Our Practice in Spartanburg

Dr. Janet Wilson grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from the University of South Carolina with honors in 2002 and completed her Doctorate of Optometry from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN. Dr. Wilson is a Board Certified Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD).

Dr. Wilson has practiced in Charleston, SC, and the upstate. Previously, she completed internships in Colorado Springs, CO, and Washington, DC, with an emphasis on pediatrics, ocular disease, and neuro-optometric vision therapy. She also completed a residency in ocular disease and refractive surgery at Omni Eye Specialists in Denver, CO, and completed extensive optometric vision therapy training under the guidance of Dr. Robert Sanet and Dr. Lynn Lowell.

She has served on the board of directors for the South Carolina Optometric Physicians Association (SCOPA), including as President in 2023-24. She is in good standing with the American Optometric Association (AOA), International Sports Vision Association(ISVA), the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), the College of Syntonic Optometry (CSO), and the Optometric Vision Development & Rehabilitation Association (OVDRA). She previously served as the president of the Piedmont Optometric Society. Locally, Dr. Wilson has been involved in the Junior League of Spartanburg and is an active member of her church.

Moving to the upstate to be closer to family and starting Bella Vision in 2014 has been a true blessing. In her free time, Dr. Wilson enjoys cheering on her South Carolina Gamecocks, working out, and spending time with family and friends.

Originally from Lilburn, Georgia, Dr. Rachel Tanner has called the Upstate of South Carolina home since 2015. She joined the Bella Vision team as our associate doctor in January of 2022.

Dr. Tanner earned a Doctorate of Optometry from the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) and is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO). She also holds a Master’s of Public Health from UAB and a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from Berry College in Rome, Georgia. She is a member of the South Carolina Optometric Physicians Association (SCOPA), the American Optometric Association (AOA), and the American Academy of Optometry (AAO).

Dr. Tanner specializes in ocular disease management, specialty contact lenses, and primary care with a particular interest in pediatric care and glaucoma management.

Prior to joining Bella Vision, Dr. Tanner completed clinical rotations at Vestavia Eye Care (AL), Alabama Family Eye Care and McGregor and Associates (SC). She completed residency training in primary care and ocular disease at the Greenville VA Outpatient Clinic in Greenville, SC. Dr. Tanner most recently practiced at Pelham Vision Center.

On practicing optometry, Dr. Tanner shared, “as an optometrist, I have the opportunity to not only care for the ocular and visual health of my patients but also to get to know them and their families personally. I enjoy being part of my patients’ lives; we celebrate successes and mourn losses together. I care deeply about providing the best care for my patients. The better we know each other, the better we can work together to get the best results.”

Dr. Tanner enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 young children—reading stories, bike riding, playing sports, gardening, and playing board games. She also enjoys playing the piano, cycling, hiking, and running. She is an active member of Jesus Our Risen Savior Catholic Church.

Originally from the Midlands of South Carolina, Alyssa is an accomplished leader in optometry, bringing over two decades of diverse experience and a deep commitment to exceptional patient care.

As a seasoned manager, Alyssa has excelled in driving performance and quality in both private and corporate optometry practices, ensuring that our mission of providing exceptional eye care in our community is consistently delivered. Her extensive background spans all areas of optometry, allowing her to skillfully navigate the complexities of our specialty eye care practice.

Alyssa’s leadership is defined by her ability to inspire teams through effective communication, emotional intelligence, and a forward-thinking approach. Her hands-on experience in overseeing clinic operations underscores her dedication to optimizing both patient care and operational efficiency. Her proven track record in managing and developing high-performing teams ensures that our patients are in great hands.

When not leading the Bella Vision team, you will likely find Alyssa outdoors hiking and kayaking, or volunteering with the Palmetto Project and Special Olympics.

After spending most of her life in California, Olga moved to South Carolina to be closer to family. She got her start in eye care shortly after high school and quickly found her passion helping people with their vision needs.

