St. Louis Veterinary Ophthalmologists
Meet Our Doctors!
Get to know our team!
We are fully dedicated to your pet’s ocular care and look forward to meeting you. Please take a moment to scroll down and get to know our team better.
Animal Eye Associates Veterinarians
Dr. Reuben Merideth
DVM, DACVO
Dr. Merideth graduated from Mizzou College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978. He then completed an NIH fellowship and residency in comparative ophthalmology at the University of Florida. He co-founded the ACVO Vision for Animals Foundation (VAF), an organization that provides funding for grants to support research to eliminate ocular diseases in animals, and founded Eye Care for Animals, a network of veterinary ophthalmology hospitals throughout the country. Upon returning to his home state of Missouri, he continued to help animals and led the acquisition of Animal Eye Associates of St. Louis.
He has served on numerous committees — including the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Continuing Education, as well as the Residency Training Committee of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists — and has contributed to various research publications and veterinary textbooks. He was named the Tucson Wildlife Center Person of the Year in 2018 and was inducted into the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association Hall of Fame in 2019.
Dr. Kelli Zimmerman
DVM, DACVO
Dr. Zimmerman graduated from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She then completed a small animal internship in Indianapolis and worked in small animal emergency medicine in New England. She then trained to become an ophthalmologist, completing an ophthalmology specialty internship in Philadelphia, an ophthalmology research fellowship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign focused on ocular surface disease, corneal transplantation, and amnion applications in ophthalmology, and a comparative ophthalmology residency at the University of Georgia. After practicing veterinary ophthalmology in Tampa, Florida, she returned to the Midwest to join our team at Animal Eye Associates of St. Louis. She has helped write a veterinary ophthalmology reference textbook resource for referring veterinarians and has published multiple research studies in various areas of veterinary ophthalmology – including ocular surface disease, nasolacrimal disease, and ocular manifestations of systemic disease. Dr. Zimmerman uses her expertise in caring for animals, including the St. Louis Zoo.
Dr. Kourtney Dowler
DVM, MS, DACVO
Dr. Kourtney Dowler is a St. Louis native with a passion for veterinary ophthalmology. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with minors in Animal Science and Spanish from the University of Missouri – Columbia. During her undergraduate years at Mizzou, she discovered her love for ophthalmology (and Longhaired Dachshunds!) while working in the Comparative Neurology Laboratory at the College of Veterinary Medicine. She went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2018. Following veterinary school, Dr. Dowler returned to Mizzou for a small animal rotating internship before completing an ophthalmology specialty internship at BluePearl in Clearwater and Sarasota, Florida. She then returned to the University of Missouri to complete her comparative ophthalmology residency. Now back in her hometown, Dr. Dowler is thrilled to be part of Animal Eye Associates of St. Louis, where she specializes in veterinary ophthalmology. She has also contributed to the field through multiple published research studies focusing on veterinary cataract surgery.
Dr. Sommerkamp
DVM, Resident
Dr. Sommerkamp earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. She then pursued advanced training through a small animal rotating internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals, followed by a specialized ophthalmology internship at Armour Veterinary Ophthalmology in Washington, D.C. In the summer of 2022, Dr. Sommerkamp joined Animal Eye Associates of St. Louis to complete a three-year ophthalmology residency. Upon completing her residency, she will continue as a valued member of our team, providing expert ophthalmic care to patients.
Dr. Taylor Opgenorth
DVM, DACVO
Dr. Taylor Opgenorth, a Wisconsin native, developed a passion for veterinary medicine early in life. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences in 2014 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2019, both from the University of Wisconsin. Following veterinary school, she pursued advanced training through a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery internship at the University of Florida, followed by a specialized Ophthalmology internship in private practice in St. Louis. Committed to excellence in veterinary ophthalmology, Dr. Opgenorth returned to the University of Wisconsin to complete a Comparative Ophthalmology residency and achieved board certification as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) in 2024. She has a particular interest in eyelid reconstruction and intraocular surgery, enhancing the vision and quality of life for her patients. Now back in St. Louis, Dr. Opgenorth is excited to serve the community and extend her expertise to local wildlife rescues. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys equestrian sports (eventing and fox hunting), cooking, scuba diving with her husband, and spending time with her two Cattle Dog mix companions.