As we mentioned in our previous post, the Asheville area is growing rapidly. We are welcoming new residents with tips and keys to finding great healthcare professionals and optometrists. In addition to incredibly beauty, cultural amenities, and excellent educational systems, western North Carolina benefits from nearby medical universities and the presence of Mission Health System. Nevertheless, finding new physicians, dentists, and eye care professionals is always difficult when people move to a new city.

When you move to a new area, one of the keys to finding a great eye care doctor is identifying whether they know and understand their community. Here are four questions to help identify whether an optometrist knows his or her community.

Does the Eye Care Doctor Care About the City in Which They Operate?

An eye care professional does not necessarily need to be from Asheville to care about the city, and the people; however, residents can expect their optometrist to know the area. If you are searching in our area, your eye care doctor should know some key things about Asheville, including:

• A general understanding of our history
• Places to hike and enjoy nature
• Great neighborhoods and places to live
• Community organizations and initiatives
• Attractions to see

A better understanding of the city in which they practice gives healthcare professionals a keener insight into the lives and personalities of the people they serve.

Does the Eye Care Doctor Participate in Community Events?

For optometrists and eye care practices, participating in community events are more than just marketing opportunities. Festivals and events provide an opportunity for doctors and healthcare professionals to get to know their city and earn the trust of its residents. Events in Asheville in which you might see Asheville Vision Associates, our optometrists, and our technicians include:

• SpringGo! In Chimney Rock
• LEAF Festival in Black Mountain
• Ramp Festival in Waynesville
• Mountain State Fair in Asheville
• Beer City Festival in Asheville
• Rhododendron and Azalea Flower Sow in Asheville
• Memorial Day Weekend festivals throughout the area
• Many more

Does the Eye Care Doctor Know the Culture?

Knowing a city involves more “googling” facts and studying statistics, it requires getting to know the cultural heart of the community. Asheville is regarded as one of the most welcoming cities to people from all walks of life, and its eye care doctors and healthcare professionals should understand that diversity is the heart of our city.

Our suburbs and satellite towns throughout Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, Transylvania, and Haywood counties have their own cultural identities as well. When searching for an eye doctor, consider whether they seem to know both the facts, and the culture of your city, town, and region.

Does the Eye Care Doctor Care About Patients' Overall Health?

Optometrists and eye care professionals should recognize the impacts of vision on your overall health, as well as the impacts of your overall health on your vision. In other words, your diet, fitness, and health impact your eyesight, while preserving and caring for your eyes also impacts your overall health and fitness.

At Asheville Vision Associates, we resource our patients to live the best possible life through both eye, as well as diet, exercise, and wellness. For more information, or to schedule an eye exam, contact us. We are located in Biltmore Park, near REI and Starbucks.

As summer turns to fall, and the colors begin to change on the ridges, we are reminded why Asheville is one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina. Asheville's population has increased nearly nearly 25% since 2000, while Buncombe County has added 50,000 people since the turn of the century. As new residents discover how great Asheville is, we want to make sure you find the right eye care professional.

For the next several weeks, we will publish articles and a short e-book detailing what to look for in an eye doctor when you move to a new area. Though we are located in western North Carolina, we intend for these posts to be relevant wherever you reside. In this article, we will discuss six tips for identifying a trustworthy eyecare professional.

1) A Trustworthy Eyecare Professional Will Be Recommended by Other Residents

With any health professionals, it is important to be to establish a relationship that facilitates openness and honesty. In other words, you need to be comfortable with your eye doctor and eyecare professionals.

Part of what attracts people to Asheville is our closeness as a community. Whether you move here (or anywhere else) for work, a change of scenery, beautiful views, or a fulfilling retirement, ask around before you settle on an eyecare professional. Someone who trusts their eye doctor will be happy to recommend them to others. A person will only put their own reputation on the line to a healthcare professional they trust.

2) A Trustworthy Eyecare Professional Will Know Their Community

Every city and region has a cultural identity. Asheville is famous for acceptance of people from various walks of life. Additionally, our city is known for great food and drinks, access to outdoor activities, and great music. A trustworthy eyecare professional will know their city’s culture and how to communicate with the people in their community. They will be as likely to recommend a great place to eat, or sight to see, as a pair of glasses or contacts.

3) A Trustworthy Eyecare Professional Will Tell You What You Need to Hear

As we get older, our eyecare needs change. A trustworthy eyecare professional will be bold enough to tell you what you need to hear, including:

• You need to check your eyes, even if your vision is 20/20.
• You need to embrace your changing prescription
• You are eligible for contacts
• You need glasses

4) A Trustworthy Eyecare Professional Will Have Good Customer Testimonials

In addition to referrals from neighbors and coworkers, you can determine whether an eyecare professional is trustworthy in part by customer reviews. On Facebook, our average review score is 4.6 out of 5.0. When reading reviews, make sure you read the good ones and the not-so-good ones, in order to determine for yourself the context of the experiences.

5) A Trustworthy Eyecare Professional Will Have Happy Employees

You can learn a lot about the trustworthiness of an eye doctor by the satisfaction of their employees. A healthy workplace is created by eyecare professionals you can trust.

6) A Trustworthy Eyecare Professional Will Sell You What You Need

A trustworthy eyecare professional will not push you toward a product simply for the sake of making additional sales. Find out through reviews, referrals, and your own investigation whether an eye doctor is overly concerned with the bottom line.

At Asheville Vision Associates, our commitment is to your health. We will make recommendations based on what you need. To find out more about our practice, contact us, or visit. You can also follow us on Facebook.

Asheville has lots of great food. Sometimes we cannot decide where to eat because there are so many options. So we have to condense them a little, according to where we are. Our Biltmore Park location is in the south Asheville area, so we wanted to share these 12 delicious spots that you should check out whether you live here, or if you are visiting for a few days.

1. Tupelo Honey Cafe - southern cooking at its finest!
2. Luella's Barbecue - a favorite BBQ spot of ours!
3. Rocky's Hot Chicken - some of the best fried chicken you will ever sink your teeth into!
4. Travinia - delicious Italian cuisine!
5. 12 Bones Smokehouse - the famed barbecue joint of Asheville!
6. Another Broken Egg - right next to our office, and so glad they are!
7. Abeja's House Cafe - amazing breakfast and lunch, with a Latin twist sometimes!
8. Hickory Tavern - the perfect sports bar in Asheville, located in Biltmore Park!
9. Farm Burger - a must-have burger!
10. Wild Ginger - delicious Pho and other great food!
11. Mosaic Cafe - a fine little cafe, just a hop, skip & a jump away from our office!
12. Stonebowl Korean - delicious Korean food, stone bowls, and so good!