Meet the Optometrist

Dr. Elisabeth J. Lawson is a highly skilled optometrist with over 10 years of experience in family eye care, dry eye, pediatrics, specialty contact lenses, and ocular disease. She is passionate about serving the greater Midlands community and currently practices at Wellpartners, a need-based eye clinic in downtown Columbia, when she is not at her and Dr. Kay’s own practice, Vital Eyes.

Dr. Lawson grew up in Columbia and spent much of her youth, with family and friends, enjoying water activities on Lake Murray. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology with cum laude honors from UCLA. She then went on to complete her Doctor of Optometry degree at Southern College of Optometry. After practicing in Tennessee and Mississippi, she moved to Athens, Georgia, where she worked as an associate and eventually opened her own optometry practice, Market Place Eyecare.

Dr. Lawson is a committed practitioner and is a member of the Midlands Optometrist Association, South Carolina Optometric Physicians Association, Georgia Optometric Association, and the American Optometric Association. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters, participating in church activities, enjoying the outdoors, and traveling.

Dr. Kay grew up in Irvine, CA surrounded by the fragrant orange groves and rolling brown hills of Southern California. From a very young age she aspired to follow in her father’s footsteps and become an optometrist. At just three years old she declared she too would be an optometrist when she grew up. After completing undergraduate studies at the University of California Irvine, with a major in music she then pursued her dream of becoming an optometrist by attending the Southern California College of Optometry. There she honed her skills and gained valuable knowledge in the field.

Furthering her experience through externships at prominent medical facilities, Dr Kay thrived at the large medical hospital, Group Health in Olympia, WA and at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital in Albuquerque, NM. These experiences enhanced her patient care abilities while solidifying her commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of her community. Following her training, Dr Kay proudly joined her father's established optometric practice. Many valuable lessons were learned from her father and she feels blessed to have him as a trusted advisor and mentor throughout her career. With time Dr Kay took over the practice, relishing the role of private ownership and enjoying the autonomy and the connection with her patients that it offered. Life took an interesting turn when Dr Kay and her family relocated to South Carolina prompting her to sell that practice and look to new adventures in Chapin.

Outside of optometry, Dr Kay cherishes time spent with her family. She enjoys actively participating in church activities, savoring fresh food, exploring new destinations through travel and indulging in her passion for shoes and eyeglasses. Her husband is a talented graphic designer and together they raise their two teenagers. Dr. Kay is excited to continue her journey in her professional and personal life with her community here in the midlands.