves Middle Georgia with locations including downtown Macon at 856 1st Street. The practice specializes in cataract surgery and laser vision correction using advanced techniques. Dr. Gayton has 25 years of experience including lens extraction for narrow angle glaucoma. The practice has received positive patient testimonials for cataract surgery outcomes and customer service. Eyesight Associates treats a full range of eye conditions and diseases. The practice serves patients from Macon as well as Dublin and Vidalia locations.
Address: 856 1st Street, Macon, GA (downtown location)
Contact: (478) 741-1740 | https://www.eyesightassociates.com
Operating Hours: Contact for appointment scheduling
5. Chambless Eye Care
Sector: Optometry
Service Areas: Chambless Eye Care provides medical eye exams, vision exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses.
Year Founded: Established optometry practice
Employee Count: Dr. Russell Chambless, O.D. and staff
About: Chambless Eye Care is an optometry practice in Macon led by Dr. Russell Chambless, providing comprehensive eye care services. The practice offers medical eye exams for detecting and monitoring eye conditions, routine vision exams for prescription updates, and fitting for eyeglasses and contact lenses. Dr. Chambless and staff serve patients with personalized attention to eye health and vision needs.
Address: Macon, GA
Contact: https://chamblesseyecare.com
Operating Hours: Contact for appointment scheduling
About Macon, GA
Macon offers comprehensive eye care options from routine vision exams at optometry practices to advanced surgical procedures at ophthalmology centers.
Types of Eye Care Providers: Optometrists (O.D.) provide primary eye care including comprehensive exams, prescriptions for glasses and contacts, and diagnosis of many eye conditions. Ophthalmologists (M.D.) are medical doctors who perform eye surgery and treat complex eye diseases. Many Macon practices include both types of providers for comprehensive care under one roof.
Eye Care Services: Macon eye care providers offer routine vision exams, contact lens fitting, eyeglass prescriptions and sales, treatment for dry eye and other conditions, pediatric eye care, and medical management of diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. Surgical centers perform cataract surgery, LASIK and other refractive procedures, and specialty surgeries.
Vision Insurance: Most Macon eye care providers accept vision insurance plans. Many practices also accept medical insurance for treatment of eye diseases and conditions. Contact individual practices to verify insurance acceptance before appointments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I have an eye exam?
Adults with no vision problems should have comprehensive eye exams every 1 to 2 years. Those wearing glasses or contacts, over age 60, or with risk factors for eye disease (diabetes, family history of glaucoma) should have annual exams. Children should have their first eye exam before starting school and regularly thereafter. Your eye doctor can recommend an appropriate exam schedule based on your individual needs and risk factors.
What is the difference between an optometrist and ophthalmologist?
Optometrists (O.D.) are doctors of optometry who provide primary eye care including comprehensive exams, prescribe glasses and contacts, diagnose eye conditions, and may prescribe medications for certain eye conditions. Ophthalmologists (M.D.) are medical doctors who specialize in eye care, performing surgery and treating complex eye diseases. For routine exams and glasses, either provider is appropriate. For eye surgery or complex medical conditions, ophthalmologists typically provide care.
Does insurance cover eye exams?
Vision insurance plans typically cover routine eye exams and provide allowances toward glasses and contacts. Medical insurance (like employer health insurance) may cover exams related to eye diseases or medical conditions but may not cover routine vision exams or eyewear. Medicare covers some eye care services related to medical conditions but not routine exams or glasses. Contact your insurance company and eye care provider to understand your specific coverage.
How much do eye exams and glasses cost in Macon?
Eye exam costs vary from approximately $75 to $200 depending on the provider and type of exam. Contact lens fittings may cost additional fees. Eyeglasses range widely from $100 to $500 or more depending on frame selection and lens options (progressives, coatings, high-index materials). Contact lenses vary by type and quantity. Many providers offer package deals and accept vision insurance to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
What are signs I need an eye exam?
Schedule an eye exam if you experience blurry vision, difficulty seeing at night, frequent headaches, eye strain, squinting, holding reading material at arm’s length, difficulty with computer work, seeing halos around lights, eye pain or redness, or changes in color perception. Even without symptoms, regular exams are important because many eye conditions develop gradually without noticeable symptoms until significant damage occurs.