Episode 31
Guest: Dr. Dan Yoder
Organization: Asheville Eye Associates
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Listen to Episode 31 on Spotify
Episode Summary
In Episode 31 of Living Local with Frisbee Real Estate, Ed sits down with Dr. Dan Yoder, an ophthalmologist and retina specialist with Asheville Eye Associates, to talk about eye health, cataract surgery, advances in ophthalmology, and life in Hendersonville.
Dr. Yoder explains the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist. As a medical doctor, he specializes in diagnosing eye disease and performing procedures including cataract surgery, retinal treatments, laser procedures, and other advanced eye care. He also talks about how much modern equipment helps surgeons while still requiring the precision and judgment of a trained physician.
Originally from the Midwest, Dr. Yoder attended John Brown University before going to Duke University School of Medicine. He later completed ophthalmology and retina training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. After training, he and his family chose Western North Carolina because of the mountains, outdoor recreation, and the size and feel of the Hendersonville community.
Today, Dr. Yoder sees patients through Asheville Eye Associates, including its Hendersonville office. He shares what drew him to ophthalmology, how cataract and retina care have evolved, and why he still enjoys the combination of technology, surgery, and long-term patient care.
The conversation also gets into some of Dr. Yoder's favorite ways to enjoy Henderson County. He is an avid pickleball player and mentions Patton Park as a favorite place to play. He also recommends DuPont State Recreational Forest, Pisgah National Forest, the Ecusta Trail, and the Oklawaha Greenway for hiking, biking, and getting outside.
Local Food Favorites
- Umi for sushi and Japanese cuisine
- Thai Spice for Thai food
- Mary's Burritos for casual Mexican food
- Binion's Roadhouse and Bay Breeze Seafood Restaurant as additional local favorites
Whether the topic is eye surgery, healthy vision, pickleball, hiking, or where to grab a good meal, this episode is another look at one of the people who helps make Hendersonville and Western North Carolina feel like home.
As always, keep living local.
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Transcript
Transcript lightly edited for readability.
Ed: Hey, thanks again for joining us today. Our special guest, if you're watching and or listening, is Dr. Dan Yoder. Dr. Dan Yoder is with Asheville Eye Associates. Is that correct?
Dr. Yoder: You got it.
Ed: Awesome. Thanks for joining us, Dan. Give us a quick overview of what you do with Asheville Eye Associates, and then I'll have some other questions that come to mind.
Dr. Yoder: I am an ophthalmologist. Don't try to spell that. That essentially means that I am an MD. I went to medical school and then I did specialized training in eyes and specifically eye surgery.
Ed: So that means you do surgery on the eye.
Dr. Yoder: I do surgery on the eyes, yes.
Ed: So when you go to just a normal eye checkup, not all those people qualify?
Dr. Yoder: That is true. The vast majority of people do not need eye surgery when they come in for eye issues, but in my practice I see a lot of patients who do need some type of surgery, laser treatment, or minor surgical procedure.
Ed: Have you done laser treatment?
Dr. Yoder: Yes. It depends what type of laser procedure you're referring to. Most people, when they hear laser procedure, are thinking of refractive surgery like LASIK. I did that when I was a resident 20 or 25 years ago. I'm actually a cataract surgeon and a retina specialist by training, so I haven't done LASIK or refractive surgery in many years.
Ed: Is any of that automated now with the change of technology, or is someone like yourself always necessary?
Dr. Yoder: There is a lot of really great equipment that does a lot of things for you, but you're still in charge and still operating. There are no robots doing things. Your hands still have to be pretty good at what they do, although microscopes and other equipment certainly help with that.
Ed: I must say I feel a little queasy already.
Dr. Yoder: Most people are pretty squeamish when it comes to thinking about somebody doing something to their eyeballs. You're definitely not alone.
Ed: I've never worn contacts. I don't even wear glasses.
Dr. Yoder: I don't need glasses either. I could probably see slightly better with some, but not enough to make it worth my while.
Ed: Was medicine something that always interested you?
Dr. Yoder: When I was in fourth grade, for reasons I frankly don't remember, I decided I wanted to be a doctor. I always loved the human body, science, and medicine. I never really wavered from that. I went straight to college with a pre-med degree and then into medical school.
