Making life better for someone is part of the reason Dr. Patterson simply loves what he does. Whether it’s a patient that was seemingly untreatable who experienced newfound freedom or simple glasses or contact fittings, Dr. Patterson wants to be there. And he wants to make a difference.

After spending just a few minutes with Robert Patterson, O.D., you might not get a deep understanding of who the man is or how he arrived in the Chattanooga area in 1997. What you will see is a warm welcome and an enthusiastic passion for eye care.

As a Doctor of Optometry with DiStefano Eye Care, Dr. Patterson sees all kinds of patients. His background helps him become very well-suited for the challenges that routine as well as unique eye diseases present.

Dr. Patterson was a cadet at The Citadel and graduated in 1989. Originally being assigned to go to the Armor Officer branch, he was well on his way to becoming M1A1 Bradley tank commander in the United States Army. But acceptance into optometry school at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis shifted his plans a little. Ultimately, he would put his active duty plans on hold and spend the next four years completing his education and boards to become a Doctor of Optometry. After his externship at Moncrief Army Community Hospital at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Patterson entered active duty with the U.S. Army in 1993.

As a Captain he assumed the role as Chief of Optometry Services at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Dr. Patterson had many different roles and responsibilies in regards to treating soldiers vision care needs. Many of these soldiers were going back and forth on deployments to Bosnia. It was his primary duty to fit those soldiers with glasses and lens inserts for their gas masks.

“I enjoyed helping soldiers,” says Dr. Patterson. “We helped them see better so they could perform their duties better but we also treated them for eye injuries and infections, common with their line of duty. I got a taste of what these guys go through and it was very rewarding to be a part of the successes of their deployment. I value those memories.”

Later, Dr. Patterson would take advantage of a civilian opportunity that included taking over an eye care practice in Red Bank offered by a fellow veteran who was retiring. So he and his wife, Tammy, with their then three children moved to the Chattanooga area to put down roots. Over time, his private practice led him to pursure other opportunities that allowed him to work with and learn from many different types of eye specialist in the area. This gave him a very well rounded set of skills to utilize in the treatment of his patients.

Today, Dr. Patterson continues to use those skills by helping the elderly and aging population. He services six area nursing homes and helps patients with a variety of age-related eye diseases. Among them, treating patients for cataracts, dry eyes, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and ocular infections are most common. His reward is knowing that he’s helped someone be able to experience more from life in their later years.

“I like to get to know the nursing home patients. They depend on me for things that other people may not be able to help out with,” says Dr. Patterson. “Recently, I visited with what I was told was a totally blind woman in one of my nursing homes. She really didn’t have much of a quality of life. I was told that she was not treatable. But, quickly after doing a simple ocular evaluation, I found that her blindness was 100% due to a severe cataract, a very treatable condition. After surgery, she was seeing 20/20. Her life changed. She now experiences everything in life that the nursing home offers. I look back on that instance often. It is a very gratifying feeling.”

Making life better for someone is part of the reason Dr. Patterson simply loves what he does. Whether it’s a patient that was seemingly untreatable who experienced newfound freedom or simple glasses or contact fittings, Dr. Patterson wants to be there. And he wants to make a difference.

While treating soldiers, Dr. Patterson examined a staff sergeant who was going through his retirement physical. Dr. Patterson noted an uncommon visual field impairment. Although it wasn’t popular with the retiring staff sergeant, he ordered more tests, delaying his retirement. That hunch paid off as the staff sergeant was found to have a pituitary tumor. Left untreated it would likely have caused a number of visual impairments and more. Though Dr. Patterson delayed this man’s retirement in order for the tumor to be removed while the soldier was still on active duty, he not only saved him money by letting the Army pay for his surgery, he probably saved his life.

“I like to take the time and make sure that I do the best I can to help people’s lives become better through clear vision,” continues Patterson. “Whether it’s the elderly patients who are graciously thankful for their eye care, and sometimes they just like having a visitor to tell stories to, or an Army sergeant who was anxiously awaiting his retirement, I know I have a commitment to their well-being. It’s what I do and if I know I’ve done my best, each of my patients will be able to enjoy more out of life.”

Dr. Patterson continues to treat elderly patients, continues to love his work, and continues to love his family which has expanded to six children through the wonderful miracle of adoption adding that “Tammy and I are truly blessed to have such wonderful children. We are passionate about our faith in God and that our family enjoys being involved in our church.”

Today, he loves coming to work knowing that he is going to help the patients of Dr. Deborah DiStefano and Dr. Courtney Ridner as well as the patients he routinely treats. Whether treating the most challenging of complex eye diseases or simply providing the best possible pair of glasses to help patients see better, Dr. Patterson enjoys his work and he will always strive for the best outcomes in vision and in life.