The LASIK Blog

Vision Harvest Free Cataract Surgery Press Release

Since August is Cataract Awareness Month, we decided to get an early start to this year's Vision Harvest initiative.  Here is a copy of our press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Keri Muli @ 20/20 Communications, Inc.

P: 973-560-1500

F: 973-560-0419

[email protected]

 

VISION HARVEST 2010

Local Area Eye Surgeons Will Be Giving Back Again This Fall

    Free Cataract Surgery Offered For Those Patients Who Are Uninsured And In Need Of Treatment

 

Elmwood Park, NJ, August 2, 2010- Doctors at the River Drive Surgery and Laser Center of Elmwood Park, New Jersey, will again offer FREE cataract surgery this year for those without health insurance during Vision Harvest 2010. During last year’s event, the vision of 20 patients was dramatically improved thanks to the program. On October 22, 2010, select physicians at the center will be performing cataract surgery procedures for those that are uninsured and can’t afford to pay.  According to the 2009 Gallup-Healthways Well-Bring Index, about one in six American adults are without health insurance. “While a large majority of Americans have health insurance coverage, roughly 16% are still uninsured. My colleagues and I all agree no one should go without needed cataract surgery due to finances,” said East Hanover ophthalmologist, Cary M. Silverman, M.D. who organized the event. “We want to make sure that any vision impaired person in New Jersey without insurance or financial resources learns about this remarkable program.”

 

Over the next few weeks, participating eye physicians will be evaluating prospective cataract patients and scheduling them for their free procedure.  Eligible patients will have all eye examinations, testing, medications, and surgery provided to them free of charge.

 

Participating ophthalmologists in this year’s Vision Harvest program include:

 

·       Philip Eichler, M.D.- Eye Institute of Essex, Belleville/ Verona, NJ

·       Michael Farbowitz, M.D.- Short Hills Ophthalmology, Short Hills, NJ

·       Kenneth Miller, M.D.- Miller Ophthalmology Associates, LLC, West Orange, NJ

·       Scott Pomerantz, M.D.- Metropolitan Eye Care, Paramus, NJ

·       Cary M Silverman, M.D.- EyeCare 20/20, East Hanover, NJ

For more information, interested patients should call 973-200-8250 to set up a free evaluation to determine their candidacy.

 

Cataracts are a progressive condition that cause the eye's lens to become cloudy, and eventually opaque leading to a progressive dimming of your vision. The exact cause of cataracts is unclear, but they occur in everyone as they age. Cataracts may be the result of a lifetime of exposure to ultraviolet rays, and other factors such as cigarette smoking, diet, and alcohol consumption. Cataracts can also occur at any age as a result of other causes such as eye injury, exposure to toxic substances or radiation, certain medications or as a result of other diseases such as diabetes.

 

About River Drive: Located in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, River Drive Surgery and Laser Center was created as an ophthalmic ambulatory surgery facility dedicated to providing patients with excellence in eye care in a warm and caring environment. The center is designed as a facility which is planned and administered to render a safe, comfortable, effective environment for patients and personnel, and to give assistance to the medical staff in meeting certain restorative health needs of patients without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.

 

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Team EyeCare 20/20 Wins SEVEN Olympic Medals Improved Vision Yields Team USA Gold, Silver & Bronze

from http://winter2010olympics.net/

Thought you would be interested in our latest press release.  Here it is:

Team EyeCare 20/20 Wins SEVEN Olympic Medals
Improved Vision Yields Team USA Gold, Silver & Bronze

EAST HANOVER, NJ, MARCH 10, 2010 - With the 2010 Olympic Games complete, Team USA triumphantly returned to The States this week having earned a record setting thirty-seven Olympic medals.  Seven of those medals came from an unusual collection of athletes from different sports and different parts of the country, whose common ground was the surgical expertise of Cary M. Silverman, M.D. of EyeCare 20/20.  In the months leading up to the Olympics, Silverman performed LASIK vision correction surgery on a collection of 2010 Olympic hopefuls, at no charge to the athletes, and the results for Team USA were eye-opening.  Silverman's patients earned nearly 20% of Team USA's record total including one gold, three silver and three bronze medals. 

