Dr. Robert McGarvey

Dr. McGarvey has carried with him a desire to be an optometrist from a very young age. Owing in large part to a challenging prescription that wasn’t identified until he was in elementary school, Rob became keenly aware of the importance of good vision.

Dr. McGarvey attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and developed a passion for the outdoors, which briefly diverted his attention to a career in forest biology. After working for several years with the U.S. Forest Service and completing a master’s degree in tree physiology, Dr. McGarvey began to experience a renewed calling to pursue a career in optometry

Heeding that call, Dr. McGarvey attended Southern College of Optometry where he represented the school as a student ambassador and served as the treasurer of his class. During his fourth year of optometry school, Dr. McGarvey and his wife took a leap of faith and moved to Chattanooga where he completed externships with Kapperman and White Eyecare and at Southeast Eye Specialists. After graduation, Dr. McGarvey was hired by Kapperman and White Eyecare, eventually becoming a partner in 2016.

Rob and his wife, Petrina, have 4 children; Evan, Claire, Reid, and Willow. Dr. McGarvey and his family still love the outdoors and spend as much time as they can enjoying it. They have a small pop-up trailer and like to go camping as much as possible. As a family, they hope to visit all 58 National Parks. The McGarveys attend Concord Baptist Church where they enjoy teaching children about God’s love. Dr. McGarvey enjoys running, gardening, and backpacking.