Excellence In Eye Care At Costco Adds A Second Eye Doctor 

The addition of Dr. J. Carson Woolwine (left) to the practice of Dr. David Scamard (right) at Excellence in Eye Care at Costco means more hours and appointments for customers looking for great optometry service. (Photo: Charmaine George)

As life gets back to a more normal routine as the Covid-19 pandemic finally fades, independent Doctor of Optometry David Scamard, O.D., is pleased that his Excellence In Eye Care is growing. More and more patients are discovering and appreciating both his office’s convenience and, well, excellence.

Five years ago, Dr. Scamard moved his Excellence In Eye Care, LLC, to inside the Costco next to the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56. Prior to that, his office was located a couple of miles west off of S.R. 54 in Lutz.

Now, J. Carson Woolwine, O.D. — a 2016 graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry — has joined Dr. Scamard at the practice. 

The addition of Dr. Woolwine has led to expanded availability for appointments. Excellence in Eye Care is now open six days a week, where it previously was open only five. 

A second exam room also was outfitted, so that two patients can be seen simultaneously. Both exam rooms offer top-of-the-line equipment with state-of-the-art technology.

Offering the latest technology has always been important to Dr. Scamard. He and Dr. Woolwine use a high-tech retinal imager to view the internal structures of the eyes. They also use a digital refractor, which is faster, more accurate and more efficient than the old-style refracting devices. Many patients also like the digital refractor because they don’t usually have to have their eyes dilated.

All of the equipment is electronic and controlled by a computer. It ties in with the practice’s electronic medical records, too, for a streamlined and convenient patient experience.

Costco shoppers have gotten used to seeing Dr. Scamard over the last five years, but many of his patients have known him much longer. He opened his first private practice on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in New Tampa in 2002 and has taken care of patients in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lutz and Land O’Lakes ever since.

Dr. Scamard earned his undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa and received his O.D. degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.

The combination of his decades of experience and commitment to keeping his practice on the cutting edge of eye care technology has allowed Dr. Scamard to help some patients when others couldn’t.

Mike Roth says he was born with an incurable virus in his right eye, but for most of the 29 years of his life, it didn’t really bother him. That all changed last year when he started having trouble with his left eye.

He went to his ophthalmologist, who couldn’t figure out the problem and sent him to a specialist. The specialist then sent him to another specialist, who sent him to an eye institute in Miami.  

Fortunately for Mike, he happened to be playing ultimate Frisbee with a teammate whose wife worked for Dr. Scamard. She told the doctor about Mike’s frustrating issue, and Dr. Scamard offered to take a look.

Although Mike did also see the specialist in Miami, he visited Dr. Scamard, too, and both doctors came to the same conclusion.

“It turns out the virus had switched eyes and began to attack the optic nerve in the other eye,” Mike explains. Eventually, his retina detached, causing blindness, and he had to have surgery to repair it. The surgeon suggested he be fitted for contacts, which was basically a lifelong dream come true for Mike.

“I’ve worn glasses every day since I was five years old and no one would fit me for contacts because they weren’t sure how the virus would react,” says Mike. But, Dr. Scamard said he was a good candidate for contacts and was willing to help him. “That was something I was crazy excited for.”

Mike had his surgery a little over a year ago and has now been wearing contact lenses without any problems for eight months. 

“My experience (with Excellence in Eye Care) has been nothing short of incredible,” Mike says, explaining that Dr. Scamard found answers for him when many other doctors gave up. He also truly cared about Mike’s situation and his well-being. “Dr. Scamard has personally reached out to me a couple of times just to see how things are going.”

Scamard explains that he is able to help people like Mike — and many others — because he and Dr. Woolwine offer the latest innovations in contact lenses. 

“There’s even a contact now that helps prevent bacterial growth, which makes it healthier for the eye,” Dr. Scamard explains. “There has been a constant improvement in the technology and materials we have to work with.”

