The Ross Eye Institute

What The Ross Eye Institute does

The Ira G. Ross Eye Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, university-affiliated ophthalmology practice headquartered in Buffalo, New York, operating three clinical locations (Buffalo Niagara, Amherst/Northtowns, Orchard Park/Southtowns) that serve more than 48,000 patients per year across Western New York. It is the clinical practice plan for the University at Buffalo Department of Ophthalmology under UBMD Physicians' Group and is the only university-affiliated vision care practice in the region, combining patient care, research (Vision Research Center, SUNY Eye Institute consortium), and physician training through an accredited Orthoptic Program and an Ophthalmology Residency consortium with ECMC, the VA Medical Center, and Kaleida Health.

The institute delivers comprehensive subspecialty eye care across cornea, retina, cataract, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, oculofacial plastics, ocular pathology, dry eye, and optometry, supported by a menu of advanced diagnostic and surgical technologies: Zeiss Cirrus OCT, HRT Heidelberg Spectralis, Pentacam corneal topography, IOL Master biometry, fundus photography and fluorescein angiography, electrophysiology/ERG, SLT laser, and the Light Adjustable Lens (RxSight) with Light Delivery Device for post-surgical IOL customization. It also operates a retail optical shop, a specialty contact lens service (including scleral, RGP, and prosthetic lenses), and an active clinical trials program. Optical and dry-eye product lines include designer frames, Neurolens, OptiLight IPL, and OptiPlus RF/OPT systems.

Revenue is generated by fee-for-service clinical care billed to commercial insurance, Medicare, and self-pay patients; surgical and procedural fees (cataracts, corneal transplants such as DSEK/DMEK, retina, glaucoma lasers and microsurgery); retail optical sales (frames, lenses, specialty contact lenses); CareCredit-financed elective procedures such as LASIK and premium IOLs; tuition for the Orthoptic Program ($5,000 per student); clinical trial sponsor funding; and donations through the Vision Quest fundraiser jointly supporting the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Patient acquisition relies on physician referrals, regional hospital and UBMD network referrals, community reputation, and a website/patient portal with online appointment requests and bill pay.

Name

The Ross Eye Institute

Legal name

The Ira G. Ross Eye Institute

Website

https://rosseye.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Ross Eye Institute is a 501(c)3 university-affiliated ophthalmology practice operating three Western New York clinics that provide subspecialty eye care — cornea, retina, cataract, glaucoma, pediatric, and dry eye — to 48,000+ patients annually under UBMD and the University at Buffalo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (621320), Offices of Physicians (62111), Optical Goods Retailers (45613)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers (HLAKAKAN), Vision & Ophthalmic Diagnostic Centers (Optometry/OCT/Retinal Imaging) (HLAFAKAI), Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF), Retina & Vitreous Specialists (HLAKAKAE), Contact Lenses & Care Systems (Soft/RGP/Scleral Lenses; Cleaning/Disinfection Solutions) (HLAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Ophthalmology services
• Eye care treatment
• Cataract surgery
• Retinal disease treatment
• Vision research

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Services: The Ross Eye Institute generates revenue through comprehensive ophthalmic care services including examinations, diagnostic testing, medical and surgical treatments, and optical products. Services are billed to insurance plans (participating and non-participating), Medicare, and patients directly through self-pay arrangements. Co-payments and procedure fees are collected at time of service.
2. Optical Products: Revenue from prescription eyewear, glasses, frames, lenses, and specialty contact lenses. The institute operates an optical shop offering designer frames and lenses.
3. Financing Programs: Accepts CareCredit healthcare financing credit card for procedures not covered by insurance including LASIK and premium IOLs, enabling patients to pay over time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ira G. Ross Eye Institute is a nonprofit, university-affiliated ophthalmology practice that delivers comprehensive and subspecialty medical and surgical eye care across cornea, retina, cataract, glaucoma, pediatrics/strabismus, dry eye, macular degeneration, oculofacial plastic surgery, and contact lens services. It also operates an in-house optical shop, an accredited Orthoptic training program, an Ophthalmology Residency program, and an active Vision Research Center with clinical trials.

Product overview

The Ira G. Ross Eye Institute operates as a multi-location ophthalmology and optometry practice serving Western New York with three facilities in Buffalo, Amherst, and Orchard Park. The practice offers a comprehensive range of eye care services organized around subspecialty areas including cornea, retina, cataract, glaucoma, pediatrics/strabismus, and ocular pathology. The institute provides surgical services (cataract surgery with Light Adjustable Lens technology), dry eye treatments (including OptiLight IPL therapy), contact lens services (routine and specialty), optical retail, and clinical research. As a university-affiliated institution affiliated with UBMD and the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine, it also operates educational programs including an accredited Orthoptic Program and Ophthalmology Residency Program. The practice serves over 48,000 patients annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Eye Care Routine eye examinations and general vision care services covering common conditions such as pink eye, dry eye, and basic vision correction needs for patients of all ages.
• Cornea Services Diagnosis and treatment of corneal conditions including Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy, Bullous Keratopathy, Keratoconus, Superficial Keratitis, Thyroid Eye Disease, corneal ulcers, and herpes simplex, including DSEK and DMEK corneal transplantation procedures.
• Retina Services Specialized care for retinal conditions including retinal detachments, retinal hemorrhage, retinal tears/holes, epiretinal membrane, endophthalmitis, uveitis, BRVO, and CRVO, supported by OCT imaging, fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and electrophysiology testing.
• Cataract Services Cataract diagnosis, management, and surgical treatment including intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, with access to the Light Adjustable Lens by RxSight for post-surgical vision customization.
• Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment Management and treatment of diabetic retinopathy through laser photocoagulation and ongoing monitoring of retinal health for diabetic patients.
• Dry Eye Treatment Comprehensive dry eye management including artificial tears, punctal occlusion, Restasis prescription medication, topical steroids, and surgical options when necessary.
• Glaucoma Treatment Diagnosis and management of increased intraocular pressure including prescription eye drops, Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), and microsurgery.
• Macular Degeneration Treatment Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) care including vitamin supplementation, laser therapy, medications, and vision aids.
• Light Adjustable Lens (RxSight)

