Our Ophthalmologists

Ophthalmologists are the designated leaders of the eye care team. They are M.D.'s who specialize in eye and vision care, diagnosis and treatment of eye disease and provide comprehensive eye exams, prescribe corrective lenses, prescribe and administer medication and perform surgery.

Dr. Amir Arbisser

Dr. Amir Arbisser received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He completed a National Institutes of Health fellowship in genetic and metabolic diseases and his ophthalmology residency at University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston where he served as chief resident. He concluded his formal training with a pediatric fellowship at the University of Iowa. Dr. Amir is a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmolgy and specializes in pediatric and comprehensive ophthalmology. Dr. Amir is co-founder of Eye Surgeons Associates. He is a member and former president of Scott County Medical Society and a member of Iowa Medical Society and American Medical Association. He publishes articles and serves as contributing editor for Ophthalmology Management. Dr. Amir recently concluded a six-year gubernatorial appointment on the Board of Regents, the governing body of Iowa's public universities and their division including University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City. His community service includes board membership for Genesis Health Foundation.

Dr. Lisa Brothers Arbisser

A Princeton graduate, Dr. Lisa Brothers Arbisser, teaches cataract and anterior segment ophthalmic surgery worldwide from her Quad Cities, Iowa and Illinois practice of twenty years. Following medical school in New Orleans and Houston she pursued an NIH neurobiology fellowship. She completed her ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She is a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology and certified in cataract and implant surgery by the American Board of Eye Surgery. She is a clinical adjunct associate professor at the University of Utah John A. Moran Eye Center and a former president of the American College of Eye Surgeons. Dr. Lisa's philanthropic activities include conceptualizing and chairing the Davenport Schools Foundation, active engagement with Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa as well as numerous other boards. She shares four children with her pediatric ophthalmologist husband Amir. Together they have been honored as laureates of the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame and have founded the See Life Clearly Foundation to advance the quality and availability of eye care in their region.

Dr. Paul Arnold

Dr. Paul Arnold, FACS joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2010 from private practice in Missouri and Arkansas. He received his medical degree from the University of Kansas, School of Medicine and completed his residency and Associate Fellow program in Anterior Segment Surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA. Dr. Arnold has authored numerous articles published in peer reviewed journals. He is Board certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology and the American Board of Eye Surgery in cataract/implant surgery. His specialty interests include: the surgical treatment of cataracts with the latest techniques; the medical, laser and surgical treatment of glaucoma; and comprehensive ophthalmology.

Dr. Priscilla Arnold

Dr. Priscilla Arnold, FACS joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2010 from private practice in Louisiana and Arkansas. She received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA and completed her residency at Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans. Dr. Arnold is Board certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology and the American Board of Eye Surgery in cataract/implant surgery. She has served as President of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery and the American Board of Eye Surgery. Her specialty interests include: the surgical treatment of cataracts with the latest techniques and comprehensive ophthalmology.

Dr. William Benevento

Dr. William Benevento joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1994. He grew up in Northern California and attended Stanford University, graduating with departmental honors. He first came to the Midwest to attend Washington University in St. Louis, where he completed both his medical training and his residency in ophthalmology. As a board certified ophthalmologist, Dr. Benevento has special interest in diabetes and the surgical treatment of cataracts with the latest techniques. He is committed to teaching both physicians and patients about eye disease and prevention. Formerly Eye Surgeons Associates Medical Director, Dr. Benevento now serves as President.

Dr. Michael Boehm

Dr. Michael Boehm joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2003. Born and raised in the Quad Cities, he graduated summa cum laude from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at the University of Washington in Seattle, followed by a fellowship in cornea and external diseases at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Dr. Boehm is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Rock Island County Medical Society, and the Scott County Medical Society. Dr. Boehm serves as Medical Director of Eye Surgeons Associates.

Dr. Tina Eckhardt

Dr. Tina Eckhardt, formerly of Davenport Eye Group, joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2006. Originally from Pennsylvania, Dr. Eckhardt received her medical degree from the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She completed her internship at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, PA and her ophthalmology residency at Hahnemann University Hospital. Board certified in ophthalmology since 1997, Dr. Eckhardt provides comprehensive medical eyecare for the entire family. Her special interests include expertise in difficult contact lens fittings and dry eye. She is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Iowa Academy of Ophthalmology, and serves on the executive committee of the Scott County Medical Society. Dr. Eckhardt enjoys being active in the Quad Cities community. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Davenport Rotary Club and Gilda's Club. She and her husband, Dr. Aric J. Eckhardt, have two children and reside in Coal Valley, IL.