The entire process from eye exam to putting the glasses on your face or contacts in your eyes can be completed right there in Costco. You don’t need to be a Costco member to visit Excellence in Eyecare and have an exam, but you do need a membership to purchase your glasses and contact lenses from the wholesale giant’s extensive eyewear department, located right next to the office.

Get Those Eyes Examined!

Excellence In Eye Care currently is seeing many patients who have missed their annual eye exams due to the pandemic. Dr. Scamard encourages everyone who hasn’t had their eyes checked lately to make an appointment. 

“The health of your eyes is very important,” he says, “and we, of course, practice all the guidelines for protection to make sure our patients are safe and we’re safe, too.”

So, whether you’re in need of an annual eye exam or your first exam in a long time, Dr. Scamard and Dr. Woolwine invite you to visit their convenient location for top-notch care. 

“We always strive to make all of our patients happy and make the experience as pleasant as possible,” says Dr. Scamard. “We make sure their eyes are healthy and that they can see their best.”

Excellence In Eye Care is located inside the Costco at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr., on the south side of S.R. 56. The office is open Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays from 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m.–7 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. For more information, call (813) 279-7038 or visit ExcellenceInEyeCare.net.

Excellence In Eye Care Expands Focus On Kiddie Eye Care

The staff at Excellence In Eye Care, located inside the Costco on S.R. 56, includes (l.-r.) optometric technician Jill Wagner, Dr. David Scamard and office manager and optometric technician Eileen Aldrich. (Photos: Charmaine George)

For nearly 20 years, independent optometrist David Scamard, O.D., has taken care of patients’ eyes in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel. Even before his practice was called “Excellence In Eye Care,” that’s exactly what he always strived to deliver.

Since 2017, Dr. Scamard’s Excellence In Eye Care, LLC, has been located inside the Costco next to the Tampa Premium Outlets on S.R. 56. Prior to that, it was located off of S.R. 54 in Lutz.

He has been practicing much longer than that, however, since he opened his first private practice in New Tampa way back in 2002. 

He had previously earned his undergraduate degree at the University of South Florida in Tampa and earned his Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.

Some people who see Dr. Scamard inside Costco have been his patients over the last two decades and originally found him at one of his previous locations.

For example, patient Jill Bonnville and her husband Frank Filippone saw Dr. Scamard for about 10 years when he was located on S.R. 54, but then lost touch. They saw several doctors closer to their home in Town ‘N Country, but every year, when it was time for their exams, Jill would again try to find Dr. Scamard.

Of all the doctors who have tried to help her with her admittedly difficult eyes, Jill says, “He’s the only doctor who nails it the first time, every time.”

And, while it takes her nearly an hour to get to his office, she says it’s worth it.

Jill says she went back to another doctor for several months in a row to get a prescription that would allow her to see better, but that doctor kept getting it wrong.

When she finally found Dr. Scamard again, “I couldn’t believe it,” Jill says. “It was very similar to when I first had to get glasses as a kid. When I put them on, I went, ‘Wow. This is what everything is supposed to look like.’ I didn’t even realize it was that bad until he fixed it.”

Wee Care Eye Care Coming Soon

Coming this fall, Excellence In Eye Care will introduce Wee Care Eye Care, offering a new experience that is focused (no pun intended) on children’s eye care.

While Dr. Scamard has always seen babies and children, the new program will expand the practice’s focus on kids, with a specially-designed, kid-friendly exam room and education targeted at parents.

Dr. Scamard uses state-of-the-art equipment to elevate his practice beyond just a place to get glasses.

“A lot of times, parents are under the false impression that their kids’ eyes are being checked thoroughly at school or they can address problems once a child starts having them, but problems are missed in school screenings,” explains Dr. Scamard. “Children think that’s just the way the world looks. They don’t realize they should be able to see better. They could even end up with visual problems, such as a lazy eye, that may never be fully corrected because the visual pathways haven’t formed properly.”

He says that parents should bring their children in for an eye exam once a year and that children’s eyes often change even more quickly than that.

Dr. Scamard also is a charter member of a program called Infant-See. For babies who are at least six months old but not yet one year, Dr. Scamard will do their first eye exam for free. “It takes less than 10 minutes and allows us to check everything out from an optometrist’s point of view.”

