Great Lakes Eye Care

What Great Lakes Eye Care does

Great Lakes Eye Care is a physician-owned ophthalmology and optometry practice founded in 1987 and headquartered in Saint Joseph, Michigan. It diagnoses and treats the full range of eye disorders — cataracts, glaucoma, retinal disease including age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, dry eye syndrome, oculoplastic conditions, pediatric eye disorders, and neuro-ocular vision problems following concussion or stroke — and provides routine preventative eye care to communities across Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana. The clinical platform spans 11 doctors (six board-certified ophthalmologists with fellowship training in retina, uveitis, cornea/refractive, and oculoplastics, plus five optometrists) supported by a large technical and administrative staff, four clinic locations (Saint Joseph, Niles, South Haven, Mishawaka), an affiliated Great Lakes Surgery Center, a full-service optical shop, and a clinical research division active in more than 70 trials since 1993.

The practice's technology stack combines conventional state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical equipment with two proprietary differentiators: the Cooke Formula, a custom IOL power prediction method layered onto premium cataract surgery (toric and Light Adjustable Lens tiers priced at $1,500-$3,900 per eye out-of-pocket), and the FDA-authorized Valeda Photobiomodulation System for dry AMD, an elective cash-pay therapy typically delivered across 9 sessions per cycle. Additional clinical depth includes minimally-invasive glaucoma surgery (iStent, XenGel stent, goniotomy), intraocular injections, vitrectomy, and an Acquired Brain Injury Clinic for neuro-ocular rehabilitation. A long-running clinical research program offers patients access to investigational therapies in glaucoma, dry eye, thyroid eye disease, macular degeneration, and post-surgical inflammation.

The business model is a hybrid professional services and retail operation. Medical services (exams, diagnostics, surgery, injections) are billed through medical insurance contracted via the Lakeland Care Network (aligning with Corewell Health Southwest Michigan plans); vision insurance is not accepted. Patient acquisition runs through two parallel GTM motions: (i) a referral channel driven by regional optometrists and healthcare providers who route complex cases to specialist physicians, and (ii) a direct-to-consumer channel via online scheduling, phone, community reputation, and word of mouth that draws patients from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and beyond. The Vision Outreach International mission arm operates internationally across 25+ countries but is a ministry rather than a commercial revenue line. The practice is privately held by founder Dr. David L. Cooke and physician partners, with no disclosed external equity, debt, or recapitalization activity.

Name

Great Lakes Eye Care

Legal name

Great Lakes Eye Care

Website

https://greateyecare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Eye Care is a physician-owned ophthalmology and optometry practice founded in 1987, operating four clinics across Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana to diagnose and treat eye disease, perform cataract and other ocular surgery, and provide routine eye care and optical retail services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Optical Goods Retailers (45613)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Glaucoma Specialists (HLAKAKAG), Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers (HLAKAKAN), Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)

Keywords

• Ophthalmology services
• Cataract surgery
• Glaucoma treatment
• Retinal disease care
• Optical retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Joseph

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medical Eye Care Services: Revenue from eye examinations, diagnostic services, medical treatments, and surgical procedures billed to medical insurance. Services include cataract surgery, glaucoma treatment, retinal services, oculoplastic services, and pediatric exams.
2. Optical Shop: Retail sales of eyeglass frames and lenses, contact lenses, and sunglasses. Staffed by experienced opticians rather than salespeople. No commission-based sales.
3. Insurance Billing: Accepts medical insurance through Lakeland Care Network. Does not accept vision insurance but accepts CareCredit as payment option. Blue Cross Blue Shield and some other plans accepted.
4. Valeda Light Therapy: Out-of-pocket treatment for dry AMD. Most insurance does not cover this therapy, making it an elective cash-pay service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Great Lakes Eye Care is a multi-location ophthalmology and optometry practice that diagnoses and treats eye disorders and provides routine preventative eye care. Its core offerings include comprehensive eye examinations, cataract surgery with advanced lens options, glaucoma management, retinal disease treatment, oculoplastic surgery, pediatric exams, dry eye treatment, and neuro-ocular acquired brain injury evaluations, complemented by a full-service optical shop and an active clinical research program.

