Your New Albany Optometrist

Dr. Valerie Danford grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where she graduated from Mayfield High School and then attended John Carroll University (JCU) and earned a B.S in biology with a minor in business. She was a 4-year varsity soccer player and active in many clubs and organizations on campus.  Dr. Danford continued her education at JCU and earned her Master of Business Administration before moving to Columbus, Ohio to attend The Ohio State University College of Optometry.

During her time in optometry school, Dr. Danford was active in many organizations including Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Society, Epsilon Psi Epsilon, Sports Vision Club, and Private Practice Club. She was also the equipment representative for her class and an Alcon student liaison. During her third year, she traveled to Jamaica on a mission trip to provide eye care at a local clinic and nearby schools. Dr. Danford was also a member of the Fighting Iris soccer team and helped bring home the championship to the College of Optometry! 

After graduating from optometry school, Dr. Danford continued her optometric education by completing an ocular disease residency at Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. During her residency, she received extensive training in diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, and red eyes.

Upon completing her residency, Dr. Danford practiced full-scope optometry in a variety of practice settings in California and New Jersey. She is now settled in Columbus with her husband and two young daughters. She’s thrilled to be back in Ohio and excited to establish long-term relationships with her future patients!

Dr. Poonam Panda originally grew up in Plymouth, MI. She completed her undergraduate studies at Wayne State University in Detroit where she obtained a B.S in Biomedical Physics. She made the journey to Columbus, OH to complete her Doctor of Optometry at The Ohio State College of Optometry. 

While attending The Ohio State College of Optometry, Dr. Panda was very active in the American Optometric Association, American Academy of Optometry and Epsilon Psi Epsilon. Dr. Panda was also the president of the Women in White Coats Optometry chapter, and continues to be involved in empowering women as well as diversity inclusion within the community.  

Dr. Panda is currently pursuing a residency in Specialty Contacts Lens and Ocular Surface Disease at The Ohio State College of Optometry. Through her journey she has found a true passion for the treatment and management of Dry Eye disease, by providing in office treatment carefully curated to each individual patient. Besides caring for her patients, she loves teaching and working closely with the optometry students at the university.  

When Dr. Panda is not seeing patients, she loves spending time with her significant other and their dog Noodle. Dr. Panda is also an Amazon enthusiast, enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and cheering on the Buckeyes!

Dr. Cassandra Sheriff is originally from Defiance, Ohio where she attended Tinora High School graduating as valedictorian.  She then went on to attend The Ohio State University for both undergraduate and optometry school (Go Buckeyes!).  Dr. Sheriff graduated OSU's college of optometry in 2017 as part of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society.

During optometry school, Dr. Sheriff was a member of Fellowship of Christian Optometrists where she went on a mission trip to Jamaica to provide eye screenings for children in their schools.  She was also an active member of the American Optometry Student Association and Epsilon Psi Epsilon.

After graduation, Dr.Sheriff moved back to her hometown of Defiance where she stayed actively involved in the American Optometric Association and the Ohio Optometric Association.  Dr. Sheriff served as zone treasurer and zone governor for the Ohio Optometry Association planning continued education and other social events for local optometrists.

Now being back in Columbus, Dr. Sheriff is excited to continue providing full scope optometric care to patients of all ages diagnosing and managing various eye diseases and disorders.  Dr. Sherif has a special interest in pediatric optometry, binocular vision, and myopia control.

On a personal note, Dr. Sheriff enjoys golfing, water skiing, swimming, and spending quality time with her husband, Gary, and step-daughter, Paisley.  She also loves her Ohio State football and snuggling her dog, Quarentina (Quarry).

