New Laser EyeSee Clearer with your new Eyes

A quadriplegic patient named Eric Abrue, who is dependent on a respirator since he was eight years old, had a historic LASIK procedure performed by Drs. Jeffrey and Joseph Dello Russo. Eric fell from a monkey bar in a playground back in 1986, breaking his neck and also severing his spinal cord. Since that day, he has suffered from Quadriplegia. He is unable to move any part of his body below his upper neck down and is able to breath on his own only for a short period of time without a respirator.

Eric is the first quadriplegic patient in the world who underwent LASIK, using the Wavelight Eye-Q and a special WL Swivel Chair. Eric, who is now thirty, is dependent for all his needs on an around-the-clock care giver. Amazingly, he runs a successful music production company, attends a college online and designs his own T-shirt line. He was using eyeglasses to see his computer clearly but in the last few months has found out that wearing glasses did little to clear up his vision, and the images became after using the computer for 14-16 hours per day. Sitting about two feet away from his laptop, Eric began to have headaches due to the strain on his eyes. Trying to ensure his eyes will keep serving him as the main tool to connect with the world, he became interested in the LASIK procedure and began reading about it online.

“I did a lot of research and I chose Drs. Joseph and Jeffrey Dello Russo because of their experience and the fact that they seem to use the most advanced technologies, including the unique Wavelight Eye-Q Intralase lasers. My eyesight is essential to my well-being, and it was even more critical to me to find LASIK surgeons who could give me the best outcome. I’m thrilled and I would recommend them to anyone, it was really easy. Once I was positioned on the laser bed, they were able to move me from one laser to the other using a unique swivel bed which automatically positioned me first under the Intralase laser and then under the Wavelight laser, without having to be manually moved between two beds. The entire procedure was painless and took less than ten minutes. I am grateful to these two outstanding surgeons and recommend them to anyone who needs LASIK. God bless them,” said Eric

NEW technology is offering hope to those with serious myopia and astigmatism. The technology has the ability to track rotation of the eyeball during laser eye surgery. This should allow for adjustments fpr eye rotation during Lasik surgery. This will ensure that the laser beam aims at the correct spot on the cornea at all times. These patients were previously deterred from opting for Laser-Assisted In situ Keratomileusis or LASIK. LASIK is a type of refractive laser eye surgery used to correct myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism. The new technology is called Zyoptix Advanced Control Eyetracking (ACE).

The number of laser eye surgery procedures conducted by publicly traded LCA-Vision dropped 38 percent in the second quarter from a year ago — a reflection of industrywide troubles. University of Missouri-St. Louis professor Stephen Moehrle said that in a faltering economy, consumers are more likely to choose glasses or contacts instead of shelling out thousands of dollars for Lasik eye surgery. Cincinnati-based LCA-Vision has recently had layoffs, a salary freeze and large cuts to its advertising and marketing budgets because of the economic downturn. According to research firm Market Scope, vision correction procedures peaked in 2000 at about 1.4 million and are expected to decline 17 percent this year from last year’s 1.3 million.

Before you make the decision to go forward with refractive surgery, get a second opinion. After a consultation, you should not feel that you are obligated to use that surgeon. You are free to talk to other surgeons as well. You will not be offending anyone.

It has long been an accepted practice to seek a second opinion, and most doctors would urge their patients to do so. After speaking to several surgeons, you should have a good idea of which doctor you are most comfortable with.

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 10, 2008 – (NEW YORK, NY)—Gotham LASIK’s leading LASIK surgeon Dr. Brian Bonanni recently announced he is looking to partner with a health/wellness magazine or newspaper to run a contest in which people have the chance to nominate their hometown hero—somebody they know who puts in time and effort into helping others.  The person who is chosen will be honored with a free LASIK surgery procedure, worth $5,000. “I think it is very important to give recognition to people who offer their time, attention and talent to their community and humbly go above and beyond every day,” says Dr. Bonanni.

Dr. Bonanni has devoted his career to ensuring that the safest procedures are performed and each patient is treated with specific criteria to meet their individual needs.   He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, as well as the American and European Societies of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the International Society of Refractive Surgery.

Through his twelve-plus years in practice Dr. Bonanni has successfully performed over 30,000 laser refractive procedures, and has been featured on ABC News, and in New Beauty and Women’s Health magazines.   “I am hoping that this contest will allow somebody to show their appreciation for someone they care about and give them the gift of better vision,” says Dr. Bonanni.

Dr. Bonanni states the following advantages to having LASIK surgery:
•   Clear natural vision without glasses or contact lenses
•   Smoother corneal surface and a better optical quality
•   Elimination of risks involved with contact lens overuse
•   Has a much greater range of vision correction than other surgeries

“LASIK surgery gives our patients the chance to have better vision than they ever did while wearing contacts or glasses,” says Dr. Bronanni.  “Being able to provide them with this is what makes our job so satisfying.” For more information on Dr. Bonanni and his services please visit www.gothamlasik.com. If you are interested in receiving information about how to partner with Dr. Brian Bonanni in regards to this contest please contact Bryce Gruber at Bryce@intencityglobal.com.

Before choosing a Lasik Eye Surgeon, you should get all of your questions answered to your complete satisfaction. In addition to the questions you already have, here is a list of additional but very important questions to ask:

How often is your laser calibrated? (It should be recalibrated at minimum every fourth time)

What kind of laser do you use?

How often is the microkeratome incisor changed? (A trick question? maybe, but it should be a new incisor for each patient)

What financing options do you offer? How many post op visits are included in the cost?Are additional post op visits for emergencies free?

LASIK is a type of refractive laser eye surgery performed by ophthalmologists for correcting myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. The procedure is generally preferred to photorefractive keratectomy because it requires less time for the patient’s recovery, and the patient feels less pain. LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure. You may hear people calling it “LASIX,” but the name is actually short for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.” Many patients choose LASIK as an alternative to wearing corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses.

How long has Laser Eye Surgery Been Around

The LASIK technique was made possible by the Colombian-based Spanish ophthalmologist Jose Barraquer, who, around 1950 in his clinic in Bogotá, Colombia, Stephan Schaller assisted. Barraquer also provided the knowledge about how much of the cornea had to be left unaltered to provide stable long-term results.

What is Involved In Preparing For the Surgery

There are several necessary preparations in the preoperative period. The operation itself is made by creating a thin flap on the eye, folding it to enable remodeling of the tissue underneath with laser. The flap is repositioned and the eye is left to heal in the postoperative period.