WEST POINT, Miss. – North Mississippi Health Services has expanded access to advanced eye care on the North Mississippi Medical Center- West Point campus. 

Retina specialist Dr. Etienne Schonbach of North Mississippi Retina Center and ophthalmologist Dr. Ashley Pickering of Tupelo Eye Center now see patients and offer procedures in West Point.  

"We are pleased to bring advanced eye care services close to home for our West Point and Golden Triangle community members,” said Barry Keel, administrator for NMMC-West Point. “We are very glad to announce the addition of Dr. Schonbach and Dr. Pickering to our NMMC-West Point campus.”

The hospital has made a substantial investment in state-of-art equipment to expand clinic-based eye care and hospital-based eye procedures. 

Dr. Schonbach treats diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions, retinal detachment and uveitis. He offers clinic-based procedures at North Mississippi Retina Center-West Point. 

He completed his ophthalmology residency at Case Western Reserve University. He completed retina fellowships at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University and the Shiley Eye Institute at the University of California, San Diego.

“We are able to offer regular injection treatments for patients in the Golden Triangle,” Dr. Schonbach said. “Patients can receive the care they need without a lot of driving.” 

Dr. Pickering brings cataract surgery and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery to NMMC-West Point. Dr. Pickering earned her medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson in 2018. She completed residency training in ophthalmology at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. 

“Now patients can have cataract surgery and all their pre-operative and post-operative appointments in West Point,” Dr. Pickering said. 

North Mississippi Retina Center-West Point and the West Point satellite clinic of Tupelo Eye Center are now open at 187 Medical Center Drive on the hospital campus. 

For appointments with Dr. Schonbach, call (662) 377-3340.

For appointments with Dr. Pickering, call (662) 844-7211.

For more information, call 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).