Our Mission
Quabbin Valley Eye Care is a family friendly optometric practice and optical shop located in Palmer, MA.
We provide high-quality personalized services for routine, medical and emergent eye care, contact lens exams and contact lens supplies, prescription and non-prescription eyewear, adjustments, and repairs.
It is our goal to exceed every patient’s expectation and create a quality eye care experience that builds trust and confidence for generations to come.
Our Team
With over 70 years of combined experience we combine quality with care in a family friendly practice that goes above and beyond to provide exceptional eye care and eye wear to our patients.
Rebecca Maurer, LDO, ABOC
Practice Owner/MA Dispensing Optician,
Lic #6088
Dr. Sally Carlos
Independent Doctor of Optometry,
Lic #4521
Dr. Germaine Oliver
Independent Doctor of Optometry,
Lic #5673
Tammy Patrie
Billing Specialist
Kerry Wells
Reception
GET TO KNOW US
All About Our Staff
Rebecca Maurer, LDO, ABOC, Principal Owner
With 24 years in the optical field, Rebecca is not only the practice owner and licensed dispensing optician but has experience in ophthalmic surgical assisting and is a refracting ophthalmic technician as well. With experience in low vision, vision therapy, contact lens fitting, and insurance billing, Rebecca is well versed in several aspects of the optical field, providing a wealth of knowledge that is clearly transferable to her direct care with patients.
She looks forward to assisting you at your next visit with any and all of your vision care needs. Rebecca specializes in complex eyeglass prescriptions, fitting pediatric eyewear, accommodating eyewear for patients with special needs, fitting spherical, toric, and multifocal contact lenses, and troubleshooting eyewear issues and complaints with wonderful success (she likes a challenge). Whether it is a simple adjustment, repair of broken glasses or ordering new eyewear, Rebecca will provide the time and attention that you need and deserve.
Rebecca is native to Massachusetts and resides in Monson. When she isn’t in the office, she can be found spending time with her family and friends, supporting her daughters in their various sports and extra curricular activities, traveling, or tackling a new project or renovation.
Dr. Sally Carlos, Independent Doctor of Optometry
Dr. Sally Carlos provides full-scope optometric eye care along with diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease. She manages a wide range of ocular conditions, including anterior segment disease, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic eye disease.
Dr. Carlos sees patients ages six years and up, with a special interest in contact lenses. With a highly personalized approach and emphasis on education, Dr. Carlos strives to have her patients leave with a firm understanding of their vision, ocular health, and systemic well-being.
Dr. Carlos earned her Bachelor of Arts in mathematics at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at the New England College of Optometry in Boston. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Massachusetts Society of Optometry. Since 2005, she has gained valuable experience working in various clinical settings in Southern California and Massachusetts. Dr. Carlos is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.
A native of Ludlow, Dr. Carlos is excited to provide eye care to the community she grew up in and one that Dr. Wolf so skillfully served for many years. In her free time, she loves to travel, play pickleball and tennis, and spend time with her daughter Emme.
Dr. Germaine Oliver, Independent Doctor of Optometry
Dr. Oliver is a dedicated optometrist who has been serving patients since 1995. She earned her degree from New England College of Optometry and subsequently served as an Army Optometrist for over 26 years. This extensive military service has enriched her skills and deepened her commitment to providing exceptional patient care.
In her practice, Dr. Oliver focuses on understanding and meeting the unique needs of each patient. She adopts a straightforward approach to optometry—identifying what each patient needs to achieve optimal vision and eye health, and providing the necessary support and solutions to realize those goals. Her broad experience enables her to effectively manage a wide range of vision health scenarios.
Since retiring from the military, Dr. Oliver has settled in Monson, MA. She enjoys life with her amazing husband, their two exceptional kids, and a plethora of pets. Outside of the clinic, she cherishes spending quality time with her family and exploring her new community.
Dr. Oliver looks forward to getting to know you and exploring how she can help enhance your visual health and quality of life.
Dr. Gary Wolf , Independent Doctor of Optometry
Dr. Gary Wolf provided state-of-the-art Eyecare in Palmer, MA for 44 years. He is distinguished as past president of The Massachusetts Society of Optometry. He remains a member of The American Optometric Association, The Massachusetts Society of Optometry and VOSH, (volunteer optometric services to humanity) serving the poor in third-world countries since 1986 by participating in Eyecare missions to provide eye examinations and glasses that would otherwise not be available to them.
Dr. Wolf retired on February 15, 2024 after 44 years of providing eye care to the people of Palmer and surrounding areas. Quabbin Valley Eye Care is honored to continue providing quality eye care to his patients, and the patients of Dr. Tobias before him. We wish him the best in his retirement, he will be greatly missed!
A Letter to the Patients from Dr. Wolf
Dear Patients,
It has been a true pleasure and honor to provide eye care to so many people in Palmer and surrounding areas throughout my career.
I will be retiring February 15, 2024 after 44 years and will no longer be providing eye care after that date.
Quabbin Valley Eye Care will continue care with new providers, and will notify patients once exam schedules are available.
I wish you all the best for your future health and happiness.
