If you consider Costco, you consider saving cash. If you consider Excellence in Eye Care contained in the Costco retailer, you also needs to be considering of saving — saving your eyesight that’s!!
Situated contained in the Costco on S.R. 56, Dr. David Scamard, O.D., has been serving to sufferers for greater than 30 years. Since becoming a member of the Costco location in 2017, Dr. Scamard, a local Floridian, has continued his mission of offering high-quality eye care. He earned his Physician of Optometry diploma from Nova Southeastern School of Optometry in Ft. Lauderdale in 1999. Initially drawn to the medical subject, he says his time work- ing in an optometry workplace solidified his ardour for optometry. “I knew this was my calling,” he shares, and his dedication has solely grown over time.
Dr. Scamard is joined by his affiliate, Carson Woolwine, O.D., who additionally graduated from Nova Southeastern School of Optometry and acquired his diploma in 2016.
Collectively, these medical doctors deal with every little thing from primary eye exams and treating circumstances like pink eye to becoming sufferers for glasses and get in touch with lenses. However, sometimes, their work goes past routine care.
A Life-Saving Testimonial
The Neighborhood Information spoke with Rocio, one in every of Dr. Scamard’s sufferers. Three years in the past, Rocio had not too long ago moved to Wesley Chapel and wanted a routine eye examination after not having one for 2 years. She booked an appointment with Dr. Scamard at Excellence in Eye Care. What appeared like an easy go to rapidly turned rather more.
After finishing Rocio’s examination, Dr. Scamard knowledgeable her that she wanted to see a specialist instantly. He offered her with contact info and urged her to make an appointment as quickly as attainable. Rocio adopted by means of, however the earliest appointment she may safe was a month away. The very subsequent day, to Rocio’s shock, she acquired a follow-up name from Dr. Scamard’s workplace, asking if she had made the appointment. She defined that she was scheduled for the next month. Nevertheless, the workplace urged her to name again and request the primary obtainable slot.

“I did, and so they received me in two weeks earlier,” Rocio recollects. She up to date Dr. Scamard’s workplace, however then one thing sudden occurred. Dr. Scamard personally received on the telephone. “He instructed me he had already made an appointment for me for the next day,” Rocio says. Stunned, she talked about that she needed to work, to which Dr. Scamard responded, “Give me your work quantity, and I’ll clarify the state of affairs to them.”
“I couldn’t imagine an eye fixed physician would try this,” Rocio explains. She went to the appointment, the place the specialist rapidly despatched her to the hospital. “I used to be identified with meningitis. One of many nurses instructed me that if I hadn’t are available in after I did, I might have died.”
Rocio credit Dr. Scamard’s insistence with saving her life. Reflecting on the expertise, she remembers that her father had handed away when she was a young person, and on the time of her sickness, her daughter was the identical age she had been.
“This might have been historical past repeating itself,” she says. “However due to Dr. Scamard, I’m right here, having fun with my household, and so they’re having fun with me.”
And, whereas Dr. Scamard might not have saved NeighborhoodNews editor Gary Nager’s life, he actually helped save his eyesight. When Gary instructed Dr. Scamard that he was seeing spots earlier than his eyes, Dr. Scamard ran a number of assessments and acknowledged that, in Gary’s case, these spots have been an indication that Gary had a indifferent retina, so he instantly known as retinal specialist and surgeon Dr. Alfred White at Retina Vitreous Associates in Wesley Chapel and received Dr. White to see Gary the identical day. Dr. White carried out retinal reattachment surgical procedure on Gary’s left eye the subsequent day.
“If left untreated, a indifferent retina can lead blindness within the affected eye,” Dr. Scamard says. “It must be taken care of rapidly.”
Dr. Scamard additionally says that when Gary instructed the story on this publication of how Dr. Scamard identified him — after which made certain Gary was seen as rapidly as attainable by Dr. White — lots of people began coming in to Excellence in Eye Care to have the spots of their eyes checked.
“Plenty of issues — even simply not ingesting sufficient water — could cause some individuals to see spots,” Dr. Dave says. “It’s not at all times a indifferent retina, however it’s one thing you wish to have checked as rapidly as attainable.”
About Costco Membership
Making an appointment at Excellence in Eye Care is easy. Should you don’t have a Costco membership, simply inform the greeter on the entrance that you’ve an eye fixed appointment, and so they’ll allow you to by means of. Dr. Scamard works immediately with the Costco optical division, which might present glasses or contact lenses based mostly in your prescription.
Along with Dr. Scamard and Dr. Woolwine, the workplace employees consists of techs Evangelina, Savannah, Alex, and Francesca, all devoted to offering a easy and nice expertise.
Embracing Expertise

