If you’re suffering from both dry-eye and hormonal disease, believe it or not, there is a practice that is capable of treating both in the same visit, right here in Wesley Chapel.
It’s difficult to separate what Kenneth C. Andronico, DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), FICS (Fellow, International College of Surgeons), OD (Doctor of Optometry), does at Rejuva-Med from who he is and how he has been educated throughout his extensive career. So, we’ll start by introducing the doctor who founded Rejuva-Med: The Center for Dry Eye & Hormonal Disorders on S.R. 54 (across from Saddlebrook Resort in the Westbrook Professional Center).
Dr. Andronico is an ophthalmologist, which is a medical or osteopathic doctor who specializes in eye and vision care. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree in 1984 from the College of Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery at Des Moines University-Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Dr. Andronico’s DO degree means that he is a physician, similar to someone who holds a medical doctor (MD) degree, but takes a “whole person” approach to medicine and wellness. Dr. Andronico also has advanced training in anti-aging medicine.
“No one’s been in school as long as me,” he laughs.
That may be true, as his education includes two Bachelor’s degrees and two Doctorates, plus extensive post-graduate work, including:
- Fellowships in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine (2006-08), Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement (2006), and Cornea-External Disease & Refractive Surgery (1996-97)
- Residency in Ophthalmology at Lawndale Hospital in Philadelphia (1985-88)
- Basic Sciences Certificate in Ophthalmology from Stanford University Medical School, Palo Alto, Ca. (1985)
- Internship at Michigan Osteopathic Medical Center in Detroit (1984 -85)
- Residency in Primary Eyecare/General Medicine at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn. (1979- 80)
After he earned his DO degree, Dr. Andronico already had earned his Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree in 1979 from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University in Philadelphia.
In addition, Dr. Andronico holds two bachelor degrees, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology & Biology from La Salle University in Philadelphia (1975) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Visual Physiology from Salus University (1977).
Lasik, too!
Dr. Andronico was one of the first refractive surgeons formally trained in Lasik in the mid-1990s. He had a private practice at the corner of S.R. 54 and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) for 12 years, where he was the first ophthalmologist in Wesley Chapel and one of the original tenants in the Publix-anchored Hollybrook shopping center at that location.
He closed that practice in 2006 to deal with illness, due to stress. He says he was taking medications, but gaining weight and not getting any better. This personal journey of trying to understand his own illness led to an interest in hormonal therapy.
“Stress over a period of time changes the metabolic process,” says Dr. Andronico. “People may deal with fatigue, insomnia, or other symptoms. And they may need to make lifestyle changes, but they don’t feel well enough to do so. That may be because their body is depleted of the things they need to feel well, such as hormones. I can work with them as a coach to help determine how we can fix things so they are feeling better.”
Opening Rejuva-Med
So Dr. Andronico decided to open a new practice, this one established to bring his many areas of interest and expertise together under one roof, called Rejuva-Med: The Center for Dry Eye & Hormonal Disorders. Primarily, his function is to treat dry eye and hormonal diseases, but the center covers a wide range of services for both eyes and diseases related to aging. Some of the many services at Rejuva-Med include:
- Consultative ophthalmology and second opinion exams
- Hormonal optimization and treatments for men and women
- Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders of the eye
- Metabolic and nutritional medicine
- Headache, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia & stress disorders
- Therapeutic & difficult fit contact lens evaluations
- Aesthetic procedures, including Botox and dermal fillers
- Osteopathic neuro-muscular manipulation medicine
“I also do traditional ophthalmology,” he says, “including eye exams, treating cataracts, and performing laser surgery.”
And, he says, “My varied training allows me to do things my colleagues can’t do.”
He says his DO education leads him to practice as a “generalist” first, and specialist second. That means, if you’re experiencing a symptom, such as dry eyes, he doesn’t only look at the eyes to find the cause of the problem.
Instead, he takes a holistic and integrative approach to treatment, meaning that he looks at the whole body in an effort to determine the cause of any symptoms. It’s not just acute problems that are tackled, but the whole body is evaluated to ensure the patient experiences real wellness, not just symptom relief.
