My name is Dr. Kelly Deering, and my husband, Rick, and I moved to Chillicothe, MO in May of 2020. I started as the new optometrist at Premier Eyecare Associates in June, and I love taking care of my community’s eye needs!
I grew up in the small town of Buckner, MO. I played tennis for Missouri Western State University, where I graduated summa cum laude with my Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences. I then attended optometry school at the University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL), graduating at the top of my class. In school, I was a member of several academic, research, and service organizations. I provided eyecare to Haiti in 2019, and I am eager to mission there again in 2021. I have conducted research on dry eye disease, genetic eye disorders, specialty contact lenses, and a mouse model of glaucoma. Upon graduation, I was awarded three distinguished academic awards for Outstanding Scholarship and an award for Clinical Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care. Today, I am still a brainiac and am pursuing my Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry so I can stay in the habit of keeping up with the latest eye research, contributing to the field of optometry, and delivering the best care to my patients.
I spend most of my free time with Rick and my two orange tabby cats, Bee and Tito. When I’m not blabbing to Rick about all the new things I’m learning about eyeballs, we like to play tennis, go hiking, travel, spend time with friends and family, and volunteer in the community (I’m a proud Chillicothe Rotarian!). I love Jesus, and I enjoy reading and cooking – though I’m on a keto diet, and Rick and I miss carbs a little bit right now. I like trying new things including shooting sporting clays and blogging. I am passionate about education and want to provide my patients (and those around the world, honestly) a better understanding of their eyes and overall health, and that’s how this blog was born! I hope you enjoy it and learn something new. Thanks for stopping by! Take care of your eyes!