The fourteen physicians and more than 100 staff of Columbia Eye welcome Philip H. Scharper, M.D., J.D. to the practice.  He is excited to relocate to the Midlands to join the largest and most advanced medical surgical Ophthalmology practice in the Midlands.

Dr. Scharper specializes in Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery. He sees patients at three of Columbia Eye’s conveniently located offices in Downtown Columbia, Northeast Columbia, and West Columbia.

Dr. Scharper grew up in Maryland and has lived across the country, including Washington DC, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and Alabama. In addition to his medical career, he is also a licensed attorney specializing in health law and elder law. He and his wife, who is also a physician, are raising four children—two boys and two girls. Their oldest daughter currently attends Emory University, where she is a member of the swim team. Outside of work, Dr. Scharper enjoys spending time with his family, playing ping pong, squash, football, running, writing children’s books, and developing health-focused foods. Learn more about his children’s books at www.philipscharper.com.

Dr. Scharper completed a Medical & Surgical Retina Fellowship at the University of Alabama, Birmingham/Retina Specialists of Alabama, Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital. He completed his Residency at Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC and earned his M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. Dr. Scharper completed his Internship at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii. He earned his B.A. from Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Scharper also holds a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) in Elder Law and Estate Planning from Western New England School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts, a Master of Medical Management (M.M.M.) from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Scharper is a member American Association of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, American College of Legal Medicine, and American College of Surgeons.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Scharper call 803.779.3070.

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If cataracts are clouding your vision, cataract surgery offers a chance not only to restore your sight, but also to see more clearly than you have in years. One of the most exciting parts of cataract surgery is the ability to choose a premium intraocular lens (IOL) customized to your lifestyle and visual goals.

What Is an Intraocular Lens?
During cataract surgery, your eye’s cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial one. This new lens, called an intraocular lens or IOL, focuses light onto your retina, helping you see clearly again.

While monofocal IOLs provide excellent vision at one focal point (usually distance), premium IOLs can correct for clear vision at two or more focal points. Even patients who have had glasses for most of their lives may be able to reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contacts. 

Types of Premium IOLs

Multifocal and Trifocal Lenses
These lenses are designed to give you a full range of vision—near, intermediate, and distance. They use advanced optical zones that focus light for various distances, allowing you to see your phone, computer, and road signs with ease.

Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Lense
EDOF lenses offer a continuous range of clear vision from distance to intermediate, with fewer halos or glare compared to traditional multifocal lenses. They’re great for patients who spend time on computers or driving at night.

Toric Lenses
If you have astigmatism, toric IOLs can correct the irregular curvature of your cornea that causes blurred or distorted vision. This reduces your dependence on glasses for distance vision after surgery.

Light Adjustable Lenses (LAL)                                         
The newest innovation in lens technology, light adjustable lenses can be fine-tuned after surgery. Your surgeon adjusts the lens with a special light treatment, ensuring you achieve your best personalized vision.

How to Choose the Right Lens for You
Choosing the right IOL depends on your individual visual needs, including your hobbies, activities, lifestyle, and pre-existing eye conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration. Do you enjoy reading without glasses? Drive frequently at night? Spend hours on digital devices? Your Columbia Eye surgeon will guide you through every option to create a customized surgical plan that fits your needs.

The Columbia Eye Difference
At Columbia Eye, our board-certified ophthalmologists use the most advanced cataract surgery technology, including femtosecond laser precision and premium IOL options. We’ve been helping the Midlands see clearly for generations, and we’re committed to delivering exceptional vision outcomes with compassionate, patient-focused care.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures in modern medicine and with today’s lens options, it’s also one of the most customizable. Schedule a consultation with one of our cataract specialists to explore which lens option can give you your personal best vision.

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U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has again ranked Columbia Eye Surgery Center a Best Ambulatory Surgery Center for 2025 in the second annual edition of the recognition. Columbia Eye Surgery Center was one of only six ophthalmic ambulatory surgery centers recognized in South Carolina and the only in the Midlands region. Columbia Eye Surgery Center was also named Best Ambulatory Surgery Center in 2024.

