Southwestern Eye Center

What Southwestern Eye Center does

Southwestern Eye Center is a multi-specialty ophthalmology and optometry practice founded in 1982 in Mesa, Arizona by Dr. L. Lothaire Bluth. It operates approximately 20-21 clinical locations across Arizona (Phoenix Metro, Northern and Southern Arizona) and New Mexico (Deming, Las Cruces), staffed by 56 ophthalmologists and optometrists delivering comprehensive eye care including routine and medical eye exams, cataract surgery with premium IOL options, LASIK and refractive lens exchange, glaucoma management, retina care, cornea treatment, dry eye management, pediatric eye care, ocular prosthesis, cosmetic/oculoplastic procedures, low-vision rehabilitation, and on-site optical retail for glasses and contacts. The practice pioneered an integrated optometry-ophthalmology model enabling internal referrals between optometrists and surgical specialists, and operates ambulatory surgery centers plus mobile surgical teams that extend care into rural and underserved communities across the Southwest, with historical outreach into Chihuahua, Mexico.

Revenue is generated through two principal streams: professional services for clinical and surgical care (billed primarily to Medicare, Medicaid/AHCCCS, and commercial insurance) and retail sales through on-site optical shops. Elective procedures such as LASIK (industry-average ~$2,000-$2,500 per eye) and refractive lens exchange are largely self-pay, with patient financing offered through CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit. Since 2017, Southwestern Eye Center has operated as a founding practice within the American Vision Partners (AVP) network alongside Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, with H.I.G. Capital as an investor in the platform; AVP provides centralized management services covering billing, marketing, and compliance, allowing clinical practices to retain autonomy while benefiting from shared scale. GTM is hybrid: sales-led and B2B via a referring optometrist network, combined with direct-to-consumer acquisition through content marketing, SEO-optimized location pages, social media, online scheduling, and a NextGen-based patient portal.

Name

Southwestern Eye Center

Legal name

Southwestern Eye Center

Website

https://sweye.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Southwestern Eye Center is a multi-specialty ophthalmology and optometry practice operating approximately 20-21 locations across Arizona and New Mexico, staffed by 56 doctors delivering comprehensive eye exams, cataract and LASIK surgery, and specialty treatments to regional patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology and Optometry Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Optical Goods Retailers (45613)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmology Clinics (Medical & Surgical Eye Care) (HLAKAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Ophthalmology Surgery Centers (HLAFAIAF), Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF), Ambulatory Surgery Centers (Ophthalmic/Outpatient Eye Surgery) (HLAKAKAO), Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Ophthalmology services
• Eye care practice
• Cataract surgery
• LASIK vision correction
• Retina treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Mesa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Clinical Eye Care Services: Revenue from comprehensive eye exams, diagnostic services, and medical eye treatments provided by ophthalmologists and optometrists.
2. Surgical Procedures: Revenue from cataract surgery, LASIK, glaucoma surgery, retina procedures, and other surgical interventions.
3. Optical Shop: Revenue from prescription glasses, contact lenses, and optical accessories sold through on-site optical shops.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southwestern Eye Center is a multi-specialty ophthalmology and optometry practice providing comprehensive eye care services including routine and medical eye exams, cataract surgery, LASIK, glaucoma management, retina care, cornea services, dry eye treatment, pediatric eye care, ocular prosthetics, cosmetic procedures, and an on-site optical shop for glasses and contacts. The practice operates through an integrated eye care model coordinating optometry and ophthalmology under one network across 20+ locations in Arizona and New Mexico.

