Vision Center

Faruk H. Örge MD, MBA, FAAO, FAAP, is the Dr. Boomer and Jill Burnstine Endowed Chair in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Director of Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at Akron Children’s Hospital. After completing a research fellowship for 2 years, an internship, residency, and a clinical fellowship at Indiana University, he opted to return to his country to serve as an academician at Yeditepe University. He returned to the United States to practice in 2007, joining Akron Children’s Hospital in 2025. Throughout his career Dr. Örge has supervised and mentored hundreds of students, residents, fellows and researchers, helping to shape the future of pediatric ophthalmology care. In addition to being a reviewer for several ophthalmology and strabismus related journals, he is a published author of over 150 manuscripts, chapters and books. He has many ongoing research projects regarding almost all aspects of pediatric ophthalmology. The American Academy of Ophthalmology gave Faruk Örge, MD, a Distinguished Service Award in 2025. He shared the honor with Dr. David Epley of Children’s Eye Care in Kirkland, Washington. The doctors received the award for their work with the Knights Templar Eye Foundation’s Pediatric Ophthalmology Education Center. Through the “Retinopathy of Prematurity Virtual Reality Project,” they developed interactive simulators to use in training. The simulators shortened the learning time it takes to diagnose “crossed eyes” from weeks to days. Diagnosing the condition sooner helps kids get vision care faster, and this early intervention improves their chances of having normal vision.

Valerie is a certified physician assistant who joined Akron Children’s Ophthalmology Department in 2024. She earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Gannon University in Ruskin, Florida. Valerie is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. 

Dr. Stewart joined Akron Children's Hospital as a pediatric optometrist in 2025. She provides comprehensive eye exams for infants, children, and teens with vision disorders and ocular disease. Dr. Stewart completed her pediatric optometry residency training at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City after obtaining her Doctor of Optometry degree at Illinois College of Optometry. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. 

Dr. Miller has been providing retinal disease and surgical care since beginning practice in 1998.  He joined the team at Akron Children’s in 2023 to provide advanced retinal care to the children of Northeast Ohio with a children’s hospital setting.  Additionally, Dr. Miller is active in clinical research and presents at local and national meetings. He provides both clinical and surgical care to pediatric patients in our Akron Office.

Pediatric ophthalmologist Dr. Doris Canes Napoles began practicing medicine in 2005 and joined Akron Children’s Hospital in 2022.  She is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In addition to seeing pediatric patients, Dr. Canes Napoles also accepts adult patients with nystagmus and/or strabismus.  She is fully fluent in both Spanish and English and can provide services to our Spanish-speaking patients without the use of a translator.

Dr. Tanios is a pediatric optometrist at Akron Children's Vision Center. She graduated with her Doctor of Optometry degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed her residency at Children's Wisconsin in pediatric optometry. She is a member of the American Academy of Optometry. 

Dr. Tanvi Benipal is a pediatric optometrist with advanced training in vision therapy and neuro-optometric rehabilitation. She specializes in diagnosing and treating vision issues that can affect reading, learning, attention, coordination, and overall quality of life. Dr. Benipal is particularly passionate about helping children and individuals recover visual function following brain injuries, including concussions.

Dr. Guillette is a pediatric optometrist at Akron Children’s Hospital, where she’s been practicing since 2021. She earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Optometry in Worcester, Massachusetts and completed her pediatric optometry residency at Akron Children’s Hospital. Dr. Guillette is a member of the American Academy of Optometry, earning her Fellowship in the Academy in 2021. While she has helped to educate the optometry residents since joining our faculty in 2021, she recently took over as the Director of the Pediatric Optometry Residency Program in 2025.

Dr. Nancy Hanna is a dedicated pediatric ophthalmologist at Akron Children’s Vision Center, where she has been caring for patients since 2012. A graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, she went on to complete her ophthalmology residency at Summa Health and a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at Akron Children’s. Dr. Hanna provides expert evaluation and treatment for a wide range of eye and visual system disorders for patients in infancy through adolescence with vision disorders that are critical to be treated in childhood.   She is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and serves as co-investigator on several active research studies, contributing to advances in pediatric eye care. Her clinical interests include amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus, tear duct disorders, cataracts, retinopathy of prematurity, and uveitis. Committed to using the latest surgical techniques and technologies, Dr. Hanna ensures her patients receive the highest standard of care. In addition, she is passionate about education, actively teaching residents and fellows to prepare the next generation of physicians. Dr. Hanna is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Dr. Lawhon is a pediatric ophthalmologist at The Vision Center at Akron Children’s Hospital. He completed his medical training at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and residency in ophthalmology at The Havener Eye Institute at The Ohio State University. Dr. Lawhon went on to complete his fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at UTSW Children's Medical Center Dallas before joining Akron Children’s Hospital in 2012.  He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.  Dr. Lawhon serves as Director of Quality and Safety of the Vision Center at Akron Children’s Hospital and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University.

A graduate of Pacific University College of Optometry, Dr. Casandra Solis became the first optometrist employed at Akron Children’s Hospital when she joined the Vision Center in 2014. To help further her dedication to younger patients, she completed a residency in Pediatric Optometry at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Dr. Solis provides eye exams and helps patients with everything from ocular disease to contact lenses. An avid proponent of continual learning, she became a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in 2014. In 2020, in collaboration with The Ohio State University College of Optometry, she implemented the Pediatric Optometry Residency Program at Akron Children's Hospital, one of only 7 programs within a stand-alone children’s hospital. With the increase in optometry providers, Dr. Solis was recently named Director of Optometry to help continue the excellent optometric services provided at Akron Children’s.

Dr Wall is a pediatric ophthalmologist who has been practicing since 2013. She joined the staff at the Akron Children's Vision Center in 2017. A graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, she completed a residency in ophthalmology at the Ohio State University Medical Center, and a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Her special interests are pediatric ophthalmology, adult strabismus and retinopathy of prematurity. She is board certified by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.