Eye Care Center in Memphis

June 15, 2026

Set on the Mississippi River in the state’s southwest corner, Memphis is the seat of Shelby County, the most populous county in Tennessee, and the city itself holds roughly 618,980 residents in recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates. What shapes its eye care landscape is less the city’s own count than its reach: as the dominant medical center for a tri-state region, Memphis draws patients from across West Tennessee, north Mississippi, and east Arkansas. That regional pull has supported several long-established centers that combine optometry, ophthalmology, and surgical eye care within a single organization, the arrangement that separates a comprehensive eye care center from a standalone optical shop or a solo exam office. This article is informational and is not medical advice.

Demand for that kind of care tracks closely with age and chronic illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks cataract among the leading causes of vision loss in the United States and flags diabetic eye disease as a condition that requires regular dilated screening, two patterns that show up reliably in any large metropolitan population. A center built to meet them typically pairs everyday vision services with medical and surgical care under one roof: comprehensive exams that assess visual acuity, refraction, and eye health; management of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and dry eye; cataract surgery that replaces the clouded natural lens with an intraocular lens, often laser-assisted and with premium lens options; and refractive procedures such as LASIK, PRK, SMILE, and implantable lenses for qualifying patients. Specialty contact lens fitting and an on-site optical commonly round out the menu.

The people delivering these services fall into distinct, separately regulated roles. Optometrists hold the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree, complete an accredited doctoral program, pass national and state examinations, and meet continuing-education requirements set by the Tennessee Board of Optometry, a body the legislature created in 1925. Ophthalmologists are physicians (M.D. or D.O.) who finish medical school and an ophthalmology residency and are licensed through the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, with many adding subspecialty fellowships in cornea, retina, glaucoma, or refractive surgery. Opticians, for their part, fit and dispense eyewear. Both physician boards operate under the Tennessee Department of Health, which maintains the online license-verification system patients can use to confirm an active O.D. or M.D. license before booking.

Where surgery happens matters too. Outpatient eye procedures are typically performed in an ambulatory surgery center, a facility the state licenses and inspects and that is frequently Medicare-certified and accredited; in the Memphis area, several practices run their own dedicated surgery centers. Beyond the medical regulators, ordinary consumer protections also apply to eye care businesses. The Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), which addresses deceptive practices, while complaints about a licensed provider’s professional conduct are directed to the Department of Health through its Health Related Boards complaint process. Patients should consult a licensed eye care provider about their individual eye health.

Top Eye Care Center Providers in Memphis

1. Eye Specialty Group

Address: 825 Ridge Lake Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38120
Phone: (901) 685-2200
Services: comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, cataract surgery, LASIK and refractive surgery, EVO ICL, glaucoma treatment, retina (medical and surgical), keratoconus treatment, dry eye treatment
Website: https://www.eyespecialtygroup.com
Description: Eye Specialty Group is a comprehensive ophthalmology practice that traces its founding to 1968 and has provided eye care to the Memphis region for more than fifty years. The practice maintains multiple offices, including its Ridge Lake Boulevard location in East Memphis along with offices in Collierville, Tennessee, and Southaven, Mississippi, and it operates its own ambulatory surgery facilities, including the Ridge Lake Ambulatory Surgery Center and additional surgery centers serving the metro area. Its board-certified ophthalmologists provide LASIK and refractive surgery, traditional and advanced cataract surgery, glaucoma care, and medical and surgical retina services, along with treatment for keratoconus and dry eye. The combination of multiple clinic locations and dedicated surgery centers lets the group handle routine exams and complex surgical care within one organization.

