F
or our first issue of The Sanctuary Living Magazine, we wanted to spotlight VitreoRetinal Eye Center. They are the leading center for retinal surgery on the Northshore and are located in Covington (and Biloxi). This small-but-booming business was the first and only to perform surgery on the Northshore when the business was established. The medical clinic originated in 2005 in Biloxi, Mississippi by Dr. Avit “Frere” Gremillion. He expanded the practice to Covington in 2006. Dr. Gremillion specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of vitreous and retina conditions that may occur due to health issues. This includes conditions related to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, stroke, and many others. A diagnoses associated with this condition include diabetic retinopathy, vitreous hemorrhage, traction retinal detachment, vein occlusions, macular edema, and epiretinal membranes. We spoke with office manager for the VitreoRetinal Eye Center, Natalie Loyacano, who has been with Dr. Gremillion “since day one.” She explained that Dr. Gremillion’s staff moves between both locations throughout the week in order to keep cohesion and consistency with the patients and doctor. “This way we know everything about what’s going on at both locations and there’s no confusion or errors.” The Covington office is only open on Tuesdays, and one Thursday a month, for clinic hours. The Biloxi location keeps normal business hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Dr. Gremillion specializes in diseases of the retina, like Diabetic Retinopathy (the leading cause of vision loss among adults between the ages of twenty to seventy-four), Macular Degeneration (the most common cause of blindness in patients sixty years and older), and Retinal Detachment (a medical emergency requiring immediate attention). Dr. Gremillion is from Alexandria, Louisiana. His grandfather was a Physician of General Medicine and Surgery in Central Louisiana. He inspired Dr. Gremillion to pursue a career in Medicine. Dr. Gremillion graduated from Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of
24 | The Sanctuary Living
Louisiana-Monroe) with a B.S. in Pre-Medicine. He received his Doctor of Medicine from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, Louisiana. From there, he did his residency in Ophthalmology at Louisiana State University Medical Center, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Following two years of practicing general ophthalmology, Dr.
March - April 2022
