The sophisticated refractive surgery which helped the US Bobsled team win the gold medal in Vancouver is available on the east coast, in Monmouth County, New Jersey.  More than10 years ago, Dr Daniel Goldberg of the Atlantic Laser Vision Center was the first eye surgeon in NJ to implant Phakic IOLs.  Now, the procedure is FDA approved for treating nearsightedness in eyes which otherwise are not candidates for laser vision correction such as eyes with thin corneas and very high degrees of nearsightedness.  In selected cases, the ICL can also benefit cases with advanced keratoconus (the condition corrected for the US Bobsled captain).

Dr Daniel Goldberg

Dr. Daniel Goldberg uses the Visian Phakic IOL lens to treat moderate to severe myopia (nearsightedness), this is an excellent option for New Jersey residents who are not candidates for LASIK.  The Visian ICL procedure gives the eye another focusing lens that provides the same quality and definition as that of a normal healthy eye.  By placing the Visian phakic IOL micro lens behind a patient’s cornea and under the iris, Dr. Goldberg, an experienced Visian ICL surgeon, is able to alter the configuration of the eye to correct moderate to severe nearsightedness. The Visian lens improves a patient’s distance vision, with the goal of eliminating glasses and contact lenses.

“Phakic IOLs are like embedded contact lenses,” explains Dr. Goldberg.  “Phakic IOL implantation differs from laser refractive procedures such as LASEK and LASIK because it involves implanting an IOL in the eye, not reshaping the cornea.”

Advantages of Phakic IOLs include high levels of correction, excellent quality of vision and preservation of accommodation. Dr Goldberg provides Phakic IOLs for the correction of high degrees of nearsightedness with the Visian ICL.  The Staar Visian ICL™ is an implantable collamer lens that is permanently implanted behind the natural lens of the eye to improve vision in nearsighted individuals. The implantable collamer contact lenses work by bending the light rays that pass through the natural lens to achieve sharper focus on the retina.

The main difference between implantable contact lenses and traditional IOLs is the fact that an ICL works in conjunction with the eye’s crystalline lens and an IOL replaces the eye’s natural lens.  More information on these procedures can be found at http://www.goldberg4lasik.com/phakic-iol/

Typically, IOLs are used to treat cataracts and, in some cases, presbyopia. Implantable contact lenses treat myopia, myopia with astigmatism, and hyperopia (farsightedness).   Dr Goldberg is the first cornea surgeon in NJ to bring these advancements to his patients. 

More information about Dr. Daniel Goldberg is available online at http://www.goldberg4lasik.com/about-dr-goldberg/

Two renowned NJ eye surgeons, Dr Robert Fegan and Dr Ronald Kristan of Atlantic Eye Physicians, traveled to Guatemala during a missionary trip to bring state-of-the-art advancements in vision correction to the underdeveloped regions of Guatemala. 

The NJ eye surgeons saw a total of 275 men, women and children at the remote Hospital de la Familia in southwestern Guatemala.  Most suffered from correctable, common vision impairments such as cataracts.  A total of 50 major surgical procedures were performed over the course of just 5 days. 

Dr.  Fegan and Dr. Kristan recently returned home from their mission that they described as humbling and heart warming.  “Many of the patients we saw had to walk for days to reach the Hospital,” says Dr. Fegan, “even still, they were warm and friendly, and very appreciate of the medical care we were able to provide.”

Hospital de la Familia is located in Nuevo Progreso, in the state of San Marcos in southwestern Guatemala.  It is accessible only by a 5-hour bus ride over bumpy, rutted roads from Guatemala City, after a 8-hour flight from the U.S. About 2,500 people live there with 25,000 more in the surrounding villages. Unemployment is around 50% with some finding work on the coffee plantations and the rest marginally self-supporting, living on the land.  Major surgical procedures are provided by volunteer U.S. surgical teams like Dr. Fegan and Dr. Kristan, sent by the Hospital de la Familia Foundation in February, May, August and November for 2-week stays.

According to Dr. Kristan, missionary trips such as the one coordinated by Hospital de la Familia represent important milestones for the people of such underdeveloped regions.  “Many of the patients we saw have been living with impaired vision for the majority of their lives, whereas here in the US, these common eye diseases can be corrected very shortly after a problem is diagnosed.  For some, this is the first time they are seeing correctly in years.”

Those interested in learning more about the Hospital de la Familia can visit their website online as well as make donations.  The website is http://www.hospitaldelafamilia.com

About Atlantic Eye Physicians:

Atlantic Eye Physicians is New Jersey’s leading practice for comprehensive eye care and surgery. Their group of doctors has provided the highest quality vision care for over 50 years to hundreds of thousands of patients. The group offers the latest advancements in modern-day vision health including advanced custom cataract surgery, laser vision correction, corneal transplant surgery and DSEK, as well as Eye Plastic Surgery. They are also sought out for their expertise in glaucoma evaluations, laser therapy, retinal care for diabetes and macular degeneration.

Atlantic Eye Physicians has three convenient locations in Monmouth County NJ: Long Branch, Little Silver, and Holmdel.  To learn more, visit http://www.atlanticeyephysicians.com

The surgeons of Atlantic Eye Physician are heading to Guatemala on February 6, 2010 to donate  their time and talents to the local community by providing five days of Cataract Surgery. They expect to perform over 150+ surgeries.