Born in Missouri and raised in Illinois, Dr. Kramer first earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. However, his childhood fascination with the complexity of the human eye, sparked by visits to his grandfather—an optometrist—led him to pursue a more meaningful career in optometry. Dr. Kramer realized his passion was helping people directly, which inspired him to shift his focus to eye care.
He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and completed a residency with the Veterans Administration in Lexington, Kentucky. Dr. Kramer then returned to St. Louis to teach optometry students at UMSL while working in Columbia with Dr. Dellande, who had established a successful practice.
Dr. Kramer became a partner with Dr. Dellande and, upon Dr. Dellande’s retirement in 1993, took over the practice, renaming it Kramer Family Eyecare. In 2022, the practices merged, combining resources with Drs. Rich, Barrett, and Cary to offer patients better technology, eyewear, and enhanced care.
Dr. Kramer lives in Columbia with his wife, Gail, and their two miniature schnauzers, Archie and Allie. In his free time, he enjoys Celtic music (though his wife might not share his enthusiasm for bagpipes!), hiking, traveling, and teaching his patients about eye health.