New Technology For Sports

Also this fall, Dr. Scamard and his team will introduce a sports vision therapy program for people of all ages to improve their sports performance.

Using a specialized machine called the Sanet Vision Integrator (bottom photo on next page), patients can improve their hand-to-eye coordination and reaction time. Dr. Scamard says it will help athletes in many sports, including baseball, hockey and others.

Eileen Aldrich, the practice’s office manager, who also is an optometric technician, explains, “It will give them better visual perception, such as when to use a racket to hit the ball, and gets them more focused on using vision to reach their training or sports goals.”

The machine hooks up to a large, touch-screen television, which provides exercises for the person being trained to respond to, while they work on balance using a Wii Fit board.

“There’s no one else in the area who has this instrument,” Dr. Scamard says, “so we’re very unique in that regard.”

He says many patients are impressed with all of the latest technology available at Excellence In Eye Care.

For example, Dr. Scamard uses a high-tech retinal imager to view the internal structures of the eyes. He also uses a digital refractor, which he says is faster, more accurate and more efficient than the old-style analog devices, and patients like that they don’t have to have their eyes dilated. 

“We’re state of the art,” he says.

The entire process from eye exam to putting the glasses on your face or the contacts in your eyes can be completed right there in Costco. However, while you do not need to be a member of the wholesale club to visit Excellence in Eyecare and have an exam, you do need to be a Costco member to get your glasses and contact lenses from the wholesale giant’s eyewear department right next to the office. 

Excellence In Eye Care does not accept vision insurance plans. However, Eileen says, “We do offer a detailed, itemized bill once a patient is seen. The patient can then send that bill to their insurance company for reimbursement.”

Dr. Scamard, Eileen and optometric technician Jill Wagner will do whatever it takes to help you with your eye care needs.

“We want our patients to feel comfortable,” says Dr. Scamard. “We listen to our patients, address their needs, and we take our time with them. We really pride ourselves on making sure our patients are happy — that’s always our goal.”

Jill Bonnville says she is one of those very happy patients.

“He’s very kind, he’s extremely patient,” says Jill. “I ask a lot of questions and he explains both the scientific stuff and what it means. It’s always a nice experience.”

Excellence In Eye Care is located inside the Costco Wesley Chapel Warehouse at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr. (on the south side of S.R. 56) in Lutz. The office is open Tuesday and Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (813) 279-7038 or visit ExcellenceInEyecare.net.

Dr. David Scamard Is Your Independent Optometrist Inside Costco!

Costco Wholesale is highly-regarded for its great deals and convenience. Where else can you shop for groceries, electronics and furniture, while getting your tires rotated and filling up your gas tank on the way out — all at great prices?

However, one of the local Costco store’s lesser known perks adds even more convenience.

Not only can you get your eyes examined at Costco, you can get the frames and lenses right there.

Excellence in Eye Care

Don’t let the convenience factor fool you. Independent Optometrist David Scamard, O.D., has been in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area for more than 17 years, delivering the highest level of service and an exceptional experience.

Dr. Scamard’s Excellence in Eye Care, LLC, is an A-Rated business, according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), has a 5-Star rating on Google Reviews with more than 140 reviews, and even has a 5-Star rating on the practice’s Facebook page. 

Dr. Scamard is a local product. He attended Hillsborough High School, did his undergraduate work at the University of South Florida and earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.

He opened his first private practice in New Tampa in 2002. He sold that business in 2007 and moved into a new location off of S.R. 54 in Lutz, where he operated Eye Care Professionals of Tampa Bay until 2017.

In 2017, the Costco on S.R. 56 opened up, and Dr. Scamard brought his Excellence in Eye Care inside the store. The good news is that you do not have to be a Costco member to walk in to visit or make an appointment with Dr. Dave.

“Doctor Dave is very personable and still professional and caring,” says  Michael Mendivil, who works at the adjacent hearing aid center, also inside Costco. “He does an unbelievable job. He is thorough with his eye exams and is just an awesome practitioner. I went through three optometrists before I found him, and I feel like he finally got my prescription right.”