 
"I'm thrilled for our athletes, and for all of the athletes who so graciously represented our country in Vancouver," said Silverman. "To have played a small part in helping these athletes be at their best when they needed it the most has been an incredible honor for me and the entire team here at EyeCare 20/20."
 
In the prelude to the Olympics, Silverman created Team LASIK-FOR-THE-GOLD, offering his surgical services to any 2010 Olympic hopeful athletes including Chad Hedrick (speedskating - silver and bronze), Erin Pac (bobsled - bronze), Molly Engstrom (hockey - silver), Katherine Reutter (short track - silver and bronze) and Curt Tomasevicz (bobsled - gold). 
 
Reutter became the first US woman in 16 years to win an individual Olympic medal in the action packed sport of short track speedskating when she captured the silver medal in the women's 1000 meter event. 
 
"The medals represent years of hard work, discipline and focus and I am thrilled beyond belief," said Reutter.  "It took a whole team of people to help me realize my dreams and Dr. Silverman and everyone at EyeCare 20/20 were a part of that team.  At the Olympics, I no longer had to worry about contacts, solution or even glasses.  I saw better than ever and I'm pretty excited to be looking clearly at a brand new pair of Olympic medals!"
 
One of the more noteworthy successes of an EyeCare 20/20 patient was undoubtedly that of bobsled driver Erin Pac.  Not considered a likely medalist before the Olympics, Pac faced one of the toughest challenges of The Games - maneuvering  a 400 pound sled down the fastest bobsled run in the world.  Reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph on a track that overturned countless sleds in both the mens' and women's fields, Pac's steady hands and sharpened vision brought her and teammate Elena Myers their first taste of Olympic hardware.
 
"The track in Vancouver is ridiculously fast so of course clear vision was more important than ever," said Pac.  "It was the thrill of a lifetime to stand on the Olympic podium and I'm so grateful to everyone at EyeCare 20/20 for the help in making my Olympic dream come true."
 
For more information about all of these athletes,  visit:

www.LASIKForTheGold.com

More exciting news will be release next week, stay tuned!

LASIk for the Gold Athletes Score 2 More Medals in Vancouver

Yesterday was  very successful day for LASIK for the Gold Athletes with two bronze finishes.  This has increased our medal count to 3 in the 2010 winter games!  Hopefully there is more to come...

Katherine Reutter was part of the 3000m women's relay that captured the bronze medal. 

LASIK for the Gold's Erin Pac teamed with Elana Meyers to take the Bronze Medal in women's 2 Bobsled. It was the first medal for the US in a sliding event in this year's games!

In other news, there were 2 more stories this week about our LASIK for the Gold Program:

Sports Business Daily:

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Olympics
Published February 24, 2010

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Inside Pitch: Olympics Helping Raise Katherine Reutter's Profile

By Jessica Collins, Staff Writer

Reutter Hoping To Win Her First Olympic Medal In Today's 3000m Short-Track Relay Event

U.S. speedskater Katherine Reutter heads into today’s 3000m short-track relay event hoping to win her first Olympic medal of the Vancouver Games. The 21-year-old burst onto the national scene in December after an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.” Reutter has been a vocal supporter of the “Colbert Nation” initiative, which has raised $300,000 to sponsor U.S. Speedskating. Reutter’s profile continued to expand leading up to the Olympics after appearing on NBC’s “Today” show and riding on a float in this year’s Rose Parade. Chicago Sports & Entertainment Partners’ Patrick Quinn, Reutter’s agent, noted Reutter’s highest-profile sponsor currently is Verizon. She is featured in commercials with Bonnie Blair and in Web promos for the company, but those will not be seen during the Games due to the IOC’s rule 41, which prohibits non-Olympic sponsors from activating between February 4-March 3.

