Pasco: Eye clinic owner also faces charges

After her arrest Friday, an obvious question loomed: How did Paula Jean Russian get a job at Perich Eye Clinic in New Port Richey without an optometrist's license?

She and clinic owner Larry Perich worked out a deal: Russian would be a "technician," working under Perich's supervision and his license.

The arrangement worked for 20 years - until it landed them both in jail. Russian, 51, was charged last week with two counts of practicing without a medical license. And Perich, 55, turned himself in Monday to face charges of principal in the first degree - essentially being Russian's accomplice.

Perich, of 17906 Crawley Road in Odessa, was being held at the Land O'Lakes jail Monday in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Perich's attorney, John P. Perrin, says the situation is a misunderstanding. He said Russian had credentials, although he was unsure what they were.

The attorney said Perich was visiting family in Colorado last week when Russian was arrested.

"He is dismayed and disappointed by the allegations against her," Perrin said Monday. "The protocol was that she operated as a technician under a doctor's supervision."

But Russian doesn't have a license, which is required by law in order to practice medicine - including optometry -in Florida.

And Pasco authorities say Russian wasn't supervised in February when she gave eye exams, dilated pupils, wrote prescriptions for glasses and even prescribed eyedrops to undercover investigators.

The investigation was launched after a patient noticed a lack of diplomas or credentials on Russian's walls. The patient called the state Health Department. Officials there had no record of Russian and called authorities.

Herbert Browne said he'd been going to see Russian since the early 1990s, when Perich ran an office in Palm Harbor. Browne said he saw Russian for an eye appointment six months ago.

"As far as I'm concerned, she is a qualified optometrist," Browne said. "Just because she doesn't have a license doesn't mean she doesn't know what she's doing. She sure had me fooled."

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by dr. know	03/06/08 03:26 PM
He bought his way out by paying big bucks to lawyer Cohen.Think of it as a loan..unlicensed doctor(at discounted salary)treats patients without supervision, dr.p makes money..gets caught..pays fine etc..and still probably made money over 20yrs

by dr. anonymous	07/03/07 07:47 PM
NEWS FLASH! It is common for ophthalmologists to have technicians OT's), most whom are NOT certified & have less education than Dr. Russian, perform most of their routine eye exam procedures and they complete the exam after the tech dilates the eyes.

by Deloris	05/25/07 01:02 PM
Dr. Russian never dialated my eyes. only gave me and eye exam. Dr. Perich always seen me after her and he dialated my eyes and finished my exam. I have been going to him for several years. He deserves a retraction. He is the best.he never lied either

by Sincere	05/16/07 10:35 PM
It's sad 2 read such criticism Re: Ms. Russian when in actuality she is the victim here It's Perich's practice His administrator should've helped her get the license up 2 date & Perich should've encourage it instead they allowed it & now she has 2pay

by Susan	04/04/07 09:07 PM
I only hope Medicare looks into this and takes back all the money they paid and banishes Perich from participating. He knew. The administrator knew.

by PAUL	04/02/07 12:06 PM
true or false Dr. Perich gave eyesight back to my blind mother. for that I would still go to him for any of my eye needs.

by annonymous	03/28/07 03:10 AM
as in every event in history first comes speculation, then hystaria investigation then ending the truth. we are at the speculation stage...

by annonymous	03/28/07 03:07 AM
the patient was never lied to she was totally honest and informed her that she was a doctor but had no license in this state, but she works under the supervision of Dr. perich with his approval, oversight and recognition of her perscriptive actions.

by annonymous	03/28/07 03:04 AM
she represents herself as a doctor because she is one there is no need for derogetory "quotations" look it up its public record. despite her very poor health, putting that aside, what if she just didn't feel like getting her license in this state.

by annonymous	03/28/07 02:59 AM
fraud, well im sorry you feel that way. you really have no idea of went on and your assumptions are a testament to your eagerness to judge, fortunately your not one, these charges have not been tried in court, remember innocent until PROVEN guilty.

by annonymous	03/28/07 02:54 AM
she was deathly ill and had to support her family and home. she underwent to organ transplants. despite this, an unlicensed Doctor working as an over qualified medical assistant under the super vision of a licensed physican is not illegal.

by annonymous	03/28/07 02:50 AM
True but she still is a doctor, is a Ph.D. in chemistry licenced, no but still called a doctor. Completing a 8 year degree and graduating makes you a doctor as prefixed to your name no matter of licenship.

by by annonymous	03/27/07 11:54 AM
FRAUD is FRAUD!!!

by Sara	03/27/07 10:18 AM
The difference is how they represent themselves. Hello Ms. Jones, I am a med student, PA, unlicensed optometrist and I will be taking care of you today. If "Dr. Russian" had the credentials, why not obtain a license? He couldn't give her the few $$.

by annonymous	03/26/07 11:08 PM
having a doctor working as a medical assistant with oversight of a physician is no different than a medical student or P.A. working under a physicians license

by annonymous	03/26/07 11:07 PM
Think about it why would a multi-million dollar 7 office practice risk its termination over the few dollars it would take to license Dr.Russian. Out of the over 100,000 eye operations Dr. perich has performed there has NEVER been a malpractice suit!

