Antonio V. Aragon, II, M.D.
Diseases and Surgery of the Retina
Antonio V. Aragon II, M.D., specializes in diseases and surgery of the retina with Southwest Retina Specialists. A 1991 graduate of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, he received his Doctor of Medicine from John Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1995, followed by an internship at John Hopkins’ Sinai Hospital through 1996. Dr. Aragon then completed his residency in general ophthalmology at University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he served as Chief Resident in 1998-1999.
In 1999-2000, Dr. Aragon completed a retina/vitreous fellowship in Miami, serving as Chief Resident at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. After establishing a private vitreoretinal surgical practice in Albuquerque, he joined the Panhandle Eye Group team in August of 2005.
Dr. Aragon’s office number is 806-351-1870 or 888-404-1870.
Amber Dobler-Dixon, M.D.
Glaucoma - Management, Laser, and Surgery
Amber Dobler-Dixon, M.D., is a glaucoma specialist with Panhandle Eye Group, LLP, focusing on glaucoma management, laser treatment, and surgery. She completed her undergraduate education in 1981 at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peters, Minnesota, and then earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota in 1986. In 1989, Dr. Dobler-Dixon became Board Certified in Internal Medicine and in 1992 she became Board Certified in Ophthalmology. From 1992 to 1993 she did a Glaucoma Fellowship with Dr. Louis Cantor at Indiana University.
Dr. Dobler-Dixon entered private practice with Ophthalmic Partners in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1998, she joined Panhandle Eye Group.
Dr. Dobler-Dixon specializes in all areas of glaucoma from initial diagnosis, to treatments with drops, Selective Laser Trabculoplasty (SLT) and glaucoma surgery.
Contact her office at 806-350-1100 or 866-567-0948.
Robert E. Gerald, M.D.
Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Cataract, & Refractive Eye Surgery
Robert E. Gerald, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a comprehensive Ophthalmologist and a cataract and refractive eye surgery specialist at Panhandle Eye Group, L.L.P. A 1971 graduate of Texas A&M University, Dr. Gerald received his medical degree in 1974 from the University Of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of South Carolina in Charleston (1975), followed by an Ophthalmology residency at Louisiana State University Medical Center in New Orleans (1975-1978).
Dr. Gerald began his interest in Medicine at a very young age. When he was in the seventh grade, he attended the Texas State Fair in Dallas where the scientific exhibits of the anatomy and physiology of the eye peaked his interest. That experience would help set the course for a lifelong love and devotion in diseases and surgery of the eye. He returned to Amarillo and began a private practice in Ophthalmology in 1978.
Dr. Gerald enjoys running, training for marathons and ultra-trail runs in the mountains of New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana. He maintains it is a way to help him relax. He also enjoys hunting with his Llewellyn Setter, “Knox”, whom he adores, golfing and working on the family ranch.
Dr. Gerald has always been very active in community organizations. He has been a member of the Amarillo Rotary Club since 1979. He is also active in the Potter Randall County Medical Society since 1978 and served as President in 2010-2011. He has served on the boards of Baptist Community Services and Harrington Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Gerald is blessed to have been married to Laurel since 1975. Together they have two grown children, Ashley and Evan.
Dr. Gerald is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Ophthalmology Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Medical Association.
His office can be reached at (806)353-2323 or 888-393-7488.
John W. Klein, M.D.
Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Cataract, & Refractive Eye Surgery
John W. Klein, M.D. is one of the comprehensive ophthalmology physicians at Panhandle Eye Group, LLP, with a sub-specialty in Cataract & Refractive Eye Surgery. A 1987 graduate of Texas A & M, he received his doctor of medicine degree in 1993 from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) in Lubbock. Dr. Klein also completed his internship (1994) and residency in ophthalmology (1997) at TTUHSC.
Upon finishing his residency, Dr. Klein entered private practice in 1997 at Regional Eye Center in Pampa, TX. He opened Klein Eye Center in Amarillo in 1998 which became affiliated with Panhandle Eye Group, LLP in 2007.
Dr. Klein entered into ophthalmology because he enjoys making people happy. He maintains that when you improve their sight, they are happy and he takes great pride in that. His favorite part of being a doctor is his interactions with his patients and with his easy going nature, his patients adore him.