Dr. Katherine Merry is a native of northwest Columbus, Ohio, and attended Bishop Watterson High School. She graduated magna cum laude from Walsh University with a B.S. in biology. Dr. Merry then attended the Ohio State University College of Optometry and graduated in 2021. During optometry school, Dr. Merry was a member of College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) where she served as secretary. She was also an active member of Fellowship of Christian Optometrists where she served as Co-President and as Mission Chair, planning a mission trip to Jamaica in 2019. She hopes to return to the same clinic in Jamaica with optometry students in the future. Dr. Merry is excited to practice full scope optometry with a focus in pediatrics and vision therapy. Her passion for vision therapy came when she was a vision therapy patient in high school. She hopes to help children live their best lives and succeed in school and sports, with the help of glasses and vision therapy! On a personal note, Dr. Merry and her husband Drew love spending time with family and friends, hiking, and creating together. Their favorite projects they’ve done together include a 3D printed Settlers of Catan board and their Christmas stockings, any project they can combine their talents on.

Dr. Kyle Martin was born and raised in Mason, Ohio, before completing his B.S. in neuroscience at The Ohio State University.  While completing his undergraduate studies, Dr. Martin was a head squad leader and trumpet player for TBDBITL at OSU. During his time with the OSU marching band, he was nominated as one of the most inspirational bandsman and awarded the Buckeye Battalion Leadership Award. 

For optometry school, Dr. Martin continued his stay in Columbus, studying at The Ohio State College of Optometry where he was Vice-President of the Beta-Sigma Kappa Honor Society, class representative of the American Optometric Student Association, and member of the Epsilon Psi Epsilon optometric fraternity. In 2020, Dr. Martin graduated cum laude with his doctorate in optometry. 

Dr. Martin furthered his optometric training by completing a residency in cornea and specialty contact lenses at the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, Illinois. His additional experience allowed him to become more experienced in designing specialty contact lenses for post-operative and ectatic corneas, orthokeratology/myopia control, and other complex anterior segment conditions. In addition to providing direct care, Dr. Martin was involved in precepting third and fourth year optometry students in the contact lens and emergency clinics located within ICO. 

Dr. Martin is excited to share what he has learned during his time in Columbus and Chicago by providing specialty contact lens and myopia control care to his patients. Dr. Martin is also committed to the advancement of optometry and is a member of the American Optometric Association’s Young OD Committee. 

On a personal note, Dr. Martin and his wife Paige recently welcomed their first child, Alice, into their home in November 2021. In addition to spending time with the family and his dog, Korbin, Dr. Martin enjoys cheering on OSU sports, traveling, exercising, and exploring new local areas for food/drink.

Dr. Kimberly Rock is originally from Warsaw, Ohio where she attended River View High School. She then attended Hiram College and graduate magna cum laude with a B.A. in Biomedical Humanities. Dr. Rock next attended The Ohio State University College of Optometry. She completed the combined OD/MS program and graduated with her Optometry Degree (cum laude) and a Master’s in Vision Science concurrently in 2017.

During optometry school, Dr. Rock was a member of College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) and the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA). She was a four-year member of Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Society and was president during her fourth year. She was also a member of Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH), served as secretary for two terms and participated in a service trip to Lima, Peru in 2015. 

Dr. Rock’s master’s thesis involved research on the correlation between refractive errors and academic success in students where she got to work with the OneSight Vision Clinic at Oyler School in Cincinnati, OH. As an optometry student, she presented her research twice at the annual American Academy of Optometry meeting. After optometry school, Dr. Rock was able to expand on her research and completed her Fellowship with the American Academy of Optometry in November 2018.

Dr. Rock is currently a member of the American Optometric Association (AOA), the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA), the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD). 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 pediatrics, binocular vision, brain injury patients and special needs patients. Dr. Rock is an InfantSee provider to those under 1 year of age and she’s an active RealEyes presenter to local elementary schools. 

Dr. Rock and her husband. Daeylin, love spending time with their two adorable cats, Lavender and Lilah, traveling, and making crafts. One of Dr. Rock’s greatest achievements is winning first place in a Harry Potter trivia night!

Did you know Dr. Rock is one of our pediatric optometrists? Read her full interview here.

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.  Dr. Menner is on faculty at The Ohio State University College of Optometry conducing research and teaching Optometry Students.  Dr. Menner is available at the Mount Airyshire locations on Wednesdays for specialty contact lens care services. 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!