by annonymous	03/26/07 11:02 PM
There is not an ophthalmic practice in the country where the medical assistant does not administer the dilating drops. Every single office would have to undergo the same criteria and protocol

by annonymous	03/26/07 11:02 PM
it is not illegal for a medical assistant with the verbal consent of the licensed physician to sign his name with the medical assistant's initials next to .

by annonymous	03/26/07 10:58 PM
how do you know that the prescriptions were not approved by dr. perich prior to its dispensing? again an assumption.

by Rae	03/26/07 08:06 PM
And he gained finacially thru that deception! I find it hard to believe that he was billing for her services as tech! Dr. Perich's arrangement isn't just unethical it is criminal. It is sad that she will pay a bigger price than he will for his greed!

by Annonymous	03/26/07 09:56 AM
Optometry is a regulated profession. Regardless of Ms. Russian's academic accomplicements, she was practicing medicine and writing prescriptions without a license. These are felony counts. Dr. Perich did do something wrong. He deceived his patients.

by Annonymous	03/25/07 07:22 AM
Investigate a little further Dr. Paula J. Russian graduated with a doctorate in optometry and was licenced in the state of virginia. When she moved to florida she underwent 2 organ transplants and nearly died. Dr. Perich did nothting wrong.

by Annonymous	03/23/07 10:11 AM
Until the Board of Medicine and the State Attorney General's office begins to take this type of activity seriously, our health and well being will continue to be compromised by these types of unethical people. Public opinion is the best motivator.

by annonymous	03/20/07 11:08 AM
There shoul be a full investigation of all Dr. Perich's activities.....If he can fool the public for 20 years who knows what else he has been into illegally

by ANNONYMOUS	03/19/07 02:38 PM
Where is the State Board of Medicine and why is the office still open untol a full investigation has been completed....Who knows what other fraudulent criminal activity has been going on in that office

by ANNONYMOUS	03/19/07 02:25 PM
TO LORI....WHAT ABOUT THE 1000'S OF PATIENTS AND INSURANCECLAIMS THAT WERE FRAUDULENT.....IS THAT OK JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE NICE TO YOU...HOW ABOUT ALL THOSE THAT WERE DELIBERATELTY CHEATED

by THOMAS	03/19/07 02:23 PM
TO SHERYL....THEY HAVE COMMITED A CRIME...THEY ARE CRIMINALS....WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU INVITED A CRIMINAL INTO YOUR HOUSE EVEN IF THEY WERE VERY NICE....WAKE UP...THEY BOTH ARE CRIMINALS

by ANNONYMOUS	03/19/07 02:11 PM
AS AN MD I AM REQUIRED TO RENEW MY LICENSE EVERY TWO YEARS...THE OWNER AND OR ADMINISTRATOR SHOULD BE CHECKING ON CREDENTIALS....THE OFFICE SHOULD BE CLOSED...HIS LAWYERS COMMENT OF "SOME"CREDENTIALS WAQS REDICULOUS

by ANNONYMOUS	03/19/07 02:07 PM
AS AN ADMITTED ACCOMPLICE FOR 20 YEARS DR. PERICH SHOULD HAVE HIS LICENSE TO PRACTICE REVOKED....HAVING MS RUSSIAN POSE AS AN OPTOPETRIST FOR 20 YEARSIS A CRIME IN ITSELF AND ALSO INSURANCE FRAUD....HE MUST OWE MILLIONS AFTER 20 YEARS

by Lori	03/15/07 08:07 AM
I am one of the 1000's of patients that have been helped my Dr. Perich. Thanks to him, I can now see out of my left eye, where as before, I was legally blind in that eye. I also see 20/15 out of my prescription, given to me by Paula Russian.

by Sheryl	03/14/07 11:19 PM
Dr Perich and tech Paula Russian have helped 1000's of patients over the past 20 years. I trust them both with my vision and my familys vision and well being 100%. May God Bless You both and watch over you during your time of need.

by Linda	03/14/07 02:34 PM
Risk? Let's see. If you are a Doctor you can do anything from order medication to perform procedures. And techs Do Not do anesthesia. The least years of education is a Masters Degree to perform anesthesia.So don't you want the best for your eyes?

by Barbara	03/14/07 06:37 AM
I had been refered by another Vision Ctr to take my 10 yr old daughter there to remove something from her eye, because they were "not qualified" to do this procedure. How missed lead is that?

by Candi	03/13/07 07:57 PM
Hey Ron! I would go see an Att. Before there's a line of people in front of you.nd the Eye Doctor that let her practice on you. Do it soon! While they have the money like tomarrow!!! I sure would not let that go, why dosn't the city check lis. ??

by Stu	03/13/07 07:46 PM
She seemed competent and professional. as long as Dr. Perich supervised her, how much risk can there be to the patient? In MAJOR operations in the hospital, usually techs do the pimary job of anesthesia and the ANE STHESIOLOGIST isn't in the OR.