Dr. John Frederick

Dr. John Frederick joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1998. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City and completed his internship at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, MI. He finished his residency in Ophthalmology at Cornell University Medical College in New York and achieved a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus with Dr. Zane Pollard at the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta. He is a member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the Scott County Medical Society. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and serves as clinical faculty for the Genesis Health System family practice residency program. His areas of special interest include: pediatric ophthalmology and adult ocular motility disorders, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric cataract and implant surgery, retinopathy of prematurity, amblyopia (lazy eye), thyroid eye disease, and diplopia (double vision).

Dr. Peter Fries

Dr. Peter Fries joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1991. He completed his medical degree in Chicago on a military scholarship program and finished his ophthalmology residency at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco where he was voted "Outstanding Resident in Training." He spent a year at Ft. McClellan, AL, as a staff ophthalmologist then returned to San Francisco to complete a fellowship in Ocular Oncology. He completed a fellowship in Ophthalmic & Reconstructive Surgery at Scheie Eye Institute & Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, then returned to Letterman Army Medical Center to serve as a teaching ophthalmologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Fries specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery in and around the eye which includes the medical and surgical treatment of trauma, eyelid malpositions, tear drainage problems, cancers in and around the eye, and abnormalities of the tissues of the eye socket. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and has received an Honor Award for teaching and has published over 50 articles in peer reviewed journals and ophthalmic textbooks.

Dr. Michael Howcroft

Dr. Michael Howcroft joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2002. Prior to joining Eye Surgeons Associates, Dr. Howcroft was an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada. He served as Chief of the Department of Ophthalmology at St. Michael's Hospital from 1992 to 1999. He has authored many scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and has presented numerous papers and lectures at national and international specialty meetings. His specialty interests include the medical and surgical treatment of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disease, retinal detachment, ocular trauma and ophthalmic ultrasound. Dr. Howcroft received his medical degree with honors from the University of Toronto and completed 3 years of vitreoretinal surgery fellowships at the University of Toronto and the University of Iowa. He is a member of the American and Canadian Medical Associations, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retinal Specialists, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dr. Edward Hu

Dr. Edward Hu joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2012 from private practice in Maryland and Delaware. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he received both his medical degree and a Ph.D. in retinal electrophysiology from New York University School of Medicine. He completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, ranked one of the 3 top training programs in the nation. Dr. Hu is Board Certified with the American Board of Ophthalmology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. His specialty interests include the surgical treatment of cataracts using the latest techniques and advanced lens technologies, and comprehensive ophthalmology.

Dr. Raz Penmatcha

Dr. Raz Penmatcha joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2012. He was raised in the Quad Cities and graduated from Rock Ridge high school. He received his medical degree from Finch University of Health Sciences/ The Chicago Medical School. Following medical school he did a one year internal medicine internship at Sinai hospital of Detroit. After his internship he did his ophthalmology residency at Wayne State University, Sinai Hospital. During his last year he was selected as Chief Resident. After his training, Dr. Penmatcha worked for Eye Clinics of Michigan doing medical and surgical ophthalmology. He was invited to be on associate staff at Sinai hospital to teach medical and surgical ophthalmology to train ophthalmology residents at Wayne State University. After nearly a year, Dr. Penmatcha missed his home of the Quad Cities. He then returned and founded the Eye Center of the Quad Cities. His areas of interest include: suture-less clear corneal cataract surgery and comprehensive ophthalmology. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Dr. Richard Phinney

Dr. Richard Phinney has been a consultant in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at Eye Surgeons Associates since 1991. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa. He completed his ophthalmology residency at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, and was made a Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology. Following Army service in Germany, he completed a two-year fellowship in cornea/refractive at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA. He has authored numerous scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Phinney has performed thousands of refractive surgery procedures, including laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), astigmatic keratotomy (AK), cataract/IOL using multifocal implants, and advanced lamellar transplant surgery (DSEK). He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the Illinois Ophthalmologic Society, and is a past president of the Rock Island Medical Society.

Dr. Nikhil Wagle

Dr. Nikhil Wagle joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1999 as a glaucoma consultant and comprehensive ophthalmologist. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI he received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin and was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed his internship at Northwestern University Medical School and residency at the world renowned Duke University Eye Center where he also achieved a fellowship in glaucoma and served as Chief Resident. Dr. Wagle is board certified and a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology. He frequently lectures on glaucoma topics and is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and the Scott County Medical Society. His areas of special interest include: medical, laser and surgical treatment of glaucoma, suture-less clear corneal cataract surgery, and comprehensive ophthalmology. He resides in Bettendorf with his physician wife and two sons.

