Dr. Kim Crouch founded Optix Eye Care in Weaverville, NC in 1998 and moved her practice to it’s current location in 2004. She specializes in primary optometric care for children and adults of all ages. Licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Optometry, she has a passion for the prevention and early diagnosis of ocular disease and is an expert in Macular Degeneration prevention and treatment and strives to educate her patients and the community on the dangers of blue light. She has extensive experience with identification and management of ocular disease, low vision services, contact lens fitting, and the application of lenses for visual abnormalities.
Dr. Crouch attended Eastern Kentucky University, where she was a full scholarship student and Academic All-American. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree Cum Laude. She earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. Dr. Crouch served two externships, one with Carolina Ophthalmology and one at Aldridge Eye Institute. She also practiced weekly at Mission Hospital’s Low Vision Center for seven years.
Dr. Crouch is a member of the American Optometric Association, the North Carolina State Optometric Society, and the Mountain Optometric Society. She also serves as an Advisory Board Member for Mission Hospital’s Low Vision Center. She served as a board member for several years for the Banzai Consortium. She is a member of the Magellan Optometric Group and has been a member of IDOC (Independent Doctors of Optometric Care) for many years.
Dr. Crouch spent part of her youth in Napa, CA and in the mountains of New Mexico. She has always felt at home in the mountains, and that is what attracted her to Weaverville. She is blessed with two daughters and enjoys sports, outdoor activities, running a practice and being a mom.
A native of Weaverville, NC she couldn’t imagine calling any place other than the beautiful mountains of WNC her home. Graduating Mars Hill College with unrelated aspirations, she unexpectedly found herself cultivating a career in the medical field. She joined the Optix team in 2010 and has developed a passion for providing kind support and compassionate leadership to her team. She enjoys hiking, camping, mountain biking, visiting local breweries and spending time with friends and family.
A loving mother of two beautiful girls that share her passions of baking, hiking, and spending time outside - except when a hike to the waterfalls involves a trip to the Urgent Care for stitches afterwards! Jenny is a Hickory, NC native and graduate of the great school of UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Psychology. She loves her role at Optix Eye Care as a Certified Paraoptometric Assistant because of the passion for protecting people‘s vision as long as possible. After all, she loves to be able to see the things she loves to do and she’s sure everyone else does too!
Florida born, North Carolina raised; Kristen came to us full of energy! She played division one soccer at Western Carolina University, then continued her love for the game and education at Catawba College. Kristen joined the Optix team in 2015 and has developed a passion not only for eye health & wellness but also helping our patients improve their dry eye symptoms. She is CPOA, TempSure and IPL certified and performs all dry eye treatments for our patients. Outside the practice, Kristen loves being a mommy to her beautiful and energetic daughter!
Born in Mexico, growing up in San Francisco, Mercedes Sandoval found her way to the Asheville area in 2007 to raise her family. Proud mom of 2 Kids, 19 and 18 years old. Her son is currently in the Navy and daughter attending college in California. Mercedes is Certified through the AAPC association as a Medical Coder, Biller, Auditing and Management. For fun she loves to be out and about in Asheville, mountain biking, sking, and spending time with good friends.
Born on Long Island, New York and moved to southwest Florida at the age of 5 where she lived most of her life, until relocating to Asheville, North Carolina in early 2021. Maria has a BA in Communications as well as an AS in Opticianry and has been in the eye care field for about 7 years now. She is certified to teach yoga, barre and crossfit, and is really appreciating the change of seasons here in North Carolina. Her extended family also lives here in Asheville and owns 828 Family Pizzaria off Merrimon. Her best friend is her new dog Titan who is a mix black retriever and is 2 years old; she is excited to explore the outdoors of her new town with him by her side!
