SARASOTA, Fla.—US Eye, a physician-led network of eyecare practices backed by a mid-market North Carolina investment firm, said this week that it has expanded its practice base to 50 clinics and five surgery centers across the southeastern U.S. The US Eye practice network, headquartered here, has recently completed partnerships with Griffey Eye Care of Chesapeake, Va.; Albemarle Eye Center in northeastern North Carolina; and Sungate Medical Group in Hilton Head Island, S.C., according to the US Eye announcement.

US Eye also expanded its Florida footprint with the addition of Lake Eye Associates, a well-established group of five ophthalmologists and three optometrists in The Villages in Central Florida.
 
The terms of the transactions were not disclosed. Griffey Eye Care has two locations in North Carolina, Albemarle Eye Center has six office locations, Sungate Medical Group operates four locations, and Lake Eye Associates has five eyecare offices and a surgery center.  
 
US Eye has been backed by Pamlico Capital since mid-2019, as VMAIL reported.
 
The group employs 95 providers and more than 1,000 staff members across four states. It currently operates 50 offices and five ambulatory surgery centers in the Southeast.
 
All practices in the new partnerships offer comprehensive eyecare services, dry eye management, glaucoma evaluations and management, cataract and LASIK surgery, diabetic eyecare, macular degeneration management, and ocular disease prevention, among other services.
 
“It has been an exciting month for our team and new partners,” US Eye founder and chief executive officer David Shoemaker, MD, said. “We take pride in helping our partners expand their practices by enriching the patient experience in the communities they serve. It is our goal to offer US Eye member practices access to the most innovative technology, treatment options and pharmaceuticals, while refining operations to utilize proven industry best practices.”
 
Kerry Solomon, MD, a US Eye doctor and a member of its Physicians Advisory Board, added, “Our new partners are leaders in their respective fields, and we are honored to join forces with the very best ophthalmologists and optometrists in the nation. We couldn’t feel more enthusiastic for the opportunities ahead. It’s clear that we are collectively ‘Better Together!’”
 
Patients of US Eye member practices have direct access to a broad network of surgeons, best-in-class technology and the most advanced eyecare services.
 
Speaking of the opportunities available through US Eye, Jitendra Swarup, MD, managing partner at Albemarle Eye Center commented, “The US Eye model is founded on successful, industry-leading standards that positively impact the patient experience. The patient-first culture, combined with physician leadership, truly differentiates US Eye from other organizations. We are looking forward to a long and successful partnership.”