Best eye doctors in Wake Forest: 8 practices in and near town

Directory sites list more than 20 optometrist names with Wake Forest addresses. Most of them sit at a handful of addresses that belong to national optical chains or big-box stores, and once those drop out, only two independent optometry practices inside the town limits check out: Wake Forest Eye Care Center on Retail Drive and McPherson Family Eye Care on Rogers Road.

So the list widens to Rolesville and north Raleigh, within about 20 minutes of town. That brings in two Rolesville offices, North Wake Eye Care among them, plus two optometrists near Triangle Town Center and ophthalmology offices on Durant Road and in Wakefield. Eight picks in all.

Our read: for a routine exam, the in-town pair and the Rolesville offices are the short drives, while the surgical ophthalmology practices sit in north Raleigh.

How we chose

We started inside Wake Forest, then widened to Rolesville and north Raleigh, within about 20 minutes, since only two independent offices in town passed. Each pick needed a 2026 signal on its own site: a dated post, a 2026 copyright or a working booking form. Facts come from each practice's own site first, and awards would count only when named and dated.

We cut national optical chains, big-box optical counters, practices with no 2026 signal, offices beyond the radius and subspecialty-only clinics. Board lookups were not run, so credentials appear as the practices state them. Entries are alphabetical, not ranked, and prices were last checked in October 2026. The picks rest on checkable facts; we have not hired them. The list stops at eight, where verified picks stop.

Greenway Vision Studio

Off Old Wake Forest Road near Triangle Town Center in north Raleigh, this optometry practice on Ramble Way is the renamed Family EyeCare Center. Dr. Jeffrey Handschumacher, who goes by "Dr. H" on the practice site, runs the exams. It fits specialty contact lenses, both scleral and ortho-k, and no other office on this list names those. The practice also treats dry eye and keratoconus, works on myopia control and runs headache and dizziness assessments.

Why we chose them

• The site says "Family EyeCare Center is now Greenway Vision Studio," keeping the same doctor, team and phone.
• Blog posts on its own site are dated August 7, September 7 and October 15, 2026.
• Shamir and Avulux are the lens partners named on the practice site.
• Walk-ins are welcome to browse frames in the optical, per the practice site.

Address: Raleigh — 7500 Ramble Way, #101

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McPherson Family Eye Care

Seven optometrists work out of this Rogers Road practice in Wake Forest, the largest roster among the optometry-only offices on this list. Dr. Lee McPherson and Dr. Samantha McPherson, both FAAO, lead the team. There is a Dry Eye Clinic and a myopia control program, and children can get vision therapy. The optical carries about 2,000 frames and sunglasses, and lenses are cut in-house.

Why we chose them

• Dr. Lee McPherson has served Wake Forest since 2005, and the practice opened in 2012, per its About page.
• The About page names Dr. Lee McPherson as a clinical examiner for the NC State Board of Optometry.
• Dr. Mackenzie Dziedzic is "accepting new patients of all ages," per the About page.
• Per the practice site, ocular emergencies can call the main line at any hour.
• The site footer still reads 2025 and no dated 2026 post turned up, so call or use the appointment page first.

Address: Wake Forest — 3150 Rogers Rd., Suite 110

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North Wake Eye Care

Rolesville has this independent optometry office on Rogers Road, led by Dr. Stephen J. Merckle, OD, per its Demandforce page and the Rolesville Chamber listing. Exams here cover eye disease such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy, and the office uses Optomap ultra-wide retinal imaging. It fits contact lenses and sees emergency eye visits; the Chamber listing counts over 800 frames in the optical.

Why we chose them

• The practice site says it has served Rolesville since 2006.
• Its own blog has posts dated September 9, September 23, October 14 and October 28, 2026.
• Its Demandforce profile lists LASIK and cataract co-management, plus pediatric care.
• Older directories and the Rolesville Chamber still list Southtown Circle in Rolesville Commons; the practice site now gives Rogers Road.
• A VSP badge appears on the practice site, so ask about other plans when booking.