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Some of Reutter’s endorsements are outside-the-box, such as her deal with New Jersey-based Eyecare 20/20 and the Champaign, Illinois, Police Department. Reutter’s deal with the Champaign Police includes promoting the department’s “Cops for Kids” program, which provides children with the opportunity to interact with police officers in a positive atmosphere. The initiative is displayed on Reutter’s suit during competitions as well as on her Web site. Eyecare 20/20’s Dr. Cary Silverman decided to sponsor Reutter last year after he was approached by Quinn. Silverman noted he is not doing any marketing campaigns with Reutter but she, along with 10 other Olympians, is featured on the company's Web site and Facebook page. As part of the sponsorship, Silverman provided Reutter with free Lasik eye surgery and flew her to and from his office for the procedure. Silverman: “It gives my practice some credibility, word of mouth. ... We’ll definitely be getting more exposure than a small practice in New Jersey ever could get.”

SPONSOR	SINCE
Verizon	'09
Eyecare 20/20	'09
Nike	'08
Oakley	08
Bioenergy Life Science, Inc.	'08
Champaign, Illinois, Police Dept.	'08

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: Quinn is optimistic companies will soon bring Reutter on board for future deals. “A lot of people have compared Katherine to Bonnie Blair. They’re actually from the same hometown. Here’s this Midwestern wholesome girl. .. I wish we had more athletes like her. She’s so personable and good with the media. There aren’t too many products that I don’t think she’d be a fit for.” Quinn noted there are three areas where Reutter could really connect with sponsors. “She’s a home run for any healthy eating company because she is a very clean eater, more than probably any other athlete I’ve ever seen. She’s also very green and very much into the environment.” He added that she is “very much into style” and would be a natural for companies that want that “image of a young, healthy, vibrant girl.” Quinn noted that Reutter aspires to a career in health, fitness and nutrition once her athletic career is complete. He added that she “would love” to be featured in a fashion or style magazine once the Olympics are wrapped.

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Vitals.com:

February 17th, 2010

Dr. Cary Silverman Helps Athletes Get Olympic Vision

Sarat

Katherine Reutter (eyecare2020.com)

What is Olympic Vision? It’s the  free Lasik procedures given to Team USA members by Dr. Cary Silverman, a Lasik eye surgeon in East Hannover, N.J. whose unique version of getting into the Winter Olympic spirit was to offer free procedures to Team USA members. Katherine Reutter, a 21-year-old short-track speedskater was one of those with terrible vision and living on the ice financially. Dr. Silverman noted that “Katherine had terrible vision and that she was a wonderful candidate for the procedure because of how bad her vision was and it was great to help her out.

Here is a partial list of Team USA athletes who had been given Olympic Vision by Dr. Silverman

Chad Hedrick (speedskating) –  Hedrick will square off against fellow American Shani Davis in the 1500 meters at this year’s Games.

Curt Tomasevicz (bobsled) – A pusher behind U.S. driver Steve Holcomb in Team USA’s number one sled, the “Night Train,” Tomasevicz and his teammates are on the podium more often than they are off of it.

Erin Pac (bobsled) – Long since considered “likely to make the Olympic Team,” Pac has recently shown that simply getting to the Olympics isn’t good enough. A World Cup bronze medal in Salt Lake City in November turned heads on the international bobsled circuit and marked Pac as someone to keep an eye on in Vancouver. She currently holds a 5th place ranking in the overall World Cup standings.

Molly Engstrom (hockey) – Highly likely to do battle with the host Canadian team with gold medals on the line.

Dan Joye (luge) – Joye, who is part of the doubles luge team of Niccum & Joye is part of the number one ranked US sled.

Vision Harvest 2009 Featured on Fox' Good Day New York

Dr. Sapna Parikh featured our Vision Harvest 2009 program this morning on Fox' "Good Day New York".  On November 25, 2009, doctors at the River Drive Surgery and Laser Center of Elmwood Park, New Jersey, will perform FREE cataract surgery during Vision Harvest 2009, for those that are uninsured and can’t afford to pay for the procedure. 

The response to this airing has been awesome, over 20 people have called to set up an appointment to determine their eligibility since the segment aired an hour ago!  Thank you Dr. Parikh!!

This week, participating eye physicians will continue to be evaluating prospective cataract patients and scheduling them for their free procedure.  Eligible patients will have all eye examinations, testing, medications, and surgery provided to them free of charge.  For more information, interested patients should call 973-200-8250 to set up a free evaluation to determine their candidacy.

