User:AED/Sandbox

History of Ophthalmology

While attempting to verify information for LASIK one day, I discovered a new pet peeve: ophthalmologists who claim to be the first to perform a particular procedure in a certain city, state, or region. At least their claims are a bit more specific than those asserting that they are "among the first" or "one of the first". Now, I understand that these doctors are attempting to set themselves apart in a competitive market, but I can't help be reminded of Jerry Seinfeld's opening monologue from Episode 18:

Every time somebody recommends a doctor, he's always the best. "Oh, is he good?" "Oh, he's the best. This guy's the best." They can't all be the best. There can't be this many bests. Someone's graduating at the bottom of these classes, where are these doctors? Is somewhere, someone saying to their friend, "You should see my doctor, he's the worst. Oh yeah, he's the worst, he's the absolute worst there is. Whatever you've got, it'll be worse after you see him. He's just, he's a butcher. The man's a butcher."? And then there's always that, "Make sure that you tell him that, you know, you know me." Why? What's the difference? He's a doctor. What is it, "Oh, you know Bob! Okay, I'll give you the real medicine. Everybody else, I'm giving Tic-Tacs."

For-profit practices that use "Institute" in their names are equally bothersome to me particulary when the practice is a one-man show. Although the follow surgeons are all undoubtedly excellent, their claims and/or choice of names show why notability guidelines are important.

Firsts

Worldwide

• First ALK: "Automated Lamellar Keratectomy as created by Luis A. Ruiz in the 1982 took this concept further by using an automated device called a microkeratome, or corneal shaper, to excise an internal disc of corneal tissue allowing treatment of myopic refractive errors up to -20 diopters."[1]
• First CK:

• Among the first: Cohen Laser Vision Center's G. Richard Cohen - "He is also among the first in the United States to perform CK (conductive keratoplasty) a safe, non-surgical procedure to correct far-sightedness and reading vision."[2]

• First keratomileusis: "The origins of [LASIK] begin with Jose Barraquer who founded the operation of Keratomileusis in the 1970s by which a thin corneal wafer was removed, reshaped with a cryolathe, and then reinserted into the cornea."[3]
• First LASIK: "LASIK was originally described in 1989 by Pillikaris of Greece who used the excimer laser to treat the underlying stromal bed beneath a corneal flap which he had created with a microkeratome; a year later, Buratto of Italy used the same technique to successfully treat the undersurface of the corneal flap."[4]

• One of the first: Philadelphia Eye Associates' Mark H. Blecher - "With the advent of LASIK, refractive surgery has taken a giant step forward and Dr. Blecher was one of the first to perform this procedure following FDA approval of the Excimer laser."[5]

• First PTK: "The first procedure of phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) was performed by Theo Seiler of Germany in 1985."[6]
• First RK: "The basic principles of keratotomy were specified by L.J. Lans, of The Netherlands in 1898; these concepts were extended to the clinical arena in 1940s and 1950s by T. Sato and K. Akiyam of Japan, who placed both transverse and radial incision in the posterior surface of the cornea."[7]

Australia

• Eye Institute - Their website reports that "the surgeons at The Eye Institute were the first to perform laser vision correction in Australia, and the first to perform LASIK in New South Wales." [8]

North America

• Kremer Laser Eye Surgery Center(s) - "A Kremer surgeon performed the first LASIK surgery in North America in 1993."[9]

Canada

• First deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty - David S. Rootman "was the first surgeon in Canada to perform a highly specialized form of corneal transplant called Deep Lamellar Endothelial Keratoplasty."[10]
• First foldable intraocular lens:

• Among the first: Herbert N. Fitterman - "In the 1990s, he was among the first to use the foldable intraocular lens, a lens that requires only the smallest of surgical incisions and leads to a faster recovery."[11]

• First phakoemulsification:

• One of the first: Herbert N. Fitterman - "In the 1970s, he was one of the first ophthalmic surgeons to introduce the more stable and efficient cataract removal technique of Phacoemulsifaction."[12]

• First refractive intraocular lens implant:

• One of the first: Herbert N. Fitterman - "It was Dr. Fitterman's determination to find the most effective method to correct high myopia and hyperopia, coupled with his vast experience with intraocular lens implants, that led to his use of refractive intraocular lens implants. Here again he is a trailblazer, one of the first doctors in Canada to begin performing this type of refractive surgery."[13]

• Gimbel Eye Centre - "In 1995, Gimbel Eye Centre surgeons were the first to provide LASIK corrective surgery in western Canada, and in 2005, Gimbel Eye Centre surgeons were the first to perform IntraLASIK, also known as the IntraLase Method of LASIK, in western Canada."[14]
• LASIK MD - "LASIK MD is Canada’s leading laser vision correction team." "Our doctors are amongst the most highly trained and experienced ocular surgeons in the world."

