Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates

What Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates does

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates, Inc. is a private pediatric eye care medical practice founded in 1974 in Columbus, Ohio, and operating as an independent professional corporation. The practice serves children from infancy through adolescence, with a secondary segment of adult patients treated for strabismus, and operates three physical office locations (Columbus, Dublin, Westerville), each co-located within a Nationwide Children's Hospital facility. Service offerings include comprehensive eye examinations, vision screening, treatment of amblyopia, strabismus, and refractive errors, pediatric eye surgery (cataracts, glaucoma, strabismus repair), management of congenital and pediatric eye diseases (retinopathy of prematurity, pediatric glaucoma, congenital cataracts), and an in-house optical shop providing custom eyeglasses and accessories.

The business model is a hybrid professional services and retail operation. Primary revenue is generated by billing medical insurance for clinical examinations, procedures, and surgical interventions, with the practice accepting most major commercial carriers (Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Medical Mutual of Ohio) and Ohio Medicaid managed care plans (CareSource, Molina). A secondary retail revenue stream comes from the on-site optical shop selling custom children's eyeglasses, sunglasses, and goggles, with shipping available for an additional fee. The practice operates as a sales-led, referral-driven model: patients are primarily acquired through primary care physician referrals for failed vision screenings, blocked tear ducts, strabismus, or amblyopia, and through the Nationwide Children's Hospital network, with direct appointment scheduling as a complementary channel.

The practice's competitive position rests on a deep, structurally embedded affiliation with Ohio State University College of Medicine and Nationwide Children's Hospital. Approximately 12 physicians on staff hold OSU faculty appointments, serve on the NCH medical staff, and actively participate in NIH-funded multicenter clinical research (CRYO-ROP, STOP-ROP, ETROP, PEDIG). This academic-clinical integration, combined with hospital co-location across all three sites, sustains a referral pipeline that functions as the practice's principal channel. The practice also operates a multilingual patient-facing website (English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, French), reflecting measured investment in broadening patient access across central Ohio's diverse demographics. No proprietary technology, AI/ML systems, software products, or external funding are disclosed.

Name

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates

Legal name

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates, Inc.

Website

https://columbuspoa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates is a private Columbus, Ohio medical practice operating three Nationwide Children's Hospital-affiliated clinics that deliver comprehensive pediatric eye care, including exams, strabismus and amblyopia treatment, surgery, and an optical shop, to children from infancy through adolescence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Ophthalmology Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKAKAD

Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Ophthalmology & Optometry

SECONDARYHLAKAKAC

Ophthalmology Clinics (Medical & Surgical Eye Care)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Ophthalmology & Optometry

SECONDARYHLAFAIAF

Ophthalmology Surgery Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Surgical Centers & Perioperative Care (ASCs)

Keywords

• Pediatric eye care
• Strabismus treatment
• Amblyopia treatment
• Children's ophthalmology
• Optical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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. Medical Eye Care Services: Revenue from comprehensive eye exams, diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions, surgical procedures, and patient consultations billed to medical insurance.
2. Optical Products (Eyeglasses): Revenue from sale of eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles, and vision-related accessories. Orders are custom-made for each child. Shipping available for additional fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates is a pediatric ophthalmology medical practice that conducts comprehensive eye exams, vision screenings, and medical/surgical treatment of children's eye disorders including amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), refractive errors, congenital cataracts, pediatric glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. The practice also operates an in-house optical shop that provides custom eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles, and related accessories for children, and accepts adult strabismus patients by referral. Services are delivered across three Columbus-area offices affiliated with Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Product overview

