Welcome to Southwest Florida Eye Care Services

Dr. Palmon is a board-certified, fellowship-trained cataract, refractive and corneal surgeon. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Georgetown University, graduating magna cum laude, and then received his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine internship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a residency at Wills Eye Institute at Thomas Jefferson University. His fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery was completed at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Palmon specializes in premium cataract and lens replacement surgery, as well as laser vision correction with LASIK, Epi-LASEK, and implantable lenses. He is sure to employ the most advanced treatments available for his patients, including corneal cross-linking and corneal transplantation with Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). Dr. Palmon also provides medical and surgical treatments for glaucoma.

Dr. Palmon is a diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology and certified by the American Board of Eye Surgery in refractive surgery. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Medical Association, the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and the International Society of Refractive Surgery, to name a few. He has authored numerous scientific articles in ophthalmology journals and is a frequent speaker at ophthalmic symposia.

Originally from Philadelphia, he moved to Florida in 1994. He and his wife are empty nesters, having raised four adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys tennis, biking, skiing, and golfing.

Dr. Smolyar is a board-certified cataract and refractive surgeon with over 25 years of experience. He received his medical degree from Kursk State Medical University in the former Soviet Union. He completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of Louisville and a fellowship in Neuro-Ophthalmology at Michigan State University. He completed another ophthalmology residency at Ben Gurion University in Israel prior to coming to the United States.
Dr. Smolyar specializes in premium cataract and lens replacement surgery, as well as laser vision correction with LASIK, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK). He also has significant expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery. Dr. Smolyar is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. He was in private practice in Louisville, Kentucky, for many years, where he also served as a clinical Associate Professor at the University of Louisville Department of Ophthalmology.

He has been living in Fort Myers since 2018 with his wife and dogs; they have raised three children together. In his spare time, Dr. Smolyar enjoys swimming, scuba diving, kayaking, and fishing. He has dedicated time to providing free surgical eye care in underserved countries and considers that to be one of his passions.

Dr. Avril is an optometric physician who provides a wide variety of primary care services to patients. He knew he wanted to pursue optometry at age eight when he was treated for his own eye issues. He received his undergraduate degrees, graduating magna cum laude, from St. Petersburg Junior College and the University of South Florida. He completed his Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Missouri School of Optometry, where he received the Dean’s Award for graduating first in his class and the Outstanding Contact Lens Achievement Award. During his time there, Dr. Avril was a teaching assistant for neuroanatomy and clinical studies, completed an externship at St. Louis Eye Hospital, and did rounds at Barnes Hospital.

Dr. Avril is a member of the American Optometric Association, Southern Council of Optometrists, Florida Optometric Association, and Southwest Florida Optometric Association.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, he was raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. He lives in Estero with his wife Mary. Dr. Avril’s hobbies include live performance singing, playing guitar, cooking, fishing, and spending time with family.

Dr. Marhue is a board-certified optometric physician that provides a wide variety of primary eye care to patients. He completed his bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Optometry degrees at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed externships at Omega Eye Care Center, Piedmont Medical Center, Birmingham V.A. Medical Center and the Sparks Center for Developmental Vision Clinic.

Dr. Marhue’s present and past memberships include Students of Optometry Serving Humanity, the Trinidad and Tobago Optometrists Association, Florida Surgical Eye Expeditions, the American Optometric Association, the Florida Optometric Association and the Southwest Florida Optometric Association.

He served as the president of the Southwest Florida Optometric Association for over four years and has participated in multiple eye mission trips to Trinidad, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Born in Trinidad, he completed high school and started college in Toronto and completed his last years of undergraduate and professional training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He served as the Director of Optometry at the Eye Centers of Florida for 14 years before joining Southwest Florida Eye Care as a partner which is now part of Center For Sight.

Dr. Marhue has lived in Fort Myers since 1991. He loves spending any time he gets with his two wonderful adult children, Aaron and Brittnie. He and his wife Tricia enjoy their families, hiking, cycling, soccer and fishing. 

Dr. Orr is an optometric physician that provides a wide variety of primary eye care to patients. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Florida Southern College, followed by her Doctor of Optometry degree at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis. She completed internships at Winter Haven Eye Clinic in Winter Haven, Florida, and St. Luke’s Eye Institute in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

Dr. Orr is a member of the American Optometric Association, Florida Optometric Association, Southwest Florida Optometric Association, Contact Lens Association of Optometrists, and the Kiwanis Club. She has dedicated her time to the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity, an organization that facilitates the provision and sustainability of vision care worldwide for people who can neither afford nor obtain such care. She has traveled to Belize, Santo Domingo, Costa Rica, Haiti, and Panama. Dr. Orr serves on several local boards, including the Humane Society of Lee County, Parkinson’s of Southwest Florida, and Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.

Originally from Maine, Dr. Orr has lived in Southwest Florida since 1989. Dr. Orr is active in sports, particularly tennis, golf, and cycling. She is passionate about animal rescue and enjoys crafting and traveling.

Dr. Sarah Johnson is an optometric physician who provides a wide variety of primary care services.

Dr. Johnson completed her undergraduate studies at The University of South Florida, Tampa, and received her Doctor of Optometry degree in 2008 from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, where she graduated with honors. Her clinical internships include Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute, Braverman Eye Center, Pediatric Ophthalmology Consultants of Plantation, and The Eye Institute of Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Johnson has been practicing optometry for over 15 years. She began her practice at Tallman Eye Institute, in Lawrence, Massachusetts. After relocating to Florida in 2014, she established her own optometry practice, Johnson Eyecare. She then decided to join Southwest Florida Eye Care and Center For Sight, both of which are US Eye companies.

Dr. Sarah Johnson was born in Costa Rica and was raised in both Costa Rica and Fort Myers, Florida. As a result, she is fluent in both English and Spanish. Dr. Johnson is grateful to have the opportunity to be able to provide her optometric knowledge, skills and experience to the Fort Myers community and surrounding areas.

Dr. Johnson lives in Fort Myers with her daughter Amelia and son Andres, where they enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors and dancing. In her spare time, she enjoys running, biking, CrossFit, yoga, paddle boarding and scuba diving.