Our Practices in Central Alberta

Dr. Hesterman was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. He graduated from the optometry program at Waterloo in 2000. He and his wife, Rhonda, had three children.

Dr. Hesterman enjoyed swimming, biking, and running, and he completed several triathlons. Hiking, skiing, and playing piano and guitar were among his other interests.

He volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and was on the executive committee for Optometry Giving Sight, a charity raising money for optometry in developing nations. Dr. Hesterman was on the executive council for the Alberta Association of Optometrists.

Dr. Hesterman sadly passed away on October 19th, 2023. He will be greatly missed by his loving family, his community, his patients and by everyone at Rocky Mountain House, Rimbey and Red Deer Eye Care Centre where he served his patients for over 20 years.

Dr. Stevenson was born in Thompson, Manitoba. He graduated from the optometry program at Waterloo in 1996. He has been in private practice in Lethbridge, Calgary, and Red Deer.

Dr. Stevenson also instructed at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. He and his wife, Kim, have two children. In his spare time, he enjoys playing hockey and golf.

Email: scott@reddeereyecare.com

Locations: Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Rimbey

Dr. Berger was born and raised in Red Deer. After studying at Red Deer College and the U of A, he graduated with honours from the optometry program at Waterloo in 2007.

Daryl enjoys music, cars, biking, hiking, snowboarding and travel. He and his wife, Pamela, have twin boys and a dog named Gus.

Email: daryl@reddeereyecare.com

Locations: Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Rimbey

Dr. Syrota was born and raised in Grande Prairie. She attended the GPRC and U of A, and graduated with honours from the School of Optometry at the University of Waterloo in 2007. She volunteered at a charity eye hospital in India in 2005 and in Ghana, Africa in 2009 through Unite for Sight.

Pamela is a former downhill ski racer and she currently coaches alpine racing with the Red Deer Ski Club. She enjoys anything that gets her to the mountains, be it hiking, skiing or biking and loves to travel. Pam and her husband, Daryl, have twin boys and a dog named Gus.

Email: pamela@reddeereyecare.com

Locations: Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House

Dr. Van Haren grew up north of Lacombe on a bison farm.  She attended the University of Waterloo for her Optometry degree, graduating with honours in 2016.  After graduating she chose to move to northern Alberta and practice in Peace River. 

In 2021 she decided she would like to be closer to family so she moved back to central Alberta and is happy to be serving the communities of Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, and Rimbey. 

Dr. Van Haren enjoys seeing patients of all ages.  She has experience with a wide variety of medical eye conditions from ocular emergencies to chronic conditions.  In her spare time she can be found backpacking in the Rockies, paddling on a nearby river, gardening or cross country skiing.

Dr. Snider joined our team in 2022. He was raised in Red Deer and is thrilled to be back in his home province of Alberta. After graduating high school, he moved to Edmonton where he completed his Bachelor of Science. Following his undergraduate degree, he and his wife Rachelle moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where he graduated with honours from the New England College of Optometry. With school completed, he and his wife moved to Kelowna where he worked in private practice for nearly 5 years. During that time, he was lucky to participate in multiple Onesight mission trips, providing eye care for those around the world with limited access. In addition to his love for eye care, Dr. Snider has a passion for holistic health. His goal is to not only provide excellent eye care but to help his patients understand the integral connection between body health and eye health.

Dr. Snider and his wife recently welcomed their daughter Eleanor and look forward to raising her close to family. In his spare time, you might see Dr. Snider at the gym or spending time outdoors. He also loves to sit down with a good book.

Dr. Katerina Shapka was born and raised in the small town of Bonnyville, Alberta. She attended MacEwan University in Edmonton for a Bachelor of Science degree before being accepted into the Pacific University College of Optometry graduate program in Forest Grove, Oregon. In 2019 she completed her Bachelor of Vision Science degree at Pacific University, and in 2022 graduated honors with a Doctorate of Optometry degree. During her education at Pacific University, Dr. Shapka completed four clinical externships at a variety of settings including an ocular disease rotation at the Portland Veterans Hospital, an Oculoplastics surgical co-managments centre in Southern California and a number of Primary Care clinics across BC. She is excited to return to her home province of Alberta, and is looking forward to providing comprehensive eye exams, as well as promoting ocular health to her patients across central Alberta

Dr. Alison Schlachter was born and raised in Red Deer. After earning a Bachelor of Science at University of Alberta, she attended the Optometry program at University of Waterloo from which she graduated with honours in 2024. During school she volunteered giving eye exams in the Philippines with Canadian Vision Care and hopes to participate in more of these trips in the future.

In her spare time she loves to travel and be outdoors; usually on the lake in the summer, skiing or skating in the winter. Alison is trying to rediscover her hobbies after school but they currently include, reading, crocheting, and trying new recipes.

Dr. Schlachter is excited to return home and connect with patients in central Alberta by sharing her knowledge and passion for eye care.

Dr. Frison was born and raised in Eatonia, Saskatchewan. After earning a Bachelor of Science at the University of Winnipeg, she attended the Arizona College of Optometry at Midwestern University in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. Upon graduation in 2016, Dr. Frison moved to Kamloops, British Columbia where she worked in private practice for nearly 8 years.

In 2024 Dr. Frison decided she would like to be closer to her family in the prairies and is excited to be serving patients across central Alberta.

When not in the clinic, Dr. Frison is likely to be found hiking, paddling, bikejoring or kicksledding with her huskies unless she is curled up reading a good book or knitting!

Dr. Lund was born in kingsville, Texas. He graduated nursing school in 1977 and worked as an emergency room RN until 1987. He graduated from optometry at Pacific University in Oregon in 1987. He enjoys basketball, scuba diving, music, and playing the guitar. He has four children and seven grandchildren.

Dr. Rudyk graduated from Pacific University in Oregon in 1983. Roger and his wife Linda have two daughters.
His interests include skiing, biking, canoeing, and photography.

He is a longstanding member of the Piper Creek Optimist Club.

Dr. Rudyk retired in April 2022.

Email: roger@reddeereyecare.com

Locations: Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Rimbey

Dr. Lampard graduated from the optometry program at Pacific University in Oregon in 1981. He and his wife Lorraine have three grown children, all born and raised in Red Deer.

Tom enjoys cycling, curling, cross country and downhill skiing, and golfing. He has actively belonged to several volunteer service organizations, and has been a chairman of the Alberta College of Optometrists and director of the Alberta Association of Optometrists

Dr. Lampard retired in September 2021.

Email: tom@reddeereyecare.com

Dr. Kells was born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta. After high school, she moved to Houston, Texas, for undergraduate studies and received an athletic scholarship for swimming. After completing her Bachelor of Science, she continued optometry school in Houston and graduated with honors in 2016.

Dr. Kells enjoys keeping active with a good workout class, new hobbies, traveling, and eating good food.

Dr. Kells moved to Texas and we wish her the best.