Appalachian Vision

Appalachian Vision For over 45 years, our practice has proudly served Southwest Virginia with trusted, high-quality eye care. We were founded in Big Stone Gap, VA in 1979.

Our new name reflects our commitment to expanding access to exceptional vision care. Appalachian Vision has been providing eye care since the 1920's. We love this area and call it our home. Our mission





The doctors and staff of Appalachian Vision are dedicated health care professionals committed to providing quality comprehensive eye care services and eye wear to our patients in a professional, friendly and timely manner.

🌈 Do colors seem less bright than they used to?If things are starting to look a little dull, hazy, cloudy, or yellowed, ...
09/10/2026

🌈 Do colors seem less bright than they used to?

If things are starting to look a little dull, hazy, cloudy, or yellowed, or if you find yourself needing brighter light to read or struggling more with glare at night, it may be time for a comprehensive eye exam.

These changes can happen gradually, which is why many people do not notice them right away. Cataracts are a common cause of cloudy vision and may also lead to faded colors, glare from headlights or lamps, halos around lights, difficulty seeing at night, and frequent changes in your glasses prescription.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens. The good news is that a complete eye exam can help identify changes in your vision and eye health, answer your questions, and help determine the best next step for your individual needs.

At Appalachian Vision, we welcome new and established patients of all ages for comprehensive eye exams, medical eye visits, glasses and contact lens care, eye-health evaluations, follow-up appointments, and more.

📞 If your vision seems cloudy, colors look faded, or night driving is becoming more difficult, call or text Appalachian Vision today:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment online at AppalachianVision.com.

Clearer vision may start with one simple conversation.

📱 If you have to hold your phone farther away to read it… this post may be for you.Have you noticed yourself stretching ...
09/09/2026

📱 If you have to hold your phone farther away to read it… this post may be for you.

Have you noticed yourself stretching your arm out to read a text message, menu, medicine bottle, price tag, or small print? You are not alone.

Many adults begin noticing changes in close-up vision in their 40s. This common age-related change is called presbyopia, and it can make small print, reading, computer work, crafting, and other close-up tasks more difficult. Common signs include needing to hold reading material farther away, eyestrain, headaches after close work, and wanting brighter light to read comfortably.

The good news: there are options. During a comprehensive eye exam, your Appalachian Vision provider can discuss solutions that may fit your lifestyle, such as reading glasses, prescription glasses, progressives, multifocal contact lenses, or other options based on your vision needs.

If near vision is becoming frustrating, do not just keep moving your phone farther away; let’s find a solution that helps you see comfortably.

📞 Call or text Appalachian Vision to schedule an eye exam:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment online at AppalachianVision.com.

Clear vision is not just for far away—close-up vision matters, too.

We’re back, and all three Appalachian Vision locations are open today!We hope everyone had a safe and relaxing Labor Day...
09/08/2026

We’re back, and all three Appalachian Vision locations are open today!

We hope everyone had a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend. Our teams in St. Paul, Big Stone Gap, and Pennington Gap are back and ready to care for your family’s eyes.
If you have been putting off an eye exam, need new glasses or contacts, are due for a diabetic eye exam, have dry-eye symptoms, or have an eye concern that needs attention, today is a great day to reach out.

We welcome new and established patients of all ages for:

-Complete routine eye exams and diabetic eye exams

-Children’s, adult, and senior eye care

-Contact lens evaluations for new and established wearers

-New glasses, prescription sunwear, safety glasses, and glasses ordered with an outside prescription

-Glasses repairs, adjustments, fittings, measurements, replacements, and optical rechecks

-Dry eye, red eye, pink eye, irritation, eye pain, discharge, flashes, floaters, and changes in vision

-Medical eye visits, follow-ups, post-op care, eye-pressure checks, dilations, OCT imaging, visual fields, IPL consultations, and more

We accept many insurance plans and offer CareCredit, payment plans, self-pay options, and out-of-pocket discounts on materials.

📞 Call or text your local office today to schedule:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment online at
AppalachianVision.com

Appointments are available soon—let Appalachian Vision help you see clearly, comfortably, and confidently.

Happy Labor Day from Appalachian Vision!Our Appalachian Vision offices will be closed on Monday, September 7, as we take...
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from Appalachian Vision!