Starting out as an optometric technician, Olga held other optical roles, including managerial roles, before focusing on opticianry. Since 2011, Olga has been an ABO-certified optician and brings over 20 years of experience to our practice.

When not working with patients, you will find Olga spending time outdoors with her family and also enjoys her time cooking with friends and family.

What does she love most about eye care? “I love helping patients select frames that not only fit their style and meet their needs, but also putting a huge smile on their face.

Originally from Pacolet, Abby is a lifer in the Upstate of South Carolina. She enjoys working with our team, serving our patients every day, and is always excited to meet new people. She and her husband are the proud parents of 2 beautiful daughters. 

In her free time, Abby enjoys spending time with her family, going to the lake, and visiting the mountains.

Alona came to Spartanburg after growing up in Vancouver, Washington. She studied legal and medical applications at Cascadia Technical Academy and medical billing and coding at Clark College.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and is involved with her church’s youth program and choir. Speaking of family, Alona grew up on a farm and is the second in a family of 11 children (10 girls and 1 boy)! She also enjoys reading, swimming, and boating on the lake.

Working in eye care and helping people has been her dream since she was in 2nd grade and says she is “happy to be able to work with such an amazing team serving my community.”

Prior to joining the Bella Vision team, Alona worked in eye care, the medical billing services industry, and retail.

Her favorite part of working at Bella Vision is, “helping our patients see better and seeing the smiles on their faces. I love how much the optometry field is expanding and love learning new things that will help me better serve our patients.”

Ashley brings a blend of eye care experience, compassion, and a commitment to excellence to our team, aligning with our mission to provide exceptional eye care to our community.

Originally from North Carolina, Ashley pursued her education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she double-majored in Biology and Medical Anthropology. This academic background, combined with her previous experience in eye care, gives her a unique understanding of the science behind vision and health.

Whether guiding patients through retinal imaging or helping them find the perfect frames, Ashley is always focused on enhancing the overall patient experience. Her natural curiosity and genuine desire to learn make her a valuable member of our team, dedicated to protecting and enhancing our patients’ eye health.

In her free time, you may find Ashley reading, enjoying board games with friends, or cheering on UNC basketball.

Originally from Pickens, S.C., Somer, her husband and daughter now call Chesnee home. 

Somer earned her associate’s degree in science, studying medical assisting and has worked in healthcare for over 15 years. When not caring for our patients, you’re likely to find Somer spending time with her extended family. She also lives the “farm life,” as she says, spending time with their animals – goats, chickens, sheep, turkeys and, of course, their dogs. 

When asked what she loves about working at Bella Vision, she said, “I love to be able to make a patient laugh and put a smile on their face. Anytime I am able to do that, it makes me happy.”

Stephanie came to our area from Rockford, Illinois. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary education from Aurora (IL) University and was a Preschool and Kindergarten teacher before joining the Bella Vision team.

When not working with our vision therapy patients, you can find her reading, spending time with friends and family (her family loves visiting South Carolina), and spending time exploring city markets.

You know Stephanie has a heart for serving others as she has volunteered on multiple missions trips with a group called Mission Emanuel in the Dominican Republic for the past 12 years.

“I am so excited to be living in Spartanburg and working Bella Vision, says Stephanie. “I love being able to help and make a positive impact on people’s lives every day.”

Shawn is a Spartanburg native and a graduate of the University of South Carolina Upstate where he studied business administration and marketing. He enjoys supporting the Bella Vision team so they can better serve our community and values the reach and impact of patient education.

Prior to moving full-time to Bella Vision, Shawn worked in the admissions and athletic departments at Spartanburg Day School. He is currently an assistant distance coach with Spartanburg High School. In the community, he volunteers with a variety of groups and has served on the boards of the Charles Lea Center Foundation (CLCF),  The Cleveland Opportunity Foundation (COF), Palmetto Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), Girls on the Run (GOTR), and on various committees in support of the visual and performing arts in Spartanburg.

In his free time, he enjoys coaching, traveling, and spending time with his family.