Free LASIK Again Offered to Major League Umpires

Three bad calls in Game 3 and several in Game 4 of the ALCS between the Yankees and Angels have again brought attention to the inconsistent officiating in baseball.  Hats off to third base umpire, Tim McClelland, who admitted to his bad calls  in a post game interview.  "After looking at replays..  obviously there were two missed calls, not obviously, there were two missed calls...  I'm out there trying to do my job the best that I can.."  Once again EyeCare 20/20 is offering to aid the umpires in doing their job better.  Forget instant replay.  Tim McClelland, or any major league umpire, give us a call.  We would be happy to improve your vision free of charge with LASIK! 

This is what our LASIK the Refs program is all about.  Here is a copy of a recent press release:

LASIK THE REFS!

EAST HANOVER, NJ - Due to the spate of recent blown calls in professional sporting events, including last night’s American League Championship Series, local ophthalmologist Dr. Cary Silverman is offering free LASIK surgery to any major league umpire or referee.  As Medical Director of EyeCare 20/20, Cary M. Silverman, M.D., oversees one of the premier vision care facilities in the tri-state area, and the first practice in New Jersey to offer treatment using custom wavefront LASIK with the ALLEGRETTO WAVE® laser.

 “This is maddening,” Silverman said, “These are the greatest athletes on the biggest stage in the world and they deserve to have the games officiated correctly.  Frankly, so many of the errors from this baseball post-season and the NFL regular season could have been avoided if the officials had better eyesight.  LASIK is the best way to achieve that and I make an open offer to any official from the major league sports to utilize our service, for the good of the game.”

There have been several calls in the Twins/Yankees and Angels/Yankees playoff series that officials admitted were incorrect after viewing replays post-game.

LASIK uses a computer-controlled laser to reshape the cornea and correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Dr. Silverman employs the latest advances in LASIK surgery to provide patients with the highest level of vision correction possible. With the ALLEGRETTO WAVE® laser technology, he is able to customize the LASIK procedure to the vision needs of each individual patient.

Silverman was recently in the news for providing free LASIK to eight current members of several United States Olympic teams, including medal contending speedskaters Chad Hedrick and Katherine Reutter.  For more information on Dr. Silverman’s Olympic initiative, go to: www.lasikforthegold.com.  For more about EyeCare 20/20, go to: www.eyecare2020.com. For more information on recent blown calls and the LASIK THE REFS program, go to: http://facebook.com/lasiktherefs.

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VISION HARVEST 2009: Free Cataract Surgery Offered For Those Patients Who Are Uninsured And In Need Of Treatment

Here is a copy of a press release that went out today announcing Vision Harvest 2009.  Several of the surgeons at my surgical center and I have decided to provide free cataract surgery to patients without insurance and unable to pay for the procedure.  The date of this event will be the day before Thanksgiving, November 25, 2009.  All patients interested in this program may contact the Vision Harvest 2009 hotline at 973-200-8250 or my ofice at 973-560-1500.

So far the release has been picked up by NJNewsRoom.com.  I will keep you all up to date with regards to the program.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Nancy Lord, Administrator at River Drive Laser & Surgery Center; Jay Tendler, MD, our anesthesiologist who will be providing free anesthesia services; Gene Maresca of Alcon Labs, who will providing the surgical supplies; Steve Kramaritsch of Alcom Pharamceuticals, who will be supplying eye drops for post op care; Kerri Muli, administrator of EyeCare 20/20, for organizing the program; and Alana Tendler, who will be assisting us in scheduling patients for the event.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Keri Muli @ 20/20 Communications, Inc.