Our Appalachian Vision offices will be closed on Monday, September 7, as we take time to recognize and celebrate the hard work of our employees, patients, families, and communities.

We hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Whether you are spending the day outdoors, working in the yard, grilling with family, traveling, or enjoying one last summer adventure, remember to take care of your eyes, too:

-Wear sunglasses that provide 100% UVA/UVB protection when you are outdoors

-Use proper safety glasses or protective eyewear for mowing, weed-eating, power tools, DIY projects, and other activities involving dust or flying debris

-Do not rely on regular eyeglasses or sunglasses as protection for high-impact work—use safety eyewear designed for the task

-Keep a pair of protective eyewear handy for outdoor projects, sports, and workshop activities

-If you wear contact lenses, keep water away from your lenses and bring a backup pair of glasses for travel or outdoor activities

-Appropriate protective eyewear can help prevent many eye injuries, and safety glasses or goggles are especially important around equipment, debris, and other workplace or home-project hazards.

-For an urgent eye-related concern after hours, call your local Appalachian Vision office and choose the 24/7 urgent eye-care option to reach the on-call provider. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

We will reopen Tuesday and look forward to caring for you and your family.

Happy Labor Day! 🇺🇸👁️

🌙🚗 Do headlights seem brighter than they used to?If driving at night has started to feel more difficult, you are not alo...
09/06/2026

🌙🚗 Do headlights seem brighter than they used to?

If driving at night has started to feel more difficult, you are not alone, and it may be worth mentioning at your next eye exam.

Watch for changes such as:

Glare from oncoming headlights

Halos, streaks, or starbursts around lights

Trouble seeing road signs or lane markings after dark

Difficulty seeing in rain, fog, or low-light conditions

Taking longer for your eyes to adjust after bright lights

Feeling less confident behind the wheel at night

Night-driving difficulty can happen for several reasons, including an outdated glasses prescription, dry eye, cataracts, or other eye-health concerns. Cataracts, for example, can cause blurry or dim vision and make glare, halos, or streaks from headlights and streetlights more noticeable.

A complete eye exam can help your Appalachian Vision provider identify what may be affecting your vision and talk through the right next steps. Anti-reflective lens options may also help reduce distracting reflections for some glasses wearers.

📞 If night driving is no longer comfortable, call or text Appalachian Vision to schedule an eye exam:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment online at AppalachianVision.com.

See clearly. Drive confidently.

🎒👓 Back-to-school checklist: backpacks, supplies… and a backup pair of glasses!Now that school is underway, it is a grea...
09/05/2026

🎒👓 Back-to-school checklist: backpacks, supplies… and a backup pair of glasses!

Now that school is underway, it is a great time to check whether your student’s glasses are still fitting comfortably, seeing clearly, and ready for busy school days.

A second pair can be especially helpful for:

Keeping one pair at school or in a backpack

Sports, recess, band, and after-school activities

Computer or classroom use

Replacing a pair that is scratched, bent, missing, or broken

Having a backup ready when life happens

✨ Our Big Summer & Back-to-School Sale is still going on through September 16! Eligible students can receive two pairs of single-vision glasses with polycarbonate lenses for $99. An anti-reflective coating can be added for an additional $50. Students over age 18 should bring a valid student ID. This offer is for out-of-pocket purchases only and cannot be combined with vision insurance.

Need an exam first? Appalachian Vision welcomes new patients of all ages for comprehensive eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, medical eye care, and more.

📞 Call or text your local office to schedule or ask about the sale:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment at
AppalachianVision.com

🛠️ Your everyday glasses are not safety glasses.Whether you are working in the shop, mowing, weed-eating, using power to...
09/04/2026

🛠️ Your everyday glasses are not safety glasses.

Whether you are working in the shop, mowing, weed-eating, using power tools, welding, working around dust, or tackling a home project, proper eye protection matters.

Regular prescription glasses and contact lenses are not designed to protect your eyes from flying debris, dust, impact, or workplace hazards. For activities with potential eye hazards, protective eyewear should fit properly, provide good coverage, and be appropriate for the job.

At Appalachian Vision, we can help with prescription safety glasses so you do not have to choose between seeing clearly and protecting your eyes.

