Relf EyeCare Specialists

What Relf EyeCare Specialists does

Relf EyeCare Specialists, PA is a private ophthalmology and optometry practice founded by Dr. Susan J. Relf, MD in 2003 and headquartered at the Millerwoods Health Care Campus in Hermantown, Minnesota, serving the Duluth-Hermantown region. The practice operates from a single physical location co-located with its Relf Optical retail dispensary, staffed by 3 ophthalmologists, 2 optometrists, and certified opticians. Its service portfolio spans the full eye-care continuum: comprehensive exams, cataract surgery (including first-in-area RxSight Light Adjustable Lens), LASIK/PRK refractive surgery, glaucoma management, diabetic eye care, macular degeneration, low vision, oculoplastic surgery, and 24/7 emergency coverage at all Duluth hospitals. Surgical cases are performed at partner facilities including St. Luke's Hospital, Essentia Health (Miller Dwan), and Lakewalk Surgery Center.

The practice operates two sub-brands: Relf Optical for prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and specialty frames with exclusive designer collections, and Envision (launched 2025) for self-pay dry-eye and periorbital aesthetic treatments using InMode's Lumecca IPL, Forma-I radiofrequency, and Morpheus8 microneedling platforms. Diagnostic technology includes OCT imaging, digital retinal photography, and custom wavefront-guided laser systems.

Revenue derives from four streams: insurance-billed medical eye care (Medicare, Minnesota Medical Assistance, and commercial plans), self-pay refractive surgery (LASIK at $1,750-$2,250 per eye), premium elective lens upgrades (LAL), and optical retail plus self-pay aesthetic treatment series (typically 4-8 sessions with annual maintenance). The business is a professional association operating without external private equity or venture capital, having grown organically through facility expansion in 2024 and incremental clinical staff additions.

Name

Relf EyeCare Specialists

Legal name

Relf EyeCare Specialists, PA

Website

https://relfeyecare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Relf EyeCare Specialists is a private ophthalmology and optometry practice in Hermantown, Minnesota, serving the Duluth region with comprehensive medical eye care, refractive and cataract surgery, dry eye and aesthetic treatments, and an in-house optical retail dispensary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology and Optometry Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF), Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB), Retina & Vitreous Specialists (HLAKAKAE), Vision & Ophthalmic Diagnostic Centers (Optometry/OCT/Retinal Imaging) (HLAFAKAI)

Keywords

• Ophthalmology services
• Cataract surgery
• Refractive surgery
• Optical retail
• Dry eye treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medical Eye Care Services: Comprehensive ophthalmology services including eye exams, diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases (glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy), emergency eye care, and surgical procedures. Revenue generated through insurance billing and patient co-pays.
2. Optical Retail: Sale of prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, specialty eyewear (sports glasses, prescription goggles), and contact lenses through Relf Optical. Carries designer brands and exclusive frame collections. Contact lens sales through online ordering system.
3. Refractive Surgery: Surgical procedures including LASIK, PRK, cataract surgery, and intraocular lens exchange. Standard cataract surgery is covered by Medicare and most insurance; premium options like Light Adjustable Lens are elective and paid out-of-pocket.
4. Aesthetic Treatments: Non-surgical aesthetic procedures under the Envision platform including Lumecca IPL, Forma-I Radiofrequency, Morpheus8 microneedling, and cosmetic Botox. These are self-pay procedures not covered by insurance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Relf EyeCare Specialists is a private ophthalmology and optometry medical practice providing comprehensive eye examinations, surgical procedures (cataract, LASIK, refractive, oculoplastic), and disease management (glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy). The practice also operates Relf Optical, an in-house optical dispensary selling prescription eyewear and contact lenses, and offers aesthetic and dry eye treatments through the Envision platform using InMode technologies (Lumecca IPL, Forma-I RF, Morpheus8 microneedling).

