Doctors & Staff
Meet the experienced and friendly doctors and staff who make Vision Care Associates/Yelm Vision Clinic a proud provider of vision care products and services in University Place & Yelm.
Anna Marie Gunn, O.D.
Anna Marie Gunn began her interest in eye care at age 19 while working in a small privately owned optical shop. During that time she was enrolled at Penn State University studying biology. She thought that optometry could be a fascinating and fulfilling career, and upon graduation decided to enroll in optometry school. She attended the New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA. While at school she received clinical honors and participated in a weeklong VOSH eye care clinic in the Dominican Republic.
Upon graduating in 2011 she moved to the Pacific Northwest. She completed a residency at Group Health Cooperative in primary care, contact lens and ocular disease. Although she hadn’t planned on staying in Washington, she fell in love with the area. She has worked in large Ophthalmology practices gaining further experience in ocular disease and pre and post-operative care.
Returning to a small community oriented private practice, she is happy to be at Vision Care Associates and Yelm Vision Clinic. She knows everyone has different visual needs and she feels it is important to individualize each patient’s prescription and plan.
When not at work Dr. Gunn enjoys reading, camping, exercising and spending time with her husband and young daughter.
David Hays, O.D.
Dr. Hays graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry. He grew up in University Place, graduated from Curtis High School, and upon completion of optometry school he returned to practice optometry with his father Dr. Sidney Hays. Dr. Hays is member of the Optometric Physicians of Washington (OPW), American Medical Athletic Association, and the Optometric Education Foundation (OEP). He is also a member of the American Optometric Association (AOA), including both the Contact Lens and Sports Vision Sections. Dr. Hays was president of the Optometric Physicians of Washington. As an early practitioner, Dr. Hays, was the recipient of the Young OD of the Year award by his peers. He has also served as a council member of the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE).
Dr. Hays believes in giving back to the community, especially at the local level. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce in University Place and Yelm. He has volunteered at school screenings and is a provider for the InfantSee TM program, which provides no-cost vision screenings for babies within their first year of life. He also is a provider for Vision USA, which provides patients in financial need with desperately needed eye care.
Dr. Hays enjoys spending time with his wife Karen, their 2 children and two grandsons. Dr. Hays is a former runner, who also has interests in photography, spending time outdoors, and sailing the Puget Sound.
Kim Eckroth, O.D., Diplomate, American Board of Optometry, Fellow College of Optometrists in Vision Development
Dr. Kim Eckroth graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry with distinction. She grew up in the Yelm community, graduated from Yelm High School and has returned to her hometown to practice optometry. She has enjoyed working in University Place and establishing relationships with her loyal patients in the community. Her clinical training includes the Spokane Veterans Hospital, McChord Air Force Base, and a pediatric vision therapy center in Colorado. During optometry school, she was selected to provide elite clinical care in the Pediatric and Strabismus Referral Center in Portland, OR. She is board certified by the American Board of Optometry, and by of the College of Optometrist in Visual Development (COVD), and a clinical associate of the Optometric Extension Program (OEP). She is a past president of the Pierce County Society of Optometric Physicians of Washington (OPW) and has served on the OPW Board as a Trustee. Dr. Eckroth is also a member of American Optometric Association (AOA) including the contact lens and sports vision sections. She was also a question writer for the American Board of Optometry Certification Exam and is a member of the Children’s Vision Task Force. Dr. Eckroth previously served on the OPW Board as Trustee.
Dr. Eckroth enjoys the relationships with her patients and giving back to the community. She has volunteered at the Olympia Union Gospel Mission providing free eye exams. She is a provider for the InfantSee TM program, which provides a no cost vision screening for babies in the first year of life. She has also volunteered for the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters program of Olympia, The Special Olympics, the Hands on Children’s Museum and Yelm Community Schools. Dr. Eckroth is a previous member of two medical humanitarian missions to Honduras and Moldova and She is a current member of the Lion’s Club and the Yelm Chamber of Commerce.
In her free time, Dr. Eckroth enjoys spending time with her husband Richie and their four children. They enjoy spending time outdoors.