Dr. Eric Donnenfeld Blog

Westbury, NY (September 8, 2011) – Dr. Eric D. Donnenfeld, a board certified ophthalmologist and founding partner of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI), was named as one of America’s leading ophthalmologists by Becker’s ASC Review.  Becker’s ASC Review recognizes 135 outstanding ophthalmologists in healthcare organizations across the country.

The ophthalmologists named to this list lead their field in clinical and research efforts, furthering the practice of ophthalmology with their hard work, knowledge and dedication to the specialty. The chosen ophthalmologists were selected for the list based on the awards they receive from major ophthalmic organizations, their leadership in these organizations, work on professional publications and positions of service.

Physicians do not pay and cannot pay to be included on this list. The full-length version of this list can be found at: http://www.beckersasc.com/lists/135-leading-ophthalmologists-in-america.html

Dr. Donnenfeld practices in OCLI’s Rockville Centre and Lynbrook offices. He has been a leader in ophthalmology for more than two decades. Dr. Donnenfeld performed the first laser cataract surgery on Long Island. He was one of the original investigators of the excimer laser and has performed tens of thousands of laser vision corrective surgical procedures. He has written many articles and has traveled all over the world lecturing on refractive, cataract and corneal eye surgery. He received his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School.  Dr. Donnenfeld is on the Board of Overseers at Dartmouth Medical School.  In addition to this honor, he is the surgical director of the Lions Eye Bank for Long Island and the Editor in Chief of Cataract and Refractive Surgery today, a well respected ophthalmology magazine.

See the July 2011 Dr. Eric Donnenfeld’s Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today feature by clicking the link below.

A Landmark Event by Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD

Dr. Eric Donnenfeld is quoted in the June/July Issue of the Readers Digest in the “13 Secrets Your Eye Doctor Won’t Tell You” feature. See the quote here.

Reader Digest_June July 2011_13-secrets-your-eye-doctor-wont-te

Dr. Eric Donnenfeld is featured on Newsday.com performing Laser Cataract Surgery at Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place. Dr. Donnenfeld is the first surgeon in the New York Metropolitan area to perform Laser Cataract Surgery.

http://www.newsday.com/video/state-of-the-art-surgery-1.2840348

In a potential breakthrough designed to provide greater precision in treating a common eye disease, a Long Island ophthalmologist has performed the area’s first cataract surgery with a laser.

Dr. Eric Donnenfeld this week performed the first cataract operation with a laser on Long Island at Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place using the Alcon LenSx Femtosecond Laser.
The Food and Drug Administration in 2009 approved the LenSx laser to perform cataract surgery. The first U.S. procedures were done in February 2010 in Houston, Texas, by Dr. Stephen Slade.

Donnenfeld, a founding partner of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island and clinical professor of ophthalmology at New York University, is one of only a few surgeons nationwide trained in the procedure.

Island Eye Surgicenter is only the fourth surgical facility in the nation to acquire this advanced technology.

The device, which costs about $550,000, is being billed as the newest advance in eye surgery. No other device has been approved for the procedure.

Cataract sugeries are among the most commonly performed operation in the nation. About 3 million procedures are performed annually in the United States and 18 million worldwide.
Donnenfeld, a member of Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based Alcon LenSx’s advisory board, said the procedure will offer a new level of “precision and reliability.”

“Laser refractive cataract surgery is without a doubt the most technologically advanced option for cataract patients,” Donnenfeld said. “Before this technology was available, many of the most challenging steps during cataract surgery were performed manually with a blade.”

Although lasers have been used for vision correction, they hadn’t been approved for cataracts, where operations were done much as they had been for years.

“Island Eye has invested significant resources integrating this sophisticated technology and in training our staff,” said Robert Nelson, Island Eye Surgicenter’s executive director, who described the procedure as among the “latest innovations in ophthalmic surgical care.”
Other doctors said the procedure represents an advance in treating cataracts, although it’s still not clear to what extent.

“The laser does replace the blade, but without laser the incisions are quite small – less than 3 millimeters – and are not a common source of complication,” said Dr. Charles Rothberg, an ophthalmologist. “It’s an incremental improvement with great promise.”

