In the News
Rivertown Magazine, October 2010
Spinak Medical Eye Center has a vision - to get rid of eyeglasses
Story and photos: Margaret Thompson, Rivertown
Dr. Andrew Spinak of Spinak Medical Eye Center would like to make eyeglasses obsolete for the majority of his patients, or at least make people far less dependant on them.
"With the advances in technology, the precision and effectiveness of the laser, and the availability of an assortment of intraocular implants, refractive issues can be perinanently corrected in many patients," says Dr. Spinak.
One type of refractive eye surgery known as Lasik uses a laser to improve the focusing power of the eye and decreases or eliminates dependency on glasses or contact lenses. The laser is used to remodel the shape of the cornea.
In many cases, this quick procedure can reduce or cure common vision disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. As a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, ASCRS, and the International Society of Refractive Surgery, Dr. Spinak continues to stay current in advances in technology, technique and applications of lasers.
"The key", Dr. Spinak says, "is the data we gather beforehand. We are not in the business of doing Lasik unless a patient will benefit from it. A thorough evaluation of the patients' eye health, lens prescription and shape of the cornea must be considered before they can be deemed a candidate for the surgery."
The doctors at Spinak Medical Eye Center have unique training in the Lasik procedure and will customize the treatment to specific patient needs. Furthermore, if a patient is not a candidate for Lasik, altemative treatments are available such as the "Implantable Contact Lens", or "Refractive Lens Exchange."
The Implantable Contact Lenses such as the Visian ICL® are often used in patients with high myopia, astigmatism or other abnormalities which may disqualify them from Lasik. Implantable contact lenses are thin, pliable lenses that are implanted in the eye during surgery and work with the eye's natural lens to improve vision.
This surgery (and the Lasik surgery) is a relatively quick and pain free outpatient procedure. Implantable contact lens surgery has the added benefit of being reversible and may provide a pure nighttime vision. Dr. Spinak is the only surgeon in this area trained to provide this special technique.
A different procedure, called a Refractive Lens Exchange is reserved for middle aged and older patients to restore ones distance and near vision! In this technique, a pseudo- cataract/lens extraction procedure is performed and an artificial lens is placed that allows the patient to see far, and more importantly, read again without glasses.
An example of how these different technologies compliment each other is that Lasik can be performed to further refine the outcomes of the previous procedures and thereby enhance the visual outcome. Lasik takes only a few minutes to perform while the implantable contact lens and the refractive lens exchange take roughly 30 minutes to complete with minimal recovery time.
For those not contemplating refractive surgery, children and adults can find horough and exceptional care for general and proactive eye health at the Spinak Medical Eye Center. Comprehensive eye exams, field of vision, and glaucoma screenings are all performed by highly trained professionals in a spotless clean environment using the latest equipment and technology.
In addition to Dr. Andrew Spinak, Dr. John Chang and Dr. Maria Spinak use their extensive knowledge and training to give patients state of the art care without compromising "home town", personalized service.
Patients speaking with the physicians will immediately feel at ease knowing that these professionals are dedicated to the ever changing advances being made in the field of vision improvement. The one-on-one time they spend listening to and evaluating each individual patient is dedicated to providing a personalized care plan. With "big city" expertise and "small town" personalized care, Spinak Medical Eye Center is a place you can trust with one of the things you valued most; your sight.
Spinak Medical Eye Center has two convenient locations: Pearl River at 169 N. Middletown Road, Phone: 845-7355669, or Stony Point at 19 Liberty Square Mall, Phone: 845-942-5666.
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