Coastal Vision has been serving the community since 1948, when Dr. John McClane Jr. opened the original eye care practice in Fernandina Beach. In 1964, the practice became both the home and office for the McClane family. Since its founding, the practice has grown into a well-known ophthalmology and optometry center serving Amelia Island and Nassau County.
Over the years, the practice expanded under the leadership of Dr. John W. McClane III, Dr. Steve Stubits, and Dr. Tony Stubits, who continued the practice’s legacy of exceptional patient care. In 1988, the property was fully converted to office space. Dr. Russell Stackhouse, an ophthalmologist, joined the practice in 2014, further expanding services at the original Atlantic Avenue and So. 14th Street location.
As the practice continued to grow, additional expansion included a private surgical center and consultation facility on Lynndale Road on Amelia Island. The ophthalmologists at that location, Dr. Russell Stackhouse and Dr. Capritta Roberts, perform outpatient surgical procedures in the state-of-the-art facility. In addition to its Fernandina Beach office, the practice serves patients at locations in Callahan, Macclenny, and St. Marys, Georgia. Coastal Vision also provides surgical services to patients in the Waycross community through a hospital-based program.
Coastal Vision physicians continue to introduce innovative treatments for many common and complex eye conditions. Dr. Katie Cwikla leads the practice’s Dry Eye Center of Excellence, offering advanced diagnostic testing and therapies for dry eye disease, a condition that affects millions of Americans. TearCare therapy combines controlled thermal heat with digital expression of the eyelids’ natural oil glands to relieve blockages. For many patients, the treatment significantly reduces the need for frequent lubricating eye drops. Among the latest technologies are the Valeda Light Delivery System for certain patients with dry age-related macular degeneration and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) for glaucoma treatment.
Dr. Capritta Roberts performs YAG laser capsulotomy, a quick, painless procedure that restores clear vision for patients who develop clouding of the lens capsule following cataract surgery. Although cataract surgery permanently removes the cataract, the capsule that holds the artificial lens can become cloudy months or even years later. The YAG laser treatment restores vision in just seconds.
Dr. Tyler Wills’s specialty is contact lens fittings, and he is certified to provide adjustments for the Light Adjustable Lens by RxSight. This is the only FDA-approved intraocular lens that can be adjusted after cataract surgery. The lens contains photosensitive material that allows Dr. Wills to fine-tune a patient’s vision in the weeks following surgery using brief ultraviolet light treatments, providing highly customized visual outcomes.
Dr. Stackhouse is used to helping humans with their vision issues. When Paloma, a rescued sea turtle being treated at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, needed eye surgery to remove tumors growing over both eyes, the Center invited Dr. Stackhouse to perform the necessary surgery. Using the same microsurgical skills and ophthalmic instruments he employs in human eye surgery, Dr. Stackhouse successfully removed the tumors, giving Paloma a much better chance of regaining her vision and eventually being released back into the ocean. It was the second time he has performed surgery to help a sea turtle in distress.
“Our goal has always been to provide exceptional eye care close to home,” shares Carol Logan, O.D., the practice’s Community and Professional Relations Liaison. “By combining experienced physicians, advanced technology, and multiple convenient locations, we are able to offer the very best and latest in premium eye care.”
Coastal Vision prides itself on bringing the latest advances in eye care technology to Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. With a team of approximately 60 employees, 10 optometrists, and two ophthalmologists, the practice has become a regional leader in comprehensive eye care. Services include the Dry Eye Center of Excellence, treatment for age-related macular degeneration, LASIK and corneal surgery, cataract surgery, glaucoma care, routine eye examinations, prescription eyewear, and contact lenses.