About
Our History
There is a myth that you have to travel to big cities to get the best medical care. Grossnickle Eye Center proves that one of the finest eye surgery centers in the country can be found right in your own backyard.
We got our start in 1957. After two tours of duty in the U.S. Navy, first as a fighter pilot and later as a Navy optometrist, Paul Grossnickle, O.D., founded an optometric practice in Warsaw. The practice grew rapidly, and by the mid 1960s, it had moved to its current location near Kosciusko Community Hospital.
When Steven P. Grossnickle, M.D., completed his residency at the prestigious Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, he returned to his hometown, joining his father’s practice in 1978. In 1982, Dr. Steve’s younger brother, Bruce P. Grossnickle, M.D., also a Case Western grad, joined the practice.
In 1987, the Grossnickle Eye Center built an onsite surgery center, one of the first of its kind. By 1998, the practice had grown to include a new office in Mishawaka on Edison Lakes Parkway. A third location is located in Elkhart on Osolo Road, along with a fourth location in Plymouth inside LifePlex on Miller Drive.
As the practice has grown, experienced physicians have joined the staff. Christopher D. Knight, M.D., came to the practice in 1997, specializing in glaucoma treatment. Ann Wiarda, M.D., joined us in 2007. Matthew C. Ralstin, M.D., joined us in 2013. Allison Pernic, M.D., joined us in 2016. And our newest addition to this talented group, Colin M. Ridenour, M.D., joined us in 2021.
Today, Grossnickle Eye Center employs optometrists, all certified in the treatment of ocular disease and post-surgical management: Kevin Hickman, O.D.; Andrew Jankowski, O.D.; Ann Madden, O.D.; Jon E. Mark, O.D.; Dennis R. Miller, O.D.; and Gregory F. Zink, O.D. In addition, the practice employs a clinical and administrative staff dedicated to providing unparalleled patient care and customer service.
After decades of providing outstanding eye care to the community, Dr. Paul Grossnickle retired in 2005, Dr. Steven Grossnickle retired in 2012, and most recently Dr. Bruce Grossnickle retired in 2018. The team of physicians these three men worked beside for years now continues to treat patients and remains dedicated to upholding the high standard of care our vision family has established.
What Makes Us Different?
Our patients matter most. The Grossnickle Eye Center eye doctors have more than 100 years of combined experience and work closely as a team with little regard for whose patient is whose. Instead we place our focus completely on providing the best possible care for each patient. With so many specialties all under one roof, there is always another expert to consult just down the hall.