Ketchikan Eye Care Center (KECC) takes pride in the long history of consistent quality eye care provided to residents and visitors of Southern Southeast Alaska by our former and current optometrists.
OUR CURRENT DOCTORS
Erik D. Christianson, O.D.
He was born in Missoula, Montana December 4, 1959. Erik was raised in western Montana and graduated from high school in the town of Dillon in southwest Montana. He completed undergraduate studies at Montana State University and Concordia College in Minnesota. Dr. Christianson received his Doctor of Optometry degree from Pacific University College of Optometry in 1986. He practiced in Eagle River, Alaska in 1986-87 and in Utkiagvik (Barrow), Alaska as clinical director of the North Slope Borough Eye Clinic from 1987-90. In 1990 Dr. Christianson purchased E.L. Craig O.D.’s practice in Ketchikan, Alaska. He named his practice Alpine Vision Center and practiced on Main Street from 1990-1997. In 1997 he became partners with Rick Swearingen, O.D. and together they constructed an office building on Carlanna Lake RD and called their practice Ketchikan Eye Care Center. From 1997 to 2025 they faithfully served the eye care needs of Ketchikan and Southern Southeast Alaska. In 2025 they sold their practice to Joseph Johnson, O.D. Beginning in October 2025 Dr. Christianson will become an employee for the first time since 1990. He plans to help Dr. Johnson build on the foundation of eye care begun so many years ago. Dr. C will use the gift of extra time to travel and volunteer time and talents to the Ketchikan community that has been his home since 1990. Go Kings!!!
Joseph H. Johnson, O.D.
Dr. Johnson was raised in Southeastern Idaho where he graduated high school. He then earned a B.S. in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University and his Doctor of Optometry degree in 2018 from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He then completed an optometric residency focused on managing ocular disease at Eye Associates of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. He has worked in ophthalmology clinics in New Mexico and Georgia and is excited to now be seeing patients in Alaska!
During his final year of Optometry school Dr. Johnson was voted by his classmates as being “The Optometrist I want to see when I’m an Optometrist.” And while practicing in Albuquerque, Dr. Johnson was nominated for and won the “Top Doc” award as voted by medical peers during his first year of practice.
Dr. Johnson fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a small business when he purchased Ketchikan Eye Care Center from Dr. Rick Swearingen and Dr. Erik Christianson in 2025. He is excited to get to know the area and his patients!
ROOTS
The roots of KECC go back to one of the earliest eye care practices in Alaska. KECC as it is currently known, came from a merger in 1997 to two established Ketchikan optometry practices into one practice. These two separate practices were Alpine Vision Center/Erik D. Christianson, O.D. and Ketchikan Vision Clinic/Rick D. Swearingen, O.D.
Prior to the merger in 1997, Erik D. Christianson, O.D. practiced at 348 Main Street and purchased this practice from the estate of the late Ed Craig, O.D. in 1990. Dr. Craig practiced optometry in Ketchikan since the mid 1950’s and had purchased the practice of Charles Martin Carlson, O.D. Dr. Carlson was one of the first optometry license holders in Alaska and practiced in Ketchikan in the 1930’s and 40’s.
After purchase of the practice on Main Street from Dr. Craig in 1990. Dr. Christianson named it Alpine Vision Center. The office was in the Catholic Church complex across from the police department. The property that housed Alpine Vision Center was purchased from the city soon after Dr. Christianson’s departure in 1997 and is now a parking lot.
Rick D. Swearingen owned and practiced at the Ketchikan Vision Clinic at 410 Mission Street in the years before the merger. Dr. Swearingen purchased Ketchikan Vision Clinic from E.E. Smith, O.D. in 1985. Dr. Smith had practiced optometry in Ketchikan since the early 1950’s. Ketchikan Vision Clinic was physically located “across the street from the movie theatre”. Since the merger, several businesses have occupied the former clinic site.
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND COMPETITION DRIVE THE CREATION OF KECC
During their many years in solo practice, doctors Ed Craig and E.E. Smith were competitors. At the same time, Ketchikan was in the heyday of the logging and fishing industries. These two strong, resource-based industries combined with a solid nucleus of government jobs providing a strong, stable economy in Ketchikan, solo was the norm throughout the country in the eye care industry. Two strong, solo practices provided a nice choice for Ketchikan patients and the collegial professional competition between the doctors assured quality care.
The late 80’s and the early 90’s was a period of rapid technological changes in the eye care field. Due to advances in micro-circuitry and computerization, specialized equipment was being developed to measure and monitor changes to eye health. Optometry doctors were expanding their treatment privileges from glasses to glasses and contact lenses, and finally to glasses, contact lenses, and treatment of eye diseases. This necessitated the need to use more monetary resources on the purchase of equipment. More space was necessary to use the equipment properly. At the same time, commercial eye care was becoming popular in the lower 48 and the amount of money being paid for eye exams was shrinking. Contact lenses that fetched $300-$600 per patient were now only worth $100-$400. Making a living and keeping up with technology became increasingly difficult for solo practitioners.
Downtown Ketchikan was also changing. Downtown was changing from a center for services to a center for tourists. Parking and traffic congestion were a real problem. The Ketchikan economy was also changing. Due to outside pressures, the logging and fishing industries were becoming unstable. Competition from a commercial eye care chain further eroded the economic outlook for the two solo practices.
THE NEED TO CHANGE IS ADDRESSED
Dr. Christianson and Dr. Swearingen began meeting in early 1996 to craft a plan that would allow their practices to remain healthy and still provide commitment to technology and quality of service. As 1996 progressed, the plan to consolidate the practices into a partnership and construct a new office building on Carlanna Lake Road took shape. The doctors signed the paperwork for their building loan on the day it was announced that Ketchikan Pulp Company was shutting down after 35 years as an anchor for Ketchikan’s economy.
On April 1, 1997, the building was complete, and the doctors moved in. This was the first day of operation of Ketchikan Eye Care Center as we now know it. The initial years were difficult as two separate staff combined into one and were forced to deal with two different personalities. All it took was a little time and commitment to change. As the years have passed, KECC has developed its own reputation for quality and service. Our central location is ideal for locals and people traveling on the ferry.
The commitment to keeping up with technology is evident from the vast array of eye care and office equipment currently at KECC.
Multi-doctor practices have their challenges, but one of the advantages is better economies of scale. These economies of scale allow for more efficient operations and the ability to financially keep up with the costs of new technology. We are also proud of the eye care products we provide. KECC offers eye care products and services of unmatched quality at a fair price. KECC is well situated to meet the current and future eye care needs of Southern Southeast Alaska.