Barry R. Basden, O.D.
Dr. Basden is a lifelong resident of the Shoals area. He attended Deshler High School in Tuscumbia before receiving his undergraduate degree from Auburn University. Dr. Basden earned his doctorate degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. Dr. Basden began his optometric practice in Florence in September of 1991.

Over the years, he has overseen the growth of the practice from a small, single doctor office to one of the largest private optometric practices in the state by providing the absolute best eye care and eyewear available.

Dr. Basden provides comprehensive eye care. He provides routine vision care as well as medical care of the eyes and surrounding tissues. He excels in managing eye injuries, infection and disease. He provides pre-operative and post-operative care for cataract surgery, LASIK, retina surgery, as well as strabismus surgery.

Dr. Basden also fits specialty contact lenses for patients who require or request unusual lenses. Dr.Basden routinely fits patients with contact lenses to correct keratoconous and post-refractive surgery problems as well as bifocal contact lenses (soft and rigid).

Dr.Basden enjoys spending time with his family and friends, cycling, exercising and college football (especially Auburn). Dr. Basden lives in Florence with his wife, Kate and their three daughters.

M. Chadwick Brewer, O.D.
Dr. Chad Brewer was born and raised in the Underwood/Petersville area. He graduated from Wilson High School and began his college education at the University of North Alabama. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama in Birmingham receiving a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology.

After working for one year in cancer research at UAB, he then moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to attend professional school at Nova Southeastern University-College of Optometry. Chad and his wife Ginger currently reside in Florence and have two sons Reece and Finn.

In Optometry school, Dr. Brewer graduated in the top 10 percent of his class. He was a member of Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Society and served as President his junior/senior year. Dr. Brewer received Honors in his clinical rotations for Primary Care, Low Vision, and Contact Lens at the NSU Eye Institute in North Miami Beach, FL. He also received honors in Ocular Disease during his clinical training at VisionAmerica located in Birmingham, AL.

Dr. Brewer was one of only fifteen optometry students across the country to receive the "Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care" award given yearly by Vistakon (a division of Johnson & Johnson).

Due to his extensive training Dr. Brewer is proficient in the diagnosis, treatment and management of various diseases and disorders of the visual system and eye, including glaucoma, cataracts and many retinal disorders. He loves his work and prides himself on his personal and compassionate approach to medical care

Benjamin W. Kachelman, O.D. Dr. Kachelman joined Dr. Basden and Florence Eye Center on June 19, 2006. He is a native of Hazel Green, Alabama where he attended Hazel Green High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee and his doctorate degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (UABSO), where he was president of his class.

Dr. Kachelman and his wife, Hope, have three sons, Braden, Brooks, Bryce. Dr. Kachelman enjoys spending time with family, running half-marathons, basketball (especially Kentucky basketball), playing softball, and reading.

Dr. Kachelman provides comprehensive eye care to his patients, including contact lenses fitting, disease treatment, and pre- and post-operative care. He is also a member of the Council of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), and participated in two internship rotations at UAB in vision therapy. Dr. Kachelman enjoys working with pediatric and vision therapy patients.

Dr. Kachelman also speaks Spanish fluently and enjoys offering his services to Spanish speaking patients. He has had many opportunities to utilize his second language by working with medical mission trips to Costa Rica and Panama.

Kathryn E. Thigpen, O.D
Dr. Kathryn Thigpen joined the team at Florence Eye Center in the Spring of 2011. She is a native of Albertville, Alabama, where she graduated from Albertville High School. She then attended Samford University where she received her Bachelors of Science in Biology with Honors and enjoyed studying abroad in London.

Dr. Thigpen then earned her Doctorate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry in 2003, and has since served patients in the Shoals community.

Dr. Thigpen began her career as Dr. Phillips before marrying Richard Thigpen, Jr. in 2008. They are now the very proud parents of two daughters, Mary Elizabeth and Anna Grace. Dr. Thigpen enjoys spending time with her friends and family, exercising, reading, and watching college football. She also is very involved in her church and enjoys serving the community through Junior League.

Dr. Thigpen thoroughly loves her work and serves her patients by providing comprehensive eyecare. She provides routine vision services, contact lens fitting, ocular disease care, and pre- and post- operative surgical management.