A Local Eyecare Practice with a Vision

When Dr. Troy Bedinghaus opened his first Vision Source eyecare practice in 2004, he had a clear picture of how he wanted it to stand out. He was inspired by an early patient’s exam and what he could have done differently. “I thought to myself, ‘that was a boring experience,’” Bedinghaus said of the exam. “Ever since then, I decided that we’re going to deliver the very best eye care, but we’re really delivering an experience.”

It starts the moment you walk into either Vision Source practice in Lakewood Ranch or Parrish. You’re greeted with a warm “Welcome” and a smile – a sharp contrast to how Bedinghaus says he feels when he enters stores or even other doctors’ offices these days. “No one smiles. No one shakes your hand. They act like you shouldn’t be there,” he said of the poor customer service he sees. “We want to be the antithesis of that. We’re really appreciative that our patients have chosen our practice.”

The high-quality customer service continues in Vision Source’s waiting area. It has all the creature comforts, including hot coffee, music and videos. “We touch on all the five senses,” he said of his patient-centered practice.

After wrapping up any paperwork not done online beforehand, the patient will be introduced to the medical technician for stage one of the eye exam, involving medical history and some diagnostic testing. Then, the doctor, either Bedinghaus or one of his four associate doctors, will perform more testing. The entire appointment runs efficiently and smoothly by design. “We ask ourselves every day, “How can we delight the patient and make going to the eye doctor a fun experience.”

Vision Source specializes in comprehensive eye care, as well as ocular surface disease (also known as dry eye), glaucoma, macular degeneration, keratoconus and diseased corneas. The practice also designs scleral contact lenses to improve vision and offers pediatric eye care, including myopia control for nearsighted children.

Bedinghaus explained that eye care can sometimes prevent tragedies. He’s diagnosed patients with pre-stroke symptoms and found cancer in the back of one patient’s eye. Initially in angry disbelief, that patient eventually sought treatment and is now a loyal client at Vision Source. “Two or three years later, he came back and thanked me for saving his life,” he said. “We believe providing the very best vision will improve your overall health and in turn, improve the quality of your life.”

If you’re thinking of changing eyecare providers, Bedinghaus invites you to come by either office anytime for a tour and a meet and greet. When you’re ready to schedule an appointment, you can set it up on their website or even text the office. An old-fashioned phone call works, too. “We want to be your eyecare provider for a lifetime,” he said.