Description

Lead the retina service at Coastal Eye

Coastal Eye, a physician-owned practice in Greenwich, Connecticut, is hiring a medical or surgical retina specialist to take over the retina service from the founder, vitreoretinal surgeon Dr. Omar Shakir. You will start with a full schedule, an on-site operating room, and a busy research center participating in over 15 clinical trials, including gene therapy trials.

• Immediate volume. All of Dr. Shakir's retina patients transition to you, along with a steady flow of new retina patients from an established referral network.
• Everything at one Greenwich location. Clinic patients are seen at our office, research patients in the attached research center, and every surgery happens in our on-site operating suite.
• A mentor when you want one. Dr. Shakir remains available for clinical input, surgical assistance, and career advice whenever you want them.
• Medical or surgical, fellows welcome. We will shape the role around your training, and current retina fellows are encouraged to apply.

This is not a private equity job

Let's say it plainly: physicians are unhappy in private equity-owned practices, and the data show they are leaving. A 2025 Health Affairs study of 200 private equity-acquired ophthalmology practices found that physician turnover rose 265% after acquisition.

Talk to colleagues who joined those groups and you will hear the same stories: compensation that shifts after the deal closes, productivity targets set by people who never see patients, and a "partnership" that means buying into someone else's exit plan.

Coastal Eye is the alternative. We are a truly private, physician-owned practice, and there is no corporate entity hiding behind a veil making your life miserable. Decisions about your schedule, your staff, and your equipment is a discussion between physician colleagues, not a corporate office, and we work hard on our culture because culture is why physicians stay.

Your own operating room

Surgical candidates operate in our on-site, high-technology surgical suite, steps from the clinic. That means no hospital block-time battles, no driving between clinic and the operating room, and far more control over your surgical schedule.

• Alcon UNITY Vitreoretinal Cataract System (VCS): Alcon's next-generation vitreoretinal and cataract platform with HYPERVIT 30K vitrectomy and UNITY Intelligent Fluidics. Perfluoron, Gas, Silicone oil 1000/5000 available with the best disposable instrumentation.
• ZEISS ARTEVO 850: a heads-up digital microscope with three-dimensional visualization on a 55-inch display, plus integrated intraoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) for real-time cross-sectional views during surgery.

A clinic built for growth

Coastal Eye is a forward-thinking, gorgeous, high-end clinic equipped with the latest technology:

• New OCT with OCT angiography (OCT-A)
• Optos ultra-widefield imaging with RGB color (newest generation)
• IRIDEX IQ 577 laser with Pattern Scanning and MicroPulse capability and YAG laser
• Topcon Harmony as a central imaging hub, so you can review scans from home, the operating room, or a meeting

You will be extremely well supported, with great staff, three full-time optometrists in the practice, and a virtual MD scribe who can be assigned to you. Our patients are well insured, educated, and respectful, and the practice has outstanding Google reviews and an excellent reputation throughout the surrounding communities.

A busy, dedicated research center

Our clinical research center is attached to the Greenwich office and runs retina trials, including gene therapy trials in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Research patients are seen in the research center itself, so trials run alongside your clinic instead of crowding it.

• Principal investigator (PI) opportunities, in addition to sub-investigator and unmasked injector roles
• Gene therapy and other novel retina trials, putting you at the front of where the field is heading
• Podium presentations and advisory board opportunities, which are likely to follow from this trial work

Mentorship and industry access

Dr. Shakir is available as a mentor on clinical, surgical, and business questions as you build your practice and move toward partnership.

• Clinical Instructor at Yale School of Medicine
• Key opinion leader and adviser to leading surgical companies, including Alcon, ZEISS, and Bausch + Lomb
• Founder of the Clinical Research center
• Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Retina Alliance, a physician-led group purchasing organization representing more than 80 independent ophthalmology practices

Through Dr. Shakir, numerous consulting opportunities with industry and startups may become available to you.

A schedule that leaves room for your life

• Half-day Fridays
• No weekend or evening clinic hours, ever
• Minimal call: advanced artificial intelligence (AI) after-hours support keeps on-call responsibilities minimal
• Extra income if you want it: paid call coverage at surrounding hospitals, plus optional, well-compensated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) coverage at Stamford Hospital
• We are proud to serve our community and you would have the chance to participate in Family Centers eye care program for the underinsured and uninsured

Compensation, benefits, and partnership

• Salary: competitive base salary plus productivity incentive
• Signing bonus and relocation bonus: available for consideration
• Partnership track: the partnership discussion begins after one year of employment
• Malpractice: comprehensive malpractice insurance, with tail coverage included
• Benefits: health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan; vacation; continuing medical education (CME) allowance
• Strong earning potential: some of the best insurance reimbursement contracts in the country, and a well-insured patient population
• Growth: Coastal Eye is growing through new practice acquisitions and expansion, and you will have the opportunity to be part of it

Life in Greenwich, Connecticut

Greenwich is a classic New England town on Long Island Sound, with New York City at its doorstep.

• Top-notch schools: Greenwich High School ranked #2 among Connecticut public high schools in U.S. News & World Report's latest rankings, and the town is home to renowned independent schools, including Greenwich Academy, Brunswick School, Greenwich Country Day School, and Convent of the Sacred Heart.
• Shopping, dining, and nightlife: the boutiques and flagship stores of Greenwich Avenue, plus great restaurants and bars, from waterfront dining to lively neighborhood spots.
• Suburban living by the shore: quiet, tree-lined neighborhoods, parks, marinas, and beaches like Greenwich Point Park.
• New York City and the airports: express trains from Greenwich station reach Grand Central Terminal in about 45 minutes. Westchester County Airport is minutes away, and LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy International, and Newark Liberty International airports are all within easy reach.
• Low property taxes: Greenwich's property tax rate is one of the lowest in Connecticut.

Who we are looking for

• MD or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, board certified or board eligible in ophthalmology
• Fellowship training in medical retina or vitreoretinal surgery; current fellows completing training in 2027 are encouraged to apply
• Eligible for a Connecticut medical license
• Interest in clinical research and in helping build a growing, independent practice
• A warm, patient-first approach and a collaborative style

How to apply

Send your curriculum vitae (CV) and a short note about what you are looking for. Every inquiry is kept confidential, including from physicians currently in private equity-owned practices, and we would love to show you the clinic, operating suite and research center in person.

Coastal Eye is an equal opportunity employer.