Dr. Klein enjoys the simple things in life due in part to his rural upbringing. He loves to hunt, fish, fly his plane, and college football.
He is active at St. Thomas Catholic Church and is always involved in "Mission Cataract USA." For the past 24 years, he is married to his wife Patti. Together they have five children; two boys and three girls which also keep them active.
Dr. Klein is Board Certified with the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (1993) and the American Board of Ophthalmology (1999).
His office can be reached at (806)353-2323 or 888-393-7488.
C. Alan McCarty, M.D.
Comprehensive Ophthalmology & Cataract Surgery
Alan McCarty, M.D., provides comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract surgery for Panhandle Eye Group, LLP. After being born and raised here, he got his start at Amarillo College and graduating from West Texas A&M University in 1996, he received his medical degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in 2000.
Dr. McCarty entered into the field of ophthalmology because he believes it is unique in that he gets to perform state of the art surgery on patients to help restore what most people would say is their most valuable sense; the sense of sight. Experiencing the joy on his patient’s faces when they are given back the gift of sight after receiving treatment for eye disease is the most rewarding aspect for him. Dr. McCarty truly enjoys coming to work each day and witnessing the dramatic improvement we make to patients’ lives by restoring their sight. Dr. McCarty enjoys the easy going and open relationships he develops with his patients.
Dr. McCarty is married to Cortney, also an Amarillo native. They have three beautiful children, a girl Riley, and two boys Aaron and Jameson. Dr.McCarty enjoys in his free time not only wrangling his three kids but traveling, fly fishing and exercising.
Dr. McCarty is an active member of Hillside Christian Church and he enjoys giving back by participating in annual mission trips to Mexico to perform cataract surgery.
Dr. McCarty interned at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania (2000-2001), and then completed his ophthalmology residency there in 2004. He returned to Amarillo to join Panhandle Eye Group in 2004. Dr. McCarty is Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology (2006).
Contact his office at 806-351-1177 or 800-782-6393.
W. John W. Murrell, M.D.
Cataract Surgery & Oculoplastics
John W. Murrell, M.D., is a specialist in cataract surgery and oculoplastics for Panhandle Eye Group, LLP. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1977, then earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston in 1981. Dr. Murrell interned at St. Paul Hospital in Dallas in 1981-1982 before becoming an ophthalmology resident at Texas Tech Health Science Center in Lubbock in 1986.
After completing a Fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Texas at Houston, Dr. Murrell returned to the Texas Panhandle. He opened his private practice in ophthalmology and oculoplastic surgery in 1987.
Dr. Murrell was born and raised in Maine. He enjoys playing golf in his free time. He is married and has two grown daughters.
Dr. Murrell is board certified by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Ophthalmology, and the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.
Contact his office at 806-351-1177 or 800-782-6393.
J. Avery Rush, M.D.
Cataract & Refractive Eye Surgery
J. Avery Rush, M.D. has practiced ophthalmology in Amarillo for the past 25 years. He specializes in cataract and refractive surgery and has performed over 30,000 cataract/implant procedures in his years of practice, and also has the experience of over 20,000 refractive/LASIK procedures. He is certified by the American Board of Eye Surgery in the subspecialty of Cataract/Implant and Refractive surgery. Additionally, Dr. Rush is board certified by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Contact his office at 806-353-0125 or 1-800-225-3937
Ryan B. Rush, M.D.
Diseases and Surgery of the Retina
Ryan B. Rush, M.D., (“Dr. Ryan”) is an expert in ophthalmology with an emphasis on diseases of the vitreous and retina. He earned a college degree from the University of Texas in 2000 and received a medical degree from Texas Tech University in 2004. Dr. Ryan did an internal medicine internship at Ochsner Clinic Foundation, and then went on to complete his ophthalmology residency at Tulane University in New Orleans in 2008.
After residency, Dr. Ryan undertook three additional years of subspecialization in diseases of the vitreous and retina. He completed the first fellowship year in medical retina at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami in 2009, followed by Surgical Retinal Fellowships at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston in 2010 and the Sydney Eye Hospital in Sydney, Australia in 2011.
Dr. Ryan is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology (2009), and is a member of Southwest Retina Specialists since 2011.
