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A Calling Comes into Focus

A good man leaves more than a legacy–he leaves footsteps worth following. Long before Hyde Eyecare became a cornerstone of healthcare in our community, that journey began with a calling. Black Mountain, North Carolina — late summer, the 1960s.

A group of Tennessee High School baseball players gathered at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp, their days filled with drills, devotionals, and dreams of the future. One of them already knew who he was going to be — a ballplayer. That had always been the plan. But somewhere between the mountains and the quiet of that week, Tom Hyde heard something he would never forget.

“I want you to be an optometrist.”

He says it was one of the few times in his life he audibly heard God speak. That moment would bring everything into focus. Years later, as Hyde Eyecare celebrates its 50th anniversary on September 13, 2026, the practice has become a cornerstone of healthcare in our community — a place where generations of families have trusted their vision to the steady hands of Dr. Tom Hyde — joined more than twenty years ago by his son, Louis. But to understand how a Bristol, Tennessee, High School baseball player became one of the most trusted names in local medicine, we have to go back to the beginnings of a story rooted in purpose and service.

Planting Roots in Morristown

Tom Hyde arrived in the Lakeway area in 1976, a young man carrying both ambition and a growing sense of calling. After graduating from Tennessee High School in Bristol, he enrolled at Carson-Newman College, where he studied physics and met Debbie Blankenship, a fellow student from Conyers, Georgia, who would become his partner in life, faith, and service. Following graduation, Tom pursued optometry at the University of Memphis, continuing the path he believed God placed before him. When he completed his studies, he returned to Morristown — a community whose small-town warmth had already captured his heart.

On September 13, 1976, he opened the doors of his first office across from Crescent Center on West First North Street. At the time, Morristown was a quieter place.

“I can remember when all the stores in this town would close at noon,” Tom says with a smile. “The only places to take Debbie on a date were Shoney’s, Little Dutch, and the drive-in.” Tom and Debbie embraced the town as their own, planting roots, raising their children, Louis and Rachel, and building a life centered on faith, family, and service. Their love for Morristown was unmistakable — and the community returned that affection.

Following in His Father’s Footsteps

For Louis Hyde, those footsteps were visible from an early age. After graduating from Morristown West High School in 1997, he too attended Carson–Newman University, where he met Melissa Delmege, who would become his wife and share in the life he was building. Following the example set before him, Louis continued at the University of Memphis to earn his Doctor of Optometry. In 2005, the path home wasn’t one that Louis questioned. He was never forced to follow his father’s path, yet the example so faithfully lived before him shaped his heart in such a way that he naturally longed to do the same.

Louis joined the practice not merely as a career choice, but as a natural continuation of the life modeled before him. For twenty-one years, he has embraced this work as his calling. At Hyde Eyecare, that sense of family is woven into every interaction. Patients are never simply names on a chart — they are neighbors, friends, and often generations of the same families.

A Practice That Feels Like Family

“We have seen multigenerational families,” Tom says — a reflection of relationships built over decades and a legacy of care that continues to grow. When asked whether working together ever grows old, both Tom and Louis answer without hesitation.

“We are just extremely blessed to get to do what we do here,” they say. “We work with some of the best people in the world, in the best community in the world.” For the Hyde family, serving local families is more than a profession — it is a calling.

“We are here for the people. It is our ministry.” That ministry extends far beyond Morristown’s city limits. Patients regularly travel from neighboring states to return home for care from the doctors they trust. The relationships built at their office reflect a deep sense of connection and commitment.

“We have people come from all over, and we love them,” Louis says. “Treating each patient with excellence and with care is the goal every single day.”

Caring for the Vision of the Next Generation

Both Tom and Louis emphasize the importance of prevention and early vision care.

“The best step families can take,” they explain, “is scheduling yearly vision screenings to maintain healthy eyesight and detect potential concerns early. For children in particular, regular screenings are essential. Many children do not realize when their vision is impaired, assuming the way they see the world is normal.” For the Hyde family, helping a child experience clear vision for the first time is one of the most rewarding aspects of their work.

Louis explains that common warning signs of early vision problems in children can include frequent squinting and difficulty with reading. In many cases, struggles in school may be connected to undiagnosed vision issues.