Dr. James Wymore

Dr. James Wymore joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1990. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Iowa where he also received his medical degree. He completed his internship at the University of Oklahoma and residency in ophthalmology at the University of Missouri. As part of his ophthalmology residency he also studied at Stanford University. With over 20 years of experience in his field Dr. Wymore’s clinical interests are in general ophthalmology. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and is Executive Director of See Life Clearly Foundation, a non-profit, public, charitable foundation established to promote excellent vision and eye health..

Our Optometrists

Doctors of optometry examine, diagnose, treat and co-manage diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures as well as diagnose related systemic conditions. Optometrists examine the internal and external structure of the eyes to diagnose diseases like glaucoma, cataracts and retinal disorders; systemic diseases like hypertension and diabetes; and vision conditions like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia. They prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, low vision aids, vision therapy and medicines to treat eye diseases.

Dr. Zack Bartels

Dr. Zack Bartels joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2004 upon completing his residency in ocular disease and low vision at the VA hospitals in Chicago, Illinois. He is a graduate of the NOVA Southeastern University College of Optometry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from Augustana College. He served an externship at the San Carlos Hospital on the San Carlos Indian Reservation, Arizona, during his final year of optometry school. He completed his fellowship with the American Academy of Optometry. He is currently active with the ocular disease and low vision sections of the Academy. Dr. Bartels is a native of the Quad Cities and received the Finest Under Forty Achievement Award from Augustana College Alumni Association Board of Directors.. His clinical interests include: family eye care, medical co-management, low vision, sports vision and contact lenses.

Dr. Sarah Burgett

Dr. Sarah Burgett joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2012. She was raised in the Quad Cities and graduated from Moline High School. Prior to her arrival, she received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa while competing as a pole vaulter on the Iowa Track and Field team. She earned her doctorate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. During her final year of Optometry school, she was selected to participate in a Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) trip to Udaipur, India where she helped provide primary vision care and eyewear to thousands in need. After graduating from Optometry school, Dr. Burgett went on to complete a residency in Primary Care with an emphasis in Low Vision at Marion Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Marion, Illinois. She is a member of the American Optometric Association. Her clinical interests include primary care, medical co-management, and low vision.

Dr. Glenn Darlington

Dr. Glenn Darlington joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1998. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University Chicago in 1982 and a Doctor of Optometry degree from Illinois College of Optometry in 1986. He completed his externship in low vision at the Chicago Light House for the Blind. He was the recipient of Bausch and Lomb's outstanding achievement award in the field of contact lenses. Dr. Darlington's areas of speciality include contact lens and low vision consultations with special intrest in medical co-management.

Dr. Michael Hittenmiller

Dr. Michael Hittenmiller joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1985. Prior to that he was a military optometrist at Munson Army Hospital at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He received a Bachelor of Science from Loras College, Dubuque, IA in 1976. He achieved his Doctor of Optometry degree in 1980 from Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Hittenmiller is a member of the Iowa Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. Dr. Hittenmiller has also been active in coaching youth soccer programs, working with Boy Scouts of America and involved in local fundraising of youth soccer fields. He and his wife Linda have three children and reside in Davenport.

Dr. Chad Kluver

Dr. Chad Kluver joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2004. Prior to his arrival, he received a bachelor's degree in biology with a biomedical emphasis from the University of Northern Iowa and later went on to complete his doctorate from the Indiana University School of Optometry, graduating with high honors. During his time at Indiana University, he served as an associate instructor for various clinical laboratory courses. Dr. Kluver is board certified by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and is also a member of both the American Optometric Association and the Iowa Optometric Association. His main interests include primary eye care, contact lenses, and medical co-management.

Dr. Ryan Wilson

Dr. Ryan Wilson joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 2003 upon graduating with honors from the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago. He received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. He is a member of the Mississippi Valley Optometric Association and the Heart of America Contact Lens Society. Dr. Wilson primarily sees patients at the Geneseo office and has enjoyed becoming involved with the community by offering presentations regarding ocular health and vision for various organizations in town. His clinical interests include working with contact lens patients, primary family eye care, and surgical co-management. He enjoys numerous outdoor activities and playing guitar. Dr. Wilson and his wife reside in Geneseo with their two children.