Donnenfeld, in an article in the March 25 issue of Ocular Surgery News, described surgery performed with manual cutting and ultrasound, as “arguably the most effective surgical technique in all medicine.”

“Although highly safe and effective, manual cataract surgery has certain inherent limitations,” he wrote.

Many manual steps for the cataract procedure have been automated with a computer guided laser, including lens fragmentation and corneal incisions.
But a probe to evacuate the lens fragments and an intraocular lens must still be done by hand.

Carle Place, NY (Tuesday, April 19, 2011) –Today, Long Island’s first laser enhanced and customized cataract surgery was performed by Dr. Eric Donnenfeld at Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place using the Alcon LenSx® Femtosecond Laser.  Dr. Donnenfeld, a founding partner of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI) and clinical professor of ophthalmology at NYU, is one of only a handful of surgeons in the U.S. experienced with this laser. Island Eye Surgicenter is only the fourth surgical facility in the US to acquire this advanced technology.  Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed operation in the United States with over 3 million cases performed annually.  Today, visual rehabilitation following cataract surgery may be significantly enhanced with the implantation of a lens designed to correct refractive error.  The addition of this exciting laser technology adds a new level of precision and predictability to the procedure that simply was not possible with conventional manual surgery.

Each human eye is different in terms of size, depth, curvature of the cornea and other key features.  Before cataract surgery, every eye is carefully measured and mapped. The LenSx laser uses a combination of highly advanced technologies to capture incredibly precise, high-resolution digital images of the eye. These images and the measurements and data they provide are then used to plan and perform a surgery to exacting specifications that were previously unachievable with traditional (manual) cataract surgery.

In addition, the LenSx laser adds computer-control to key steps of cataract surgery, ensuring highly precise surgical incisions. The unique software analyzes high-resolution images of the eye which then enables the surgeon to design a customized, image-guided procedure for every patient and then execute the laser procedure on command.

“Laser refractive cataract surgery is without a doubt the most technologically advanced option for cataract patients,” said Dr. Eric Donnenfeld. “Before this technology was available, many of the most challenging steps during cataract surgery were performed manually with a blade.  With the LenSx laser, we can offer our patients a truly premium experience with the precision and reliability of a laser for refractive cataract surgery.    “Island Eye has invested significant resources integrating this sophisticated technology and in training our staff” said Robert Nelson, PA-C, Executive Director at the center.  “We are thrilled to once again bring our patients the absolute latest innovations in ophthalmic surgical care.”

The LenSx laser is the first FDA approved femtosecond laser for cataract surgery, which can very accurately perform anterior capsulotomies, corneal incisions and lens disruption. Prior to the introduction of this breakthrough technology, all of these steps were performed manually with handheld blades or ultrasound energy.

To learn more about customized laser cataract surgery and refractive surgical options using the LenSx laser technology, visit www.ocli.net.  To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric Donnenfeld or another OCLI cataract surgeon, please contact 1-866-SEE-OCLI (1-866-733-6254). For more information about Island Eye Surgicenter, please contact 516-877-2400.

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About Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island
OCLI, one of the largest ophthalmology practices in the nation, consists of 23 eye doctors and specialists representing most subspecialties of ophthalmology and optometry in 8 locations throughout Long Island; in Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Valley Stream, Stony Brook, Manhasset, East Meadow, Port Jefferson and Inwood. OCLI also has a research department that is involved in FDA studies to improve the treatment and diagnosing of ophthalmic diseases. For more information, please call 1-866-SEE-OCLI (1-866-733-6254) or visit http://www.ocli.net.

About Island Eye Surgicenter
Island Eye Surgicenter is a New York State licensed and Medicare Certified Ambulatory Surgery Center and has been nationally accredited by AAAHC (the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care). Island Eye Surgicenter is unique in that it specializes in the surgical care and treatment of eye disorders. The center has made significant contributions in its pharmaceutical and device research activities.  Island Eye Surgicenter is also a N.Y. State licensed Tissue Transplantation facility, and is a leader in the field of Corneal Transplantation.