SOUTHLAKE, Texas—Retina Consultants of America (RCA), a comprehensive physician management services organization that was formed by a private equity investor group earlier this year, has announced a new practice alliance with Palmetto Retina Center LLC, which is based in South Carolina. The move adds a seventh practice group to RCA’s “growing consortium of practices,” according to the announcement this week. The terms of the alliance transaction were not disclosed. Palmetto Retina Center is comprised of five retina specialists across six offices serving South Carolina.

Its locations include West Columbia, downtown Columbia, Orangeburg, Sumter, Aiken and Florence. The physicians conduct ongoing research and clinical trials to lead the retina field forward and continually seek better, more advanced treatments for patients, according to the announcement.

This is the seventh leading retina specialty practice to join RCA, which continues to expand its strategic locations across the U.S. The distinguished group of practices under the RCA umbrella feature “highly specialized physicians that are among the elite in the retina field,” the announcement noted. Quality patient care, cutting-edge technology and retina research is the common thread among these renowned leaders of the retinal specialty, the announcement noted.

“We are thrilled to be joining Retina Consultants of America,” said Dr. W. Lloyd Clark of Palmetto Retina Center and an assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. “Palmetto Retina Center was formed with a commitment to the highest level of medical surgical care and an emphasis on education and research. Our collaborative work in drug development helped us form strong relationships with many of the founding members of RCA, making a partnership with RCA a perfect fit. What is emerging in RCA is a world-class group of retinal specialists, and we could not pass up the opportunity to join.”

Formed by Webster Equity Partners and headquartered here in Southlake, RCA is partnering with leading retina specialists who seek a strategic partner with the capital resources and expertise to invest in their practice infrastructure and position them for continued growth in their markets. RCA is unique in that this is the first horizontal alliance in the eyecare field focused solely on retinal care, the announcement noted.

“Our continued growth with premier retina physicians demonstrates our unique horizontal alliance model resonates with the highest quality physicians,” RCA chief executive officer Robert Grabow said in the announcement. “We are pleased to have Dr. Clark and the team at Palmetto Retina join RCA. Their long history of collaborating with many of our current practices and commitment to research and advancing the field of retinal care makes them a perfect addition to our alliance.”

RCA is governed by a medical leadership board that is co-chaired by Joel Pearlman, MD, PhD, and David M. Brown, MD. Drs. Pearlman and Brown are both leaders in clinical trials that led to the development of anti-VEGF injections for the treatment of macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion.