CLEVELAND — One of the nation’s premier centers for eye care is now at the cutting edge of the field with the opening Monday of the new Jeffrey and Patricia Cole Pavilion at the Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute.
“This expansion marks a significant milestone in our commitment to advancing patient care and expanding access to quality eye care to our community," said Andrew P. Schachat, M.D., interim institute chair of Cole Eye Institute, in a news release. "This state-of-the-art facility is a reflection of our ongoing dedication to improving the lives of the patients we serve and furthering advancements in the field of ophthalmology."
This new facility is part of a $172 million expansion project on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus.
The project includes the construction of the 150,000-square-foot building alongside the renovation and redesign of the existing 130,000-square-foot Cole Eye Institute building, which was originally built in 1999.
The two structures are linked by a three-story glass atrium, creating a unified eye care center designed to improve the patient experience and offer expanded space for comprehensive eye care, research and education.
Cole Eye Institute is one of the world’s most advanced eye centers and a leader in ophthalmologic research.
Serving almost 400,000 patients annually, including over 21,000 surgical cases, it has one of the highest ophthalmology patient volumes in the nation.
The institute is home to nearly 200 professional staff and trainees who diagnose, treat and investigate all eye conditions, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
This expansion project was driven by the growth of Cole Eye Institute over the past decade.
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The four-story new structure includes 60 outpatient exam rooms, eight operating rooms, procedure rooms, and administrative space, with the capacity to increase to meet future needs.
The expanded footprint will allow Cole Eye Institute to meet the growing ophthalmologic needs of the community and provide exceptional clinical, diagnostic and surgical services for the entire range of eye diseases.
The design of the new building was focused on increasing the institute’s capabilities and enhancing patient experience.
The three-story glass top atrium connecting the two buildings allows additional natural light to enter the space and features a hanging art installation.
Large flat-screen monitors were added to each outpatient room, allowing providers to review enhanced imaging with patients directly during visits.
With dedicated spaces for check-in and discharge, the design focused on reducing patient wait times and foot traffic between spaces.
The second phase of the expansion project includes renovation and redesign of the existing 130,000-square-foot building.
The renovation will include a dedicated space for pediatric ophthalmology on the first floor and updated imaging on the second floor. The project is projected to be completed by the end of 2025.
The expansion was partly made possible by a $31.5 million lead gift from Jeffrey A. Cole and his wife, Patricia O’Brien Cole.
Cole, along with his company Cole National, which was the world’s largest provider of commercial vision care services and based in Cleveland for 60 years, also contributed the lead gift that founded the Cole Eye Institute in 1999.
“Having witnessed firsthand the profound difference that vision can make in a person's life, I truly understand its importance,” said Cole. “The opening of this new facility is a deeply meaningful moment for my family and me. This expansion allows Cole Eye Institute to reach more individuals in need and provide essential eye care, both for the local community and across the nation.”