Dr. Scamard’s experience spans almost two decades. Many of his patients from his early years have followed him to his location inside Costco. 

“The health of your eyes is very important,” Dr. Scamard says. “You’ve heard the expression, ‘The eyes are the window to the soul?’ Well, your eyes are also a window to your health.”

He notes that diseases like glaucoma can go undetected for years and says the American Optometric Association recommends an eye exam for everyone once a year, but especially diabetics should have their eyes checked every year. 

“Your eyes are such sensitive organs, they can manifest signs of systemic disease,” Dr. Scamard says. 

One of the high-tech devices Dr. David Scamard of Excellence in Eye Care (located inside the Wesley Chapel Costco) uses is a RT-5100 Refractor, a digital refractor with electric motors that changes the lenses at the touch of a button. Dr. Scamard says this machine is faster, more accurate and more efficient than the old-style analog devices. (Photo: Andy Warrener)

Dr. Scamard uses some of the most cutting-edge technology in the industry. For eye exams, he uses an Optos retinal camera in his office. This high-tech tool is a retinal imager that gives the optometrist a view of the internal structures of your eyes.

The old-fashioned way to see into your pupils was to dilate them. 

“People don’t always have time to get their pupils dilated,” Dr. Scamard says. “When your pupils are dilated, you are very sensitive to bright light and your near-sightedness is fuzzy — sometimes for up to five hours after dilation. It’s something that compels a lot of people to pass up their annual eye exams.”

Most peoples’ impression of an eye doctor appointment involves looking into that metal mask as the doctor manually flips through different lenses in front of your eyes to achieve the proper prescription. Dr. Dave says that is now officially “old-school.”

One of the other high-tech devices Dr. Scamard uses is a RT-5100 Refractor, a digital refractor with electric motors that change the lenses. Scamard operates the digital refractor from a console on his desk.

“The digital refractor is faster, more accurate and more efficient than the old-style analog devices,” he says. “Our patients appreciate that we have the latest technology available to them.”

Convenience

The entire process from eye exam to putting the glasses on your face or contacts in your eyes can be completed right there in Costco. However, while you do not need to be a Costco member to utilize Dr. Scamard’s services, you do need to be a member to get your  glasses and contact lenses from the wholesale giant. 

After your exam, the next step is, well, just steps away. Need a prescription filled from Dr. Scamard? It can be filled right there in Costco’s pharmacy. Want to browse glasses and contacts lenses? There is an entire showroom right outside Dr. Scamard’s office. 

“Costco even carries some of the high-end lines of frames like Prada, Tiffany, Oakley and Mont Blanc,” he says. “A lot of their frames and lenses are priced at what my cost was when I operated out of my own office. Some of my patients say that they have had savings up to 50 percent. Additionally, Costco has been rated number one by consumer reports for the best value in glasses and contacts, for the last several years.”

Costco carries a sizable line of contact lenses, including newer designs that allow more oxygen into the eyes, helping to prevent dryness. If the store doesn’t have them in stock, they can usually be delivered to the store in a week or less. The customer can even order them online and have them delivered to their home. 

Having trouble setting an appointment? Excellence in Eye Care makes that easy as well. Dr. Scamard says that some offices have up to two-week waiting lists, but he even accepts walk-ins. 

Excellence in Eye Care does not accept optical insurance but does provide itemized receipts that patients can use for reimbursement from their providers. Insurance can be applied to the lenses and frames sold at Costco, however.

Eyeglass exams start at $79, and contact lens exams start at $99. In the month of October, Excellence in Eye Care is offering a free set of sunglasses with the cutout or mention of the coupon in the Neighborhood News on page 40.

Excellence in Eye Care is located in the Costco Wesley Chapel Warehouse at 2225 Grand Cypress Dr., on the south side of S.R. 56, in Lutz. The office is open Tuesday and Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (813) 279-7038 or visit ExcellenceInEyecare.net.