Address: Rolesville — 6011 Rogers Road

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Raleigh Eye Center

Wakefield, off Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh, has a satellite office of Raleigh Eye Center on Spruce Tree Way. The practice calls itself "the largest privately owned comprehensive ophthalmology practice in Raleigh." Across its offices it does laser cataract surgery and the Light Adjustable Lens, LASIK and PRK, glaucoma surgery and corneal cross-linking. Its surgeons operate at UNC Rex Hospital and UNC Rex Wakefield Surgery Center, among others.

Why we chose them

• The Wakefield page lists "Limited" clinic hours and says this office specializes in cataracts and glaucoma.
• Routine exams may be booked at the main office on Executive Drive, about 20 minutes or more from Wake Forest.
• The practice dates to 1980, when Dr. James W. Kiley arrived, with roots in a 1922 downtown practice, per its site.
• No dated 2026 post from the practice turned up, so use the appointment-request form or call first.

Address: Raleigh — 12740 Spruce Tree Way, #102

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Raleigh Ophthalmology

Nine doctors are listed at the North Raleigh office of Raleigh Ophthalmology, on Durant Road near Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh: eight MDs plus optometrist Stefanie Fernandez, OD. It is a general ophthalmology office that books routine eye exams and also does cataract surgery. Cornea care, glaucoma, dry eye, oculoplastics and pediatric eye care round out the service list for this location.

Why we chose them

• The site footer reads "An EyeSouth Partners Affiliate," so this office belongs to a larger corporate group.
• The location page carries a 2026 copyright and a working Promptly link for online scheduling.
• Dr. Gabriel T. Chong is listed as MD, FACS, among the physicians at this office.
• The page itself says hours may vary, and no dated 2026 post turned up, so call ahead.

Address: Raleigh — 10880 Durant Road, Suite 112

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Triangle EyeCare

Behind Triangle Town Center in the Poyner Place shopping center, this north Raleigh optometry office is run by Dr. Glenn Klaus. Its site calls it "a locally owned business." Exams cover health and wellness checks, refraction and medical eye treatment, and contact lens fittings include lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia as well as custom designs. A licensed optician is on staff, per the site.

Why we chose them

• A Newswire release dated April 5, 2011 announced Dr. Klaus's new office in Poyner Place.
• The site names 14 plans, among them VSP, EyeMed, Superior Vision, Medicare and MetLife Vision.
• The street address comes from its earlier site; the current site says only "off I-540 at Triangle Town Blvd."
• A Labor Day closure notice on the site carries 2023 dates, so call or book online first.

Address: Raleigh — 6021 Poyner Village Pkwy., Suite 115

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Universal Eye Center

On South Main Street in Rolesville, Universal Eye Center is a general ophthalmology office led by David M. Dickman, MD. He earned his MD at Jefferson Medical College and finished residency at Drexel University as Chief Resident, per the practice site. Visits center on eye exams with an emphasis on patient education, and the office fits contact lenses, carries designer frames and handles insurance billing.

Why we chose them

• The practice site describes Dr. Dickman as board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
• Credit cards carry a 3% fee, while debit, cash and checks do not, per the site.
• Medical plans named on the site include BCBS, Aetna, Medicare and Medicaid, with no vision plans listed.
• The logo's alt text reads "Keiser Family Eye Care," a name the site does not explain.
• There is no online booking form and no dated 2026 post, so call the office first.

Address: Rolesville — 310 S. Main St.

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Wake Forest Eye Care Center

Along the Capital Boulevard shopping corridor, this Retail Drive optometry practice in Wake Forest calls itself "family-owned, independent." Dr. J. Craig Swaim and Dr. Jamie Boyd see patients for comprehensive, pediatric, diabetic and contact lens exams, plus myopia control and dry eye therapy that includes IPL. An in-house lab makes eyewear on site, and the frame wall runs from Kate Spade and Tiffany to Oakley and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Why we chose them

• Dr. Swaim opened the practice on August 16, 2003, per its own site.
• He opened his first eye care center at Crabtree Valley Mall in 1982, the practice site says.
• Plans named include VSP, EyeMed, Spectera and Medicare, and patients without coverage can use Direct Care discounts.
• No dated 2026 post from the practice itself turned up, so call or use the Request Appointment page first.

Address: Wake Forest — 11724 Retail Drive

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Services, prices and details last checked October 29, 2026.