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From its origins in October 2001, created by a team out to combine hands-on vision care, managed care expertise and optical retail experience with operational know-how, the vision for MyEyeDr. was different. The goal was to create a new business model, one that would emphasize, as the name implied, the doctor’s credibility to patients and consumers at a time when the industry was moving from a mid 80s-to-90s “one-hour optical” trend to one that could more expertly manage the onset of managed vision care which was starting to grow rapidly across the country.

The idea was to help doctors concentrate on serving patients while an experienced team would bring operational investment and expertise into the premium eyecare equation.

As the company rapidly grew, via the backing of increasingly larger private equity partners, at its different stages MyEyeDr. has been able to rapidly and consistently expand by providing a transition solution to one-and-two-unit practices as well as some of the U.S. business’ more prominent regional professional eyecare leaders. And its Capital Vision Services organization would be expanded to better operate the evolving organization.

As co-founder Sue Downes explained to VM back in 2014 when the company had 46 locations, “Our vision was to make a business that was doctor-driven, a total vision concept.” MyEyeDr. wanted to convey to independent practice founders and owners “that we have the operational excellence in our space.”

Today, primarily under the MyEyeDr. banner, the company is exceeding 820 offices, the company’s services and infrastructure team and employees now includes a majority of patient facing doctors and associates as well as a behind-the-scenes services organization focusing on operations, systems, product management, merchandising, inventory and technology, and strategic planning.

The company’s footprint spans 27 states, working to create a “one-family” culture which is building new career paths for doctors and associates. It is also putting new types of talent and skill sets in place with experienced senior leadership additions from other fields. Backed by Goldman Sachs, the goal is to create a modern eye health business, CEO Downes tells VM, to “elevate the role of eye health and the patient experience.” The company just marked its 20th anniversary last fall.

This special inaugural VM Trailblazers feature will look at MyEyeDr.’s (MED) current perspective, its growth and expansion milestones and several new initiatives. We’ll take a look at MED’s optometric and clinical professional organization, its new professional programs, the rise of medical optometry and new energy behind routine eyecare along with its social, DEI and community efforts. We’ll also take a look at MED’s private equity evolution and its strategic long-term commitments to the future.

A NOTE to VM READERS

VM TRAILBLAZERS: Portraits in Industry Leadership is a new editorial initiative, which will be done on a select basis during the year. The goal is to provide an exclusive, deeper dive into some of today’s leading eyecare and optical companies, innovators and organizations.