About Us

Having performed more than 25,000 procedures, Dr. Jansen is recognized by “Who’s Who” as one of the most experienced eye surgeons in America. He came to Springfield in 1990 from the prestigious National Eye Center in Washington, D.C., where he has returned many times to lecture on his surgical innovations. In Springfield, he is recognized by his peers as a “Top Doc” in eye surgery.

Dr. Jansen is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and is a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Medical Association, Missouri Medical Association, and Greene County Medical Society. He has served on the board of Southwest Baptist University as well as local medical advisory boards and is a member of the clinical faculty of Cox family practice residency and area medical and optometry schools.

Dr. Jansen has a passion for International Missions. Working with the ministry of health of Tanzania East Africa, he developed eye specialty clinics and an eye surgical hospital in Maswa, Tanzania. Its eye surgery training program is actively teaching African and missionary doctors to perform modern cataract surgery.

Dr. Jansen specializes in monofocal, multifocal, and toric cataract surgeries, as well as microinvasive glaucoma surgery, corneal transplants and eyelid plastic surgery.

Dr. Osborn, one of the most experienced cataract and refractive surgeons in the region, has practiced full time in Springfield since 1996. He has been recognized as introducing IntraLase Bladeless LASIK surgery, a no-needle topical anesthesia for cataract surgery and the most modern corneal transplant surgeries to the Ozarks. Additionally, he has been appointed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to the State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.

Dr. Osborn attended Indiana University School of Medicine where he distinguished himself as one of the top 10 percent of medical students, became a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and served as Chief Resident during his training at the Indiana University Department of Ophthalmology.

Dr. Osborn is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. In addition to regularly providing educational seminars for regional optometrists, he serves as adjunct faculty and preceptor for University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Optometry School.

His specialty areas include refractive (LASIK, PRK) procedures, microinvasive glaucoma surgery, monofocal, multifocal, and toric cataract surgeries and corneal transplants.

Dr. Meyer is Missouri Eye Institute’s ophthalmologist serving the Branson area. Originally from Southwest Missouri, Dr. Meyer is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Ophthalmology at Louisiana State University’s Shreveport School of Medicine as Chief Resident. Dr. Meyer practiced ophthalmology in Carbondale, Illinois, until returning to Southwest Missouri in 2005.

Dr. Meyer is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and the American Medical Association.

Dr. Meyer’s specialty areas include monofocal, multifocal, and toric cataract surgeries, as well as glaucoma, oculoplastic and other general ocular surgeries.

Dr. Chad Carter is Missouri Eye Institute’s optometrist assisting with primary eye care and post-operative care in Springfield. Dr. Carter, a Springfield and Rogersville native, has practiced optometry since 1996 and is certified by the Missouri State Board of Optometry for therapeutic optometry.

Dr. Carter graduated with a Doctorate of Optometry from Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, Tennessee in 1996. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1992 from The University of Missouri-Columbia. He has served as an examiner for the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and continues to serve as an adjunct faculty member for various optometry schools. In addition, Dr. Carter has been on several local and international mission trips to El Salvador, Mexico, Africa, and China to conduct eye exams and provide ophthalmic care in impoverished areas. Dr. Carter has also served as a lead volunteer for Convoy of Hope in Springfield, which provides disaster and humanitarian aid to those in need across the United States and around the world.

Dr. Carter is well trained in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome, various eye diseases and pathologies, and provides high quality primary medical eye care and post-operative care. Missouri Eye Institute does not provide eyeglasses or contact lens prescriptions, but Dr. Carter can assist and facilitate arrangements for those services to be provided by an affiliated optometrist within Springfield and surrounding communities.

Dr. Lucas Lenci MD joined Missouri Eye Institute as an anterior segment surgeon specializing in cataract and refractive surgery.  He completed B.A. in Biology/Chemistry at Drury University and his medical doctorate (M.D.) at the University of Missouri-Columbia where he served as president of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society.  He completed his medical and surgical internship at Intermountain Medical Center in Utah.

Dr. Lenci completed his residency training at one of the top ophthalmology training programs in the country at the University of Iowa where he served as chief resident and was given the award for best resident teacher.  He has published and presented many scientific articles and topics in ophthalmology. Before deciding to move back home to the Ozarks, Dr. Lenci worked at a very busy surgical referral practice, Vision Surgery Consultants, in Wichita, KS where he performed thousands of ocular procedures.  He is passionate about restoring vision and has participated in surgical mission trips most recently to Honduras where sight to more than 50 patients was restored.

Dr. Lenci is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and member in the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

His specialty areas include

Monofocal, multifocal, and toric cataract surgery

Laser vision correction (LASIK and PRK)

Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS)

DMEK & DSEK corneal transplants

Eyelid plastic surgery (Blepharoplasty)

In his free time, Dr. Lenci enjoys the outdoors, playing the drums at church and best of all spending time with his wife and three children. Dr. Lenci grew up in Lake of the Ozarks. His family is from Italy and he speaks fluent Italian. He is excited about providing exceptional surgical eyecare to our community.

Dr. Bethany Whitesell is Missouri Eye Institute’s optometrist providing primary eye care and post-operative care in Springfield and Joplin. Dr. Whitesell was previously employed with the VA Center in Springfield (formerly Mount Vernon). Dr. Whitesell graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia, earning her BS degree in Biology. She then went to the University of Missouri-St Louis College of Optometry, and completed a residency in primary care at the VA Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Dr. Whitesell serves as an adjunct Professor of Optometry at Northeastern State University, Oklahoma College of Optometry. She is well trained in anterior and posterior segment disease management, as well as anterior segment laser and minor lid procedures. In her role as the residency program supervisor at the VA, Dr. Whitesell has supervised and provided clinical instruction in patient care to many resident optometrists. Additionally, Dr. Whitesell has served as an examiner for the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.

Dr. Whitesell’s time away from work includes spending time with her husband and two children, being outdoors, and helping her husband on the family farm.