The Latvian American Eye Center is the first private eye clinic in the Baltic States modelled on patient care and state-of-the-art technology famous in the USA. Here, professional patient care meets modern technologies along with supreme knowledge, which results in high quality eye and vision diagnostics for adults and children. The Center was founded in 1993 by an American professor from California - John Joseph McDermott (1932-2013).

Services provided by the Latvian American Eye Center (Latvijas Amerikas acu centrs) from its Riga, Latvia clinic:

Routine treatment: diagnosis and treatment of eye problems, fitting of glasses and contact lens.
Laser therapy.
Surgery: refractive surgery (intraocular lens implantation), eye lid plastic surgery, cataract, glaucoma, strabismus surgery and cornea transplantation.
Ophthalmology: Medical supplies and equipment sales,
Education: Certified training courses and workshops in ophthalmology
Medical tourism services for international clients

The Latvian American Eye Center is recognized as a center or excellence in Latvia. Patients with the most complex eye problems often come to us for treatment, and we take pride in the level of expertise we offer.

The Founder

The Center was founded by American Professor John Joseph McDermott in 1993 and since then has developed into a well-equipped and established world-class clinic offering services to local as well as foreign patients.

John Joseph McDermott, M.D. was a highly qualified expert ophthalmologist from LA, CA, USA. He graduated as a doctor in 1960 and has since worked in a wide range of medical centres in his native USA. His expert international experience covers a period of more than 25 years of a lifetime focussed on the treatment and prevention of eye diseases and disorders while his international work experience includes projects in Ecuador (1964), Thailand (1967), Vietnam (1969 and 1973) India (1979), Afghanistan (1988) and Honduras (1989).

The Mission

"Excellence in eye care and education": Our mission is to efficiently use the available professional opportunities to progress and pass the knowledge further for ophthalmology as a whole, and to continue development, while patients are guaranteed professional, modern and advanced service.

We want to treat you in the best way possible. Professionalism, technology and cooperation between the patient and the doctor are the corner stones of our mission.

The Latvian American Eye Centre became a member of the MFD Medical Group on March 15, 2018

The MFD Medical Group is one of the largest multi-field medical care institutions that provides a wide range of medical services for more than 400,000 patients throughout Riga and Latvia. Using the latest technology and the experience of excellent doctors, the main goal of the MFD Medical Group is to take care of the health of the population, providing timely disease prevention and effective methods of diagnosis and treatment.

For doctors:

The Latvian American Eye Center organizes different projects and meetings for ophthalmologists, general practitioners and people not directly related to medicine. According to recommendations made by general practitioners, our specialists prepare lectures and inform about the newest methods for eye and vision diagnostics, manageable in their practices.

Since 2002, our clinic has been hosting international ophthalmology conferences, during which ophthalmologists are informed about the latest discoveries in the field, as well as have the possibility to practice with the leading ophthalmologists.

Clinical Research:

Since 2008, the "Latvian American Eye Center" has been conducting clinical trials in partnership with various pharmaceutical companies. The main goal of clinical research is to contribute to the development and creation of new and innovative therapeutic products that result in the provision of the most effective treatment for patients. We invite every doctor to inform patients about the existence and possibility of such opportunity.

Provisions for disabled people:

The Latvian American Eye Center has access through the main entrance and movement within the area of the clinic for persons with functional impairments. Patients with functional impairments fit into the overall patient flow.

In case of need, specialized wheelchairs are provided within the clinic.

Access to all the floors of the health center from the 1st floor to the 4th floor is provided with a lift where people with functional impairments can freely enter and move.

The doctor and manipulation rooms, the operating room, and the patient wards for persons with functional impairments of the Latvian American Eye Center are freely accessible.

On the 1st floor, 2nd floor, and the 4th floor there are toilet facilities for persons with functional impairments.

Qualified and experienced doctors

Our doctors and surgeons have at least 10 years of experience. Prior to the planned surgery the patient meets the surgeon during the screening visit. Cooperation between the patient and the doctor are the corner stones of the mission. All important questions are addressed and patients always feel at ease with the planned surgery. 19 doctors and 85 other staff members are working together to provide the service and expertise for our patients to the highest standard.

Quality Management System

To ensure the highest quality and medical standards we have a Quality Department and we are proud to receive the highest evaluation of periodic audit ISO 9001-2015.