Minnesota Eye Institute

What Minnesota Eye Institute does

Minnesota Eye Institute is a privately held, family-owned ophthalmology practice headquartered at 3401 S Broadway St in Alexandria, Minnesota. The practice provides complete eye care to adult patients in Alexandria and surrounding communities, with a focused service portfolio of three core surgical procedures: LASIK vision correction (customized all-laser LASIK), cataract surgery (both traditional and laser-assisted using the VICTUS platform), and EVO ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) refractive implants. It also delivers general eye care services including exams, diagnostic testing, and pre/post-operative care bundled around its surgical offerings.

The practice operates from a single location that contains an on-site top-of-the-line surgical center, enabling same-day ophthalmic surgical care. Its technology stack centers on laser vision-correction equipment — iDesign wavefront measurement, the VICTUS femtosecond laser for flap creation and laser cataract surgery, and the VISX Star S4 excimer laser for corneal reshaping — together with premium intraocular lenses (IOLs) for cataract patients. Patient acquisition is direct-to-consumer via a sales-led motion: free screenings and consultations, phone and website scheduling, CareCredit financing, and reliance on local referrals and patient testimonials. Surgical procedures are priced as one-time payments, with premium IOL upgrades offered as paid add-ons; LASIK is positioned as elective and price-competitive, while cataract work may be partially insurance-covered based on medical necessity. The team comprises three doctors and roughly ten support staff (CRNA, RN, LPN, scrub tech, sterile processing, ophthalmic assistants, coordinators, and office manager), and the practice markets itself on the 35+ years of combined staff experience and on Dr. Kent Carlson's track record of 50,000+ vision-correction procedures with an under-2% enhancement rate.

Name

Minnesota Eye Institute

Legal name

Minnesota Eye Institute

Website

https://mneyeinstitute.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minnesota Eye Institute is a family-owned, single-location ophthalmology practice in Alexandria, Minnesota that provides LASIK, cataract, and EVO ICL surgeries alongside general eye care for adult patients in the surrounding region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (62111), Offices of Optometrists (62132)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

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)

Keywords

• LASIK surgery
• Cataract surgery
• Vision correction
• Eye care services
• Ophthalmology practice

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

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

Revenue model

1. Surgical Procedures: One-time surgical procedures including LASIK surgery, cataract surgery, and EVO ICL lens implantation. Revenue is generated per procedure with financing options available through CareCredit. Insurance may cover portions of cataract surgery depending on medical necessity.
2. General Eye Care Services: Complete eye care including exams, consultations, and follow-up care. May include diagnostic testing and pre/post-operative care bundled with surgical procedures.
3. Premium Lens Upgrades: Advanced IOL lenses for cataract surgery patients offered at extra cost, providing enhanced vision correction and reduced glasses dependence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Minnesota Eye Institute is a single-location, family-owned ophthalmology practice in Alexandria, MN that provides complete eye care services including LASIK surgery, cataract surgery (traditional and laser-assisted), and EVO ICL implantable lens procedures, supported by general eye exams, consultations, and financing through CareCredit. All surgical procedures are performed on-site in the practice's own surgical center using advanced laser platforms.

Product overview

Minnesota Eye Institute is a local, family-owned eye care practice offering a focused portfolio of three core surgical procedures: LASIK Surgery (laser vision correction), Cataract Surgery (with both traditional and laser-assisted options), and EVO ICL (implantable Collamer Lens for refractive correction). The practice also provides general eye care services and offers flexible financing options to make procedures accessible. The services are delivered through their top-of-the-line surgical center in Alexandria, MN, with 35+ years of combined experience among staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LASIK Surgery Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis surgery that uses a laser to reshape the cornea and correct vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The practice offers customized all-laser LASIK using the VICTUS femtosecond laser for flap creation and the VISX Star S4 excimer laser for corneal reshaping, with iDesign wavefront-guided measurements for personalized treatment. It is intended for adult patients seeking freedom from glasses or contact lenses.
• Cataract Surgery Surgical procedure to remove a cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The practice offers both Traditional Cataract Surgery (using a blade and sound waves) and Laser Cataract Surgery (using the VICTUS precision laser), with lens options including a Standard Intraocular Lens and an Advanced IOL Lens. It is intended for patients diagnosed with cataracts whose cloudy vision interferes with daily activities such as driving, watching TV, and working at computers.
• EVO ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens) Refractive implant procedure that inserts a soft, biocompatible Collamer lens into the eye to correct myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism without removing corneal tissue. The lens is permanent but removable, provides UV protection, and is intended for adults with moderate-to-high nearsightedness or astigmatism, including those with thin or irregular corneas who are not candidates for corneal laser surgery.
• Flexible Financing Options Payment plan options to make eye care services accessible and affordable, including Cash or Check, Visa or Mastercard, and CareCredit Financing for patients who need to spread the cost of elective procedures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 99% of LASIK patients attain 20/25 vision or better without corrective lenses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• LasikPlus: National LASIK chain operating dozens of centers offering bladeless/custom LASIK and PRK. Directly comparable to MEI's core LASIK offering, with materially larger marketing scale and a broader geographic footprint.
• TLC Laser Eye Centers: Large North American LASIK and refractive surgery chain. Comparable core service (laser vision correction) and patient profile, but operates at national scale rather than a single local market.
• Lasik Vision Institute: High-volume national LASIK provider with a similar single-procedure, price-promotional positioning. Comparable elective refractive model to MEI's LASIK practice.

Others

• STAAR Surgical: Manufacturer of the EVO Visian ICL lens that MEI implants. Comparable as an ecosystem participant: MEI's ICL procedure mix is directly dependent on STAAR's product platform.

Direct peers

• Kleiman Evangelista Eye Center: Regional ophthalmology practice offering LASIK, cataract surgery, and refractive lens procedures. Comparable multi-service, surgeon-led model to MEI but operating across multiple DFW-area locations.
• Woolfson Eye Institute: Surgeon-led refractive and cataract surgery practice offering LASIK, ICL, and premium IOLs. Highly comparable service mix and surgeon-anchored brand to MEI.
• Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center: Multi-location ophthalmology group offering LASIK, cataract surgery, and premium IOLs. Closest direct comparison to MEI's combined LASIK + cataract + premium-IOL offering under one brand.

Regional players

• Vantage Eye Center: Regional multi-specialty ophthalmology group with LASIK, cataract, and glaucoma services. Similar full-service ophthalmology positioning to MEI but serving a different U.S. region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mneyeinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minnesota-eye-institute-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 Minnesota Eye Institute