EYE CARE - Key Persons
Casey Lowrance, DO, completed his undergraduate degree in Music Industry and Recording Industry Management at Middle Tennessee State University in 2006. After a few years in the insurance and financial services industry, he attended and completed his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia in 2014.
Dr. Lowrance completed an internship and residency in ophthalmology at Nova Southeastern University in Miami, Florida. Following residency, he spent another year in Miami completing a medical retina fellowship at the world renown Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami.
During his time in Miami, Dr. Lowrance participated in numerous research studies leading to publications in peer-reviewed journals, has given lectures at national meetings, and has been involved in several large clinical trials. He was very involved in several studies evaluating swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography and its efficacy in evaluating and treating retinal disease, especially macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Lowrance has a passion for mission work. He has travelled to east Africa, Guatemala, Honduras, and Laos where he has provided medical care, built houses, and volunteered at orphanages. It is one of the main reasons he entered the field of medicine.
Dr. Lowrance and his family relocated to East Tennessee in 2019. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and five children, playing music, and hiking. He is also very involved with his church.
Job Titles:
- Member of the the East Tennessee Optometric Association
Dr. Montgomery graduated from Southern College of Optometry in 1978. He enjoyed a military career as a staff optometrist at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, PA from 1982 to 1985 while additionally serving as an adjunct professor at Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Dr. Montgomery was Chief of Optometry in Okinawa, Japan at the U.S. Naval Hospital from 1985 to 1988 and completed his military service in 2012 as Chief of Optometry with the Tennessee Air National Guard at McGhee Tyson. Dr. Montgomery has worked in the Knoxville area since 1988 and with Dr. Tom Browning since 1995 through the Vitreoretinal Foundation. He joined Eye Care Centers in 1999.
Dr. Montgomery is a member of the the East Tennessee Optometric Association, the Tennessee Optometric Association, and sits on the governing board of Tennessee Eye Care Alliance.
His outside interests include church, family, horses, and boating. He is also a general aviation enthusiast.
Elissa Fleming, OD, FAAO, has been with Tennessee Eye Care since 2008. Dr. Fleming grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Georgia, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 2003. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry in 2007 where she was a member of Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society and Gold Key International Optometric Leadership Society. She completed a residency in 2008 in Geriatrics and Low Vision Rehabilitation at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Dr. Fleming is a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and a member of the American Optometric Association. She is also active in the local East Tennessee Society of Optometric Physicians as well as the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians.
Dr. Fleming focuses on family eye care with emphasis in contact lenses, glasses, medical optometry, and pediatric and geriatric optometry. She is currently accepting new patients.
Dr. Fleming lives in Knoxville with her husband, Scott, and two children. She enjoys traveling, baking, college football, and spending time with her family.
Matthew Lowrance, DO, completed his undergraduate degree in Music performance from the University of North Georgia in 2001. He then completed his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia in 2008.
Dr. Lowrance spent the next four years at Michigan State University and Hillsdale Community Health Center in residency training in ophthalmology. Following residency, he completed a medical retina fellowship at the world renown Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Lowrance has published numerous papers and articles in peer reviewed journals, given lectures at national meetings, and has multiple patents pending for ophthalmic surgery and other medical technology. He is a founding member of the Tidal Key Group, an innovations company focused on emerging medical devices and technology.
Dr. Lowrance is also involved in the development of telemedicine technology, protocols and services for retinal screening, and diagnosis as the medical director for Retinal Care. He has multiple appearances on the television show Healthline as the guest physician.
Dr. Lowrance lives in Loudon, Tennessee with his wife and three children.
Melissa Thomas, OD, is a Knoxville native. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2007. In 2011, she graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis with clinical honors.
Dr. Thomas has a passion for her profession and patients which has led her to go on international mission trips to Trinidad, Haiti, and Guatemala to provide eye care for those in need. She also volunteers locally with the Lion's Club.
Dr. Thomas has a particular interest in managing dry eye disease, diabetic eye disease, and macular degeneration. She is an active member of the American Optometric Association, the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians, and the East Tennessee Society of Optometric Physicians, in which she served as President in 2017.
In her spare time, Dr. Thomas enjoys spending time with her husband, going to church, playing with her Yorkie, cheering on the Vols, and relaxing on the lake.
A native of Kingston, TN, Dr. Brown graduated Roane County High School in 2006 before attending the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and receiving a bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2012. Studying in Memphis, TN he earned his Doctor of Optometry from the Southern College of Optometry in 2016. While at the Southern College of Optometry Dr. Brown was president of the Omega Delta social fraternity, an active member in ssTAOP, sports and vision therapy clubs, and graduated with clinical honors in the Contact Lens department.
After moving back to East Tennessee, Dr. Brown joined Tennessee Eye Care in 2019. He has particular interest in contact lenses, family and pediatric optometry, and managing ocular disease. When he is not working, he likes to be with family or finding new places to explore with his corgi Lola.
Paul Wittke, MD, is a native of Missouri but was raised and educated in Michigan. He received a B.S. degree in 1958 from the University of Michigan and an M.D. degree in 1962 from Wayne State University School of Medicine.
After internship, Dr. Wittke entered the United States Air Force and served as a general medical officer for 4 years before doing a 3 year ophthalmology residency at the Kresge Eye Institute and Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. In 1973 he received an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force and started his practice in Knoxville and Rockwood. In 1981 he joined the Tennessee Air National Guard and served for 10 years as a flight surgeon.
Dr. Wittke retired from the United States Air Force in 1992. He continues to work at Tennessee Eye Care in 3 locations - Knoxville, Kingston, and Lenoir City.
Dr. Wittke is very active in the community. He is an active supporter of Remote Area Medical and is a member of their board of directors. He is an active member of the West Knox Lions Club and Grace Lutheran Church. He is married and has 2 daughters, 3 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
Silvia Mende, OD, is a 1989 graduate of Pacific University. She did her externship with the United States Army in Heidelberg, Germany. She completed a post doc residency in geriatric optometry at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.
Dr. Mende served as center director for Omega Eye Center in Jackson, Tennessee and then in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is currently a partner in Tennessee Eye Care and is the managing partner of the Tennessee Eye Care Harriman location.
Dr. Mende enjoys seeing patients in the community that she lives in and loves Roane County.
Tennessee Eye Care is a network of eye care providers committed to relationships with God, our patients, their families, and each other. Our heart is for our patients and the quality of life they live. We understand that your vision affects every aspect of your life. When things aren't right, it shows up pretty quickly. We want to help you live a better life. So if you're in our office, it's because something isn't right. We don't take that lightly.