ST. LOUIS—EyeCare Partners LLC (ECP), a leading clinically integrated network of ophthalmology and optometry providers, said Wednesday that it successfully completed its acquisition of Retina Associates of Kentucky (RAK). The RAK practice is one of the largest independent vitreoretinal physician practices in the central U.S., according to the ECP announcement. RAK adds 12 doctors and 107 clinical and support team members to the ECP network across 12 eyecare locations and strong partnerships with eight surgical sites, four health systems and four ambulatory surgery centers.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
 
“The addition of Retina Associates of Kentucky to the EyeCare Partners clinically integrated network not only expands our ability to provide excellent care to patients in Kentucky, but also enriches the knowledge base of our entire network through their nationally recognized research division,” ECP chief executive officer David Clark said. “We are better together. As we combine the resources and expertise of more than 1,000 doctors and 7,000 eyecare professionals, we are advancing quality eyecare across the nation and enhancing outcomes for patients throughout the EyeCare Partners network.”
 
ECP, which currently oversees 650 ECP-affiliated practice locations, is a portfolio company of the global private markets firm Partners Group.
 
RAK is a nationally recognized, award-winning practice with specialization in retina detachments, macular degeneration, diabetes-related conditions, histoplasmosis and uveitis. As one of the premier clinical research groups in the nation, the RAK research division engages in research studies on national and international levels, and its physicians serve as principal investigators in national clinical trials as well as working in collaboration with other research centers such as the National Eye Institute, according to the announcement.
 
“At Retina Associates of Kentucky, our overarching mission is to provide comprehensive state-of-the-art vision care to patients with diseases of the retina and vitreous in a prompt and compassionate manner,” said Thomas Stone, MD, of Retina Associates of Kentucky.
 
“We also have a long history of contributing to the advancement of the eyecare field through research and education. By joining the EyeCare Partners network of more than 300 ophthalmologists and over 700 optometrists across 18 states, we will further enhance our expertise and resources to create better outcomes and experiences for our patients with retinal disease and disorders.”
 
EyeCare Partners manages a national network with more than 300 ophthalmologists and 700 optometrists, who provide a lifetime of care to patients with a mission to enhance vision, advance eyecare and improve lives. The group’s 650-plus practice locations provide care in 18 states and 80 markets, providing services that span the eyecare continuum, the group noted.