ATLANTA—EyeSouth Partners (EyeSouth), an eyecare-focused management services organization backed by Shore Capital Partners, has completed an affiliation with Central Florida Eye Specialists (CFES), according to an announcement earlier this week. The affiliation represents EyeSouth’s third in Florida and first in the central Florida area. Dr. Kevin Barber and Dr. Ryan Scruggs lead the CFES organization, which functions with six total providers, including Dr. Ilya Sluch, MD; Dr. Dawn Scruggs, MD; Dr. Phillip Mackinder, OD, and Dr. Andrea Chih, OD. CFES employs approximately 60 support staff across three primary clinical locations in Deland, Orange City and Lake Mary and three satellites in downtown Orlando, New Smyrna Beach and Ormond Beach, according to this week’s announcement.

The CFES practice will continue to operate under its brand, with no changes to staff, physicians or locations, according to the announcement.

Since its founding in 1999, CFES maintains a long-standing track record of providing high-quality eyecare throughout Volusia County. In recent years, the practice has experienced rapid growth, upgrading offices and expanding into new geographic areas such as Lake Mary, the announcement noted.

“We are excited to continue the growth of our practice with EyeSouth, who supports our core values and the importance of quality care provided to the patients and communities that we serve,” Dr. Barber said in the announcement.

Added Dr. Scruggs, “While we are very proud of what we have already accomplished at CFES, there is opportunity to further enhance patient experience and increase patient access, and EyeSouth is fully aligned with us on these initiatives.”

In the announcement, EyeSouth said that it is committed to partnering with leading physicians to build a premier network of eyecare services in the South. Its affiliate network consists of 15 practices with approximately 95 doctors providing medical and surgical eyecare services at approximately 62 locations, including 10 surgery centers throughout Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama.

“It is very exciting to partner with another high-quality practice in Florida,” said Dr. Eugene Gabianelli, MD, chief medical officer of EyeSouth Partners. “We look forward to building on CFES’s innovative and patient-first culture and experiencing what our organizations can accomplish together.”