P: 973-560-1500

F: 973-560-0419

[email protected]

 

VISION HARVEST 2009

Local Area Eye Surgeons Will Be Giving Back This Thanksgiving Season

    Free Cataract Surgery Offered For Those Patients Who Are Uninsured And In Need Of Treatment

 

Elmwood Park, NJ, October 20, 2009- On November 25, 2009, doctors at the River Drive Surgery and Laser Center of Elmwood Park, New Jersey, will perform FREE cataract surgery during Vision Harvest 2009, for those that are uninsured and can’t afford to pay for the procedure.  In 2008, the United Status Census Bureau reported, that there is an estimated 46.3 million Americans without health insurance. “With so much emphasis in the news discussing the current recession and those Americans who have been affected by unemployment and loss of health insurance, my colleagues and I believe it is the perfect time to give back to our community. We all agree no one should go without needed cataract surgery due to finances,” said East Hanover ophthalmologist, Cary M. Silverman, M.D. who organized the event. “We want to make sure that any vision impaired person in New Jersey without insurance or financial resources learns about this remarkable program.”

 

Over the next few weeks, participating eye physicians will be evaluating prospective cataract patients and scheduling them for their free procedure.  Eligible patients will have all eye examinations, testing, medications, and surgery provided to them free of charge.

 

Participating ophthalmologists in this year’s Vision Harvest program include:

 

·       Anthony D’Amato, M.D.- Advanced Eye Surgeons of North Jersey, Bloomfield, NJ/ Dover, NJ

·       Phillip Eichler, M.D.- Eye Institute of Essex, Belleville, NJ

·       Michael Farbowitz, M.D.- Short Hills Ophthalmology, Short Hills, NJ

·       Orazio Giliberti, M.D.- Giliberti Eye and Laser Center, Totowa, NJ

·       Scott Pomerantz, M.D.- Metropolitan Eye Care, Paramus, NJ

·       Cary M Silverman, M.D.- EyeCare 20/20, East Hanover, NJ

For more information, interested patients should call 973-200-8250 to set up a free evaluation to determine their candidacy.

 

Cataracts are a progressive condition that cause the eye's lens to become cloudy, and eventually opaque leading to a progressive dimming of your vision. The exact cause of cataracts is unclear, but they occur in everyone as they age. Cataracts may be the result of a lifetime of exposure to ultraviolet rays, and other factors such as cigarette smoking, diet, and alcohol consumption. Cataracts can also occur at any age as a result of other causes such as eye injury, exposure to toxic substances or radiation, certain medications or as a result of other diseases such as diabetes.

 

About River Drive: Located in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, River Drive Surgery and Laser Center was created as an ophthalmic ambulatory surgery facility dedicated to providing patients with excellence in eye care in a warm and caring environment. The center is designed as a facility which is planned and administered to render a safe, comfortable, effective environment for patients and personnel, and to give assistance to the medical staff in meeting certain restorative health needs of patients without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.

 

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Olympic Bobsled Hopeful Curt Tomasevicz Has LASIK at EyeCare 20/20

(L-R) Members of USA 1 Steve Mesler, Curtis Tomasevicz, Justin Olsen and Steven Holcomb celebrate on the winner's podium after winning the the four man competition during the FIBT Bobsled World Championships at the Olympic Complex March 1, 2009 in Lake Placid, New York. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Steve Mesler;Curtis Tomasevicz;Justin Olsen;Steven Holcomb (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America)

Curt Tomasevicz, a member of the 09 World Championship 4-man Bobsled Team made the trip down to EyeCare 20/20 this month for his LASIK surgery.  Curt began the sport of bobsled in 2004.  Just two years later, he placed sixth in 4-man with driver Steven Holcomb at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.  In 2007, Tomasevicz won a World Cup gold medal with Holcomb in 2-man on the same Olympic track.   During the first half of the 2008-2009 season, he has pushed Holcomb to silver and bronze World Cup medals in 4-man and a gold medal at the 2009 4-man National Championships.  He recently won a silver medal with Holcomb at the inaugural World Cup race in Whistler, Canada, site of the 2010 Olympic Games.  The season culminated with the 4- man world championship win.

Kurt recently sent us the following note:

It was an amazing feeling as I sat up and for the first time since the third grade, I could read the clock on the other side of the room without the aid of my glasses or contacts. I'm thankful for the life-changing procedure performed by Dr. Silverman and his staff. I hated the discomfort of my glasses and I hated having to rely on my contacts, especially in a sport where perfect vision is vital.
 