Product overview

Great Lakes Eye Care is a comprehensive ophthalmology and optometry practice offering a unified platform of eye care services through 4 locations in Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana. The practice operates as a single integrated eye care platform comprising clinical services (examinations, cataract surgery, glaucoma management, retinal services, dry eye treatment, pediatric exams, oculoplastic services, and acquired brain injury care), diagnostic technologies (Valeda photobiomodulation therapy, advanced retinal imaging), and retail optical services (Great Lakes Optical Shop with prescription eyewear and contact lenses). The practice also maintains an active clinical research division conducting trials since 1993. The service model emphasizes comprehensive care from diagnosis through treatment and surgery, with a team of 6 ophthalmologists and 5 optometrists augmented by a large support staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eye Examinations Comprehensive eye examinations including visual acuity testing, refraction using a phoropter, pupil reflex evaluation, ocular motility, visual field assessment, slit lamp examination, and fundus examination for adult and pediatric patients.
• Cataract Surgery Cataract surgery with customized lens options including basic fixed lenses, single focus lenses with astigmatism correction, and Light Adjustable Lens (LAL/LAL+) technology; thousands of procedures performed annually.
• Cataract Surgery Lens Options Multiple IOL implant options including Basic Fixed Lens (standard monofocal), Single Focus Lens with Astigmatism Correction (toric IOL), and Light Adjustable Lens (LAL/LAL+) customizable post-surgery, incorporating the proprietary Cooke Formula advanced testing.
• Glaucoma Management Comprehensive glaucoma care including diagnostic imaging, medical therapy, laser procedures, and MIGS (iStent, XenGel stent, goniotomy), as well as traditional procedures like Ahmed tube shunts and trabeculectomy.
• Retinal Services Diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macular holes, retinal tears and detachments, and uveitis, including laser treatment, FDA-approved intraocular injections, vitrectomy, and retinal surgery.
• Valeda Light Therapy FDA-authorized non-invasive photobiomodulation therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), using specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular activity in the retina; typically 9 sessions over 3-5 weeks per treatment cycle as an out-of-pocket elective service.
• Dry Eye Treatment Diagnosis and treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome, addressing symptoms such as stinging, burning, itching, scratchiness, irritation, blurred vision, and excessive tearing with a wide variety of treatment options tailored to each patient.
• Pediatric Exams Specialized eye care for children by Dr. Duane Tolsma (OD) and Dr. Stanley Pletcher (MD), diagnosing and treating misalignment (strabismus), refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism), anisometropia, and amblyopia (lazy eye).
• Oculoplastic Services Subspecialty care by Dr. Stanley Pletcher for eyelids, lacrimal system, and orbit conditions including entropion, ectropion, ptosis, dermatochalasis, brow ptosis, eyelid lesions, styes, chalazion, blocked tear ducts, and Graves Disease, with procedures such as blepharoplasty, ptosis repair, and lid reconstruction.
• Acquired Brain Injury Clinic Specialized evaluations by Dr. Rachel McKuras for patients whose vision has been affected by concussion, stroke, or other neurological injuries, with focused assessment and targeted treatment for blurred vision, double vision, eye strain, and visual processing difficulties.
• Great Lakes Optical Shop Full-service optical shop offering prescription glasses and eyewear, staffed by experienced opticians (not commission-based salespeople) with over 100 years of combined experience; carries frames including Michael Kors, Tura, Flexon, Columbia, Caviar, Europa, Marchon, and Maui Jim, plus all major contact lens brands and Oasis Tears.
• Clinical Research Clinical research program active since 1993 with participation in over 70 clinical trials covering glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, thyroid eye disease, macular degeneration, and post-surgical inflammation, offering patients access to therapies before commercial approval.

Quantifiable outcome

• Valeda treatment showed average gain of 5.4 letters on eye chart vs 3.0 letters in placebo group after 13 months
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vision Outreach InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVision Outreach International is the mission arm of Great Lakes Eye Care, following the example of Jesus Christ with compassion for the blind poor in underserved regions of the world. Multiple doctors and staff participate in international medical mission trips. Dr. David Cooke serves as a board member.
• Lakeland Care NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreat Lakes Eye Care is part of the Lakeland Care Network, accepting the same insurance plans as Corewell Health Southwest Michigan. This enables the practice to serve patients with insurance coverage through this network.
• CareCreditminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCareCredit is accepted as a method of payment for services not covered by insurance, providing patients with financing options for elective procedures like Valeda therapy or advanced lens options.
• Regional Optometrists and Healthcare ProviderscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral network of optometrists and healthcare providers throughout Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana who refer patients to Great Lakes Eye Care for specialist evaluation and treatment. The practice provides timely access to care, clear communication, and seamless referral experience.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• EyeCare Partners: PE-backed national ophthalmology and optometry platform operating hundreds of locations across the U.S. Comparable as a multi-site integrated eye care provider offering exams, surgery, optical, and clinical research, but at much larger scale with PE-driven consolidation strategy.
• Henry Ford Ophthalmology: Hospital-based ophthalmology department within a large Michigan health system offering comprehensive subspecialty eye care. Comparable in subspecialty breadth, though operating from an integrated delivery system rather than a private practice platform.
• University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center: Academic ophthalmology center in Ann Arbor offering comprehensive medical and surgical eye care across subspecialties including retina, glaucoma, cornea, and oculoplastics. Comparable as a regional subspecialty destination, though anchored in academic medicine rather than private practice.
• Retina Consultants of America: Network of leading retinal specialty practices across the U.S. Comparable to GLEC's retina subspecialty offerings, but operating through PE-backed consolidation at national scale.

Direct peers

• Associated Retinal Consultants: Midwest-based retina specialty practice with multiple locations in Michigan and surrounding states. Directly comparable as a regional multi-location ophthalmology subspecialty group focused on retinal disease, vitrectomy, and intravitreal injections.
• Specialty Eye Institute: Michigan-based ophthalmology and optometry practice with locations in Jackson, Lansing, and surrounding areas. Directly comparable as a multi-location regional ophthalmology group with subspecialty coverage and residency training affiliations.
• Cincinnati Eye Institute: Large multi-subspecialty ophthalmology practice in the Midwest with research and surgical training programs. Comparable to GLEC's fellowship-trained subspecialty model, ocular disease residency program, and clinical research activity.

Regional players

• Holland Eye Clinic: Michigan-based ophthalmology practice serving the West Michigan lakeshore region. Comparable as a regional eye care provider with cataract surgery, glaucoma, and optical services, though operating in an adjacent rather than overlapping geographic territory.
• Mid Michigan Eye Care: Mid-Michigan ophthalmology and optometry practice offering cataract, glaucoma, and routine eye care services. Comparable as a multi-doctor regional ophthalmology group, though primarily serving a different Michigan geography.

Others

• Lumea (formerly Sightpath Medical): Provider of ophthalmic surgical equipment, instrumentation, and intraoperative services to cataract and refractive surgeons. Adjacent comparable as an enabling ecosystem partner to regional ophthalmology practices like GLEC performing high-volume cataract surgery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/greateyecare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-lakes-eye-care

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Great Lakes Eye Care