Lori Provencher, M.D., has found her dream job.
Provencher is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in cataract surgery and the medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma at the Cincinnati Eye Institute (CEI).
“Maintaining good vision is so important, and patients are invested in their eye health. This is one specialty where you really get to know your patients on a personal level,” Provencher says.
Since joining CEI in 2019, Provencher has not only established a busy practice treating patients for cataracts and glaucoma, but she is also the host of an educational podcast, Doc2Doc, and is now mom to a 2½-year-old boy and 5-month-old girl. Indeed, this busy mom of two has figured out how to balance raising her growing family, career success and making a positive impact on patients’ lives.
Raised in southern Indiana, Provencher graduated summa cum laude from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She then went on to receive her medical doctorate from the Indiana University School of Medicine, where she discovered her passion for ophthalmology, specifically glaucoma. She completed her ophthalmology residency at the top-ranked University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, followed by a glaucoma and complex anterior segment fellowship at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
In addition to her clinical work, Provencher serves as a volunteer assistant professor instructing medical students, residents and fellows at the University of Cincinnati. She is the senior social media editor for the journal “Ophthalmology,” past chief medical editor for EyeRounds.org, and is a volunteer for Orbis International and Cybersight.org. Additionally, Provencher is actively involved in Women in Ophthalmology and is the founding co-chair of Women in Glaucoma, a subset of the American Glaucoma Society.
Cincinnati Eye Institute is a leader in eye care and research, and Provencher is proud to be a part of this team. “When I joined CEI, it felt like family. Everyone was down to earth, and they are people I want to spend time with. I am excited about the multiple opportunities for growth and mentorship that CEI provides.”
As host of Doc2Doc, Provencher interviews area eye care providers about new and innovative topics as a way to help educate and connect doctors across the Midwest. The podcast has run once a month for the last two years and will soon expand nationally to the EyeCare Partners network for optometry and ophthalmology. Provencher will continue to host the podcast, but the expanded platform will allow for guest hosts from all areas of ophthalmology and optometry providing diversity in content and training.
Provencher has a passion for online education and also produces and curates an online video bank for teaching other doctors about cataract and glaucoma surgery. “This field is constantly evolving and improving, and these are great avenues to share information,” Provencher says.
“As an organization, CEI is getting bigger and bigger, but with that is a focus on efficiency and keeping patient care at the center of all we do,” she continues.
Provencher applies that same philosophy to her personal life, staying focused on her priorities both at home and at work, which has allowed her to achieve remarkable success in her young career. CEI has provided her a home to focus on the patient care and education that is most important to her in her career, yet allows her the time to focus on her family at home, too.
“The busier I get, the better I have to get at managing each moment,” Provencher says. “I have an incredibly supportive husband and family and an amazing nanny. When I leave the office, I am in mom mode and my focus is on my family. It remains that way until the kids go to bed.”
Are you struggling with your vision or experiencing other problems with your eyes? Cincinnati Eye Institute can help. To make an appointment, visit cincinnatieye.com.