David Thomas

CINCINNATI—Refractive surgery firm LCA-Vision (Nasdaq: LCAV) promoted David Thomas—formerly the company’s senior vice president of operations—to chief operating officer, effective June 2.

In addition, Rhonda Sebastian rejoined LCA-Vision June 1 as senior VP of human resources, replacing Stephen Jones, who left the company. Thomas’s responsibilities include leading LCA-Vision’s marketing activities and managed care programs, as well as overseeing its national call center, according to chief executive officer Steven Straus.

At LCA-Vision’s annual shareholders meeting last month, Straus and five others were elected/re-elected to one-terms on the company’s board of directors. Among those was E. Anthony Woods, elected non-executive board chair.

Woods acknowledged during the meeting, “Consumer reluctance to spend on elective surgical procedures is continuing to have a negative impact on procedure volume at our LasikPlus centers,” with procedure volumes in April and May down about 45 percent from the same period last year. Added Woods, “We currently anticipate continued softness throughout 2009.”

As a result, he said, company management continues to implement cost-control measures, including a possible reduction in marketing expenditures.” And, “we also are considering additional actions, including closing underperforming vision centers,” Woods noted. ■