Eye Care Center in Clarksville

June 15, 2026

Few Tennessee cities have grown as quickly as Clarksville, the seat of Montgomery County in the north-central part of the state. Much of that momentum comes from neighboring Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division, whose soldiers, families, and civilian workforce add a large and constantly refreshed population to the surrounding community. The city now counts roughly 176,456 residents in recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates, and that expansion has encouraged practices that bring optometry, ophthalmology, and surgical eye care together rather than leaving each as a separate errand. A center organized that way is what people usually mean by a comprehensive eye care center, as opposed to a standalone optical shop or a single-doctor exam office. This article is informational and is not medical advice.

Why a growing community needs that kind of care comes down to who develops eye disease and when. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists cataract among the leading causes of vision loss in the United States and notes that diabetic eye disease calls for regular dilated screening, and both conditions become more common as people age. A city adding residents across all age groups, including retirees and military families who may relocate every few years, generates steady year-round demand for both routine vision care and the more specialized surgical services that fuller-service centers can provide locally rather than requiring a drive to a larger metro.

The clinicians involved are licensed through two separate Tennessee systems, and the distinction is worth knowing. Optometrists earn the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree, complete an accredited doctoral program, and meet the examination and continuing-education requirements of the Tennessee Board of Optometry, a board the legislature created in 1925; they conduct exams, write prescriptions, and manage many eye conditions. Ophthalmologists are physicians (M.D. or D.O.) who complete medical school and an ophthalmology residency, sometimes followed by a subspecialty fellowship, and they are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Some Clarksville practices employ both, while optometry-based clinics coordinate surgical cases with an ophthalmologist. Both boards operate under the Tennessee Department of Health, whose verification system lets patients confirm an active O.D. or M.D. license, and which also licenses and inspects the ambulatory surgery centers, often Medicare-certified and accredited, where outpatient eye surgery takes place.

In terms of what a Clarksville center handles, the work spans the routine and the surgical. Comprehensive exams assess visual acuity, refraction, and eye health; medical eye care addresses glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and dry eye; and cataract surgery replaces the eye’s clouded natural lens with an intraocular implant, increasingly with laser assistance and premium lens options. Refractive procedures and implantable lenses offer vision correction for qualifying patients, and many practices also fit specialty contact lenses and run an optical. The usual business safeguards apply as well: the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104) against deceptive practices, while complaints about a provider’s professional conduct route to the Department of Health through its Health Related Boards complaint process. Patients should consult a licensed eye care provider about their individual eye health.

Top Eye Care Center Providers in Clarksville

1. Clarksville Ophthalmology

Address: 141 Chesapeake Lane, Suite 300, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 552-6830
Website: https://www.eyemdclarksville.com
Services: general ophthalmology, comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, cataract surgery (traditional and laser-assisted), diabetic eye care, glaucoma treatment, eyelid and tearing-disorder surgery, eye trauma management
Description: Clarksville Ophthalmology is a medical and surgical eye care practice on Chesapeake Lane, with board-certified ophthalmologists C. Patrick Fitch, M.D., and R. Philip Gannaway, M.D., along with Dr. Rachel Owsiak, M.D. The practice provides general ophthalmology, cataract surgery, diabetic eye care, glaucoma treatment, surgery for eyelid and tearing disorders, and eye trauma management. Surgical cases are handled at the Clarksville Eye Surgery Center, an ambulatory surgery center located in the same building at Suite 200, where most procedures are performed under local anesthesia with sedation and do not require an overnight stay. The pairing of a comprehensive ophthalmology clinic with an adjacent eye surgery center keeps consultation and surgery within one location.

2. Calvert Ophthalmology Center

Address: 290 Clear Sky Court, Clarksville, TN 37043
Phone: (931) 647-4900
Website: https://www.calverteyecenter.com
Services: comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, laser cataract surgery, traditional cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment, diabetic eye disease care, macular degeneration care, retina care, cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery, contact lens fitting, optical
Description: Calvert Ophthalmology Center, part of H.M. Calvert MD and Associates, is a medical and surgical eye care practice led by Dr. Harold M. Calvert, M.D., an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon. The medical office on Clear Sky Court provides laser-assisted and traditional cataract surgery, using the LenSx laser with the VERION image-guided system, along with glaucoma treatment, diabetic eye disease and macular degeneration care, retina care, and cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery. The broader Calvert organization combines ophthalmology with optometry across north-central Tennessee, offering comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings, and optical services in addition to its surgical care. The practice serves Clarksville and surrounding communities for both routine vision needs and advanced cataract and medical eye care.

