Athens Eye Care Center, P.C.
 

Meet our doctor

Dr. L. Leanne Whitaker was born in Dothan, Alabama and lived in the wiregrass area until her father’s position in the United States Army transferred her family to the Panama Canal. While living in the Panama Canal Zone, she graduated from Balboa High School. She then moved to Fort Sheridan, Illinois with her family and attended the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois where she earned an Associate Degree in Science. At that point, Dr. Whitaker knew she wanted to study optometry so she transferred to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In 1994, she received her undergraduate degree by graduating magna cum laude with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. Later that same year, she went on to pursue her Doctor of Optometry degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Upon completion of her doctorate, she received multiple awards including induction into the Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society, the Feinbloom Low Vision Award, the Southern Council of Optometry Award, the Vistakon Excellence in Contact Lens Award, and the VSP Scholarship Award for Excellence in Primary Eye Care.

Dr. Whitaker has been in private practice in Athens for over 10 years. During that time, she has held the position of Assistant Professor of Optometry for the UAB School of Optometry where she specialized in eye care for special needs patients. Dr. Whitaker is an active member of both the American Optometric Association and the Alabama Optometric Association. Outside of her office, Dr. Whitaker and her husband Kelvin have three children, Ansley, Meredith, and Holden. She is involved in her church, enjoys exercise, and loves to travel with her family.