Our Doctors

George W. Tate, Jr., M.D. - Regional Medical Director

Dr. George W. Tate, Jr. is the Regional Medical Director for TLC Charlotte, and has performed over 20,000 LASIK procedures.

Dr. Tate was one of the first surgeons to perform refractive surgery in North Carolina in 1980. George W. Tate, Jr., MD studied keratomileusis, the procedure that evolved into LASIK, in 1981 with Jose Ignacio Barrquer, the inventor of the technique. He is the co-founder of Carolina Eye Associates and has vast experience in performing laser vision correction procedures. From 1995 to 1999 he was a clinical Instructor, in the Department of Ophthalmology at Tulane University.

Dr. Tate received the VISX Star Award in 1999, placing him in the top 5% of the refractive surgeons nationwide. He is board certified and has been published widely in ophthalmology. He is the recipient of 7 patents for eye care devices. Dr. Tate is also a VSP Certified surgeon. In addition to his work on the VISX & Autonomous lasers, Dr. Tate is a Principal Investigator on the Chiron laser with the FDA.

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Scott L. Jaben, M.D. - Medical Director

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Scott L. Jaben, M.D. is the Medical Director at TLC Laser Eye Centers in Charlotte and has performed more than 7,000 laser vision correction procedures. He completed his undergraduate studies at Emory University in Atlanta, GA and received his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, FL. After completing an internship at St. Luke's Hospital in Denver, CO, Dr. Jaben attended his ophthalmology residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Following this, he completed a fellowship in vitreoretinal diseases at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and served as chief resident and a clinical instructor on the faculty at Bascom Palmer.

Dr. Jaben established his private practice in Charlotte in 1982 (formerly Laurel Eye Associates) and merged practices with Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates in 1997. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a fellow with the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. Jaben has served as a director on the executive board of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at Carolinas Medical Center twice, Chairman of the board of the Charlotte chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and a member of the Diabetes Coalition of Union County.

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William Hammonds, M.D.

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Dr. William Hammonds, Laser Vision Correction and Refractive Surgeon, completed his fellowship in corneal and refractive surgery at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which is nationally ranked as the #1 Eye Center in the United States from US News and World Reports. As a corneal specialist, Dr. Hammonds provides an advanced level of treatment and care to patients with severe complications.

Dr. Hammonds received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Following his residency, he completed a fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery at Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute.

Dr. Hammonds served as Chief Resident for the University of Alabama - Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is on the medical staff at Presbyterian Hospital. His expertise includes medical and surgical management of cornea and external disease, corneal transplants, DSEK (Descemet's Stripping with Endothelial Keratoplasty ), NO needle-NO stitch cataract surgery, including the new Acrysof ReSTOR multifocal lens, IntraLasik "bladeless" laser vision correction refractive surgery.

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Mary J. Rauch, O.D. - Clinical Director

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Mary J. Rauch, OD is the Clinical Director for the center. She received her optometry degree from Northeastern State University College of Optometry in 1996 and completed her residency with Southern College of Optometry in 1997. She is Board certified by the North Carolina Board of Optometry. Before accepting her role as Clinical Director at TLC, Dr. Rauch was in private practice at University Eye Associates in Charlotte, NC.