Dr. Pletcher has been active in international missions starting as a youngster with his father, an oncologist.  Since beginning his medical training, he has traveled to Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Ecuador.  He also has spent extended periods living in Papua New Guinea and Dominican Republic.  Dr. Pletcher has been the acting director of the mission's program for the annual meeting of the Christian Ophthalmology Society. Currently he serves as the president of its board of directors.  He also serves on the board for Vision Outreach International.

Besides practice and mission trips, he keeps busy with web site designing and programming. He has been an avid photographer, trumpet and piano player.  His most recent project has involved the development of portable mission products including a light weight high quality teaching operating microscope. He has interests also in developing autologous tissue glue for pterygium removal on the mission field and in developing improved outcome monitoring methods for cataract surgery in mission settings.

Dr. Pletcher, his wife, Shelley and their four children recently spent two years living in Ecuador where he has been involved in starting an ophthalmology program at a small mission hospital for the eastern Amazon jungle provinces.