Local ophthalmologist takes over Kenosha practice dating back decades

With Slana retiring, Raffi Karapetian became the owner of SouthEast Eye Physicians and Surgeons, 6125 Green Bay Road, Suite 800, on April 16.

Silva Karapetian, Raffi’s wife and SouthEast Eye’s director of operations, said that although the name and owner was changing, business would be as usual.

“The location’s the same, it’s all the same, Dr. Karapetian is just taking over,” Silva said.

Raffi, who completed his ophthalmology residency at Oklahoma State University, said he and Slana met almost a decade ago while he was working in Racine. In 2014, Slana invited Raffi to join his annual medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and their professional relationship grew from there.

“He’s a very nice guy, he’s got a big heart,” Raffi said. “It’s been great, really just wonderful.”

Raffi would later join Slana’s practice in 2015, becoming part of a long tradition of ophthalmology in the Kenosha area going back decades. Slana himself joined the practice of Dr. James Ferwereda in 1992, and three decades later, he has handed the business off to the next generation.

Originally, Raffi said he and Slana had made plans for Raffi to take over the business a few years ago, as Slana was planning to retire. But those plans were suddenly put on hold when the COVID pandemic hit.

For Raffi, the delay was something of a silver lining. He said it gave him the time to learn the ropes of running his own business, a whole new experience for him and his wife.

“I’ve got mixed feelings. It’s exciting, something I’ve always wanted to do, but I’m a little bit nervous,” Raffi said. “I learned a lot, and it’s helped tremendously. I felt prepared.”

Raffi said he felt privileged to be in a position to help people with their vision both as a clinician and as a surgeon, and loves going to work.

“If I can do this for as long as I can, I’ll be a happy camper,” Raffi said.

Beyond helping people, Raffi said the profession also gives him a healthy work-life balance, something he values as a father of two. Silva, a Racine native, said they moved back to Wisconsin a decade ago to raise their kids and be closer to their families.

“My husband is remarkable,” Silva said. “I do believe he’s an amazing clinician and surgeon.”

Silva said she had always been a “stay-at-home mom”, although she had offered to help at Raffi’s office several times. When the pandemic started, they took up her offer, and she received a “baptism by fire.”

“I went from a stay-at-home mom to this,” Silva said, laughing.

Raffi was appreciative of his wife’s work.

“I’m very proud of her, I love her all the more for it,” Raffi Karapetian said.