Safety glasses may be a good idea for:

Construction, shop work, manufacturing, and mechanics

Welding and work around hazardous light or radiation

Mowing, weed-eating, chainsaw work, and yard projects

Woodworking, grinding, drilling, and home repairs

Jobs with dust, flying particles, or debris

Sports and active hobbies where eye injury is possible

When choosing protective eyewear, ask about frames and lenses marked ANSI Z87.1 or Z87+, which indicate that the eyewear meets impact-protection standards.

📞 Need prescription safety glasses? Call or text Appalachian Vision today:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment at AppalachianVision.com.

Protect your eyes on the job, at home, and everywhere in between.

👁️ Contact lens wearers: When was your last contact lens evaluation?Contacts aren't one-size-fits-all, and your eyes, pr...
09/03/2026

👁️ Contact lens wearers: When was your last contact lens evaluation?

Contacts aren't one-size-fits-all, and your eyes, prescription, comfort, and lifestyle can change over time. Whether you wear daily lenses, monthly lenses, multifocals, toric lenses for astigmatism, or you are interested in trying contacts for the first time, Appalachian Vision can help find a comfortable option that fits your vision needs.

A contact lens evaluation is important for both new and established wearers. It allows your eye doctor to check your vision, lens fit, the health of the front surface of your eyes, and whether your current lenses are still the best choice for you.

A few reminders for healthy contact lens wear:

Never sleep in your lenses unless your eye doctor specifically tells you it is okay

Keep contacts away from water—remove them before swimming, showering, or using a hot tub

Always wash and dry your hands before handling lenses

Use fresh solution and follow your prescribed replacement schedule

Remove your lenses and call an eye-care provider if you have redness, pain, irritation, or blurry vision

Contact lenses are medical devices, and wearing, cleaning, or storing them incorrectly can increase the risk of eye infections.

📞 Need a contact lens evaluation, a new prescription, an order, or help with lens comfort? Call or text Appalachian Vision today:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment online at AppalachianVision.com.

New and established contact lens patients welcome. Appointments available soon.

📢 Big Stone Gap Office Closure UpdateOur Appalachian Vision office in Big Stone Gap will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, S...
09/02/2026

📢 Big Stone Gap Office Closure Update

Our Appalachian Vision office in Big Stone Gap will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, September 3, and will also be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.
The Big Stone Gap office will reopen and resume normal patient care on Tuesday, September 8, during regular business hours.

If you need assistance tomorrow, our Pennington Gap and Saint Paul offices will be open during normal business hours:
📍 Pennington Gap: 276-546-2113
📍 Saint Paul: 276-323-5011
*********Please note: All Appalachian Vision locations, including Pennington Gap and Saint Paul, will be closed on Monday, September 7, for Labor Day.

You may request an appointment anytime online at AppalachianVision.com.

Thank you for your understanding, and we hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

👁️ A quick eye chart check is not the same as a complete eye-health exam.At Appalachian Vision, we look beyond “Which li...
09/02/2026

👁️ A quick eye chart check is not the same as a complete eye-health exam.
At Appalachian Vision, we look beyond “Which line can you read?” to learn more about the health of your eyes.

During a complete exam, your provider may recommend tests such as checking your eye pressure, evaluating the optic nerve, dilating your eyes, taking OCT images, or performing a visual field test. These tools help create a fuller picture of your eye health and can be especially important for monitoring concerns such as glaucoma.

Glaucoma is often called a “silent” eye disease because many people have no obvious symptoms early on. Eye pressure is important, but it is only one part of a complete glaucoma evaluation—some people can develop glaucoma even with normal eye pressure. A comprehensive dilated exam may include eye-pressure measurement, optic-nerve evaluation, and visual-field testing when appropriate.

If it has been a while since your last complete eye exam, make this your reminder to schedule. We welcome new and established patients of all ages for routine eye exams, diabetic exams, medical eye visits, follow-ups, glasses, contact lenses, and more.

📞 Call or text Appalachian Vision today:

St. Paul: (276) 323-5011
Big Stone Gap: (276) 523-4414
Pennington Gap: (276) 546-2113
All locations: (866) 607-8149

You can also request an appointment online at AppalachianVision.com.

Your eyes deserve more than a quick check—they deserve complete care.

Address

606 Powell Avenue E
Big Stone Gap, VA
24219

Opening Hours

Monday 7:45am - 5pm
Tuesday 7:45am - 5pm
Wednesday 7:45am - 5pm
Thursday 7:45am - 5pm

Website

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