Ambulatory surgery centers were evaluated based on objective, risk-adjusted measures of their patients’ outcomes, including how successfully they avoided complications, ER visits, unplanned hospitalizations and other undesirable outcomes. To ensure fair comparisons among ambulatory surgery centers, the analysis accounted for each patient’s pre-existing conditions and other risk factors.

Columbia Eye Surgery Center earns an overall high performing rating. The Center ranks very high both nationally and statewide for number of procedures performed. More experience in performing procedures or treating conditions correlates to positive patient outcomes.

The Center ranks low in instances of complications compared to similar surgical centers. This low indication indicates that on average, procedures at this surgical center go smoothly. The Center also ranks lower than average in Instances of post-procedure ER visits and average or lower than expected in the frequency of poor patient outcomes.

View ratings details.

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.

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On January 13, 2025, Columbia Eye experienced an information technology network disruption that impacted the clinic’s accessibility to certain electronic systems. Cybersecurity specialists were engaged to investigate the source of the issue. The investigation determined that an unauthorized actor entered the network between January 9, 2025, and January 13, 2025, and may have accessed certain files during the incident. Columbia Eye is in the process of conducting a comprehensive e-discovery review of the affected files to determine what information is impacted by this incident. Columbia Eye will notify individuals whose personal information was potentially impacted directly once the review completes. Columbia Eye also notified law enforcement.

The potentially-affected information may include names, contact information, date of birth, procedure codes and other information needed to obtain pre-approval for eye-related procedures.  Columbia Eye does not have any indications that its electronic medical record system or practice management systems were affected by this incident.  Though Columbia Eye has no evidence that the data has been used to commit fraud, persons potentially affected are encouraged to remain vigilant, carefully monitor financial account statements, healthcare statements, and credit reports, and report any discrepancies to law enforcement.

Columbia Eye takes the privacy and security of information seriously. Upon discovering this incident, Columbia Eye promptly reset all user passwords, created a new IT environment using backup systems, issued new devices and software, added additional monitoring software, implemented enhanced security policies and procedures aimed at protecting access to data, and took additional steps to harden the overall environment. Columbia Eye will continue to review and enhance its policies and procedures to reduce the likelihood of a similar incident occurring in the future.

If you have any questions, please call toll free 1-800-298-2295 between 9:00 am – 5:30 pm EST Monday – Friday (excluding holidays).  Columbia Eye remains fully committed to protecting personal information entrusted to its care and sincerely apologizes for any concern this incident may have caused you.

The post Notice of Data Security Incident appeared first on Columbia Eye.

Alcon Laboratories is voluntarily recalling one (1) lot of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count (Lot 10101) to the consumer level. Alcon evaluated a consumer complaint of foreign material observed inside a sealed single use vial and determined the material to be fungal in nature.

Fungal contamination of an ophthalmic product is known to potentially cause eye infections. If an infection occurs, it may be vision-threatening, and in very rare cases potentially life-threatening in immunocompromised patients. To date, Alcon Laboratories has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.

Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF is used for the temporary relief of burning and irritation in persons experiencing dry eye symptoms and is packaged in a cardboard carton containing 25 sterile, single-use LDPE plastic vials of preservative free solution for ophthalmic use (NDC 0065-1432-06, UPC 300651432060). The affected Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count is limited to lot number 10101, expiration date 2025/09. The product can be identified by the green and pink carton design, presence of “Systane” and “ULTRA PF” brand names on the front of the carton, and the “25 vials” package size. Please see product images included in this release. Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count (Lot 10101) was distributed nationwide to retail and internet outlets.

Consumers that have the recalled Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count (Lot 10101) which is being recalled should stop using them immediately and return to the place of purchase for a replacement or refund. Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Alcon Laboratories at 1-800-241-5999 between 7:30am and 6:00pm (Central), Monday to Friday. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to using this drug product.

Alcon Laboratories is notifying its distributors and customers by letter, email, and/or phone call and is arranging for replacement of all recalled products. Distributors or retailers should discard any remaining stock of Systane Lubricant Eye Drops Ultra PF, Single Vials On-the-Go, 25 count (Lot 10101).

