Dr. Amy G. Brown
Dr. Brown grew up in Eastern Pennsylvania where she completed her undergraduate and doctorate schooling. She first graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Millersville University and then completed her doctor of optometry degree at Pennsylvania College of Optometry. She has traveled to many different states and worked many different optometry settings including private practice, commercial, and hospital. She completed a residency at Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, SC where she very much enjoyed her time serving our veterans.
She made the commitment herself to serve our country and is currently an officer in the North Carolina Air National Guard.
Dr. Brown strives to provide a professional but personal experience at our office. She enjoys seeing patients of all ages and values the importance of forming a good doctor - patient relationship.
Dr. Brown is enjoying life in Tega Cay with her husband and four kids (who keep her very busy!)
Dr. Larry Jerge
Dr. Larry Jerge grew up in Western New York where he completed his undergraduate studies. He graduated with honors from the prestigious Southern California College of Optometry. Dr. Jerge was in private practice in Santa Clara, California for seven years before he and his wife chose to raise their two young daughters closer to family back in Buffalo, New York. Strong family ties caused the last move to the Carolinas to be close to their first granddaughter.
Dr. Jerge has worked with patients of all ages but has always emphasized the importance of early, preventive care for children. His youngest patient was three months old. Though birth defects are rare, every infant should have a vision evaluation by an Optometrist before age one and again at three and five to assess vision skills development. Delays in vision skills development can affect a child's ability to learn and perform in sports. Many vision problems can be avoided or controlled through early detection and treatment. Dr. Jerge has a vision hygiene program similar to the preventive dental hygiene recommended by dentists.
Performing free vision care for the needy has always seemed natural for Dr. Jerge. He has donated services at Native American reservations, drug rehabilitation centers, public and private schools, Head Start preschools, city missions for the homeless, at the Special Olympics and on medical missions to help the needy in Poland and Nicaragua. Dr. Jerge does inservice training for school nurses and has given presentations to community groups and public access cable programs.
Dr. Jerge gives each patient the time they need to properly diagnose their problem and to answer their questions. He has received many awards including distinguished Alumnus of Erie Community College, a humanitarian award from the Polish American Congress and "Optometrist of the Year" in New York State in 2002. He is currently an active member of the Tega Cay Lion's Club.
Dr. Nicole Jerge
Dr. Jerge was exposed to optometry at a very early age by her dad, Dr. Larry Jerge. She decided during high school to pursue optometry as a career. Dr. Jerge completed her undergraduate studies at Ithaca College and was awarded her Doctor of Optometry degree from SUNY College of Optometry.
Upon graduation, Dr. Jerge was honored with two notable awards. The SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence is a prestigious annual award given out by the SUNY system to distinguished student leaders across the state of New York. The Dr. Max Cohen memorial award was bestowed upon Dr. Jerge for her commitment to volunteer services.
As a student, she served as president of her school's chapter of SVOSH (Student Volunteer Services to Humanity). She helped to organize and fundraise for herself and a group of students to travel to Nicaragua and participate in a medical mission.
Dr. Jerge is a member of the American Optometric Association and has served as her local society president.
She has practiced in New York City and San Francisco, but is very happy to have settled close to family.