Sincerely,
Sr. Gary Wolf
Optometrist
Tammy Patrie, Billing Specialist
Tammy Patrie worked for Dr. Gary Wolf as his primary receptionist for 9 years before the office changed hands to QVEC. Previously she worked as a receptionist in primary care for almost 30 years. She is personable and courteous in all of her interactions with patients, striving to make each patient’s visit as easy and enjoyable as possible.
Tammy is the office’s billing and insurance specialist. She not only bills office insurance claims, but is happy to assist patients in navigating their insurance and vision care benefits. She looks forward to continuing to assist in the patient care experience at QVEC.
When she is not working, she enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends.
Kerry Wells, Reception
Kerry is the newest addition to Quabbin Valley Eye Care. She comes to us with an extensive history of customer service experience and has been a wonderful and welcomed addition to Quabbin Valley Eye Care.
Kerry is a native to the area and lives in Ware with her family. She enjoys spending time with her family, children and granddaughter.
You ask, we answer
Here are answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions regarding our practice.
Simply click on the question for additional information.
And, if you can’t find the information you are looking for, you can always contact us and just ask.
We are located right in the center of downtown Palmer, MA, across the street from the Palmer Library.
Our address is: 1448 North Main St, Palmer, MA 01069
In accordance with local, state and federal regulations Quabbin Valley Eye Care is required to adhere to all current protocols for medical facilities in regards to the wearing of face masks while in our facility.
- Appointments are required for all exam related visits to the office, walk-ins are not accepted for eye examination or contact lens related visits (Note: Walk-Ins are welcome for Optical Shop services like new purchases, repairs, adjustments, etc. Appointments are required for pick-up of new eyewear).
- We are pleased to announce that as of May 11, 2023 face masks are no longer required in our facility. Face masks are optional in our office, however we encourage our patients that feel more comfortable to wear a face mask to continue to do so. Masks are on hand and available if the need should arise.
The staff at QVEC sincerely appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding in regards to the changing guidelines that have been required at our facility.
Quabbin Valley Eye Care is a family friendly practice providing care for anyone age 4 and up.
- Patients are requested to arrive 10-15 before your appointment to fill out or update any required paperwork. New patients are asked to arrive no later than 15 minutes early for their first visit to assure that their New Patient Paperwork is filled out completely and thoroughly (regardless of whether it has been submitted ahead of time or filled out and submitted on-line – we will need to review with you and also get any other insurance and medical information required for the initial visit)
- Visual acuity testing (seeing how well your eyes are currently seeing, either with your existing glasses/contacts, or without correction) and Refraction (measurements done to determine the need for glasses)
- Testing for Glaucoma (Non-Contact Tonometry or “air puff”, or Goldman Tonometry which requires an aesthetic drop)
- Retinal and internal eye health examination, which may require dilating drops that will last 1-3 hours
- OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomography) or Retinal Photographs may be offered or necessary at the time of your visit, or rescheduled to another day
- Visual Field Testing may be necessary at the time of your visit, or rescheduled to another day
- Please bring any eyeglasses you currently wear including sunglasses* (prescription and non-prescription). We also ask that you bring any glasses you’ve previously been prescribed, but can no longer use. These can be used to have your new prescription placed in them depending on their condition, or if you would like to donate them to the Lions Club we will gladly take the donations for you
*Disposable sunglasses will be given at the end of your dilated examination visit if you do not own sunglasses - Patient’s are requested to bring a list of all current medications taken and any allergies to medications or other items/substances (ie. latex, adhesives, peanuts, etc…) so that we can notate this medical information in your chart appropriately.
- Due to light sensitivity from dilation, occasionally patients prefer bringing a driver, although it is not required. QVEC has no restrictions regarding bringing a driver or additional people along with you to your visit, so please feel free to do so. Dilation can last anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on the patients and drops used. Although your distance vision is not generally affected by dilation drops, near vision will be blurred and your eyes will be sensitive to sunlight during this period of time as well.
- It is important that you wear your contact lenses to your routine or contact lens related exam if contact lenses are being evaluated, examined or refit. We can not check them if you don’t have them!
- Please wear your lenses for at least 2 hours before coming in, with them still in your eyes, to your visit. This will assure that they have had time to settle in your eyes and allow us to perform a better evaluation of their fit and visual acuity
- DO NOT wear your contact lenses if your eyes are red, irritated, hurt or have discharge. If this occurs when wearing your lenses, remove them immediately and call the office to be seen. WHEN IN DOUBT, TAKE THEM OUT!
- If you are a previous contact lens wearer and are new to our office, we kindly ask that you bring any boxes, foils, or other files/information about your contact lens prescription with you to your visit, as well with your current eyeglasses
- Please provide us with the brand of contact lens solution you currently use for cleaning, storage and disinfection
- Aetna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Health New England
- Cigna
- Unicare
- Harvard Pilgrim
- Partners
- United Health Care
- Medicare
- MassHealth
- Wellsense
- EyeMed
We also accept CareCredit, FSA and HSA accounts for payment remittance for services and/or materials (as applicable).
*Notice to Medicare Patients: Medicare does not cover the $50 refraction portion of your routine eye examination. Medicare will only cover medical eye health and problem related examinations. Sometimes your secondary insurance will cover the refraction fee, depending on the plan. For any additional insurance questions, please contact the office directly.