“Lots of my sufferers are available in for a fast examination,” says Dr. Scamard, “and after they’re instructed they want their eyes dilated, they typically say they don’t have the time and can do it subsequent time.”
Dilating the eyes permits optometrists to get a clearer view of the again of the attention, which is essential for detecting circumstances similar to glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. In Rocio’s case, important irritation in the back of her eye was detected throughout this course of.
Dr. Scamard notes that he has even seen instances of diabetic retinopathy in sufferers who didn’t know that they had diabetes.
When sufferers arrive, the employees makes use of a refractor, a machine that helps decide the proper lens kind wanted. “The knowledge from the refractor is shipped to a phoropter, which pre-populates the prescription numbers,” Dr. Scamard explains. The phoropter is the machine used whenever you’re requested, “One or two? Two or three?” throughout an eye fixed examination, serving to to fine-tune the lens prescription.
For sufferers who can’t spare the time for dilation, Excellence in Eye Care affords a contemporary resolution: the Optos machine. Optos retinal pictures captures an in depth picture of the within of the attention with out the necessity for dilation. “It permits us to point out sufferers precisely what we see,” Dr. Scamard says. “We cost a minimal payment for this check, and it’s price it for a lot of sufferers who’re quick on time.”
In relation to youngsters, Dr. Scamard encourages dad and mom to concentrate to early indicators of imaginative and prescient points. Nevertheless, he recommends that each one youngsters get an eye fixed examination early, even when no issues are noticeable.
To help this, each Dr. Scamard and Dr. Woolwine take part within the InfantSEE program, a public well being initiative began by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Managed by the American Optometric Affiliation (AOA), this system affords no-cost complete eye assessments for infants aged 6 to 12 months, no matter a household’s revenue or insurance coverage standing. This ensures that imaginative and prescient care turns into an important a part of toddler wellness.
A Clear Imaginative and prescient For The Future

At Excellence in Eye Care, Dr. Scamard and his workforce are dedicated to extra than simply serving to sufferers see clearly — they’re devoted to their sufferers’ general well-being. Whether or not it’s utilizing cutting-edge expertise to streamline care or going the additional mile to make sure somebody will get life-saving therapy, the extent of care you obtain right here is outstanding.
Having compassionate, devoted medical doctors like Dr. Scamard and Dr. Woolwine, conveniently positioned inside Costco, means you’ve gotten entry to high-quality, personalised care that actually makes a distinction.
So, subsequent time you’re at Costco for these un-beatable financial savings, keep in mind that one of many best offers inside may simply be in your well being — as a result of at Excellence in Eye Care, they’re not simply saving your eyesight, they might be saving your life.
Excellence in Eye Care doesn’t settle for insurance coverage, however will present an itemized receipt to submit for reimbursement with imaginative and prescient insurance coverage firms. Costco Optical does settle for insurance coverage for glasses, contact lenses and different eyewear merchandise.
Excellence In Eye Care is positioned inside Costco at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr. in Lutz.The workplace is open Mon.,Wed. & Fri., 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; 1 p.m.–7 p.m. onTues. &Thur.; & 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Sat. For extra info name (813) 279-7038, or go to ExcellenceInEyeCare.internet.