ATLANTA—EyeSouth Partners has completed an affiliation with Mitchell Refractive Surgery & Eye Center and The Optique (together referred to as Mitchell Refractive, according to an announcement this week. The affiliation represents EyeSouth’s fourth in the state of Florida and 17th overall. EyeSouth, an eyecare-focused management services organization, is backed by Chicago’s Shore Capital Partners and is “committed to partnering with leading physicians to build a premier network of eyecare services in the South,” the announcement noted.

The terms of the latest affiliation were not disclosed. Earlier this week, EyeSouth announced that it had completed an affiliation with Coastal Eye Associates, which operates six primary clinical locations in the Greater Houston area, as VMAIL reported.

EyeSouth’s affiliate network consists of 17 practices with approximately 115 doctors providing medical and surgical eyecare services at approximately 70 locations, including 11 surgery centers, throughout Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama.

Mitchell Refractive was founded by Dr. Alan Mitchell in 1993 and has grown into a premier boutique practice in Boca Raton, Fla. Dr. Mitchell has a longstanding relationship with another EyeSouth affiliate, Florida Eye Microsurgical and its doctors, and it expects that “this partnership will further strengthen their relationship,” according to the announcement.

Mitchell Refractive employs approximately 12 support staff and provides comprehensive medical and surgical eyecare, cosmetic treatments, and eyeglasses to a wide range of patients in the area.

“Since founding the practice 25-plus years ago, we strived to provide high-quality care while building long-term relationships with our patients and their families,” Dr. Mitchell said. “We are excited to begin the next phase of growth with EyeSouth, which will enable us to continue to provide this level of care to patients and provide additional resources to our employees for years to come.”

According to EyeSouth chief medical officer Dr. Eugene Gabianelli, the effort to replicate the group’s Atlanta growth in other key markets, such as Palm Beach County, is a core part of its strategy. He added, “We look forward to working together and continuing to build our collective presence throughout Palm Beach County and the surrounding areas.”