William H. Stephen, O.D., F.I.A.O. is an Optometrist and an International Academy of Orthokeratology Fellow. He provides a full scope of primary eye care for the entire family. His areas of special interest include pediatric vision, specialty contact lenses, Corneal Refractive Therapy and the management of vision conditions with the use of traditional to state-of-the-art techniques. As a past-president of the Hillsborough Society of Optometrists, and as an active member of the Florida Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, the Orthokeratology Academy of America and as a Fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology, 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 Southeast Florida to earn his Doctor of Optometry degree, summa cum laude (with highest honors), from Nova Southeastern University’s 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 his return home to Tampa to found St. Lucy’s Vision Center, he spent three years as an adjunct clinical professor of optometry with Pacific University’s College of Optometry. Dr. Stephen continues his role as an educator by hosting summer externships for the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University and by presenting lectures at professional optometric meetings. He is happy to be a grandfather to eleven.
Dr. Heather M. Worrell is a residency-trained Optometrist with a special interest in primary and eye health care. She is knowledgeable in utilizing the latest techniques and technologies to diagnose and manage the treatment of a wide array of ocular disease. She is well versed in the care of ocular surface disorders, glaucomas, dry eye syndrome, macular degeneration and retinal disorders like diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Worrell is an active member of the American Optometric Association, the Florida Optometric Association, and the Hillsborough Society of Optometrists.
Dr. Worrell is originally from eastern Pennsylvania, but has considered Tampa her home since 2006. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Florida. She earned her Doctor of Optometry from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Optometry in Fort Lauderdale, FL with Highest Honors and Professional Distinction. During her optometric education, she attended clinical externships specializing in low vision, glaucoma, primary care, contact lenses and pediatric eye care. At the time of her graduation, Dr. Worrell was presented with Nova Southeastern University’s prestigious Chancellor’s Award and the Johnson & Johnson Award of Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care. Immediately following her Doctoral studies, she obtained an additional year of education and clinical training in primary eye care with an emphasis in ocular disease as a resident at the Bay Pines VA Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. Dr. Worrell provides personalized and professional eye care to meet each of her patient’s individual needs.