• Peter J. Agapitos - "...was the first surgeon in Canada to treat a patient for hyperopia with the excimer laser."
• Mounir Bashour - He has been performing laser refractive procedures since 1994 and was part of the first groups of ophthalmologists to do so in the USA."

United States

• First LASIK: "With colleague Stephen Brint, M.D., Slade performed the first LASIK procedure in the United States in 1991."[15]

• Among the first:Ellis Eye & Laser Medical Center's William Ellis - "Dr. Ellis recognized the vision correction potential of LASIK early on and was among the first in the United States to perform LASIK procedure."[16]
• One of the first: LasikPlus - Nationwide laser vision correction chain that claims: "we were one of the first to perform the procedure in the United States"[17]. "You're receiving treatment from a medical team who was one of the first providers to perform the lasik procedure in the United States,..."[18]
• One of the first: Davidorf Eye Group's Jonathan M. Davidorf - reported to be "one of the first to study and perform this procedure in the United States"[19].

• First PRK: "In 1987 L'Esperance performed the first PRK in the United States on a blind eye; a year later, Marguerite McDonald performed the first PRK in the United States on a normally sighted person with myopia."[20]
• First IOL: Wills Eye Hospital - "Physicians at Wills Eye were the first in the United States to perform the implant procedure in 1952, and millions of these procedures have been performed since then."[21]
• First everything:

• Among the first: Harman Eye Clinic's R. Lee Harman, Bruce J. Ballon, Bruce E. Wietharn - "Over the years our surgeons, Dr. Harman, Dr. Ballon and Dr. Wietharn have been among the first in the United States to provide new treatment procedures for cataracts, refractive errors, and eye diseases."[22][23]

Alabama

• Montgomery Eye Physicians - "Montgomery Eye Physiicans [sic] were the first in Alabama and are the only LASIK center in this area to bring blade-free technology to our patients."[24]

• Dr. Harrison Eye Care's James M. Harrison, - "Dr. Harrison was one of the first to perform intraocular lens implant surgery following cataract surgery." "Dr. Harrison is one of the first in Alabama to perform the non-laser procedure known as Conductive Keratoplasty (CK)."[25]

Arizona

• Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center - "our surgeons were the first in Arizona to implant [the Implantable Collamer Lens] and have been doing so since 1997." [26]

Arkansas

• McDonald Eye Associates' Jay McDonald - The current president of the American College of Eye Surgeons, "Dr. McDonald was the first surgeon to perform LASIK in Arkansas." [27]

Delaware

• Kremer Laser Eye Surgery Center(s) - "The Kremer surgeons were the first to perform radial keratotomy in the Delaware Valley in 1980 and the first to perform LASIK eye surgery in North America."[28]

Florida

• Cohen Laser Vision Center's G. Richard Cohen - "He is also among the first in the United States to perform CK (conductive keratoplasty) a safe, non-surgical procedure to correct far-sightedness and reading vision." "Dr. G. Richard Cohen was the first ophthalmologist in Palm Beach County to own a laser for his in-office use. He is also among the first in the United States to perform CK (conductive keratoplasty) a safe, non-surgical procedure to correct far-sightedness and reading vision." "Additionally, Dr. Cohen was the first ophthalmologist in the State of Florida to perform the E-LASEK or LASEK procedure, which is considered one of the safest Laser Vision Correction procedure in the world today."[29]

• Correctvision Laser Institute's Marc Emory Bosem - "He is among the first in the United States to perform many of the latest techniques in vision correction including LASEK/PRK and LASIK." "Dr. Marc Bosem is one of the nation's leading refractive surgeons."

• Gulani Vision Institute's Arun Gulani - "He has recently performed the first Artificial corneal transplant in the entire state of Florida and is among the first in the United States of America to replace damaged corneas of patients seeking a last ray of hope towards useful vision."[30]

Hawaii

• Tyrie Lee Jenkins - "Dr Jenkins performed the first LASIK procedure in the islands and was active in the national study which led to the FDA approval of the technique."[31]
• Carlos Omphroy - "Dr. Omphroy was the first surgeon in Hawaii to perform PRK and is one of the most experienced laser refractive surgeons in the state, performing both PRK and LASIK."[32]

Louisiana

• Steen-Hall Eye Institute is three ophthalmologists and two optometrists who claim 51 firsts in the ArkLaTex region![33]

New York

• Vista Alliance Eye Care Associates - "We are pleased to announce that in January 2003, we became the first and only surgeons to use Alcon's CustomCornea for wavefront guided excimer laser vision correction in LASIK, LASEK, and PRK in the Northeaster United States."[34]
• Clarity Eye - "[Our surgeons] were the first to use the excimer laser after F.D.A. approval and the first to perform Lasik in New York City." [35]

