Total Eye Care
Drs. Honig, Snyder, and Cassel are ophthalmologists who perform complete and thorough routine and medical eye examinations for people of all ages using a variety of advanced instruments and techniques which make it possible to diagnose conditions both inside and outside the eye.
Our ophthalmologists are all board certified. They have been trained in eye surgery including cataract, lens implant, and laser surgery, as well as the treatment of glaucoma, corneal, and retinal disorders and many other eye problems. Drs. Honig and Snyder perform state-of-the-art cataract surgery. All our ophthalmologists are available for second opinions regarding cataract and other eye surgeries and treatments. The excellent staff and the surgical and laser facilities and equipment at the SurgiCenter of Baltimore, in our building, and the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, support our surgeons and provide them with highly-trained staff and well-equipped surgical facilities. Our ophthalmologists also are affiliated with the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, and the University of Maryland.
Through the expertise of optometrists who also work in our office, patients seeking care with Drs. Honig, Snyder, and Cassel can be fit with contacts for all ages, with all types of eyeglass prescriptions. An optometrist is a board certified individual who has training in various aspects of eyecare and who specializes in fitting contact lenses and eyeglass prescriptions. Optometrists are particularly skilled at fitting contact lenses for unusual prescriptions for astigmatism, bifocals, and custom-tinted contact lenses. They also have the expertise to help correct vision when refractive surgery is not successful.
Ms. Rachel Thomas ("The Goddess of Glasses") who was formerly at Cockeysville Opticians, is now manager of The Optical Shoppe at Crossroads within our office, Crossroads Eye Physicians at McDonogh Crossroads, 23 Crossroads Drive, Suite 310.
As many of you know, Rachel Thomas is an experienced optician who has worked closely with Dr. Cassel for many years, from their time together at Ruxton Towers, the original location of his office. Rachel brings years of experience to our patients with the selection of stylish and quality eyewear. She also has extensive experience in not just the selecting and fitting eyeglasses but also in the art of dispensing eyeglasses. Besides being able to assist in choosing the right frame style for you, Rachel is specifically an expert in fitting progressive bifocals and trifocals. Within The Optical Shoppe at Crossroads at our office, she has the latest in high index materials to make your lenses thinner than any previous generation lenses. Ultraviolet and anti-reflective coating, and transition lenses, non-prescription quality sunglasses, and a wide variety of lens tints are also available.
Rachel welcomes all her many friends from her previous locations. She has also made new friends and helped a lot of our current office patients with their eyeglasses. Rachel is also always happy to assist people who are not patients of our office and who walk in with prescriptions from elsehere to get her thoughts and help with the selection of their next pair of eyeglasses from "The Goddess of Glasses."
Ophthalmologist
What is an Ophthalmologist?
Drs. Honig, Snyder, and Cassel are ophthalmologists. Ophthalmologists, or eye physicians and surgeons, have graduated from accredited medical schools with M.D. degrees and have completed extensive training in eye care beyond medical school and internship. As an ophthalmologist, they provide total eye care, including performing comprehensive medical eye examinations, and prescribing glasses, diagnosing diseases and disorders of the eye, and using the appropriate medical, surgical, and laser procedures necessary for treatment. Our ophthalmologists are available to see new patients, as well as emergency patients.
Marc A. Honig M.D.
Dr. Honig is an ophthalmologist and director of Crossroads Eye Physicians. He has over 35 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1990. Following his medical studies, Dr. Honig pursued his ophthalmology training at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson, Maryland. Subsequently. he was trained as a fellow in cornea and external eye diseases at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his ophthalmology residency and fellowship, he trained under some of the most renowned ophthalmologists in the field, gaining invaluable experience in diagnosing and treating not just corneal eye disease, but also a wide array of other eye conditions.
Dr. Honig stands out as a beacon of expertise and compassion in the field of ophthalmology, with years of experience in medical and surgical eye conditions, including cataract and corneal surgery. With over three decades as an ophthalmologist, Dr. Honig has dedicated his career to understanding the intricate workings of the eye, particularly the cornea—a delicate, transparent layer that plays a crucial role in vision. His passion for helping patients navigate their visual challenges is evident in every interaction, as he combines advanced medical knowledge with a genuine commitment to patient well-being.
Dr. Honig currently has staff privileges at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.
Dr. Honig is accepting new patients and telehealth appointments.
