Providing the Gold Standard of Eye Care for Over 30 Years
For almost three decades, Bayside Eye Center has been committed to providing the highest standard of comprehensive eye care to the community of Punta Gorda. Our state of the art facility, our diagnostic technologies, our specialized team of experts, and our competitive prices make Bayside Eye Center simply the best choice in eye care.
See Better, Live Better
You Are More Than Just a Patient
At Bayside Eye Center, we know that every patient is unique. That’s why we take the time to get to know you: your lifestyle, your expectations, and your eye care goals, so our diagnostic and treatment options can be tailor-made to you. We are with you every step of the way – from your initial visit to ongoing care, we foster a relationship built on trust, mutual respect, and the ultimate goal of healthy vision and wellness.
Redefining Eye Care
At Bayside Eye Center, we take a Lifestyle Medicine approach to eye health. In fact, we have the only board-certified optometrist in Lifestyle Medicine in the United States on our team. Our commitment to preventive medicine means we care about more than just your eyes – we take the time to understand your overall health and wellness, and how it affects and influences your ocular health and vision.
This Is Our Community
We believe that when you invest in your community, your community invests in you. Our optometrists and staff live in Punta Gorda and the surrounding area, and care deeply about the larger community and its residents. Ensuring the valued people of our community are provided the best care possible means everything to us, which is why we work tirelessly to go above and beyond your expectations.
Bayside Eye Center – A Timeline
1991 – Our Humble Beginnings
Bayside Eye Center first opened its doors in September of 1991. We were a modest, yet enthusiastic team in a small, 4-room office located on Mary Street, and owned by the Punta Gorda Medical Center Hospital.
1996 – Our Growth
After 5 years of experiences and growth, we relocated to our current location at 314 Tamiami Trail, making Bayside Eye Center one of the most established eye care centers in Punta Gorda.
Today – Our Success Is Because of You
Bayside Eye Center is thriving and it is wholly due to our wonderful community, its residents, our valued patients, our welcoming staff, and our amazing team of eye care professionals. We thank everyone for their loyalty and feel privileged to continue to serve the Punta Gorda area.
Meet Our Doctors
Our dedicated optometrists and staff are committed to top quality vision care services, in a warm and welcoming environment.
Dr. Lang has more than 30 years of clinical practice experience and has been serving the Punta Gorda area since 1991.
Dr. Lang is currently the only optometrist board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine in the United States. He is proficient in treating and managing eye diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy), eye trauma, infections, injuries, emergency care, and more.
Dr. Lang is also LASIK-certified in co-management, a Board Certified Optometric Physician, a Diplomat of the American Board of Optometry, a Diplomat of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, a Member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and a Member of the American Optometric Association.
Voted “Best Optometrist – Eye Doctor” for eight out of 10 years by the Charlotte Sun Readers Choice Awards, Dr. Lang’s commitment to top-quality eye care and building respectful relationships with his patients is the foundation of everything he does.
After graduating from the University of Houston College of Optometry in 1990, Dr. Cottone practiced optometry in the Great State of Texas until coming to the Sunshine State in 2001.
Perfecting his craft for almost 30 years, Dr. Cottone is a well-known and highly experienced eye doctor who combines professionalism with compassion at every turn, by providing full scope primary eye care, ocular therapeutics, and contact lens services.
Jennifer is our Office Manager and has been a dedicated team member with Bayside Eye Center since September of 2014.
She is certified in Office Management, Optometric coding and Diopsys, a modern visual electrophysiology medical device that help eye care professionals analyze the entire visual pathway for visual and neuro-visual disorder. She has been in the medical field for over 22 years.
She was born in Wautoma, Wisconsin, and moved to Florida in August of 2014. She lives in Punta Gorda with her husband Travis and their two dogs. She has two children, Brett and Jordan and 2 grandchildren.
Jennifer loves going to the beach and fun adventures with her husband.
Bob Hager is our Optician, and has been a dedicated team member with Bayside Eye center since 2013.
Bob earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University. He entered the field of Opticianry in the 1980’s and earned his ABO and NCLE certificates.
Bob lives in Punta Gorda with his wife Betty. Bob enjoys fishing and playing golf. He also likes snorkeling when he gets the chance.
Amber is our Clinic Coordinator. She is a Certified Paraoptometic Assistant and has been a dedicated member of the Bayside Eye Center team since Feb 2016.
Amber is also trained and certified with Diopsys, a modern visual electrophysiology medical device that help eye care professionals analyze the entire visual pathway for visual and neuro-visual disorders. Amber is continuing her education and plans on becoming a Certified Paraoptometric Technician in the year 2020.
Amber was born in California and moved to Florida in her younger years. She now lives in North Port with her two children, Gavin and Griffin, and her husky puppy, Neuro. Amber enjoys cooking and entertaining family and friends, skateboarding and playing video games with her kids, and traveling.
Mercedes is our Front Desk Coordinator. She has been a dedicated team member with Bayside Eye Center since July 2019.
Mercedes was born in Princeton, Wisconsin and moved to Florida in June of 2019. She lives in Punta Gorda with her boyfriend Jordan and their two cats.
She enjoys spending time with family, fishing, and exploring the beautiful sunshine state.
Find Us in Downtown Punta Gorda
Our location in downtown Punta Gorda makes your visit to the optometrist as convenient as possible. Our central location is easily accessible and we have parking available for all our patients. Find us across from the Herald Court Garage on the corner of Highway 41 Northbound and E Olympia Ave.