Product overview

Relf EyeCare Specialists is an ophthalmology and optometry practice offering a comprehensive range of eye care services through multiple integrated sub-brands. The core practice provides eye examinations, cataract surgery (including the Light Adjustable Lens technology), LASIK, glaucoma, diabetic eye care, macular degeneration, low vision, and oculoplastic surgery. Relf Optical serves as the in-house optical retail brand offering eyeglasses, contact lenses, specialty eyewear, and lens technology. The Dry Eye Clinic and Aesthetics services are consolidated under the Envision platform, which combines Lumecca IPL, Forma-I radiofrequency, and Morpheus8 microneedling technologies. Emergency eye care is available 24/7 for established patients. The practice operates with five eye doctors (three ophthalmologists and two optometrists) serving Duluth and Hermantown, Minnesota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eye Exams and Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Patients who received Light Adjustable Lens were twice as likely to achieve 20/20 vision at 6 months without glasses compared to standard monofocal IOL
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• InMode (Lumecca, Forma-I, Morpheus8)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Relf EyeCare's Envision platform utilizes InMode's aesthetic medical technologies: Lumecca-I IPL, Forma-I bipolar radiofrequency, and Morpheus8 fractional radiofrequency microneedling for dry eye treatment and periorbital rejuvenation.
• St. Luke's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelf EyeCare surgeons perform cataract surgery at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth. The hospital serves as one of three surgical facilities where the practice conducts outpatient ophthalmic procedures.
• Essentia Health (Miller Dwan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelf EyeCare surgeons perform cataract surgery at Miller Dwan Hospital (part of Essentia Health system). One of the hospital-based surgical facilities used for ophthalmic procedures.
• Lakewalk Surgery CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmbulatory surgical center where Relf EyeCare performs outpatient cataract surgery. Procedures typically take 2-3 hours at this facility (shorter than hospital-based surgery).
• Integrity Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelf EyeCare Specialists is a member of the Integrity Health System, participating as a provider within this healthcare network.
• RxSightcoreTechnology or IntegrationRelf EyeCare is the first eye clinic in the area to offer RxSight's Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) and Light Delivery Device (LDD) technology. This FDA-approved intraocular lens can be postoperatively adjusted to improve uncorrected visual acuity.
• Insurance NetworkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating insurance plans include Medicare, Minnesota Medical Assistance, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Health Partners, Medica, Preferred One, and UCare. The practice submits claims to insurance carriers on behalf of patients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Peers

• America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses:

Broad incumbents

• EyeCare Partners: Large PE-backed ophthalmology and optometry platform operating hundreds of clinics across the Midwest and beyond. Directly comparable as a multi-specialty eye care provider offering cataract surgery, LASIK, and optical retail, though at much greater scale than Relf's single-location practice.
• MyEyeDr. Multi-state optometry platform with hundreds of offices offering eye exams, prescription glasses, and contact lenses. Comparable as a regional multi-site eye care and optical retailer serving similar suburban markets.
• Visionworks: National optical retailer offering eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses across hundreds of U.S. locations. Comparable in optical retail and primary care eye exam offerings for value-oriented consumer segments.
• LensCrafters: National optical retail chain owned by EssilorLuxottica providing eye exams, prescription eyewear, and contact lenses. Comparable in optical retail and primary eye care offerings, though lacks Relf's surgical and aesthetics capabilities.
• PRISM Vision Group: PE-backed network of ophthalmology practices providing comprehensive eye care including cataract surgery, retina, glaucoma, and oculoplastics. Comparable in service mix and surgical focus, but operates at regional multi-site scale rather than single-practice.

Emerging players

• Warby Parker: Direct-to-consumer optical retailer that has expanded into in-person eye exams and is selectively adding ophthalmology-adjacent services. Comparable in optical retail, contact lens e-commerce, and premium frame positioning, though primarily DTC rather than surgical.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfGBxT4ig9Kw0Q_LInykC4g
• Facebookfacebook.com/relfeyecare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/relf-eyecare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Relf EyeCare Specialists