I didn't know exactly what type of medicine I wanted to practice. After medical school, you can go into orthopedics, pediatrics, general surgery, all kinds of things. I did a rotation in ophthalmology and really loved it. I was in medical school at Duke and they have a really good ophthalmology department. I liked working with all ages, from kids to the elderly, and I enjoyed the technology. I also thought the ophthalmologists were the coolest doctors.
Ed: Are you from the area?
Dr. Yoder: I am not. I'm originally from the Midwest. My last name, Yoder, is an Amish or Mennonite name. It's originally Swiss. I was born in Indiana and went to high school in Iowa. I went to college in Arkansas at John Brown University, a small Christian liberal arts school.
Then I wanted to go to the best medical school I could get into. I interviewed at a number of places, including Harvard, but ultimately decided I did not want to live in the Northeast. I got accepted at Duke and had never even been in the state of North Carolina before. I drove to medical school two days before it started in August of 1994.
Ed: And you've been here since?
Dr. Yoder: Not the whole time. I did four years of medical school at Duke, then a one-year internship in Roanoke, Virginia. After that, my wife and I moved to Miami, where I did my ophthalmology residency and then a retina fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami.
After that we decided we wanted to move back to this part of the country. I had a friend I trained with in Miami who had joined a practice here in Hendersonville. My wife and I liked this area. We interviewed in several places but ended up here.
Ed: What first introduced you to the Asheville area?
Dr. Yoder: My wife and I got married when I was in medical school, so we lived in Durham for a while. Everybody kept talking about this house up in Asheville and saying, "You've got to go see this house." For my wife Tanya's birthday one year, I surprised her and we drove up to the mountains and toured the Biltmore House. We loved the area and loved the mountains. When the opportunity came to move here and practice, we took it.
Ed: How do people find you if they're looking for an eye doctor, surgeon, or ophthalmologist?
Dr. Yoder: They can contact Asheville Eye Associates. The main office is in Asheville, North Carolina, and they have several satellite offices, including one in Hendersonville. I'm one of the ophthalmologists who works at the Hendersonville office.
Ed: How do you like living in Hendersonville?
Dr. Yoder: We love Hendersonville. There are so many things to do outdoors. I really like the size of the town. It's not super small, but it's certainly not a big city.
I really enjoy pickleball. It's been one of my favorite pastimes in the past few years. I actually played my first game of pickleball in 1989. It had been invented long before that, but it really caught on much later.
Ed: Where do you play?
Dr. Yoder: I used to play at Jackson Park, but now I play at Patton Park, which is closer to my house. In the past couple of years they've resurfaced former tennis courts and made them dedicated pickleball courts with the right nets and lines.
Ed: We always like to talk about food. What are your top three recommendations for someone visiting Hendersonville?
Dr. Yoder: Probably my favorite restaurant in Hendersonville is Umi, right in downtown Hendersonville. I like sushi and Japanese food. I really like their Penang curry. It's a little sweet, not too spicy, and has really good flavors. Their sushi is excellent too.
Number two, I like Thai Spice, also around downtown Hendersonville. I usually get the shrimp pad Thai, spice level three, or level four if I'm feeling extra spicy.
For something casual, good value, and good food, Mary's Burritos is another favorite. My son introduced me to it. It's Mexican food, and I think it's really good. I also like Papas and Beer, Bay Breeze for seafood, and Binion's for a steak.
Ed: What about people coming to the area to visit or just moving here? Anything else you recommend?
Dr. Yoder: The state and national forests around here are fantastic. DuPont State Recreational Forest has great hiking, waterfalls, and mountain biking. Pisgah National Forest near Brevard is great if you want more challenging hiking or mountain biking.
The Ecusta Trail is also nearby and is an easy place to bike or walk. I also like the Oklawaha Greenway, which goes through Jackson Park and Patton Park.
Ed: Dan, I think we've eaten up all of our time already.
Dr. Yoder: This has been fun. It goes by quickly.
Ed: Dr. Dan Yoder with Asheville Eye Associates. You can check him out online and find the Hendersonville office. Thanks again for taking the time.
And as always, thanks for watching and or listening, and keep living local.