Meet the Physician
Advisory Committee
Our Physician Advisory Committee, comprised of physician partners, takes an active leadership role in the strategic and operational direction of Comprehensive EyeCare Partners.
Members serve a specified term and participate in:
Shaping Clinical Quality Standards
Technology
Provider Recruitment
Clinical and Operational Best Practices
Patient Experience
Clinical Trials
Thomas S. Copperman, M.D.
Eye Associates Northwest
Dr. Thomas Copperman is a board-certified oculofacial plastic surgeon. After completing his Bachelor of Science at The Ohio State University he pursued his medical degree at Wright State University. He succeeded early on in medical school and was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha honorary society recognizing those with high educational achievement. He then matriculated into a combined surgical and medical internship at Mount Carmel Health System followed by an ophthalmic surgery residency at Boston University.
Dr. Copperman pursued a highly competitive fellowship in oculofacial plastic surgery at The University of California San Francisco and served as a clinical instructor at The University of California San Francisco teaching oculoplastic surgery to resident physicians. Dr. Copperman is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of the prestigious American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS).
Jeffrey K. Austin, O.D., F.A.A.O.
New Eyes
Dr. Austin is one of the most respected and experienced Optometrists in Southern Nevada. He is a member of the American Optometric Association and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Austin, a proud Las Vegas native, has been practicing in Southern Nevada since 1995. He joined New Eyes in the Fall of 2008.
Dr. Austin graduated with honors from the Southern California College of Optometry, where he is a current faculty member of the school. He is also the administrator of the Optometry Student Internship Program at New Eyes, and is active in the optometric community in Nevada, as well as across the United States. Dr. Austin has been President and Education Chairman of the Nevada Optometric Association and is currently President of the Mountain West Council of Optometrists. Dr. Austin was also instrumental in writing and implementing important Optometric Legislation for the State of Nevada.
Dr. Austin has been working with New Eyes Founder and Cataract Surgeon Dr. Helga F. Pizio, since 1999. He is board-certified in the treatment and management of ocular disease and is committed to comprehensive eye care with the best results possible. Dr. Austin has contributed his expertise to a variety of articles and publications and has presented at numerous conferences and symposia devoted to advancing the field of eye care and ocular disease management.
Dr. Peter DeBry, M.D.
Nevada Eye Surgery / Vice Chairman
Dr. DeBry completed medical school at the University of Utah in 1996. At that time he was honored with induction into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society, reserved for the top physicians in each graduating class. Next, he spent three years of residency focused on medical and surgical eye care in Madison, Wisconsin, where he was chosen to help coordinate resident training as the chief resident. After this, he was one of only four doctors nationally selected to attend one of the country’s top fellowships in eye surgery techniques and spent the next year at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.
After working with the nation’s top doctors, and learning the most up-to-date surgical techniques, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he taught these techniques to new eye surgeons as an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Missouri. Finally, he relocated to Las Vegas in 2003 to help provide eye surgery to patients in Nevada
Darrick W. Neibaur, D.O., F.O.C.O.O.
Nevada Eye Physicians / Vice Chairman
Dr. Neibaur is a board-certified ophthalmologist and specialist in comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract surgery. At Nevada Eye Physicians in Las Vegas, NV., he provides diagnostic eye exams and surgical procedures for the treatment of cataracts. With a devotion to his patients, Dr. Neibaur is a highly sought-after professional in his field.
Dr. Neibaur specializes in cataract surgery with advanced technology lenses such as the ReSTOR, TECNIS, and Crystalens intraocular lenses in order to reduce patients’ dependency on eyeglasses. He was recently certified in the I-stent, which is implanted during cataract surgery. This procedure helps to control eye pressure. Dr. Neibaur is also one of the first ophthalmologists in Nevada to be certified on the LENSAR femtosecond system.
Dr. Neibaur attended medical school at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine at Virginia Tech University. He then completed an internship and residency at Valley Hospital through Touro University in 2012. During the last year of his residency, he was honored to serve as the chief resident among his peers. Dr. Neibaur is licensed to practice in the state of Nevada and is board certified. He joined Nevada Eye Physicians as a full-time attending physician in 2012.
Dr. Neibaur has published various papers and presentations over the years. Additionally, his volunteer work shows his tremendous character and true care for his patients. During his time at Virginia Tech, he volunteered as a Certified Red Cross Relief Counselor and currently donates his time to the Lions Club Ophthalmology free clinic, as well as the UMC ophthalmology free clinic.
Ksenia Stafeeva, M.D.
New Eyes
Dr. Stafeeva is a native of Russia who came to the United States at the age of 16. She joined New Eyes to help treat patients for advanced corneal diseases and general ophthalmologic pathology. Dr. Stafeeva is bilingual in the Russian and English languages.
Dr. Stafeeva graduated with honors from Gannon University in Erie, PA and went on to complete her master’s degree at Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. She then completed her medical school education at the top of her class in 2008 at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, and she was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Medical School Honor Society upon graduating.
Dr. Stafeeva continued her training as an internal medicine intern in Philadelphia, Pa. She went on to complete her ophthalmology residency at the University of Colorado. Following her ophthalmology residency, Dr. Stafeeva completed her training in advanced corneal/ocular surface disease and refractive surgery fellowship at Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA in Los Angeles, CA. under the supervision of world-renowned faculty in corneal diseases.
During her residency and fellowship, Dr. Stafeeva was involved in multiple research projects and presented in a variety of national ophthalmology meetings. One of her interests is researching and treating patients with significant ocular surface pathology and disease, including ocular surface reconstructions.
