Eye Health America Expands in Northeast Florida with the Addition of Dr. Janet Betchkal, a Glaucoma Specialist in Jacksonville

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9:33 AM on Monday, September 8

The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 8, 2025--

Eye Health America (EHA), a leading integrated eye care platform in the Southeastern United States, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Janet Betchkal, MD, a renowned glaucoma specialist practicing in Jacksonville, Florida. This strategic addition reinforces EHA’s presence in Northeast Florida and complements its existing partnerships, including Bowden Eye and Associates and Schneider Eye Center.

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Janet Betchkal, MD

Dr. Betchkal brings over three decades of experience and leadership to Eye Health America. After completing her Glaucoma Fellowship in 1989, she spent eight years on faculty at the University of Florida Health, where she served as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Shands Hospital. For the past 20+ years, Dr. Betchkal has been in private practice based out of St. Vincent’s Hospital, focusing exclusively on glaucoma care.

In addition to her clinical expertise, Dr. Betchkal is an esteemed leader in the ophthalmology community. She has served on the Board of Directors and is a Past-President of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology. She also contributes to the Secretariat for State Affairs (SSA) Committee and the OPHTHPAC Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In 2015, she was honored with the John R. Brayton, Jr., MD, Annual Leadership Award, recognizing her exemplary dedication and impact on the field.

“I thought long and hard about my decision to join EHA,” said Dr. Betchkal. “In the current state of medicine, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain a solo practice—forced to divide my time between patient care and day-to-day business operations. By joining forces with EHA, I will be able to continue to provide the highest quality of care that patients and colleagues have come to expect from me, gain access to EHA support and its many resources, and join a network of other top-quality ophthalmologists in the area.”

“Dr. Betchkal’s strong connection to the Jacksonville community and her dedicated focus on glaucoma care are a natural fit with our mission to provide specialized expertise across the Southeast. Her decision to join Eye Health America enhances our capacity to serve the increasing needs of patients in Northeast Florida,” said John Swencki, Co-CEO of Eye Health America.

Eye Health America continues its growth across the Southeastern U.S. through affiliations with premier ophthalmology and optometry practices. With this addition, EHA now includes 32 partnerships and continues advancing its mission of delivering integrated, full-service eye care through a collaborative network of trusted providers and Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

About Eye Health America

Eye Health America (EHA) is a leading eyecare provider focused on partnering with culturally aligned ophthalmology practices, optometry practices and ambulatory surgery centers across the Southeast U.S. to provide superior strategic, financial, and operational support for best-in-class eye care. Member practices include Bowden Eye & Associates, Eye Center of Central Georgia, Eye Surgery Center of North Florida, Clemson Eye, Piedmont Surgery Center, EHA Surgery Center Seneca, The Surgery & Laser Center, Carolinas Centers for Sight, Florence Surgery and Laser Center, Medical Eye Associates Surgery Center, Quigley Eye Specialists, Southeast Retina Center, Augusta Retina Laser Surgicare, The Eye Associates, The Eye Associates Surgery Center, EHA Surgery Center Sarasota, Eye Centers of Florida, Schneider Eye Center, St. John’s Surgery Center, St. Lucy’s Surgery Center, Surgicare Center, Updegraff Laser Vision, Tampa Bay Eye Surgery Center, West Georgia Eye Care Center, Eye Surgery Center of West Georgia, and many other top eyecare providers. They offer full-service, integrated eye care from routine eye exams, contact lenses, and glasses to medical ophthalmology and surgery including refractive cataract surgery, cornea, retina, glaucoma, LASIK, pediatrics, and oculoplastics.

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CONTACT: Media Contact

Courtney Mitchell

VP of Marketing for Eye Health America

864-622-5002

[email protected]

Business Development Contact

Michael Gleason

978-778-8895

VP, Business Development

[email protected]

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