North Carolina

• Christenbury Eye Center's Jonathan Christenbury - "He performed the first LASIK procedure in the Carolinas in the early 1990s" "Dr. Christenbury is one of the world’s most experienced IntraLASIK surgeon." "He performed the first IntraLASIK procedure on the East Coast and the first WaveFront CUSTOMIZED IntraLASIK (LASIK without the blade) procedure in the Carolinas." "In 2004, Dr. Christenbury was the first eye surgeon in the Southeast to introduce the Verisyse Phakic Intraocular Lens implant as an alternative for people who are severely nearsighted or have thin corneas and are not candidates for LASIK. And again in 2005, Dr. Christenbury was the first surgeon in the Southeast to offer and perform another new and exciting vision correction technology known as the AcrySof ReSTOR IOL from Alcon." [36]

South Carolina

• University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology - "Our cornea fellowship trained surgeons have consistently been the first to utilize these new advancements." [37]

Texas

• Eyes of Texas Laser Center's L. Shawn Wong - "the area's most experienced certified LASIK surgeon" "Dr. Wong was the first LASIK surgeon in Austin, Texas and the first to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism utilizing the LASIK technique."[38] "the first LASIK surgeon in Central Texas" and "the first LASIK specialist in Austin".[39]

• Paul Gulbas - "Did you know that your ABC-7 Medical Expert; Dr. Gulbas was the first to perform Lasik Surgery here in El Paso? Now Dr. Gulbas and the El Paso Eye Surgeons is now the first to bring you the Wave Scan!" [40]

• George C. Thorne, M.D. - "In 1989 he performed his first Excimer Laser PRK, making him one of the first in the United States to do so."[41]

• Harvey Carter, M.D. - "Dr. Carter was the first FDA Investigator in North Texas to perform LASIK. He was the first surgeon in North Texas to perform Conductive Keratoplasty (CK). In fact, Dr. Carter was the first surgeon in the United States to perform Crystalens surgery after it was approved by the FDA."

Wisconsin

• Davis Duehr Dean - "Davis Duehr Dean surgeons were the first to perform LASIK in Wisconsin." "We installed the first FDA-approved excimer laser in Wisconsin." "We performed the first Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) vision correction surgery in the United States since FDA approval in 2006." [42]
• Davis Duehr Dean's John Vukich - "A recognized leader in his field, Dr. Vukich performed the first LASIK surgery in the state of Wisconsin on an FDA approved laser in 1995 and has been awarded the prestigious VISX Star given to the top 5% of refractive surgeons in the United States. He was perform the first Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) vision correction surgery in the United States since FDA approval in early 2006. and was the National Medical Monitor for the study leading up to FDA approval." [43]

India

• Banaji Eyecare's Burjor P. Banaji -

"Dr. Burjor P. Banaji is the pioneer of LASIK in India." "He is also the innovator of several surgical instruments for LASIK which bear his name and are used by surgeons worldwide."[44] "I was the first surgeon to perform LASIK in my country and have done several thousand LASIKs to date."[45]

Israel

• Hadassah Medical Organization - "Hadassah was the first to introduce the Lasik method and its ophthalmologists have gain a tremendous experience in the field." [46]

Institute

• Bogota Laser Refractive Institute is Gustavo Tamayo and three other ophthalmologists.

• Cohen Laser Vision Center is G. Richard Cohen.

• Eye Institute is a group of 13 ophthalmologists at five different clinics.

• National Retina Institute - I recently received a fax from ScienceBased Health (a website that Quackwatch lists as "nonrecommend" [47]) stating that a recent appointment to their Scientific Advisory Board was Bert M. Glaser, MD the founder and director of the National Retina Institute. The National Retinal Institute is Dr. Glaser, three other ophthalmologists, and four ophthalmology fellows.

• Glaucoma Institute - Beverly Hills is Michael S. Berlin,M.D.

• Steen-Hall Eye Institute is three ophthalmologists and two optometrists. As noted above, they claim 51 firsts![48]

• Windsor Laser Eye Institute is Dr. Fouad Tayfour. "The Windsor Laser Eye Institute is world renowned for its work and contribution in vision correction procedures. The Institute is often first to introduce new techniques and technologies in refractive surgery that produce superior results for the patient." [49]

• Correctvision Laser Institute is Marc Emory Bosem and one other ophthalmologist.

• Gulani Vision Institute is Arun Gulani.

Optometrists, particular behavioral optometrists, are not to be outdone by the ophthalmologists:

• American Vision Institute are Dr. Merrill J. Allen, Dr. Steven M. Beresford, Dr. David W. Muris, and Dr. Francis A. Young
• Padula Institute of Vision is William V. Padula.
• Vision Development Institute is Hans F. Lessmann