Meet the Doctors

Michael John Bartiss, OD, MD is a specialist in medical and surgical pediatric eye care as well as adult eye alignment (strabismus) surgery.

Dr. Bartiss received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana with a major in biology and a minor in cultural anthropology. He received his Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree from the State University of New York State College of Optometry in New York City. After practicing pediatric optometry for four years in Rochester, New York, he decided to further his education and attend medical school. He received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine where he also received the E.J. Weisenheimer Award for excellence in ophthalmology. He then served an internship in Internal Medicine at the Graduate Medical/Dental Education Consortium of Buffalo, where he also completed his residency training in Ophthalmology. Following the completion of his residency, he received his fellowship training in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at the prestigious Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Bartiss is board certified in ophthalmology and is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Optometry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. He is a member of the North Carolina Medical Society. He has served on several committees at FirstHealth of the Carolinas over the years and currently serves as the medical director of the Surgery Center of Pinehurst. Dr. Bartiss resides in Pinehurst, North Carolina with his wife, Katie. He has three adult children (Kelsey, Nolan, and Maeve) and is extremely proud of all of them. His youngest child, Maeve, is a resident in Pediatrics at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital at Michigan State University. Dr. Bartiss’ greatest joy is traveling and spending time with his family. He also enjoys the culinary arts and the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, who was himself an ophthalmologist!)

Dr. Benjamin Wacker is a native of Pinehurst, NC, and a graduate of The O'Neal School.  He received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He completed his Doctor of Optometry at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where he was the recipient of numerous academic scholarships and honors, including serving as president of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society.  Dr. Wacker completed primary care and ocular disease residency program at the William Chappell Veterans Affairs Clinic in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he trained in areas of glaucoma, retinal disease, corneal disease, pre and post-operative cataract surgery, as well as specialty contact lenses.

During his free time, Dr. Wacker enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, playing golf, and cheering on the Tar Heels.