Advanced Eyecare Professionals Celebrates 40 Years of Saving and Improving Eye Health and Vision!

Serving Eye Care Needs for 40 years!

Ophthalmologist & Founder of Advanced Eyecare Professionals Dr. Michael J. Flohr  

Advanced Eyecare Professionals (AEP) is celebrating their 40th Anniversary of saving and improving vision locally!

In July of 1984 ophthalmologist Dr. Michael J. Flohr officially opened his practice, Thornapple Ophthalmology after being recruited by the Pennock Hospital Physician Recruitment Committee in Hastings, Michigan. The committee sought top ophthalmologist candidates to provide local ophthalmology care to the Barry County area so residents didn’t have to drive so far for care.

Dr. Flohr at the time had just completed his residency at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Maryland. Flohr said he was a newly trained ophthalmologist looking for work back in his home state of Wisconsin, but after being contacted by Pennock Hospital thought he should at least travel to Hastings to see what the area had to offer. Flohr was impressed with it. He said he loves the outdoors, and Hastings really spoke to that love. Dr. Flohr decided to move he and his young family to Hastings and open an ophthalmology practice there, a decision he said he’s never regretted.

AEP’s Hastings office is still located in its original spot in the professional building across from the Hospital (now the Corewell Health Pennock Hospital Care Center B building) and still offers complete full service eye care for all ages.

Over the years the practice has grown to service other communities' vision care needs as well, including full service offices in Lowell and Ionia. Since the office grew into other locations not by the Thornapple River which inspired the practice's original name Dr. Flohr decided to rename the practice Advanced Eyecare Professionals. The second office was opened in Lowell in April of 2002. Lowell’s location is at 1335 W Main St. Suite A.

Dr. Flohr was then asked by Ionia County Memorial Hospital now Sparrow Ionia Hospital to start a specialty clinic to offer ophthalmology / cataract surgery locally in June of 2002. The specialty clinic prospered so in July of 2006 Dr. Flohr opened a full service Advanced Eyecare Professionals office in downtown Ionia that later moved in July of 2012 to the state of the art Blue Water Medical building at 2001 E. Bluewater Hwy / Suite 100 in Ionia.

Dr. Flohr over the years has also built an eye care team of doctors that is as committed to eye care excellence as he is. Dr. David Harrell is the other ophthalmologist in the practice. Dr. Flohr and Dr. Harrell rotate between the locations to provide ophthalmology care more locally so that patients don’t have to drive as far to receive care. In addition to two ophthalmologists AEP also has two optometrists, Dr. Brian Weller and Dr. Samuel McNeill.

All three Advanced Eyecare Professionals locations offer medical and routine eye care services, glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses for all ages. In addition to those services in 2021 Dr. Flohr became trained to perform retinal injections to provide a local option for patients needing specialized retinal injections for macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. Those services are offered at all three of the locations as well.

In addition to providing eye care in Hastings, Lowell, and Ionia, Flohr has been to Honduras and El Salvador on several mission trips with the Lions International to help with “medical management and doing cataract surgery.” Flohr said, “We do not live on an island, isolated and insulated from those around us. A doctor must give as well as receive. I am proud of the effort I have made to help my fellow man.” Dr. Flohr and his staff have also made other charitable contributions locally by having a special Community Eyecare program in each of their offices for the past 17 years. The program helps those in need who can not otherwise obtain adequate eye care locally within Barry, Ionia and Kent counties. Their Community Eyecare program has helped over 750 individuals receive a low cost/no cost eye exam and glasses.

Dr. Flohr said in closing, “I would like to personally thank all the patients, community members, associate businesses and hospitals that have helped Advanced Eyecare Professionals grow and prosper for the past 40 years!”

With a smile Dr. Flohr also said “And for those wondering with this big milestone celebration, NO I do not plan to retire. I love what I do! The gift of sight is precious and helping people with their eye health and vision is something I enjoy. I do however take a little more time off to spend extra time with family and friends, so you may need to schedule further in advance if you want to see me personally, however AEP has a fantastic team of doctors that I trust and fully back to help with all your eye care needs. My wonderful team and I look forward to many more years of serving each communities' eye health and vision care needs.”

As a thank you to the Hastings, Ionia and Lowell communities Advanced Eyecare Professionals is hosting a week long cookie treat in their waiting rooms the week of July 29th, 2024. Stop in anytime during normal office hours to enjoy a cookie. There will also be a card box for anyone wishing to leave Dr. Flohr and/or AEP a note.