Quantifiable outcome

• 48,000+ patients served annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences - Department of OphthalmologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary academic affiliation - the Ira G. Ross Eye Institute is the university-affiliated vision care practice for the UB Department of Ophthalmology. Medical students and residents train at the institute, and faculty include UB professors who are also practicing physicians. Research collaboration through the Vision Research Center.
• The Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted, M.D. Center for SightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVision excellence collaboration between the Olmsted Center and the UB Department of Ophthalmology. Co-located facilities with shared resources for advanced eye care delivery.
• The Lions Club of BuffalosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvaluable support from the Lions Club helps attract highly skilled physicians and enabled the opening of the high-tech Lions Diagnostic Imaging Center.
• UBMD Physicians' GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice plan including more than 450 physicians who are also professors at UB School of Medicine. Provides integrated electronic medical records enabling coordinated care across UBMD offices.
• Kaleida HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital system consortium partner providing clinical training facilities and healthcare services. Part of the consortium including ECMC, VA Medical Center, and Kaleida Health that serves the 1.5 million people of Western New York.
• ECMC (Erie County Medical Center)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital consortium partner providing residency training facilities and tertiary eye care services for the region.
• Sisters HospitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaleida Health system hospital partner providing clinical training and healthcare services.
• Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational non-profit funding research for retinal disease treatments. WNY Vision Quest fundraiser distributes donations equally between FFB and Ross Eye Institute. FFB funds 75 research studies annually and has 30+ clinical trials underway.
• SUNY Eye InstitutesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUNY-wide eye research consortium represented by four SUNY medical centers and the College of Optometry. Ross Eye Institute researchers collaborate through this consortium.
• American Orthoptic Council (AOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccrediting body for orthoptic programs. Ross Eye Institute's Orthoptic Program is fully accredited by the AOC and graduates are qualified to sit for national board examinations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Flaum Eye Institute (University of Rochester): University-affiliated academic ophthalmology practice at the University of Rochester, offering comparable subspecialty coverage, residency training, and vision research in the same Upstate New York region — the closest academic peer to Ross Eye.
• Wills Eye Hospital: One of the oldest and largest academic ophthalmology hospitals in the U.S., providing comprehensive subspecialty eye care, residency training, and active clinical research — directly comparable academic practice model to Ross Eye.
• Bascom Palmer Eye Institute: Top-ranked university-affiliated eye institute (University of Miami) offering the full breadth of subspecialty ophthalmology, vision research, and ophthalmology residency — a direct academic peer along operating model, scope, and clinical-trial activity.
• Mass Eye and Ear (Massachusetts General Brigham): Harvard-affiliated academic ophthalmology department within Mass General Brigham, providing subspecialty eye care, residency/fellowship training, and vision research — directly comparable as a teaching-hospital eye institute.
• Wilmer Eye Institute (Johns Hopkins): Johns Hopkins-affiliated academic ophthalmology practice offering full subspecialty care, residency training, and clinical research — comparable in academic affiliation, research pipeline, and tertiary-referral positioning.

Broad incumbents

• SightMD: Large multi-site ophthalmology and optometry practice across the Northeast U.S. Offers similar subspecialty services (cataract, glaucoma, retina) but operates on a private practice / PE-backed model rather than academic-nonprofit — comparable competitor for the same regional patient pool.
• Eye Centers of America: Multi-site ophthalmology and optometry group serving the Northeast U.S. Provides comparable subspecialty ophthalmology services (cataract, retina, glaucoma) and an in-house optical shop — comparable competitor especially within driving distance of WNY.
• Warby Parker: National direct-to-consumer optical retailer selling prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and offering eye exams through stores and online — competes with Ross Eye's Optical Shop and routine exam volumes on price, convenience, and digital experience.
• LensCrafters: National optical retail chain offering eye exams, prescription eyewear, and contact lenses — competes with Ross Eye's Optical Shop and routine primary-care volumes on convenience, retail footprint, and insurance-network scale.

Others

• Foundation Fighting Blindness: National non-profit funding retinal disease research and clinical trials. Listed as a Ross Eye research partner via the WNY Vision Quest fundraiser and an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor — comparable in non-profit research-funding role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RossEyeInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 The Ross Eye Institute