Lee A. Snyder M.D.
Dr. Snyder is an ophthalmologist at Crossroads Eye Physicians. She received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Lee Snyder has expertise in treating glaucoma surgery, cataract, glaucoma, among many other conditions. She also performs routine eye and medical eye examinations as well as being available for second opinions regarding eye issues and their treatment.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Snyder has devoted her career to advocating for patients and the profession of ophthalmology and to inspiring residents, fellows, and colleagues to become advocates. She strongly believes in the power of the individual and collective voices in ophthalmology to guide the future of the profession and safeguard patient care.
Dr. Snyder attended medical school at Johns Hopkins University and has been active in the Maryland Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (MSEPS) while in residency at the Wilmer Eye Institute. During that time, she served as a resident board member and attended many American Academy of Ophthalmology Congressional Advocacy Days in Annapolis on behalf of ophthalmology and patient eyecare legislation in our state. Dr. Snyder has also participated in the American Academy of Ophthalmology Leadership Development Program in 2012-13. Since then, she has been active in MSEPS leadership, serving as chair of the Annual Scientific Conference, treasurer and ultimately president. In the latter role, she worked work closely with the American Academy of Ophthalmology Secretariat for State Affairs and MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society, in our effort to preserve patient eyecare safety in Maryland. For her work, she was honored to receive the 2018 Wilmer Distinguished Alumna Award during her term.
Dr. Snyder is current chair of the MSEPS Surgical Scope Fund Committee. In addition, she has been honored to serve the American Academy of Ophthalmology as a councilor from MSEPS, council deputy section leader, state section representative to the Academy Nominating Committee and member of the Academy Membership Task Force. As a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Board of Trustees, Dr. Snyder has continued to champion the profession of ophthalmology, seeking ways to improve access to high quality medical and surgical care for patients and working to ensure that diverse voices from state and subspecialty societies are amplified at the board level.
Dr. Snyder is available to see new patients and accepts Medicare, Aetna, Blue Cross, United Healthcare, as well as other forms of routine eye and medical health insurance.
Gary H. Cassel M.D.
Dr. Cassel is an ophthalmologist at Crossroads Eye Physicians. He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He interned at New York University Medical Center, and spent two years conducting research on cataracts and diabetic eye disease at the National Eye Institute of N.I.H. He did his eye residency training at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Cassel later came to Baltimore and was a fellow at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins Hospital doing retinal research. Dr. Cassel is the author of The Eye Book published by The Johns Hopkins Press. After its initial release 20 years ago, THE EYE BOOK is now in its second edition and sold worldwide.
Dr. Cassel is accepting new patients. Additionally, he welcomes his past patients from his previous location, as many have also become friends over the years.
He currently has staff privileges at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.
In his spare time, Dr. Cassel, and his wife Dr. Ratner, manage
LitPick Book Reviews. They began this website with their son, Seth, over twenty years ago. LitPick Book Reviews receives copies of books from authors and publishers looking for reviews. Once a person has been accepted as a LitPick book reviewer, LitPick then offers these books to them to read and review. LitPick's mission is to promote reading and writing worldwide and to help authors connect with readers.
Optometrist
What is an Optometrist?
An optometrist is a professional licensed to practice optometry, specializing in eye and visual care. The optometric education consists of four years of undergraduate college followed by four years in an optometric college. Optometry College provides extensive training in eye care with a major emphasis on the diagnosis of eye diseases and the assessment of visual disturbances, including clinical patient care. The optometrist treats visual disturbances with glasses, contact lenses, and low vision aids (magnifiers), and may also prescribe exercises for muscle imbalances. Optometrists are also licensed to diagnose and treat certain medical eye conditions. If an optometrist diagnoses an eye disease that requires additional medical treatment, the patient is then referred to an ophthalmologist.
Steven L. Pinson O.D.
Dr. Pinson is a board-certified optometrist at Crossroads Eye Physicians, who brings a wealth of knowledge to our practice. Dr. Pinson graduated in 1977 from the New England College of Optometry, the oldest, (1894) continuously operating optometry school in the US. This prestigious institution has a strong reputation for training skilled clinical optometrists, and equipping them with the tools to succeed in both visual science and clinical optometry.
Dr. Pinson's last year of intensive clinical training through NECO started in Boston at the South End Community Health Center, an interdisciplinary facility, where referrals between departments were commonplace. He then traveled to Jerusalem and worked and studied in Hadassah Hospital in the ophthalmology department.
