Ottawa Eyecare celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday, marking a half-century of providing vision care to the community. During the celebration, Lu Cooke, who serves as district advisor to Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, presented a congratulatory letter to Dr. Diane Dible, one of the practice's current partners. Dr. Dible has been a part of Ottawa Eyecare since 1994 and became a partner in the late 1990s.
The practice was founded in 1976 by Dr. Thomas Bauer. It later moved to its current location at 1518 N. Perry St. in 1986. Dr. Bauer continued to lead the practice for many years.
In 2012, Dr. Bauer retired and sold his share of the practice to Dr. Shane Maag, who had joined Ottawa Eyecare in 2009. Dr. Maag shared that his decision to enter eye care was influenced by his mother's inspiration to go into healthcare, as well as the care he personally received from both Dr. Dible and Dr. Bauer while growing up.
Dr. Bauer reflected on the significant advancements in eyecare technology over the past five decades, stating that these developments have considerably eased the work of optometrists. He specifically pointed to a change in Ohio regulations in 1992, which, according to an archived Ohio State University Monthly paper, allowed eye doctors to prescribe medication. This regulatory shift, Dr. Bauer explained, enabled eye doctors to more accurately treat a wider range of conditions in-house, from minor eye scratches to more serious issues like glaucoma.
Bauer also observed a difference in medical practice between small towns and larger cities. He noted that in smaller communities, doctors often treat a broader spectrum of problems. For example, he stated that Putnam County does not have eye surgeons, meaning residents must travel to Findlay or Lima for such specialized care.
When deciding on his own career path, Dr. Bauer said he considered both eyecare and engineering. Ultimately, he knew he wanted to live in a small town and sought a job where he could interact with people face-to-face. He also expressed a desire to be his own boss. Looking back on the practice's origins, Dr. Bauer reflected that what began 50 years ago as a venture to "see how far it went for four or five years" ultimately became a successful practice, a result for which he expressed happiness.