Dr. Stafeeva is well-trained and experienced with advanced cataract surgery, a variety of complex corneal surgeries (corneal transplants: PK and DSEK), secondary lens implantation, intraocular lens exchange, ocular surface reconstructive surgeries (ocular lesion excisions and pterygium removal), as well as a number of refractive surgery procedures, including LASIK and PRK.
Jason C. Wickens, M.D.
Retina Consultants of Nevada
Dr. Wickens was born in Panorama City, California. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Utah followed by an M.D. degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed an internship at the University of California San Francisco followed by a residency in Ophthalmology at Washington University in St. Louis.
He served as Chief Resident and Ocular Trauma Chief at Washington University followed by a Vitreoretinal Fellowship at the Barnes Retina Institute at Washington University. Dr. Wickens has been involved in clinical research regarding macular degeneration and surgical techniques. Dr. Wickens is also fluent in Spanish. Dr. Wickens is a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology and an active fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Raymond Theodosis, M.D.
Shepherd Eye Center
Dr. Theodosis, M.D. is originally from Central Texas. He earned his medical degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Lubbock, Texas. He completed his internship and residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem, North Carolina prior to joining Shepherd Eye Center in 2014. Dr. Theodosis brings his expertise in general ophthalmology, cataract surgery and refractive surgery to the practice where he examines your eyes for the detection and treatment of eyelid disease, cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal disease.
Dr. Theodosis is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Medical Association, and Alpha Omega Alpha. He has been involved with multiple studies looking at different designs of intraocular lenses and tear duct obstructions in children. In his free time, Dr. Theodosis enjoys family activities with his wife and four children, Mediterranean cooking, and playing tennis.
Samaneh Davoudi, M.D.
Retina Institute of Washington
Samaneh Davoudi, MD, was accepted into medical school at the age of 15 as the youngest medical student at Mashhad Medical School, Iran. She completed an ophthalmology residency in Iran. Upon completing her residency, she moved to the United States and worked as a clinical research retina and uveitis fellow in Boston at Harvard Medical School-Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. Following her fellowship, she repeated her ophthalmology residency at the University of Florida. After a general ophthalmology residency in Gainesville at the University of Florida, she completed her vitreoretinal surgery fellowship at Boston Medical Center, Boston University.
Dr. Davoudi is a board-certified, fellowship-trained adult vitreoretinal surgeon. Her practice includes injection and laser-based treatment of retinal disease in the clinic, as well as complex surgical cases in the operating room. She specializes in diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal vascular occlusion, macular edema, macular holes, epiretinal membranes, vitreomacular traction, secondary intraocular lens placement, and complex retinal detachments, among others.
Michael Westafer, M.D.
Sierra Nevada Eye Center
Michael Westafer, M.D. attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he completed his undergraduate studies, followed by his medical degree in 2012. He then pursued training in ophthalmology at the Medical College of Georgia. During this time, Dr. Westafer won numerous awards, including the Resident Research Award, and the Nussbaum & Goei Award for the ophthalmology resident with the highest OKAP test score. Following completion of the ophthalmology residency, he pursued a glaucoma fellowship with the Cole Eye Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Westafer is a fellowship-trained glaucoma surgeon, specializing in the treatment of all forms of glaucoma. He also offers expertise in cataract surgery and the treatment of a variety of other ocular diseases.
John Whitehead, M.D.
Evergreen Eye Center / Chairman
John Whitehead, M.D. received his medical degree from University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, AZ. and completed his residency at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Whitehead then completed his fellowship in Glaucoma and Advanced Cataract Surgery at University of Utah Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City, UT.
Dr. Whitehead is Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Whitehead strives to provide superior ophthalmic care to patients focusing on glaucoma specialty care, advanced cataract surgery and general ophthalmology. He has been published in ophthalmic journals and has spoken extensively on advancements in the field of ophthalmology. Dr. Whitehead has performed thousands of surgeries and is driven to excel by providing positive outcomes to his patients and their families.
Jayson Edwards, M.D.
Sierra Nevada Eye Center
Dr. Edwards is an Ophthalmologist specializing in Corneal Disease and Surgery of the eye including Corneal Transplants, LASIK, and Complex Ocular Surface procedures. Dr. Edwards graduated with honors from Brigham Young University. He received his medical degree from the University of Maryland Medical School. Dr. Edwards then attended the University of Florida for his residency training in Ophthalmology. Upon completion of his residency program, he went on to complete a prestigious cornea fellowship at Tulane University in Louisiana.
Dr. Edwards has published numerous research articles and textbook chapters on corneal disease and refractive surgery. He is fluent in Spanish and is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Tom Walters, M.D.
Texan Eye Care
Dr. Tom Walters is the most experienced eye surgeon in Central Texas, specializing in all-laser LASIK, cataract and lens implant surgery for near and far vision without glasses. As a Board Certified Ophthalmologist, Dr. Walters is repeatedly recognized with awards including America’s Top Ophthalmologists by the Consumers’ Research Council, Top Refractive Eye Surgeon by the Austin Business Journal, Top Ophthalmologist by Austin Monthly Magazine, Top Doctors by US News and World Report, Best Doctors in America and a Texas Super Doctor by Texas Monthly Magazine. Dr. Walters has also been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal for innovations in ophthalmology.
As an internationally recognized expert in the field of cataract and refractive surgery, Dr. Walters is an active leader in developing new advancements in ophthalmic technology, including advanced replacement lens.
Trusted more often than any other to lead the development and advancement of ophthalmic science, Dr. Walters has served as principal investigator for over 300 FDA-approved research clinical trials. He has authored and published research articles in every major ophthalmic journal, where he also performs peer-review for publications.