After more than 40 years, Dr. David Schores is retiring due to a recurrence of the bladder cancer he was diagnosed with eight years ago.

His most vocal regret as he prepares to close the Port Hadlock Vision Clinic by the end of May is that he can’t leave his patients with a continuity of care on his way out.

Schores was quick to emphasize that he isn’t downcast as he departs his practice because he is grateful to have remained in the same small, close-knit community throughout his career.

“I grew up in small towns, and when I got out of school, I didn’t want to work for someone else,” said Schores, whose childhood included stints in Florida and Alberta, Canada.

“I took a look at northern Idaho, but I settled in the ‘Banana Belt’ of the Olympic Peninsula, where I was told it never rains,” he laughed.

In the 41 years since, Schores has seen his patient base age. He acknowledged that Jefferson County has one of the oldest populations in the state, and with their increased age has come a number of age-related visual care-related issues that require treatment.

Schores said he has been delighted to treat the children and grandchildren of patients he first saw when they were children. He recalled treating a number of sheriff’s deputies, now in their 30s and 40s, back when they were still “kids with cap guns.”

“I’m still old enough to remember when it was the American dream to work at the same job for 40 years,” he said. “I like that I’ve been able to get involved in my patients’ families and community. That’s actually been one of the hardest things for me to reconcile myself with giving up.”

Another challenging prospect for Schores to deal with as he approaches his retirement next month has been finding alternate care for his longtime patients. “I have folks in their 80s whom I’ve been treating for the past 30 to 40 years who are wondering where to go now.”

Schores has accepted patients from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services for all 41 years of his practice, which makes him unusual in both Jefferson and Clallam counties, and a rarity even in Kitsap County.

The past few years, Schores’ practice has been so busy that he’s had no choice but to limit his DSHS patients to those younger than 18 and older than 65, because “younger patients shouldn’t suffer for a lack of resources that’s not their fault, and older patients have contributed a lot already.”

Schores has even worked with the emergency room doctors of Jefferson Healthcare, so that they can refer ER patients with eye treatments needs to him.

Although he’s taken the time to treat Medicare patients, Schores insists he requires no financial aid himself, and blanched at the idea of anyone conducting an online fundraiser on his behalf.

When Schores was first diagnosed with bladder cancer eight years ago, he took six weeks off for his treatment and recuperation, (“the only time I’ve ever taken off from my practice”), but even after radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, he still experienced recurrences four years later, and 18 months after that.

“When I just recently had my third recurrence of cancer, I decided this was a good time to spend more time with my own family,” Chores said. “They don’t even give me odds anymore, because I keep not dying when I’m supposed to, so I’m an outlier of an outlier. I’d love to see someone else step into this practice, but I can understand why fewer doctors are considering independent or private practice, because it can be difficult and demanding.”

Schores said he greatly respects the medical professionals of Jefferson Healthcare, where he’s been receiving what he deemed “first-class” oncology care, to the point that he sees no need to “go across the water,” even though he laughingly lamented that “I keep outlasting my nurses.”

Schores is also sad to say goodbye to his office staff. David and Ivy Schores married in 2008, one year after she became his office manager. Leslie Hill has spent the past eight of her 40 years as an optician working at the Port Hadlock Vision Clinic. Lori McKenzie’s 20 years at the practice have culminated in her working as the doctor’s assistant.

Like her husband, Ivy Shores expressed her gratitude to the practice’s patients and surrounding community, just as Hills will miss socializing with those patients as she repairs their glasses, and McKenzie has appreciated seeing their children grow up.

Still, all agreed that the time had come for Dr. Schores to start taking better care of himself.

BOX COPY, IF THERE IS ROOM.   

For those looking for optometry and ophthalmology offices, Shores is referring patients to the following place.

Pacific Eye Care for general eye exams, in Port Townsend at 360-385-5386 and Poulsbo at 360-779-2020, in addition to Poulsbo Eye Care at 360-779-2336 and 20/20 Eye Care in Kingston at 360-297-2844.

For general eye exams that accept some Medicaid insurance, Schores is referring them to the Doctor’s Clinic in Silverdale at 360-830-1304 and the Visual Connection in Bremerton at 360-479-2020.

For clinics specializing in cataract surgery, Schores is referring patients to Northwest Eye Surgeons in Sequim at 360-683-2010, and Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute in Silverdale at 360-698-5062.

For glaucoma and corneal diseases, Schores is referring patients to Achieve Eye and Laser Specialists in Silverdale at 360-698-9500, and for macular degeneration and retina specialists, he’s referring them to Pacific Northwest Retina in Sequim at 360-683-5100 and in Silverdale at 360-307-0300.

And for an ocular plastic surgeon, Schores is referring patients to the Cole Aesthetic Center in Silverdale at 360-613-2600, and Harbor Plastic Surgery in Gig Harbor at 253-858-5040.