On May 20, 2020, L. Lothaire Bluth, MD, passed away after a 4-year battle with cancer; he was 69 years old.
Dr. Bluth was the Founder of Southwestern Eye Center and the first Chairman of the Board for American Vision Partners. He was a true pioneer in the Arizona eye care community.
Hundreds of thousands of people throughout the Southwest and Mexico have him to thank, either directly or indirectly, for improved and or preserved sight. Not only was he a pioneer in bringing eye care to underserved parts of the community, but he was also instrumental in establishing “integrated” eye care within the fields of optometry and ophthalmology.
Dr. Bluth pioneered the concept of bringing the doctor to the patient and bringing comprehensive eye care to rural and underserved areas throughout Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico.
On a given morning, three to four airplanes take Southwestern Eye Center ophthalmologists and their crews to outlying offices and ambulatory surgery centers where cataract, retinal disease, glaucoma, and oculoplastic operations are performed for those who are unable to travel to or afford care in larger metropolitan centers. Offering outpatient surgical procedures locally allows patients to receive superior, more convenient care at a fraction of the cost of the same procedures in a metropolitan or hospital setting.
Dr. Bluth also introduced the concept of “integrated” eye care. He believed that optometry and ophthalmology working together was the way to provide optimal patient care. His philosophy was “together we’re better!” When he realized he might not be able to continue managing SEC, it was important to him that this philosophy continue, and a major factor in this was his partnership with Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center (BDP) and the formation of a new organization, American Vision Partners (AVP).
Many ODs today may not realize that having close working relationships with ophthalmology was not always the norm. Dr. Bluth was instrumental in developing this model in AZ. In 1983, he started providing medical and surgical eye care in rural communities, often in OD offices, and had his team co-manage patients, including post-op care. He faced significant pressure from organized ophthalmology for his willingness to work with optometry.
Dr. Bluth was instrumental in getting optometric therapeutic privileges. He made calls at crucial times to key legislators advocating for optometry. Then-Governor Jane D. Hull, whose husband was an MD, called and asked him about the optometry drug bill on her desk. After several minutes of discussion, he told her that, in spite of what she had heard, there was no reason it shouldn’t move forward. It would help all Arizonans receive better eye care.
To some degree, every OD in Arizona has been affected by this great man: the ability to prescribe medications, having a good working relationship with an ophthalmologist, the ability to co-manage patients, gaining knowledge at a CE meeting, or just having a trusted source to refer medical and surgical patients.
He will be greatly missed, as his legacy will live on.