Building to Stay Independent in the Modern Ophthalmology Landscape

Strategies for maintaining practice independence through succession planning, physician partnerships, new revenue opportunities, and sustainable growth without private equity.

By: Veronica Daub

Ophthalmology Management October 11, 2026

Clinical Scorecard: The Independence Blueprint: Build a Scalable Ophthalmic Practice Without Private Equity

At a Glance

Category	Detail
Condition	Clinical topic addressed by the source article: Building to Stay Independent in the Modern Ophthalmology Landscape
Key Mechanisms	Succession planning, physician partnerships, updated corporate governance, creating revenue flows and cutting costs, and evaluating growth options such as surgery-center ownership, consolidation, and adding practice lines or subspecialties.
Target Population	Patients or participants described in the source article.
Care Setting	Care setting described in the source article.

Key Highlights

The presentation describes rising costs, consolidation, and succession challenges as pressures on independent ophthalmology practices.
The speaker reports that at least 35% of ophthalmologists are age 65 or older.
Attracting and retaining physician partners may require updated corporate governance and clear communication about the financial investment involved.
Potential growth options include surgery-center ownership, consolidation, and adding practice lines or subspecialties; suitability depends on practice circumstances.
The speaker proposes assessing options by considering revenue, risk, investment, and clinical or operational control.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

Management

The speaker advises assessing growth options in light of the practice's specific facts and circumstances.
The speaker discusses succession planning and physician partnerships as approaches to sustaining an independent practice.
The speaker advises weighing the pros and cons of options such as surgery-center ownership, consolidation, and adding practice lines or subspecialties.
The speaker emphasizes reviewing corporate governance when preparing to attract and retain physician partners.

Monitoring & Follow-up

The speaker says revenue, risk, investment, and clinical or operational control can be considered when analyzing options and tracking practice progress.

Risks

Patient & Prescribing Data

Not discussed; the article addresses ophthalmology practice strategy rather than patient care.

No patient treatments or prescribing data are provided.

Clinical Best Practices

Discuss the financial aspects of partnership and practice investment with prospective physician partners.
Consider the practice's willingness to assume risk and its desired level of clinical and operational control when evaluating growth options.
The speaker notes that surgery-center ownership and other growth strategies may not suit every practice.