3. Clarksville Eye Clinic

Address: 1111A Fort Campbell Boulevard, Clarksville, TN 37042
Phone: (931) 645-0346
Website: https://www.clarksvilleeyeclinic.com
Services: comprehensive eye exams, contact lens exams and fitting, dry eye treatment, pre- and post-cataract surgery care, eyeglasses and sunglasses, lens treatments
Description: Clarksville Eye Clinic is a comprehensive optometry-based eye care practice staffed by a team of optometrists, including Dr. Genevieve Schade, Dr. Shirnil Channappa, Dr. Tangee Davis, Dr. Matthew Drew, and Dr. Adam Beaubien, all O.D.s. The clinic provides comprehensive eye exams, contact lens exams and fittings, dry eye treatment, and pre- and post-operative cataract surgery care in coordination with surgical specialists, along with a full optical offering designer frames, eyeglasses, sunglasses, and lens treatments such as anti-reflective and photochromic coatings. The clinic opens one Saturday a month by request and emphasizes routine and ongoing eye health management. For patients who need surgery, the practice coordinates care with ophthalmologists and handles the follow-up locally.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Care Center in Clarksville

Q: What is the difference between the optometrists and ophthalmologists at a Clarksville eye care center?

An optometrist is a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) licensed by the Tennessee Board of Optometry to perform eye exams, prescribe glasses and contacts, and diagnose and manage many eye conditions. An ophthalmologist is a physician (M.D. or D.O.) licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners who can also perform eye surgery, including cataract, glaucoma, and eyelid procedures. Some Clarksville practices employ both, while others coordinate care between an optometry clinic and a surgical ophthalmologist.

Q: How do I verify that a Clarksville eye care provider is licensed in Tennessee?

Both the Tennessee Board of Optometry and the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners operate under the Tennessee Department of Health, which maintains an online license-verification system. You can confirm that an optometrist or ophthalmologist holds an active license before scheduling care. The Department of Health also licenses and inspects ambulatory surgery centers where outpatient eye surgery is performed.

Q: What services should I expect at a comprehensive eye care center?

A comprehensive center typically offers routine eye exams and refraction, medical eye care for conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and macular degeneration, cataract surgery, dry eye treatment, and an optical shop. Some centers add subspecialty or surgical care such as eyelid and tearing-disorder surgery, while optometry-based clinics often coordinate cataract surgery with an ophthalmologist and provide the follow-up care. The exact mix varies by practice, so it helps to confirm which services are offered on site before scheduling.

Q: Is sales tax charged on glasses and contact lenses purchased at a Clarksville eye care center?

Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax, and Montgomery County adds a local option tax that brings the combined rate to roughly 9.5% on taxable retail goods such as eyeglasses and contact lenses. Professional services like an eye exam or a surgical procedure are treated differently from retail eyewear, so patients should ask for an itemized receipt that separates the exam, materials, and any applicable tax.

Q: Where is cataract surgery performed, and is it an overnight stay?

Cataract surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis at an ambulatory surgery center, with the patient going home the same day. In Clarksville, some ophthalmology practices operate or use a dedicated eye surgery center, often in the same building as the clinic, where procedures are performed under local anesthesia with sedation. These facilities are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Health and are frequently Medicare-certified and accredited, so patients should ask where surgery will take place and what accreditation the facility holds.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Clarksville eye care center?

Complaints about a licensed optometrist’s or ophthalmologist’s professional conduct or care can be filed with the Tennessee Department of Health through its Health Related Boards complaint process, which covers the Board of Optometry and the Board of Medical Examiners. For business or billing disputes involving deceptive practices, the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping records of appointments, prescriptions, surgical consents, and payments helps support any complaint.