Upon graduation, he started a private practice in Federal Hill and "retired" in 2022. He concurrently was affiliated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the department of Ophthalmology, as a Clinical Instructor. As the only optometrist on staff, his duties included teaching technicians, optometry students, and ophthalmology residents. He also was the only doctor fitting contact lenses in the practice.
Dr. Pinson conducts comprehensive eye examinations to assess visual acuity and overall eye health for all ages. He is skilled in diagnosing and treating refractive errors and muscle balance problems. Dr. Pinson can also evaluate and manage ocular diseases, and when necessary, in collaboration with ophthalmologists.
Dr. Pinson represents a knowledgeable resource for eye care in our office. With decades and decades of experience, he is well-equipped to handle a variety of vision related problems while providing compassionate and focused care tailored to you, the patient.
Sherry Higginbotham O.D.
Dr. Higginbotham graduated from Pennsylvania College of Optometry (now Salus University). She was previously an optometrist at Clinical Associates in Towson, Maryland. As mentioned above, optometrists assess visual acuity and prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses for such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
A native of West Virginia, she graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in Biology and is always keeping an ear out for the next time Country Roads will be played.
In her spare time, you are likely to find her on the sidelines with her husband cheering on their daughter at her club soccer matches and basketball games, or visiting their son who attends WVU. She enjoys traveling, sports, reading, and is an amateur yarn wrangler.
Optician
What is an Optician?
An optician is a licensed professional skilled in the crafting of lenses and the fitting of frames suitable to a person's prescription, facial features, needs, and even their personality. With years of experience, our opticians are very knowledgeable and are quaified to work alongside the optometrists and ophthalmologists in our practice to bring you the very best in eyewear and vision correction with eyeglasses. Rachel believes that everyone can benefit from a little assistance when picking out the right style and color frame, as well as the correct lens design for their prescription and lens options such as progressives, thinner lenses, bifocals, trifocals, computer glasses, anti-reflective coatings,Transitions and tints.
Ms. Rachel Thomas
Ms. Rachel Thomas ("The Goddess of Glasses") left Cockeysville Opticians. Rachel is now manager of The Optical Shoppe at Crossroads within Crossroads Eye Physicians at McDonogh Crossroads, 23 Crossroads Drive, Suite 310.
Rachel's hours there are 8:30AM until 4:30PM, Monday through Friday, five days a week.
Please call Rachel for directions to her new location.
Her telephone number is 410-581-1500.
We are sure that many people will be disappointed that Rachel is no longer in Cockeysville, but their loss is our gain! As manager of The Optical Shoppe at Crossroads within Crossroads Eye Physicians, Rachel has a terriric selection of frames and lens styles for you to choose from, at very reasonable prices...and she is allowed to offer discounts too!
Our Office Manager
Ms. Jeannie Loudermilk
Ms. Jeannie Loudermilk is the office manager of Crossroads Eye Physicians.
Jeannie is the director behind the scenes at our practice, and she keeps everything running smoothly! She is a proud Baltimore County native who found her heart in Frederick and built a loving life in PA with her amazing husband. Jeannie's journey has been full of love and dedication. From cherishing family and friends to sharing life with her fur babies, her passions run deep! With over 21 years of experience alongside Dr. Honig, she embodies compassion and care in every patient interaction. She believes in treating our patients like family! Jeannie's sincerity and care help make our office, and the eye care which we provide, special!
INSURANCE AND FEES
Our practice makes every effort to keep down the cost of medical care. One way we do this is by asking that you pay for all office visits at the time of your service. If you have health insurance coverage then we ask that any co-pay or deductible be paid at time of your office visit or procedure. Please bring your insurance card to all your appointments along with any referrals or authorization forms so that we can promptly file for your service. If you are coming for a ROUTINE EYE EXAM check your health insurance plan carefully to see if you have vision coverage for this type of examination. Not all insurance plans pay for vision services or routine eye examinations. Please help us by understanding your coverage. Our office currently participates with Medicare, Blue Shield (Carefirst) and many other local and national health insurance plans. Call our office or that of your health insurance plan to verify our participation and your eye care benefits.
If you are having financial difficulties, we do not let this stand in the way of your receiving proper medical attention and eye care. We will be glad to speak with you privately and make financial arrangements on an individual basis.