Dr. Joseph Leisring is originally from Dayton, Ohio. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wright State University and was an early admission to The Ohio State University Optometry program. He graduated from the OSU College of Optometry in 1981 and was a member of the Epsilon PSI Epsilon professional fraternity. Upon graduation, Dr. Leisring entered private practice and has served as a clinical instructor for optometry students at OSU. He is a 41 year member of the American Optometric Association, Ohio Optometric Association, and the Central Ohio Optometric Association where he was elected to many offices and served as its zone governor for one year. Dr. Leisring has a diverse clinical background providing primary and emergency eyecare. He also provides both pre and post operative care for cataract and lasik patients,. He has contributed extensively to contact lens research and development as a principal FDA investigator, authored several articles, lectured to other eyecare providers. He has testified to the FDA regulatory panel in Washington, DC on new contact lens solutions and materials being used today. Dr. Leisring is especially proud to have provided eye care services to both the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic athletes. He and his wife, Lynne, enjoy family time with their grown daughter, son and two granddaughters. Dr. Leisring is an avid cyclist, participating in Pelotonia since its inception in 2009. He is a frequent guardian for Columbus Honor Flight military veterans. He welcomes and appreciates the opportunity to serve your eyecare needs.

Dr. Christopher Smiley, the current owner of Vision Professionals, is a Central Ohio native who embodies innovation and progress within the Optometric community. His unwavering commitment to excellence shines through every aspect of his work.

Graduating with top honors in contact lens patient care from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2001, Dr. Smiley's dedication was recognized with the esteemed American Optometric Foundation’s (AOF) Contact Lens Excellence Award. This accolade, presented to a fourth-year optometry student demonstrating exceptional clinical contact lens patient care, was a testament to his expertise. He is also a distinguished member of both the Sigma Kappa and Gold Key International Optometric Honor Societies.

Dr. Smiley's passion for advancing optometric education is evident through his memberships in the American Optometric Association (AOA), Ohio Optometric Association (OOA), Columbus Optometric Association (COA), and the Contact Lens & Cornea Section of the AOA (CLCS). Additionally, he serves as a board member for the Gas Permeable Lens Institute (GPLI). As a clinical investigator for various contact lens study programs, he remains at the forefront of lens technologies, often providing them before commercial availability. Dr. Smiley's expertise extends to consulting with numerous contact lens manufacturers, lecturing fellow doctors, and teaching students innovative contact lens fitting techniques. Currently, he presides as the President of The Ohio State Alumni Association for the College of Optometry and has also served as an advisory council member to the Presidents of The Ohio State University.

Specializing in challenging contact lens fits, Dr. Smiley excels in cases involving rare eye conditions like keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, and vision rehabilitation post-laser vision correction. He played a pivotal role in the early development of modern scleral contact lenses and is nationally recognized for his expertise in fitting advanced cases. Additionally, Dr. Smiley is renowned for offering myopia control technologies, including orthokeratology (Ortho-K), throughout his career. His proficiency further extends to the treatment and management of eye emergencies, glaucoma, and dry eye. Dr. Smiley takes pride in delivering state-of-the-art eye care to patients seeking contact lenses, especially those who have faced challenges elsewhere.

Dr. Smiley's relentless pursuit of continual optometric education and cutting-edge technologies underscores his impeccable clinical skills and leadership in the profession. Beyond his professional endeavors, he cherishes spending time with his kids. His daughter, Kendall, is pursuing pre-optometry studies at the University of Kentucky, and patients might have the opportunity to interact with her during college breaks. Meanwhile, his son, Morgan, attends school at Westerville Central. In his leisure, Dr. Smiley enjoys Ohio State Buckeye football, health and fitness activities, automobiles, fishing, warm weather, particularly if a beach is involved, and his loyal companion, Dino (Rhodesian Ridgeback).

Dr. Smiley welcomes new patients seeking advanced specialty contact lens services, either independently or through referrals from other providers. However, he currently does not accept new patients for general optometry services or basic contact lens needs. Patients opting for Dr. Smiley's care will benefit from a team-based approach, where they will also be seen by a licensed resident Doctor of Optometry and/or a 4th-year Optometry extern. For those desiring a different approach, our office offers alternative providers. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

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.

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.