Dr. Lauren Stirling joins Campbell Vision Center

Dr. Jeremy Campbell has added a new face to Campbell Vision Center: Dr. Lauren Stirling.

Stirling’s first official day in the office was Sept. 5, and she said she’s happy to get back to work.

“I was on maternity leave. It’s hard to leave her at home now, but I missed my job. I love what I do,” she said.

She earned her doctorate in 2011 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She said she is a small-town girl at heart. “That’s why I love the Florence and Russellville area. I love the community,” she said.

Stirling completed her residency in 2012 at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where she said she enjoyed getting to help veterans and learning more about ocular diseases, glaucoma and diabetes.

Stirling said she enjoys those areas but missed working with personal care like eye glasses and contacts. “I worked at a surgical facility in Florence for five years, but I’m happy to get back into private practice and have more patient interaction.

Stirling said she also wants to get involved in the local community, such as with the Chamber of Commerce, and attend school sporting events.

She is a member of the Alabama Optometric Association and the Alabama Optometry Scholarship Board that awards students starting optometry school with scholarships and loans.

“The optometry community is pretty tight. That’s how I heard Dr. Campbell was looking for help – through word of mouth,” Stirling said.

She had already met Campbell a few times, and when they started talking about the position, she said they clicked professionally and shared similar work ethics. “I couldn’t ask for a better staff to work with,” she added.

Stirling and husband Joseph Thigpen have one daughter, Addison, who is now 2 months old. The family lives in Florence, where her husband is from; she hails from Louisiana.