Contact his office at 806-351-1870 or 888-404-1870.
Sloan W. Rush, M.D.
Cornea, Cataract, Lens Implant Surgery & Refractive Surgery
Dr. Sloan W. Rush (“Dr. Sloan”) was born in San Antonio, TX and raised in Amarillo since early childhood. Dr. Sloan graduated valedictorian at Tascosa High School and attended college at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX where he earned a B.S. in Mathematics and was a collegiate tennis player. The stay continued in San Antonio for four more years of medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center – San Antonio. Dr. Sloan then returned back to the Texas Panhandle for one year of internship in Internal Medicine with Texas Tech – Amarillo at both Northwest Texas Hospital and the Thomas E. Creek Veterans Hospital. Dr. Sloan then began ophthalmology residency with Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Lubbock and served as chief resident during his final year of residency. Finally, before returning back home, Dr. Sloan completed a Fellowship to further refine his training in the areas of Cornea, External Diseases and Refractive Surgery at the prestigious Casey Eye Institute in Portland, Oregon where he trained under world renowned corneal specialists and researched new cutting edge “femtosecond” laser technology and its applications to corneal transplantation. Dr. Sloan’s research has been published in prominent ophthalmologic scientific journals.
Dr. Sloan is committed to providing the highest level of patient care with compassion and integrity. He feels extremely blessed to be able to bring the latest and the newest cutting edge technology in the areas of Cornea and Refractive Surgery back home to Amarillo and to Panhandle Eye Group. Since returning to Amarillo in the summer of 2010, Dr. Sloan has been the leader and the first person in the area to perform the latest and most advanced corneal surgical techniques and procedures including: Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK, a type of partial thickness corneal transplant), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK, a type of partial thickness corneal transplant), “femtosecond” laser LASIK (“blade-less” LASIK), keratolimbal allografting (KLAL, a corneal stem cell transplant), keratoprosthesis (K-Pro or “prosthetic” cornea), corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) and liquid nitrogen cryotherapy on the ocular surface. Dr. Sloan is dedicated to continue to bring in the most advanced technology to better care for patients right here in the Texas Panhandle.
Dr. Sloan has committed his life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and views this as the most significant event in his life. He has been passionate about serving the Lord on medical mission trips. He has traveled multiple times to Mexico and Central America to serve and glorify God in this capacity and, God-willing, plans to continue to do so in the future. Dr. Sloan enjoys tennis, basketball, snow skiing, the outdoors, hiking, reading and spending time with his family. He is blessed with a lovely wife, Jennifer, and two magnificent children, Emmie and True..
Sloan W. Rush, M.D., specializes in cornea, cataract, lens implant surgery and LASIK.
Contact his office at 806-353-0125 or 800-225-3937.
Bruce L. Weinberger, M.D.
Cataract & Refractive Eye Surgery
Bruce L. Weinberger, M.D., F.A.C.S., specializes in cataract and refractive eye surgery with the Panhandle Eye Group, LLP. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees in 1964 and 1968, respectively, from Tulane University in New Orleans. Dr. Weinberger interned at Methodist Hospital of Dallas from 1968 to1969, then completed a residency in ophthalmology at the United States Public Health Service Hospital in Staten Island, New York, from 1971 to 1974.
Dr. Weinberger opened his private ophthalmology practice in Amarillo in 1974. He has a special interest in the treatment of dry eyes. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a Founding Member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Contact his office at 806-353-6691 or 800-637-2287.
J. Edward Ysasaga, M.D.
Diseases & Surgery of the Retina
J. Edward Ysasaga, M.D., focuses on diseases and surgery of the retina at Southwest Retina Specialists, where he is known as “Dr. Eddie.” In 1992, he graduated from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, then earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) in San Antonio in 1996.
Dr. Eddie interned at UTHSC through 1997, followed by a residency in general ophthalmology at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (part of the University of Miami system) from 1997 to 2000. He completed a Retina/Vitreous Fellowship at Bascom Palmer in 2001 and served as chief resident and clinical instructor there through 2002.
He returned to Texas in 2002 to open a vitreoretinal private practice in Amarillo.
Contact his offices at 806-351-1870 or 888-404-1870.