In new facility - Eye Care Specialists

Business Today

POPLAR BLUFF -- With the opening of offices at 679 Physician's Park Drive, doctors with Eye Care Specialists are bringing a full spectrum of eye care to Poplar Bluff.

Eye Care Specialists LLC was established in 1991 in Cape Girardeau by Dr. David Westrich under the original name of Cape Retinal Surgery Center. Westrich and the team of physicians at Eye Care Specialist have been servicing Poplar Bluff since 1993 working out of Kneibert Clinic before the move.

In 1998, the name was changed and more subspecialties services were implemented. The new facility in Poplar Bluff opened Jan. 5.

"We are providing most services here as we do in Cape Girardeau," said Gina Bellis, chief operations officer. "With the move we are no longer working in the confines of other facilities. The new facility includes modern exam rooms and space for the transportable laser."

The new offices located next to Poplar Bluff Medical Partners surgery center have modern exam rooms and space for the laser used in LASIK laser vision correction. A number of features are built into the building to accommodate every type of patient, said Bellis.

A highlight of the new facility, said Bellis, is the space to facilitate the $500,000 VISK Star S4 excimer laser. The laser, used in refractive eye surgery, enables doctors to perform complicated procedures locally.

"Now that the laser can be moved to Poplar Bluff (from Cape Girardeau), patients don't have to spend a night in a hotel," said Bellis.

Dr. Brad Stuckenschneider is the primary ophthalmologist at the Poplar Bluff location providing diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, no stitch cataract surgery, laser surgery, treatment of diabetic eye disease and treatment of glaucoma.

Stuckenschneider is joined on a regular basis by Dr. Westrich, Dr. D. Shawn Parker, Dr. Mark Cascairo and Dr. Richard Pollock.