2. Memphis Eye and Cataract Associates

Address: 6485 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119
Phone: (901) 767-3937
Website: https://mecavision.com
Services: comprehensive eye exams, contact lens exams, cataract surgery with premium and light-adjustable lenses, LASIK, LASEK, PRK, implantable contact lenses, glaucoma treatment, cornea transplant and corneal disorder care, retinal procedures, diabetic eye care, dry eye treatment, emergency eye care
Description: Memphis Eye and Cataract Associates, often referred to as MECA, is a comprehensive ophthalmology practice on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis built around the Freeman family of eye surgeons. Physicians associated with the practice include Dr. James F. Freeman, Dr. John M. Freeman, Dr. Robert Vestal, and additional ophthalmologists, with subspecialty coverage across cornea, retina, glaucoma, cataract, and refractive surgery. The center performs cataract surgery with premium and light-adjustable lens options, LASIK and other refractive procedures, corneal transplants, glaucoma management, and retinal care, and it operates an ambulatory surgery center for outpatient procedures. Its breadth of subspecialty surgeons makes it a referral resource for complex eye conditions in addition to routine cataract and vision care.

3. Toyos Clinic

Address: 6465 North Quail Hollow Road, Memphis, TN 38120
Phone: (901) 683-7255
Website: https://www.toyosclinic.com
Services: comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, cataract surgery, LASIK, SMILE, glaucoma treatment, dry eye disease management, intense pulsed light therapy, optical, aesthetic services
Description: Toyos Clinic is an ophthalmology practice in East Memphis led by Dr. Rolando Toyos, M.D., who serves as medical director and founder, alongside Dr. Melissa Toyos, M.D., who directs research and performs facial cosmetic procedures, with staff optometrist Dr. Brittany Ellis, O.D. The clinic is widely associated with dry eye treatment and intense pulsed light therapy, an area Dr. Toyos helped develop, and it also provides cataract surgery, LASIK and SMILE refractive procedures, glaucoma care, and an optical shop. The practice operates several locations across Tennessee, Mississippi, and beyond, with the Quail Hollow Road office serving Memphis patients for both medical eye care and vision correction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Care Center in Memphis

Q: What is the difference between the optometrists and ophthalmologists at a Memphis eye care center?

An optometrist is a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) licensed by the Tennessee Board of Optometry to perform eye exams, prescribe glasses and contacts, and diagnose and manage many eye conditions. An ophthalmologist is a physician (M.D. or D.O.) licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners who can also perform eye surgery, including cataract, cornea, glaucoma, and refractive procedures. Comprehensive eye care centers often employ both so that routine care and surgical care can be coordinated within one practice.

Q: How do I verify that a Memphis eye care provider is licensed in Tennessee?

Both the Tennessee Board of Optometry and the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners operate under the Tennessee Department of Health, which maintains an online license-verification system. You can confirm that an optometrist or ophthalmologist holds an active license before scheduling care. The Department of Health also licenses and inspects ambulatory surgery centers where outpatient eye surgery is performed.

Q: What services should I expect at a comprehensive eye care center?

A comprehensive center typically offers routine eye exams and refraction, medical eye care for conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and macular degeneration, cataract surgery, LASIK and other refractive procedures, dry eye treatment, and an optical shop. Some centers add subspecialty surgery such as cornea, retina, or oculoplastics. The exact mix varies by practice, so it helps to confirm which services are offered on site before scheduling.

Q: Is sales tax charged on glasses and contact lenses purchased at a Memphis eye care center?

Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax, and Shelby County adds a local option tax that brings the combined rate to roughly 9.75% on taxable retail goods such as eyeglasses and contact lenses. Professional services like an eye exam or a surgical procedure are treated differently from retail eyewear, so patients should ask for an itemized receipt that separates the exam, materials, and any applicable tax.

Q: Where is cataract or LASIK surgery performed, and is it an overnight stay?

Cataract and LASIK procedures are typically performed on an outpatient basis at an ambulatory surgery center, often the center’s own on-site facility, with the patient going home the same day. Several Memphis-area eye care centers operate their own dedicated surgery centers. These facilities are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Health and are frequently Medicare-certified and accredited, so patients should ask where surgery will take place and what accreditation the facility holds.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Memphis eye care center?

Complaints about a licensed optometrist’s or ophthalmologist’s professional conduct or care can be filed with the Tennessee Department of Health through its Health Related Boards complaint process, which covers the Board of Optometry and the Board of Medical Examiners. For business or billing disputes involving deceptive practices, the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping records of appointments, prescriptions, surgical consents, and payments helps support any complaint.