Physician Spotlight: Dr. Laura Veras and Those Pesky Allergies

Dr. Laura Veras grew up in a travel destination known for its ocean breezes, muggy summers, and temperate winters. No, it wasn’t Southwest Florida, but the Dominican Republic.

The similar weather between the two places makes her feel right at home here in our region, though.

Certified both in internal medicine and allergy and immunology, Dr. Veras lives in South Lee County with husband Dr. Ernesto Eusebio, who practices adult sleep medicine with Lee Physician Group.

The two doctors met and married during their medical school days at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in Santiago.

“I've always wanted to be a doctor, although I come from a family of lawyers,” Dr. Veras says. “My grandfather was a lawyer, my dad is one and so are my aunt and my sister. However, I wasn’t interested in becoming a lawyer; what fascinated me was how the body works and the idea of helping people through medicine.”

Dr. Eusebio was three years ahead of Dr. Veras, which led to a game of catch-up, of sorts. He graduated first and then completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in sleep medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Four years later, Dr. Veras joined her husband at Henry Ford Hospital, where she completed a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in allergy and immunology.

Finding a clinical passion

During a rotation in allergy and immunology, she discovered her clinical passion.

“Allergic diseases are primarily an immune system disorder and understanding the immune system components and how they interact with each other fascinates me,” Dr. Veras says. “I also enjoy providing continuity of care when managing chronic conditions such as asthma, food allergies, and environmental allergies. I get to know the children, the adults, the whole family. It’s very rewarding.”

After Dr. Veras finished her advanced medical training, both she and her husband departed for Wichita, Kansas, to practice at a hospital system. But they still missed the balmy days and blue skies of island life.

In her free time, Dr. Veras enjoys traveling, reading, cooking, and entertaining at her home. She also loves to swim. When she was in Kansas, she became interested in rowing. In the Sunflower State, one can’t ride to the beach within its borders, although, ironically enough, a shallow ocean of salt water once covered the state. It seems Dr. Veras was getting closer to fulfilling her desire to practice in a tropical climate, whether she knew it or not.

Lo and behold, three years ago, Dr. Eusebio joined Lee Health as a board-certified physician in sleep medicine, paving the way for Dr. Veras to eventually reunite full-time with her husband in Southwest Florida last year.

Dr. Veras and her husband are parents of a teenager and toddler. Her clinical interests include asthma, food allergies, anaphylaxis, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, and allergic contact dermatitis.

She is especially interested in treating environmental allergies in children to adults.

“Environmental allergies differ from seasonal allergies in that they're found year-round at different times of the year, such as dust mites, cockroaches, and pet dander,” Dr. Veras explains. “Whatever your allergy, specific therapies can help you control your allergies better. So many people with untreated allergic symptoms aren't aware of how much better they can feel once their symptoms are properly diagnosed and managed by a board-certified allergist.”

Dr. Laura Veras