Eye care professionals specialize in understanding how the human eye really works, as well as diseases and conditions that affect your vision – many of which do not have obvious symptoms. Eye doctors know how age and risk factors affect vision over time for young and old, and they understand the benefits and features of corrective lenses including eyeglasses and contacts.
Our optometrists take the time to explain the results of your eye exam, describe your options and listen to your eye care needs. Because maintaining good eye health is an ongoing partnership, we encourage you to ask questions and share your health information, which could be vital to monitoring, diagnosing and treating potential vision problems.
Meet our doctors:
Dr. Christopher Smiley is a native to the Central Ohio area and the second generation owner of Vision Professionals. As an innovative and progressive leader in the Optometric community, his commitment to excellence is evident in all areas.
Dr. Smiley graduated from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2001 with top honors in contact lens patient care. Dr. Smiley was honored with the prestigious American Optometric Foundation’s (AOF) Contact Lens Excellence Award. Selected by the faculty, this award is presented to one graduating fourth year optometry student who demonstrates excellence in clinical contact lens patient care during their optometric education. Dr. Smiley was also one of an elite group of students to be granted membership in both Sigma Kappa and Gold Key International Optometric Honor Societies.
Dr. Smiley supports advanced optometric education through his membership in the American Optometric Association (AOA), Ohio Optometric Association (OOA), Columbus Optometric Association (COA), and the Contact Lens & Cornea Section of the AOA (CLCS). Dr. Smiley has served as a clinical investigator for a number of contact lens study programs, which allows him to provide many lens technologies before they are commercially available. Dr. Smiley serves as consultant to many contact lens manufacturers. He frequently lectures to doctors and teaches students contact lens fitting techniques. Dr. Smiley currently serves as the Treasurer of The Ohio State Alumni Association for the College of Optometry.
Dr. Smiley specializes in “difficult fit” contact lenses including those patients with rare eye conditions such as keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, and those patients requiring vision rehabilitation after laser vision correction. Dr. Smiley also specializes in the treatment and management of eye emergencies and glaucoma. He frequently assists patients with vision correcting procedures such as LASIK, corneal refractive therapy, cataracts, and other new technologies. Dr. Smiley provides state-of-the-art eye care to those patients seeking contact lenses, including those that have not been successful elsewhere.
Dr. Smiley’s commitment to continual optometric education and modern technologies allows him to maintain impeccable clinical skills and to practice at the forefront of the optometric profession.
On a personal note, Dr. Smiley enjoys spending time with his kids. His daughter, Kendall is 12, and his son, Morgan is 8. He enjoys watching Ohio State Buckeye football, health and fitness activities, automobiles, fishing, warm weather especially if a beach is involved, and his dog, CoCo (Rhodesian Ridgeback).
Dr. Abigail G. Menner is originally from Bellbrook, OH. She attended Bellbrook High School and graduated Summa Cum Laude. She then attended The Ohio State University for her undergraduate studies in Medical Sciences and Pre-Optometry. She was accepted to The Ohio State University College of Optometry after her third year of undergraduate studies.
While at The Ohio State University College of Optometry, she was very involved in Inter-Professional Council of which she was Optometry’s Lead Delegate, Fellowship of Christian Optometrists, American Optometry Student Association, and Beta-Sigma Kappa Honor Society. While in Optometry school, she served as a Student Member on The Ohio State University Student Conduct Board. During her third year of schooling, she received the Lawrence Shaefer Scholarship reserved for the Top Clinician of the third year class as well as the Leo Yassenoff Scholarship reserved for outstanding Professional Students. During her fourth year, she received the Excellence in Primary Care Award. Dr. Menner received her Doctor of Optometry Degree in May 2015.
While in Optometry school, she and her classmates involved in the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists partnered with Mission for Sight and organized a Mission Trip to Frome, Jamaica to provide eye care at a local clinic and area schools. She then returned to the same clinic in Frome with Optometry students during her Residency.