“It’s always important to have a child’s eyes checked if they begin falling behind in reading,” he says. “It’s hard to track the words on a page if you can’t see them.” The doctors also point to the growing concern of myopia — commonly known as nearsightedness — which has increasingly been described as an epidemic in modern vision healthcare. They attribute much of this rise to early and prolonged exposure to digital screens, particularly among young people. Today, Hyde Eyecare continues to expand its commitment to comprehensive care, with a team of six doctors and two ophthalmologists serving patients throughout the region.

Honoring Service and Sacrifice

Yet Hyde Eyecare offers more than vision care for the entire family. One of its most distinctive features greets visitors the moment they enter the front lobby — a remarkable collection of military uniforms displayed with reverence and care.

Rows of uniforms form a living timeline of service and sacrifice, each representing stories of courage, loss, and devotion to country.

Tom’s deep respect for military history is rooted in his own family. His grandfather, Arthur Alvin, served on the front lines during World War I.

After being seriously injured in battle, he was listed as missing in action before eventually being found recovering in a U.S. hospital in France. During his recovery, Arthur filled journal after journal, carefully documenting the realities of war and the experiences he witnessed.

Turning each page of his grandfather’s journal gently, Tom has an unmistakable pride in preserving his family’s memories that might otherwise have been lost to history. The writings became so meaningful to him that he later took his entire family to France to retrace the very steps his grandfather once walked on the battlefields of World War I. Today, his grandfather’s uniform stands prominently displayed among the collection, a visible reminder of sacrifice and heritage. Visitors often pause to study the uniforms, each one carrying its own history.

“It means so much to the veterans — to the men who have served our country with such dignity,” Tom explains. “I began by displaying the uniforms from my family and Debbie’s family, and before I knew it, people in the community were bringing theirs for display. We now have uniforms representing World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan — even one from the Tennessee Militia in 1901.” For Tom, the collection is more than a display — it is an act of remembrance.

“It’s a way we can show our love for our country and honor those who bravely served and sacrificed,” he says. Louis shares the same sentiment. “They are still respected and cherished,” he adds, “and we want them to know that.”

Life Behind the Lens

The deep respect Tom shows for history, service, and community is not confined to the walls of his office. It reflects a life marked by curiosity, discipline, and devotion — a life lived fully in service to others. Tom Hyde embodies the spirit of a true, modern Renaissance man, pursuing a wide range of passions with the same commitment and purpose that define his practice. An avid duck hunter, licensed pilot, and former bluegrass bass player, Tom’s interests span far beyond healthcare.

He teaches Sunday school to fourth and fifth graders at Arrowhead Church, cherishes his role as a loving grandfather and husband, and even once hosted a radio show with WCRK, where he was affectionately known as “the Old Duck Hunter.”

Yet through every pursuit runs the same thread — faith, service, and a love for people.

Walking the Path Together

It was this quiet, consistent example that shaped the path Louis would eventually walk. Though never pressured to follow in his father’s footsteps, Louis grew up watching a life defined by purpose and devotion, and the direction before him became unmistakably clear.

Today, he carries forward those same values not only in his profession but in his faith, serving as an elder at Arrowhead and raising his children with the same loving example that once guided his own steps.

Some men leave behind more than achievements — they leave footprints that mark a way of life worth following. Now father and son walk side by side, sharing not only a profession but a calling rooted in the same commitment to serve their family, their patients, and their community.

Grateful to Serve

When asked what he is most proud of, Tom gently redirects the question.

“Not pride,” he says simply. “Just grateful.”

Louis echoes his father’s humility, expressing the same quiet sentiment.

“Not pride,” he shares, “just grateful that I get to do this — and that I get to do it with him.” Their response reflects a shared posture of gratitude that has shaped both their lives and their work — a perspective rooted not in achievement, but in thankfulness for the opportunity to serve.

Experience Hyde Eyecare

To experience the care and legacy of Hyde Eyecare firsthand, appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients may call 423-581-2020 or visit www.hydeeyecare.com for more information.

Even those simply wishing to view the impressive military uniform collection in the lobby are welcome to stop in.

Whatever brings you through the doors, Dr. Tom and Dr. Louis Hyde are grateful for every opportunity to serve the community they love.