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

• Complete and submit the report Online
• Regular Mail or Fax: Download form or call 1- 800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178

This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Columbia Eye, the Midlands largest medical surgical ophthalmology practice, is proud to announce the overwhelmingly positive results of a year-long patient customer service survey. Throughout 2024, the practice used a third-party platform to survey patients in several measures of customer service. The results showed over 98 percent of patients rating the customer service they received as positive.

The survey asked patients to rate Columbia Eye staff for politeness, friendliness, efficiency, helpfulness, courtesy, and respectfulness. We attribute the high marks to our patient-focused philosophy of care. The results reflect the unwavering commitment of our team of doctors and staff to provide outstanding care, personalized attention, and a superior patient experience.

“From the moment a patient walks through our doors, our mission is to provide not only the best eye care but also a welcoming and supportive environment.” said William A. Johnson, Jr., M.D., president of Columbia Eye. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team to ensure our patients achieve their personal best vision.”

To schedule an appointment at any of our four convenient locations call 803-779-3070.

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The Methodist Rural Rehabilitation project at Gebeau, located just across the Grande-Anse River on the outskirts of Jérémie, only housed a ten-by-twelve-foot wooden medical clinic with little equipment and even less medication. The people were suffering from rampant disease and malnutrition, vision loss from cataracts, and other illness easily treatable. Dr. Hal knew he needed to help. 

Dr. Hal teamed up with Dr. Watson and other United Methodist Volunteers in Mission partners to construct a new medical-tuberculosis clinic that would also include an eye and dental wing—and where he and his colleagues would spend the next fifty years traveling to support. 

In his book, Eyes for Haiti, Dr. Hal reflects on the many doctors, nurses, and others who joined him in his 50 year journey to help the people of Haiti. 100% of proceeds from sales of the book will benefit the medical clinic in Haiti. The book is available as a paperback ($20) and ebook ($7) from The Advocate Press, the publishing arm of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate newspaper, and Amazon.

He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina (1956) and the Medical University of South Carolina (1960). He then completed a one-year internship at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia (1961). After serving as a medical officer in the United States Air Force, Crosswell completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta (1964-1967). He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American College of Surgeons and a Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Crosswell served as clinical associate professor of ophthalmology on the staff of the USC School of Medicine for more than twenty years and, in 2007, was awarded the Alginon Sidney Sullivan award by the university for his work in Haiti. 

He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by the State of South Carolina in 2006.

He and his family are longtime members of Shandon United Methodist Church in Columbia.

The post Dr. Hal Crosswell Pens Book About 50 Years of Volunteer Service in Haiti appeared first on Columbia Eye.

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, recently announced the “Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers” ratings of outpatient surgical centers. Among the 198 ambulatory surgery centers named across the country, Columbia Eye Surgery Center is one of only six ophthalmic ambulatory surgery centers named in South Carolina and the only named in the Midlands area.

Ambulatory surgery centers were evaluated based entirely on objective, risk-adjusted measures of their patients’ outcomes, including how successfully they avoided complications, ER visits, unplanned hospitalizations, and other undesirable outcomes. 

U.S. News awards the designation of “Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers” only to the highest-rated surgical centers that satisfy U.S. News’ statistical assessment of performance; fewer than 15% of evaluated facilities earned a “High Performing” rating.

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities.

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Columbia Eye office locations will observe the following closure schedule for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays:

Downtown Columbia – Closed December 23rd-26th and December 30th-January 1^st
Lexington – Closed December 25th, 26th and January 1^st
Northeast Columbia – Closed December 19^th, 25th, 26th, 28th and January 1st. Closed at 1:00 p.m. on December 22nd.
West Columbia – Closed December 25th, 26th, 27th, and January 1st

A doctor will be on-call throughout the holidays.

The post Holiday Closure Schedule appeared first on Columbia Eye.

These products are sold under the brand names:

CVS Health
Equate Hydration (Walmart)
Leader (Cardinal Health)
Rugby (Cardinal Health)
Rite Aid
Target Up & Up
Velocity Pharma

Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection after using these products should talk to their healthcare provider or seek medical care immediately.

More information on eye drop retailers and product information.

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