Ocala Eye Moves Into The Future

With their combined experience, this ophthalmology practice is bringing some of the most sought-after eye diagnostics and procedures to the Ocala community.

For more than 45 years, Ocala Eye has been the largest multispecialty eye care practice in North Central Florida. That’s why they recently opened a brand-new, state-of-the-art office in Market Street at Heath Brook. Here, patients will find leading medical technology and amenities and even a pager system so they can shop and eat while waiting for their appointment. This location also makes access easy for patients from all over the Marion County area.

Ocala Eye offers medical and surgical eye care services, including comprehensive eye exams, aesthetics, eyeglasses, cataract and refractive surgery, and even hearing services. The Heath Brook office features a dedicated aesthetics center where trained aestheticians provide advanced skincare treatments like facials, microdermabrasion, microneedling and more.

But the most important part of any medical practice is, of course, the providers. It’s said that a great surgeon has the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the hands of a lady—Ocala Eye has three such surgeons practicing at their new location.

Jodie Armstrong, MD, FACS, and Hina Ahmed, MD, specialize in cataract surgery, laser eye procedures and diseases of the anterior segment of the eye. Dr. Armstrong is an Ocala native, and Dr. Ahmed has called this community home for more than a decade. Together they have more than 25 years of experience.

“Ocala Eye is different from the rest because it is the only comprehensive eye practice in the Marion County area,” says Dr. Armstrong. “We can perform almost any eye service, from contact lens fittings and regular comprehensive exams to diabetic screenings and eye reconstruction. Ocala Eye only staffs board-certified surgeons. Many are subspecialty trained and fellows of the American College of Surgeons. We have certified scrub technicians assisting in our spacious, eye-only surgery center. We offer the most state-of-the-art testing and surgical equipment.”

One of the Ocala Eye’s guiding principles is education—of staff, patients and the community. Ocala Eye offers extensive technical training programs for their staff and encourages them to earn industry certifications. Providers here also host educational symposia for other eye care professionals in the region. Most importantly, Ocala Eye takes time with each and every patient to teach them about their eye condition and treatment options.

If one of those treatment options includes surgery, patients of Ocala Eye are in good hands.

“Our state-of-the-art surgery center is the only one like it in Marion County,” Dr. Ahmed explains. “Our surgical team is dedicated to eye surgery only. This creates a unique environment that gives our surgeons a laser focus on the procedures we perform. I have worked at other surgery centers, and I can tell you that this difference is palpable. With the addition of Dr. Kim, this adds to breadth of services we offer.”

Sarah Kim, DO, recently joined Ocala Eye as an oculoplastic surgeon. Oculoplastics includes a wide variety of surgical procedures that deal with the eyelids, tear ducts, orbit (eye socket) and surrounding tissues. It also includes the reconstruction of the eyelids and associated structures.

“Ocala Eye has a diverse group of physicians, and the fact that there are three female surgeons is really rare. When deciding to join Ocala Eye, I was excited that there were two women on the board, and this was a big draw for me,” Dr. Kim says. “Also, I was interested in a warm, neighborly community. When I came for my interview, I was really drawn to the friendliness in the community everywhere I went and that Ocala Eye was very involved with the local community beyond only business.”

As the only doctor of her kind in the Ocala area, Dr. Kim provides medical and surgical management of issues like correcting age-related changes to the eyelids, alleviating blocked tear ducts, removing tumors and cancers around the eyes and reconstructing eyelids after trauma, Mohs surgeries or thyroid eye disease. She also offers cosmetic eyelid surgeries and minimally invasive facial rejuvenation, including dermal fillers.

“I was drawn to the field of oculoplastics early on in my ophthalmology residency. I trained at a very busy trauma center in California where I saw numerous patients with complex eyelid lacerations and facial traumas, including dog bites and gunshot wounds to the orbits and face. While repairing a patient’s eyelids in the middle of the night, I realized that I really enjoyed this type of work. I find it extremely rewarding to be able to improve an individual’s visual function and physical confidence. It is a true blessing and privilege to have a career where I can make a meaningful difference for someone by doing what I love.”  

Ocala Eye
(352) 622-5183 › 4414 SW College Road, Suite #1462 › Ocala, FL 34474

Ocala Eye has four other locations for convenient care near you. Visit ocalaeye.com to learn more.

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