Eye on the Future for Zionsville Eyecare

Dr. James Haines has dedicated his life to the Zionsville community, both as the founder of Zionsville Eyecare and through community outreach. As he announces his retirement, he leaves the community in capable hands.

Haines’ personal vision challenges since childhood inspired him to become an eye-care professional. “That experience motivated me to become an eye-care professional, and my love of my hometown inspired me to come back to start my private practice, later known as Zionsville Eyecare, alongside my childhood eye doctor and current friend, Dr. James Kramer,” he says.

Under his leadership, Zionsville Eyecare has grown into one of the state’s most admired private optometry practices. Haines attributes his success to always prioritizing patient needs, and giving back to the community through steadfast support and volunteerism.

Community outreach is integral to Zionsville Eyecare’s mission. Dr. Evan Murray, a new team member, emphasizes the importance of community involvement stressed by Haines, acknowledging that “Zionsville Eyecare has a long history of community outreach. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Zionsville resident that hasn’t encountered a touchpoint of this outreach. It’s important that we find new and creative ways to grow our generosity in sync with the rapid growth of Zionsville.”

In 2020 Haines and his family established a recurring scholarship for a Zionsville Community High School student, aiming to support continued education and active community participation.

The legacy that Haines leaves at Zionsville Eyecare is built on the highest-quality patient care, cutting-edge technology, a positive workplace environment, and ongoing community support. These principles will continue under the guidance of current practice owner, Dr. Nicholas Garn.

Garn credits Haines for his own career trajectory, stating that Haines hired him as a tech with no experience, guided him, wrote recommendation letters, and taught him to be forward-thinking with technology while never losing focus on community support.

Zionsville Eyecare is committed to embracing new technology and continued education. Zionsville Eyecare is about all eyes, not just Eagle Eyes, which is why they have planned to launch Cadre Vision, a software platform soon to be available to other like-minded, private eye-care facilities, to ensure quality eye care for patients across Indiana.“We’re trying to create a better opportunity for private practices to keep health care affordable,” Garn says.

As Haines retires, Zionsville Eyecare is expanding its staff. Welcoming back Dr. Meret Thomas-Huebner, along with new doctors Dr. Grace Arnold and Dr. Evan Murray, Zionsville Eyecare is well-prepared to meet the needs of the growing community. The practice also benefits from the expertise of Dr. Ami Fraser, Dr. Julia Blank, and Dr. Matthew Clark.