Dr. Menner gained experience in the field of Specialty Contact Lens and Ocular Disease during her Residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. During her Residency, she worked closely with corneal surgeons where she then designed and fit specialty contact lenses for patients with corneal transplants, Keratoconus, Severe Dry Eye disease, Aphakia, corneal scarring, and other corneal conditions. She also completed rotations in Retina, Neuro-Ophthalmology, and Glaucoma sub-specialties. Dr. Menner also initiated a research study on the Quality of Life measures of Severe Dry Eye patients fit with Scleral lenses.
Dr. Menner is very committed to providing the highest quality eye care as well as managing challenging Contact Lens and Specialty Contact Lens patients. She is also passionate about continuing her Mission work and research efforts.
On a personal note, Dr. Menner enjoys running, traveling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. She attends the Tri-Village campus of Veritas Community Church. She also loves cheering on her Ohio State Buckeyes. Go Bucks!
After graduating from OSU College of Optometry in 1976, Dr. Dittenber spent three years as an Optometrist/Officer in the US Air Force, stationed at Charleston AFB, S.C. In 1979, Dr. Dittenber opened his first office in Sunbury in a second floor location beside Dr. Anthony’s (Sunbury dentist) office on the square. In 2001, the office was moved to its current location, 690 West Cherry Street (Rt 36,37) across from American Showa, inc. In January 2017, Dr. Dittenber and his practice joined with Vision Professionals.
Dr. Dittenber has remained a member of the American Optometrist Association and the Ohio Optometric Association for over 40 years. Besides dedication to family vision care, Dr. Dittenber has a special interest in children’s vision and children with vision related learning problems. his background in behavioral optometry has been an asset in solving vision learning problems by lens application and vision therapy.
Dr. Dittenber and his wife, Debbie, have four grown children and four grandchildren. They enjoy outdoor activities like biking, boating, and hiking. They also enjoy traveling to visit their children, activities with friends, and church. In his free time, Dr. Dittenber enjoys reading and woodworking.
Dr. Tawni Cashon is originally from Bryan, Ohio where she attended Bryan High School and graduated with honors. She then attended The Ohio State University for her undergraduate studies and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition. Dr. Cashon then attended The Ohio State University College of Optometry and received her Doctor of Optometry Degree in May 2018.
During her undergraduate studies at Ohio State, she was an active member and officer in Delta Delta Delta sorority, worked as an optometric technician and optician for a local private practice, and was a research assistant for The Ohio State University College of Optometry. Dr. Cashon also spent 4 summers as the Head Coach of the Bryan Swim Team where she coached over 100 swimmers each season between the ages of 8-19 years old.
During Optometry school, Dr. Cashon served as an officer for the Private Practice Club, Contact Lens Advancement Society, American Optometric Student Association, and Epsilon Psi Epsilon. She was also granted membership into Beta Sigma Kappa and Gold Key, both International Optometric Honor Societies.
Dr. Cashon is a member of the American Optometric Association, the Ohio Optometric Association, and The Ohio State Alumni Association. She is excited to practice full scope optometry, diagnosing and treating a variety of ocular disorders and diseases in patients of all ages, but has a special interest in contact lenses and ocular disease.
On a personal note, Dr. Cashon and her soon to be husband enjoy spending time with their family, friends, and their dog Archie, cheering on The Ohio State Buckeyes, trying new foods, and exploring Columbus breweries.
Graduating from The Ohio State University-College of Optometry in 1976, Dr. David Niederkohr has devoted the last 42.5 years to private optometric practice in Delaware, Ohio. In addition, his practice has included LifeStyle Optical located in Grady Memorial Hospital (now Ohio Health). He enjoys working with challenging contact lens fits.
He has given service to Delaware city being on the city council for 6.5 years including vice-mayorship, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Parish Council, coaching DYAA soccer, Delaware JayCees, Delaware County United Way, and Delaware Rotary Club. Recently joining Vision Professionals-Delaware, Dr. Niederkohr brings his years of expertise to patients new and renewed.
Dr. Niederkohr and his wife, Linda, have two children, Nathan and Caitlin. He loves golfing, reading, and spending time with his close-knit family, including his three grandchildren.
