William H. Stephen, O.D.

William H. Stephen, O.D., is a Florida Board-Certified Optometric Physician who provides a full scope of primary medical eye care for the entire family. His areas of special interest include pediatric vision, contact lenses and the management of refractive conditions by employment of traditional techniques to state-of-the-art laser vision corrections including LASIK. As Immediate-past-president of the Hillsborough Society of Optometrists, and as an active member of both the Florida Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association, Dr. Stephen is dedicated to bringing you the latest eyecare innovations in a professional and ethical manner.

Having grown up in Tampa, Dr. Stephen is an honors graduate of A.P. Leto Comprehensive High School and Hillsborough Community College. He received his bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences/Chemistry from the University of South Florida. Dr. Stephen moved his family to South Florida to earn his Doctor of Optometry degree, summa cum laude (with highest honors), from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, where he participated in an educational externship at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. Dr. Stephen spent the next three years serving our country as a Flight Optometrist in the United States Air Force. There he cared for and worked to enhance the vision of our nation's finest fighter pilots. Prior to returning home to Tampa, he spent three years as an adjunct clinical professor of optometry with Pacific University's College of Optometry.

Melissa V. Mercer, O.D.

Melissa Via Mercer, O.D., is a Florida Board-Certified Optometric Physician who enjoys providing a full spectrum of eye care for children and adults. She is experienced in fitting patients who have atypical corneas in specialty contact lenes, including those with keratoconus and who have had a corneal transplant. Other areas of interest include treatment of primary eye disease, and the management of refractive conditions through traditional glasses and contact lenses as well as co-managing conventional options such as LASIK and CLEAR. Dr. Mercer pledges to deliver professional care in a compassionate and compehensive manner.

Dr. Mercer lived in Tampa through her teenage years and is a graduate of Chamberlain High School. She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Florida State University, magna cum laude (with high honors) and earned her Doctor of Optometry degree, cum laude (with honors), from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry. She completed an educational externship at the Palm Beach Veteran's Administration Hospital. She is currently an active member of the Hillsborough Society of Optometrists, the Florida Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. In January of 2008, she joined the team at St.Lucy's Vision Center, joining with Dr. Stephen in the goal of providing excellent care for our patient's in a professional and cutting-edge optometric office.