Product overview

Southwestern Eye Center is a multi-specialty ophthalmology and optometry practice offering a comprehensive range of eye care services. The practice operates as a unified healthcare delivery platform providing primary eye exams, surgical procedures (cataract, LASIK, retina), and specialized treatments (glaucoma, cornea, dry eye, pediatric care) across 20+ locations in Arizona and New Mexico. Services include an on-site Optical Shop for glasses and contacts, Ocular Prosthesis fitting, Cosmetic Procedures, and Low Vision rehabilitation. The practice emphasizes integrated care with ophthalmologists and optometrists working collaboratively to coordinate patient treatment across specialties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eye Exams Comprehensive routine and medical eye examinations including vision testing, refraction, eye health checks, and prescription updates for adults and children.
• Cataract Surgery Surgical removal of cataracts with modern intraocular lens options including standard, multifocal, trifocal, and astigmatism-correcting lenses.
• Glaucoma Treatment Medical and surgical management of glaucoma including medications, laser treatments (SLT, DLT), MIGS procedures, and tube shunt surgery.
• Dry Eye Treatment Diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome including medications, punctal plugs, and lifestyle recommendations for managing symptoms.
• Retina Services Specialized care for retinal conditions including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment surgery, macular edema, and retinitis pigmentosa.
• Cornea Services Treatment of corneal diseases and conditions including surgical and medical management of cornea-related eye problems.
• Pediatric Eye Care Eye examinations and treatment services for children, including vision screenings and management of pediatric eye conditions.
• Optical Shop On-site optical retail offering prescription glasses, contact lenses, sunglasses, and personalized fitting services from experienced opticians.
• Ocular Prosthesis Custom prosthetic eye fabrication and fitting services for patients requiring artificial eye replacement.
• LASIK Surgery Laser vision correction surgery to reshape the cornea and correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Includes traditional and bladeless/wavefront-guided options.
• Cosmetic Procedures Ophthalmic plastic and cosmetic surgery services including eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), brow lift, and facial rejuvenation procedures.
• Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) Surgical replacement of the eye's natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens, alternative to LASIK for patients with high hyperopia, myopia, or presbyopia.
• Low Vision Services Vision rehabilitation services including low vision evaluations, magnifiers, electronic video magnifiers, glare-control lenses, and accessibility guidance for patients with macular degeneration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80-90% success rate for retinal detachment surgery
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Vision PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Southwestern Eye Center partnered with Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center as a founding practice in the American Vision Partners (AVP) network in 2017. AVP is a management services organization providing administrative support, enabling affiliated eye care practices to maintain clinical autonomy while benefiting from shared resources, operational expertise, and scale.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EyeCare Partners: PE-backed, multi-specialty ophthalmology and optometry platform with hundreds of providers across the U.S.; offers cataract, LASIK, glaucoma, retina, and optical services, and is the largest direct competitor in the ophthalmology roll-up space.
• Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center: Co-founding practice of American Vision Partners alongside Southwestern; operates as a multi-specialty ophthalmology and optometry group in Arizona with a similar integrated care model, surgical service mix, and optical shop offering.
• Vision Innovation Partners: PE-backed ophthalmology platform consolidating practices across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast; provides a comparable integrated care model combining optometry, ophthalmology, and optical retail.
• Comprehensive EyeCare Partners: PE-backed multi-specialty eye care platform headquartered in the western U.S.; competes for the same regional acquisition targets, physician recruits, and patient volumes in adjacent Southwestern and Western states.
• Retina Consultants of America: PE-backed network of retina-specialty practices offering medical and surgical retina care; directly comparable for Southwestern's retina service line and for physician recruitment in a subspecialty with acute talent shortages.

Emerging players

• TLC Laser Eye Centers: North American LASIK-focused chain with multiple locations; overlaps directly with Southwestern's LASIK, PRK, and refractive lens exchange service lines and competes for the same elective cash-pay patients in overlapping markets.
• LasikPlus: U.S. LASIK-focused chain with a regional clinic model; directly comparable in surgical vision correction services, patient financing structures, and consumer-direct marketing motion for elective procedures.

Broad incumbents

• Mayo Clinic Ophthalmology: Integrated academic medical center with multi-specialty ophthalmology including cataract, glaucoma, retina, and cornea care; competes for complex surgical referrals and for fellowship-trained ophthalmologist recruitment in the Southwest.

Others

• LensCrafters: National optical retailer owned by EssilorLuxottica; competes with Southwestern's on-site optical shops for prescription eyewear and contact lens sales, particularly in retail locations that do not require a physician visit.
• Warby Parker: Vertically integrated DTC eyewear brand with physical retail and online channels; indirectly competes with Southwestern's optical shops on price and convenience for routine prescription eyewear, even though it does not provide medical eye care.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sweyecenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/southwesterneyecenter
• Xx.com/sweyecenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwestern-eye-center

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southwestern Eye Center