Dr. Andronico gives an example of a typical experience someone visiting his office might have had: “If you have headaches and you think it’s because of your vision, most eye doctors will only look at your vision for the solution. Maybe I’m the fifth eye doctor you’ve been to, and no one has figured out the problem.” He says that beyond just treating your eyes, he will look at the history of the headaches and the other possible causes of the problem. “You’re treated as a whole person.”
Practice administrator Amy Lerza says, “I have been in the medical field a long time and have worked for a lot of physicians, and I like that Dr. Andronico doesn’t ‘Band-Aid’ a problem.”
He agrees, “If you’re having an issue with your eyes, I know more than just your two eyes, and I know that problems may be caused by something beyond just your eyes. I can find the underlying problem, because of my training in osteopathic medicine.”
While many physicians might treat dry eye with eye drops, Dr. Andronico prefers to look at the cause of the dry eye. He says he often talks with patients who have been prescribed some kind of regimen that is not actually helping the problem. That’s where his innovative approach can really help people.
“I will listen and try to solve the problem,” he says. “I’m here to help my patients through whatever they’re experiencing, using the variety of training I have. I will do whatever I need to do to help them get better.”
“A lot of what I do is education and teaching,” he continues. “I talk with my patients on a one-to-one basis to help them understand what’s happening in their bodies and how (everything) all fits together.”
He says there is a direct connection between depletion of hormones and dry eye. He explains that hormones naturally deplete with age, and as people have less of the female hormone estrogen, the male hormone testosterone and cortisol, for example, they experience symptoms that include not just dry eye, but also stress, fatigue, and insomnia.
“If you listen to a patient long enough, the patient will tell you what’s wrong with them,” says Dr. Andronico. “The problem with the (healthcare) system is that no one can take the time to listen.”
Obviously, Dr. Andonico admits to being frustrated with the current state of medical care, which seems to be driven by insurance companies and their coding process. That’s why he offers a fee-for-service practice, where patients pay for their own care.
“I decided to do that because there’s no way the system will change until patients and physicians take it upon themselves to make the changes that will help people to get well,” says Dr. Andronico. “I don’t do five minute exams.”
He says that many people pay insurance premiums all year long but never actually seem to feel better. “Many people are sick of dealing with insurance,” he says. “They just want to get well.”
He says his intention is not to take the place of a patient’s primary care physician or specialist, but to work hand-in-hand with those care providers.
Peggy Rusaw met Dr. Andronico when he was working in a private practice in The Villages about a year ago. She had an eye exam with him and was telling him about some issues she was experiencing, including her dry eyes.
She explains that during her eye exam, he began asking her questions that weren’t related to her eyes. “I realized he is not just an eye doctor, but has so much varied expertise,” Peggy says. Now she has visited him at Rejuva-Med, where she says they sat and talked, and ultimately determined she would be a good candidate for a type of hormone treatment called pellet insertion.
Dr. Andronico explains that pellet insertion is a way of injecting hormones in an appropriate amount to leach out into the body over time. The hormones are bioidentical to the ones the body produces naturally – not synthetic, but derived from plant sources. They are slowly released as the body needs it.
“It’s been four weeks and I’m already feeling changes – in a good way,” says Peggy. “I’m 71, and my test results had shown that I had no estrogen. With the pellet insertion, I have more energy, and the dryness in my eyes and skin is going away.”
She says if Dr. Andronico hadn’t asked her the questions he did during her eye exam, she wouldn’t be receiving the treatment she is now. “I had no idea that anyone could help me with all the problems I was experiencing,” she said.
“I’m so impressed with Dr. Andronico,” she says. “He’s so smart, has a great personality and a great work ethic.”
She adds, “My insurance doesn’t pay for his services, but I’ve found the cost is not unreasonable for what he’s done for me,” says Peggy. “I think people would be very happy with him if they decide to visit him.”
Rejuva-Med is located at 28945 S.R. 54, Suite 101. The office is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Appointments are available by calling 907-0950. For more information about Dr. Andronico and Rejuva-Med, visit Rejuva-Med.com.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel,” Edwards told the Task Force. “There is a litany of alternatives out there, probably about 19, and we’ll be narrowing those down.”
