About Us
Meet Dr. Evans
Centrael Evans, MD; Ophthalmologist
Dr. Evans, who most people call Sonny, is an Athens native. He graduated from Cedar Shoals High School before completing a degree in Biology at Brigham Young University. Dr. Evans received his Doctorate of Medicine from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia where he was named a Global Health Institute Field Scholar for his work with pediatric cataracts in Zambia, Africa.
After completing an internship in Internal Medicine at Emory, Dr. Evans completed his Ophthalmology residency at SUNY – Buffalo where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Evans was nominated by faculty and peers into the Richard Sarkin / Emeritus Faculty Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. The review process of the society is by a Selection Committee for qualities of extraordinary compassion, empathy, altruism, and professionalism. He also received the Evan Calkins, MD, Fellowship for Community-Based Research, to support his research into improving outcomes for patients with ophthalmological emergencies.
Dr. Evans is a comprehensive ophthalmologist trained in the medical, laser and surgical management of a wide variety of eye diseases such as Cataract, Glaucoma, Diabetic Eye Disease, Macular Degeneration, Traumatic Eye Injuries and more. When not at work, Dr. Evans enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, restoring vintage muscle cars and cheering for the Dawgs.
Meet Dr. Lynch
Stephanie Lynch, MD; Ophthalmologist
Medical Retina / Uveitis Specialist
Dr. Lynch graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society.
After an internship in internal medicine, Dr. Lynch completed residency at the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology, ranked as one of the top training programs in the country. She completed a fellowship in Medical Retina and Uveitis at Emory University.
Dr. Lynch’s clinical expertise includes treatment of retinal disease, including diabetes, macular degeneration, and inherited retinal degenerations. She is experienced in performing retina injections and laser surgery. Additionally, she provides medical treatment for uveitis and glaucoma.
Dr. Lynch is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She is originally from Rhode Island. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and 3 dogs.
Meet Dr. Tawfik
Laila Tawfik, OD
Dr. Tawfik is board certified by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and the American Board of Optometry. Dr. Tawfik received her Doctorate of Optometry from Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN where she graduated magna cum laude. Dr. Tawfik then completed a residency in ocular disease and primary eye care at BronxCare Health Systems in the Bronx, NY. She has published several posters and became a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.
During optometry school, Dr. Tawfik was awarded the Outstanding Clinician Award and was inducted into the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society. She also served as a Student Ambassador and was an active member of Student Volunteers in Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH). Through SVOSH, she served as a student doctor on four medical mission trips to provide eye care to patients in Central and South America. As an optometry student, she completed internships with an emphasis in refractive surgery and ocular disease at Woolfson Eye Institute in Atlanta, GA and Louisiana Family Eye Care in Covington, LA.
Dr. Tawfik is originally from Leawood, KS and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas where she received a bachelors in both psychology and French. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new cuisines, and traveling.
Meet Dr. Eghigian
David Eghigian, OD
Dr. Eghigian is an experienced optometrist, providing comprehensive eye care services in the Greensboro/Lake Oconee area, Athens and the surrounding communities. He is originally from Illinois, and earned his Doctorate of Optometry from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee.
As a fully licensed, medically-oriented optometrist, Dr. Eghigian provides comprehensive examinations which diagnose disorders that affect function of the eye as well as vision. Working alongside Drs. Evans, Lynch and Tawfik, gives him a group of specialists to help treat these findings in any office at Georgia Eye. This is a tremendous advantage to have as part of your comprehensive eye care regimen. In addition to training in eye diseases and disorders, Dr. Eghigian was also trained in ocular disease, anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology of the eye and its associated pathologies. With this background, Dr. Eghigian is trained to recognize a range of health issues; such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes and hypertension.
Dr. Eghigian’s dedication to continuing education, and his familiarity with the latest technology, provides patients with the most modern and progressive vision care available. He enjoys spending his spare time with his family, traveling, boating and taking weekend trips to the coast. He moved to Lake Oconee in March, but is very familiar with the area from his frequent visits to Augusta for the Masters Golf Tournament. His wife, Jennifer, is a cardiac nurse and his son, Connor, is a PGA Professional. His daughter, Madison, is in graduate school studying to be a physicians assistant.
Meet Dr. Shah
Tirth J. Shah, MD; Ophthalmologist
Dr Shah completed his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He then completed his internship in Internal Medicine and residency training at one of the top and most prestigious ophthalmology training programs in the country – The University of Iowa. He was honored to serve as Chief resident in his final year.
His areas of interest include cataract surgery and other lens implant surgeries, glaucoma care and micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), laser vision correction surgeries (LASIK and PRK), and eyelid oculoplastic surgery.
Supporting the under-served community is a passion for Dr. Shah. He was one of the leaders of a free health clinic for the under-served population in Phoenix and helped organize Operation HawkEyeSight in Iowa City – a mission to perform free cataract surgery and pan-retinal photocoagulation (preventative treatment for diabetic retinopathy) to those who cannot afford it. He has led cutting edge research and authored multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts on cataract, refractive, and glaucoma surgery.
Most importantly, Dr. Shah emphasizes treating every patient as though they were his loved ones. He is known by his peers as a driven and compassionate physician who strives to deliver at the highest level for his patients. When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing sports, watching movies, and exploring different cuisines.