ATLANTA—EyeSouth Partners reported late last week that it has completed a strategic affiliation and partnership transaction with Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute and Boynton Beach ASC. The move marks EyeSouth’s expansion and initial presence in the South Florida region, according to the announcement. EyeSouth, an eyecare-focused physician services organization, was formed by Shore Capital Partners, a leading lower middle-market health care private equity firm. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Florida Eye Microsurgical will continue to operate under the same brand, and make no changes to its locations or staff, according to the announcement.

Florida Eye Microsurgical is led by ophthalmologists Randy Katz, MD, Lee Friedman, MD, Barry Schechter, MD, and Jason Gorscak, MD, and chief financial officer/administrator Jason Feuer. The team consists of five ophthalmologists, one optometrist and approximately 75 support staff. The clinical staff provides care out of four locations in Boynton Beach, Wellington, Boca Raton and Jupiter, and the ophthalmologists perform surgery at Boynton Beach ASC. Florida Eye Microsurgical offers a full suite of medical and surgical eyecare.

Feuer will continue to lead the practice as EyeSouth’s director of south Florida, anterior division.

In the announcement, Dr. Katz said, “The mission of Florida Eye Microsurgical has always been to provide an outstanding vision care center to the population of South Florida. EyeSouth’s commitment to providing administrative, operational and management support services will enable us to build upon and further accelerate this mission in a rapidly evolving health care landscape.”

“It was clear from the beginning that we shared similar values and had an alignment of interests with EyeSouth,” Dr. Schechter added. “We both share the core belief of providing the highest quality of clinical care while also providing our employees with opportunities for personal and professional development. We are excited to embark on this new phase with EyeSouth and have high aspirations for what we can accomplish together and offer our patients and employees.”

Eugene Gabianelli, MD, chief medical officer of EyeSouth, said the firm is “extremely excited to expand into south Florida and have Florida Eye Microsurgical join EyeSouth.”

EyeSouth’s affiliate network consists of 52 doctors providing medical and surgical eyecare services at 34 locations throughout Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida, the firm noted.