With half the doctors from the Florida Eye Institute, including its founder, preparing to open the New Vision Eye Center on Monday, July 20th, the breakup of what was once Indian River County’s largest ophthalmology practice now seems complete.
The latest to leave the Florida Eye Institute is Dr. David J. O’Brien, who submitted his resignation on Friday and departed the same day. Earlier in the week, Dr. Roger J. Meyer was summarily terminated, and the Eye Institute began seeking to switch his patients to one of the remaining doctors.
Both Meyer and O’Brien will be rejoining Dr. Paul V. Minotty, who founded the Florida Eye Institute a quarter century ago, in a new practice which will be located for the next year at 777 37th Street, Suite D103. A permanent home for the New Vision Eye Center is being constructed in the old SouthTrust Bank building at the western end of Miracle Mile.
The breakup of the Florida Eye Institute follows several years of acrimony, charges and counter charges, and courtroom battles pitting Minotty against several of the doctors he brought into the practice. The dissident faction in June gained control of the Eye Institute from Minotty, who departed three weeks ago.
The three doctors who left, in a statement, said they looked forward to continuing to serve the eyecare needs of their patients at the New Vision Eye Center, and encouraged “established patients and new friends to call 772-257-8700 to make their next appointment.”