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates is a pediatric eye care medical practice offering a comprehensive suite of services for children from infancy to adolescence. The core offering consists of comprehensive eye examinations, vision screening, treatment of eye disorders (amblyopia, strabismus, refractive errors), pediatric eye surgery, and disease management. The practice also operates an optical shop providing eyeglasses and accessories. Patient support services include downloadable forms for appointments and medical records requests. The practice has offices in Columbus, Dublin, and Westerville, Ohio, and is affiliated with Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Pediatric Eye Exams Complete medical evaluations of the eye designed for children from infancy to adolescence, including dilated pupil examinations and visual acuity testing, to detect vision problems, eye muscle imbalances, or eye diseases.
• Vision Screening Screening tests to identify vision problems affecting a child's academic performance and overall development.
• Eye Disorder Treatment Medical treatment services for a wide range of pediatric eye disorders, including amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes), and refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism).
• Pediatric Eye Surgery Surgical procedures to correct pediatric eye problems, including children's cataracts, pediatric glaucoma, and strabismus.
• Pediatric Eye Disease Management Medical management of pediatric eye diseases such as congenital cataracts, pediatric glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity.
• Optical Shop / Children's Eyeglasses and Accessories In-house optical services providing custom children's eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles, and other vision-related accessories, including prescription fulfillment, fittings, and adjustments. Shipping available for remote customers for $15.00 additional fee.
• Adult Strabismus Treatment Treatment of adult eye misalignment (strabismus), including double vision and depth perception issues, leveraging the practice's pediatric strabismus subspecialty expertise. Available by referral with limited appointment availability.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe practice is part of the faculty of Ohio State University. Doctors lecture, conduct research, and train future physicians. Multiple doctors hold faculty positions as professors and assistant professors at Ohio State University College of Medicine.
• Nationwide Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll three office locations are affiliated with Nationwide Children's Hospital - Columbus at the main hospital, Dublin at the Medical Office Building, and Westerville at Close to Home center. Doctors serve on the medical staff and hold department leadership positions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Pediatric Ophthalmology: Top-tier pediatric academic medical center with a leading pediatric ophthalmology department; relevant for research standing (PEDIG participation) and as a benchmark for academic pediatric ophthalmology practice scale.
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center - Pediatric Ophthalmology: Regional academic pediatric ophthalmology division providing the same subspecialty services (strabismus, ROP, pediatric cataracts) within a larger children's hospital system; relevant for talent recruitment and competitive referral dynamics in Ohio.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology: The hospital department with which POA physicians hold staff appointments; offers overlapping pediatric ophthalmology services within a broader academic health system, and represents both a partner and the most significant competitive threat for in-hospital referrals.
• Wills Eye Hospital Pediatric Ophthalmology Service: Nationally recognized ophthalmology specialty hospital with a pediatric ophthalmology service; relevant comparable for a hospital-affiliated, faculty-driven academic pediatric eye care model.

Regional players

• University Hospitals Cleveland - Rainbow Pediatric Ophthalmology: Ohio-based academic pediatric ophthalmology program affiliated with University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's; competing academic pediatric eye care provider in northern Ohio that competes for the same pediatric patient population across the state.
• Akron Children's Hospital Pediatric Ophthalmology: Ohio-based children's hospital pediatric ophthalmology program serving Akron and northeast Ohio; comparable specialty services to POA in an adjacent Ohio region, functioning as a regional referral alternative.
• Eye Physicians & Surgeons (Ohio-based ophthalmology groups): General ophthalmology practices in Ohio offering some pediatric services; broader-scope competitors that compete for routine pediatric referrals and optical retail outside the subspecialty pediatric niche.

Direct peers

• Children's Eye Physicians: Pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus specialty practice serving the Denver metro, offering similar subspecialty medical and surgical pediatric eye care plus optical services; comparable to POA's specialized pediatric-only model in a single regional market.
• Pediatric Ophthalmology of Erie: Independent regional pediatric ophthalmology practice; similar scope (strabismus, amblyopia, pediatric cataracts) and physician-led private practice model operating in a defined regional catchment.
• Pediatric Eye Care & Strabismus (Children's Eye Institute): Independent pediatric ophthalmology practice focused on strabismus, amblyopia, and pediatric eye disease; directly comparable subspecialty mix, physician-led structure, and academic affiliations model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pediatric-ophthalmology-associates-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates