Our Team

Dr. Emily Bjore is a co-founder of Blue Lakes Eye Care. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts at Concordia College Moorhead in 2010. She attended optometry school at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, and received a Doctorate in Optometry with Honors in 2014. She was selected for the Private Practice Scholarship upon graduation. During her externship training, she had the privilege of working under ophthalmology at the Mayo Clinic, private practice, vision therapy, pediatrics & Lasik care. 

Dr. Bjore loves to form a connection and relationship with each patient. It’s her goal for every person to have comfortable, clear vision that fits his or her lifestyle while managing and being proactive about eye health. While she enjoys patients of all ages, she has a particular interest in ocular disease, dry eye, and pediatric myopia management. 

The other very proud titles of Dr. Bjore are mom and cancer survivor. She has two young kiddos with whom she loves to be outside biking, hiking, and swimming. She and her husband are huge Minnesota Vikings fans & also love traveling, paddle boarding, and cross-country skiing. Finally, she has had a passion for playing violin since a young age, playing in various groups and symphonies but currently is mostly playing kid songs at home. 

Dr. Robert Hegerman is a co-founder of Blue Lakes Eye Care. He’s been taking great care of patients for over 30 years. He completed his optometric training at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1994, earning his Doctor of Optometry degree and graduating with honors. Dr. Hegerman was President of Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society and was presented the Bausch & Lomb Outstanding Contact Lens Clinician Award. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1989.

Dr. Hegerman specializes in contact lenses. He is an expert in fitting contact lenses on patients with special visual needs. Dr. Hegerman has a passion for family eye care with a clinical interest in the management of dry eye disease and diabetic eye care. He is actively involved in refractive surgery, providing consultative care for patients desiring laser vision correction. He has served on the clinical advisory board for TLC Vision.

Making a positive difference and giving back to the community is important to Dr. Hegerman. He is a past president of the Eagan Rotary Club and a community volunteer.

In his free time, Dr. Hegerman enjoys cabin time, biking, Minnesota sports, and the St. Paul Winter Carnival. He enjoys spending time with his life partner Lori and is the proud father of two sons, Nick and Andy.
 

Blue Lakes Eye Care is special because it is fun to be a part of a team that is passionate about optometry and dedicated to ensuring everyone receives quality care.

Two fun facts about me are I like to play pickleball and I enjoy trying new restaurants across the twin cities.

We are a fun and family-oriented team at Blue Lakes Eye Care! From the moment you walk in, you will feel warm and welcoming—housewarming for your eyes!
We combine top-notch technology with personalized care to make every visit comfortable and meaningful. Come see why patients love being part of our Blue Lakes family!

I’m a dancer and dance teacher who finds joy in every movement—whether it’s in the studio, on stage, or out on a hiking trail. I’m passionate about all forms of art and love connecting with nature through running, exploring, and soaking in the beauty around me.

To me, what makes Blue Lakes Eye Care special is that it was founded by 2 people that could not be any more amazing. Drs. Bjore and Hegerman truly care about the patient care and their experience here at Blue Lakes Eye Care. I feel humbled to be hand chosen along with the team and I feel empowered to give each patient a kind caring experience with all the up to date technology that we offer here at Blue Lakes Eye Care. I am excited to be a part of the growth that is already happening. 

One of my favorite things about Blue is when I get to tell our patients I can make their glasses the same day. The kiddos in particular get so excited. Nothing more exciting than watching a child see for the very first time.
 

A fun fact about myself is I have been in the optical industry since 2002, I received my ABO (American Board of Opticianry) certification in 2007 and as a result of my long career I have no idea how many pairs of eyeglasses and sunglasses I actually own. I identify as a true optical nerd.