At Eastside Eye Physicians, it is not unusual to examine the grandchild of a patient the practice first saw decades ago. The physicians have cared for families across the Detroit metropolitan area since 1955, and today they look after the third and fourth generations of many of those same households. That kind of continuity is rare in medicine, and it is the clearest way to explain what being an independent ophthalmology practice really means.
Here is how the practice got here, who cares for patients now, and what that history changes about a visit to our Shelby Township or St. Clair Shores office.
1955: Where the Practice Began
The practice traces its roots to a small group of physicians who began caring for patients on Detroit’s east side in 1955. For many years it was known as Evans, Clune and Bernard P.C., after Dr. Gomer Evans, Dr. John Clune, and Dr. Henri Bernard. Dr. John Clune retired in the late 1980s, and Dr. Bernard continued in practice until 2005. Their story is told on our founding members page.
Those physicians set expectations the practice still follows: know your patients, explain things plainly, and keep caring for the families who come back year after year.
1992: A New Name, the Same Patients
The practice operated as Evans, Clune and Bernard until 1992, when it became Eastside Eye Physicians. The name on the door changed, but the relationships did not. Patients kept seeing the doctors they trusted, and many later brought their children and grandchildren to the same practice.
That handoff from one generation of physicians to the next has repeated itself several times since. Each new doctor has joined a group that already knew its patients well, rather than starting from scratch. Dr. Apple, now a partner in the practice, is the latest example.
Today: A Physician Team Built on Long Tenure
Every physician at Eastside Eye is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, and together they bring many decades of experience:
- Neal M. Krasnick, MD, has practiced with Eastside Eye for more than 30 years, specializes in cataract surgery, and is a Clinical Professor at Wayne State University.
- Michael J. Clune, MD, has served the Detroit metropolitan community for more than 25 years and chaired the ophthalmology department at St. John Ascension for over 15 years.
- Joel L. Pelavin, MD, brings more than 30 years of experience, with a focus on small incision cataract surgery and lens implantation.
- Joshua Y. Apple, MD, a partner in the practice, is a board-certified comprehensive ophthalmologist whose surgical specialty is cataract surgery. He also has fellowship training in glaucoma. You can read Dr. Apple’s background on his profile.
The practice also has a board-certified retinologist on staff, which means patients with diabetic eye disease or macular degeneration can often be cared for without a referral elsewhere. Learn more about our retinal care services.
What an Independent Ophthalmology Practice Changes in the Exam Room
Independence means the physicians who examine you are the same people who decide how the practice runs. Day to day, that shows up in a few concrete ways:
- Your history stays with people who know it. When a doctor has followed your eyes for years, a small change in eye pressure or the retina stands out against a baseline they remember.
- Time to explain. The practice’s mission describes care delivered “in an atmosphere of communication and trust,” which in practice means questions get answered before decisions are made.
- Technology chosen by the surgeons who use it. Patients have access to laser-assisted cataract surgery with the Catalys femtosecond laser, a range of premium lens implants, and the Light Adjustable Lens. Our article on recent advances in cataract surgery explains each option.
- A voice in where surgery happens. The physicians serve as board members of Lakeshore Eye Surgery Center in St. Clair Shores, where most of the practice’s procedures take place.
Care That Follows a Family Through Every Stage
A family practice has to be ready for whoever walks in, whether that is a teenager who wants contact lenses or a grandparent managing glaucoma. Eastside Eye Physicians provides:
- Comprehensive eye care and medical eye exams
- Cataract surgery, including premium and adjustable lens options
- LASIK and other refractive surgery
- Diagnosis and management of medical eye conditions, from glaucoma to diabetic eye disease
- Cosmetic eyelid surgery
- An optical studio with frames, lenses, and contact lenses
Having those services under one roof means a parent’s cataract surgery, a child’s first glasses, and a grandparent’s retina checks can all be coordinated by people who already know the family.
Knowing the family helps clinically, too. Several eye conditions run in families, glaucoma most of all, and a parent’s diagnosis is one of the strongest reasons to start checking a son or daughter earlier than usual. When the same practice has cared for both generations, that history is already in front of the physician instead of depending on someone’s memory at check-in. Our article on how family history affects glaucoma risk explains why that matters. The same is true of diabetic eye disease, where steady year-to-year comparison of the retina is what allows changes to be caught while they are still small.
Teaching the Next Generation of Eye Surgeons
The physicians have contributed countless hours to training future doctors, serving as Associate Clinical Professors at the Kresge Eye Institute and the Beaumont Eye Institute. Dr. Neal Krasnick is a Clinical Professor at Wayne State University. Dr. Michael Clune holds academic positions at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, and Dr. Pelavin was named Teacher of the Year by the residents of Beaumont Hospital.
Teaching keeps a practice current. Physicians who walk residents through their reasoning every week tend to explain it well to patients, too. Collectively, the doctors also hold active membership in the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Michigan Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, the Michigan State Medical Society, and the Wayne County and Macomb County Medical Societies.
Showing Up Outside the Office
The commitment to community extends past the exam room. Each year physicians and staff take part in the Eastern Michigan Vision Walk, raising money for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. You will find more of the practice’s history and values on our about Eastside Eye Physicians page.
Two Offices, One Practice
Our Shelby Township office on Schoenherr Road is the natural fit for families in Shelby Township, Sterling Heights, Romeo, Rochester, and Rochester Hills. Our St. Clair Shores office on Little Mack Avenue serves patients from St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Roseville, Clinton Township, and Warren. Both are part of the same practice and share the same approach to care.
Become Part of the Next Generation of Patients
If you are looking for an eye doctor your whole family can grow with, we would be glad to meet you. Phone the Shelby Township office, reach our St. Clair Shores team, or write to us through the contact page, and our staff will help you find a time that works.