Valley Vision History
The Full Story
In 1948 Dr. Roy B. Archer graduated from optometry school in Illinois and moved with his wife, Francis, to West Point, Georgia. He established an optometry practice in a small office in downtown West Point and started his practice offering basic eye exams, contact lenses, and binocular vision therapy. Several years later he built a nice office on the west side of the river with multiple exam rooms and a full finishing lab to make glasses in-office and he added another associate, Dr. Slade.
Years passed and in 1975, a young, newly graduated Dr. George Courtright, joined Dr. Archer’s practice. Dr. Courtright was able to thrust the practice forward by adding the newly developed soft contact lenses to the practice. Previously all contact lens wearers had hard contact lenses. This was a big step for the practice that would carry it forward for decades to come.
About a year in, Dr. Courtright moved back to Florida where he joined a contact lens manufacturing company as a fitting consultant and Dr. Archer brought in Dr. Brazeal, who eventually became his partner. Together, Dr. Archer and Dr. Brazeal practiced in Valley, Alabama until 1992 when Dr. Archer began to consider retirement. Ultimately, Dr. Archer ended his partnership with Dr. Brazeal and moved his practice back to West Point, naming it Archer Optical.
Some might think “moving his practice” back to West Point meant purchasing or leasing a new building and setting it up for his practice, but this is not the case for Dr. Archer. In fact, he moved his entire building to West Point. It was a sight to see! Dr. Archer’s practice (now Valley Vision Center) has remained in the same building and location since the move in 1993.
Around that time, Dr. Archer and Dr. Courtright (from 1975) reconnected and initiated another working relationship. Dr. C began working at Archer Optical two days a week and did so for the next three years before leaving again to attend to other office he owned in Georgia.
In January of 2001, Dr. Archer passed away with no plans of who would take over the practice. His family reached out to Dr. Courtright, who ultimately purchased the practice in March of 2001 and renamed it Valley Vision Center. Dr. C worked at Valley Vision as the sole doctor until 2019, when Dr. Conner Robbins joined him.
In 2013, Dr. Courtright was approached by Conner Robbins, a student at Auburn University, who wanted to shadow him in order to accumulate hours needed to apply for Optometry School. Conner was originally from Corner, Alabama, but was dating his now-wife, Candace, who had been a patient of Dr. Courtright’s for many years, and even had been a patient of Dr. Archer as a child. Dr. Courtright agreed to allow Conner to shadow him and the two remained in touch while Conner continued and finished school.
Conner attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry and graduated in May of 2019, officially becoming Dr. Conner Robbins, OD. Dr. Robbins and Dr. Courtright had talked many times about the possibility of Dr. Robbins taking over the practice when Dr. Courtright was ready to retire. Coincidentally, Dr. Courtright was ready to retire when Dr. Robbins graduated from UABSO. Dr. Robbins had plans to move out west briefly to continue his education before settling down, but after finding out his wife was pregnant with their first son, Ollie, they decided to move to West Point and begin their life there. He began working at VVC and eventually purchased the practice from Dr. Courtright in January of 2020 Since taking ownership of VVC, Dr. Robbins has grown the practice and Valley Vision Center has continued to be a local favorite, earning the 2023 Best Of Chambers County award in vision care. In total, Valley Vision (though previously Archer Optical) has been in business for 75 wonderful years!
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