The entire Eyecare 20/20 staff was incredibly kind and friendly. The procedure was explained thoroughly and all my questions were answered clearly. I experienced very minimal discomfort and zero side effects. My vision is now as good as I would have ever dreamed. Thanks 20/20!
 
Curt Tomasevicz
2006 Olympic Bobsled Team
'09 World Championship 4-man Team

Kurt is anxiously looking forward to testing his new eyes out this upcoming season.  Hopefully a Gold Medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will shine in his future!

Sports Eye Injuries

 

Since EyeCare 20/20 is a corporate sponsor for the Princeton Sports Symposium today, and hosting the Chatham Club's EyeCare 20/20 Squash Tournamentthis weekend, we thought this would be an apropos post...

 

Eye injuries from sports are almost always preventable. Anyone playing ball sports such as tennis, squash, or baseball without eye protection, is risking serious eye injury from a ball or racquet which can travel at speeds up to 145 miles an hour. The speed of the objects involved exceed reflex time, so there is rarely a chance to move out of the way. The frequency of eye injuries in sports is not related to your level of experience, it can happen as easily to the expert or novice.

 

The most common eye injuries associated with sports include: corneal abrasions, traumatic hyphema (bleeding inside the eye), cuts or ruptures of the eyeball, retinal tears or detachments, retinal scars, optic nerve injuries, and facial fractures.

 

 

 

Any of the above injuries can be easily prevented by following one simple procedure: always wear eye protection when playing a ball or racquet sport. Ordinary eyeglasses offer little protection, but certainly not enough. The best choice for adequate eye protection is sports glasses made of polycarbonate, the same material used to make bullet-proof glass. These glasses are available both with and without prescription lenses, and should be worn by everyone.

 

 

 

If your child is starting to play a racquet of ball sport, insist on eye protection from the first time on the court. Children who play baseball should also wear a helmet with a face protector. Teach them that it’s smart and not “chicken” to protect their eyes.

 

If an eye injury does occur, several steps should be taken. Avoid pressure to the injured eye. Wait a few minutes for the pain to subside before trying to look at it. If there is bleeding or any foreign objects in the eye, do not try to manipulate the eye. Never try to rinse any seriously injured eye. When in doubt, apply an eye shield (you can use the bottom of a Styrofoam cup), without any pressure on the eye, and see your ophthalmologist or local emergency room immediately.

 

In closing, eye injuries associated with sports can be serious and sometimes vision threatening. The best cure is prevention, always wear safety glasses, and enjoy yourself!

We're Having A Coat Drive- Please Donate A Coat To Help Those In Need

 

Many adults and children across the country struggle during the winter months because they are unable to afford proper cold-weather attire. With the downturn in the economy, this has never been more true.

 

In our efforts to help spread the warmth, EyeCare 20/20, will be participating in the Warm Coats, Warm Hearts Drive sponsored by Burlington Coat Factory and  "Good Morning America".  We will be collecting donated coats; new or gently used are welcome (children and adult sizes) at our office. All coats and outerwear collected will be then  be brought to the Burlington Coat Factory in Montville where they will  then be distributed to people in need.
 
Other types of outwear are also being accepted, such as sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts and even hats and gloves.

 

For more information, contact our Practice Administrator at (973) 560-1500 ext.111

Tree Decorating & Eye Safety Tips

 

Its hard to believe the Holiday Season has officially begun.  With better than expected numbers on Black Friday, we are hopeful for a rebound in the economy.  The Holiday Season can be fun, but it can also be hazardous for the eyes. By paying attention to these great eye safety tips, many can avoid serious accident and have a happy holiday season.

 

• While decorating the Christmas tree with children in mind, don’t put ornaments that are breakable, have small detachable parts, metal hooks or look like food or candy on the lower branches where small children can reach them.

• Wearing gloves while decorating with “angel hair” an also help avoid eye injuries. “Angel hair” is made from spun glass similar to fiberglass and can cause major irritation if particles are rubbed into the eye.

• Spray Snow is also very dangerous to the eyes. Avoid spraying the aerosol near the eyes, follow directions carefully, and apply properly in ventilated areas.

 

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.

In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.

Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

 

We at EyeCare 20/20 wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season!!