Congratulations, it is an Honor to Feature
Amy Riggs, PA-C
Virginia Eye Consultants
Since joining Virginia Eye Consultants (VEC) in October 2023, Amy Riggs has had a major impact on patient care inside and outside the operating room.
Riggs, a Physician Assistant (PA), has focused on oculoplastic care for a variety of medical and cosmetic concerns. Common tasks include pre-surgical physical exams, removal of lesions on or around the eyelid, facial filler injections, cosmetic laser procedures, and Botox injections for wrinkle reduction or functional purposes such as treating blepharospasm and Bell’s palsy.
Riggs also assists physicians with vision-related surgeries such as cataract removal and Mohs eyelid reconstruction following tumor removal. During cataract cases, she is trained to run a femtosecond laser to create precise incisions in the cornea and break up cataracts.
“I love what I do,” Riggs says. “When patients have better vision, I get to hear how ecstatic they are about all the bright colors and beautiful details they were missing before. And when they feel that they look better, I get to experience their newfound confidence.”
Riggs follows many VEC patients long-term, allowing her to build close relationships while freeing up physicians to help a larger cohort of patients. Her philosophy is to treat each person like a family member.
“I never want anyone to feel like I’m rushing,” she relates. “I like to sit down with patients, talk to them and make sure they understand everything in a care plan. If they call the office with a question, I want to be the one calling them back.”
Education is key for Riggs – and that work can extend well beyond oculoplastic issues. During pre-operative physicals, in fact, she frequently diagnoses chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes that patients didn’t know they had.
A Chesapeake native, Riggs was inspired to go into medicine after caring for several close relatives with health concerns. In her own experience as a patient, she saw PAs and Nurse Practitioners tended to have more time to spend with her.
“I knew that was the type of provider I wanted to be,” she recalls. “I wanted to be that same support system for other people and their families.”
Riggs worked as a receptionist and a financial coordinator at two dental practices to help pay for classes at Tidewater Community College and then Virginia Wesleyan University. She earned a biology degree from VWU in 2016.
Before starting the Master of Physician Assistant program at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Riggs spent time as an EMT and later as a Medical Assistant at a neurology and sleep medicine practice. She finished the PA program in 2023 and joined VEC soon after.
The oculoplastic field combines Riggs’ interest in procedure-based medicine, plastic surgery, ophthalmology and dermatology. VEC physicians call her a quick study in a new role at the practice, which previously used PAs mainly to do pre-operative physicals.
“They have given me a lot of training and a lot of opportunities,” Riggs notes. “They have trusted me to get in there and get going, and I’m really grateful for that. I love my patients and picture myself staying with this specialty for a very long time.”
A married mother of a 6-year-old son, Riggs enjoys crafting and working out in her free time. Both of which involve good vision, of course: “I know how important it is to see well and feel my best, and I want the same for my patients.”
We are grateful for local Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who serve our healthcare community!
