Refractive Surgery News

CRSQA Files Bankruptcy Petition to Halt Patient Lawsuits for Criminal Activity

2010-08-14T01:27:44-06:00

On July 21, 2010, the "Council for Refractive Surgery for Quality Assurance" (USAEyes) filed a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Petition. The petition lists three creditors (IRS, Dr. Lauranell Burch, and Brent Hanson), assets of $1,222, and liabilities of $5,716.71. Glenn Hagele, the Executive Director of USAEyes filed the Bankruptcy Petition to shield USAEyes from liability for widespread criminal acts committed by himself and the organization, which included burglaries of a patient's residence, wiretapping, theft of financial documents, and a scheme to...

FDA Review: 1 of 5 LASIK Patients Suffer Serious Complications

2010-04-20T01:44:52-06:00

After researching all of the publicly accessible FDA documentation and a large amount of non-FDA literature, including peer-reviewed journals, correspondence between informed parties, and federal court documents, it is my carefully considered opinion that these lasers and associated hardware were respectively PMA-approved and 510(k)-cleared by FDA with egregiously insufficient evidence of their long-term safety and effectiveness for the LASIK indication.

FDA Mismanagement of Lasers Used in LASIK Eye Surgery Described by Former Regulator

2010-04-17T14:05:15-06:00

Excerpts of a letter from Morris Waxler, a former FDA regulator, to Dean Kantis show how the FDA mismanaged its approval of lasers used in LASIK eye surgery: LASIK-induced eye injuries occur, in part, because FDA did not ensure that manufacturers have adequate design controls, fault tree analyses, and correction and prevention procedures, including, but not limited to, adverse event definitions, MDR reportable events, trend analysis, and root cause analyses. The agency also did not compare the safety and effectiveness...

Former FDA Regulator Says LASIK Side Effects Weren't Taken Seriously Enough

2010-02-25T23:34:45-06:00

By Lisa Start, Alberto Orso, Joseph Brownstein LASIK eye surgery has provided the promise of a quick vision fix for millions of Americans, but now one of the Food and Drug Administration regulators who approved the procedure in the 1990s is publicly expressing concerns about its safety. Some 700,000 people a year in the U.S. get LASIK surgery to correct their vision, and in the years since the procedure was approved, the majority of patients have been happy with...

Dr. Quentin Franklin and LASIKPLUS Sued for LASIK Malpractice

2010-02-14T12:25:54-06:00

Laurie Shrieves v. Quentin Franklin, M.D., and LCA-Vision, Inc. d/b/a LASIKPlus Virginia Circuit Court for the City of Chesapeake, Case No. CL 10000278-00 Pleasantville, NY (PRWEB) February 14, 2010 -- On February 5, 2010, plaintiff, Laurie Shrieves, filed suit against Quentin Franklin, M.D., and VCA-Vision, Inc., d/b/a LASIKPlus, in the Virginia Circuit Court for the City of Chesapeake, for the negligent performance of LASIK surgery on Ms. Shrieves. On June 29, 2008, Ms. Shrieves came under the care and...

Dr. Gerald Horn Charged with Inside Trading by the SEC

2010-02-12T18:32:32-06:00

By Hemma Ramrattan on February 12, 2010, 1:56 pm The SEC has charged ophthalmologist Gerald Horn with insider trading in the options of LCA-Vision Inc., a provider of laser eye surgery. Horn (pictured), the medical director of LCA�s Schaumburg, Illinois facility, reportedly faces civil charges over his purchases of options on the shares of LCA by which he made a profit of about $870,000. By exercising stock option grants and immediately selling this stock on the basis of nonpublic information,...

SLAPP Lawsuit Against 100 LASIK Patients by CRSQA Dismissed

2010-02-08T15:35:44-06:00

On April 7, 2009 Glenn Hagele and the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance, filed a frivolous SLAPP lawsuit against Dr. Lauranell Burch and 100 LASIK patients in an effort to silence their complaints on the internet about medical malpractice. On February 8, 2010, the court ordered the lawsuit against Dr. Lauranell Burch and 100 patients to be dismissed with prejudice. This means that CRSQA can never again refile this lawsuit in an effort to intimidate and silence LASIK patients....

Dr. Nicholas Caro Barred from Performing LASIK Eye Surgery

2010-01-25T23:24:09-06:00

By Deborah L. Shelton, Tribune reporter 8:25 PM CST, February 19, 2010 A state regulatory agency is barring a Chicago ophthalmologist from performing Lasik eye surgeries in Illinois, one of a number of disciplinary actions taken against the doctor on Friday. After finding that Dr. Nicholas Caro had engaged in unprofessional conduct and gross negligence, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation suspended his medical license for 30 days, placed him on probation for a minimum of 3 years...

LASIK Surgery Chain in Florida Goes Bankrupt

2010-01-14T18:19:03-06:00

South Florida Business Journal - by Paul Brinkmann Vision Care Holdings, operator 30 Lasik surgery clinics, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday. The Lake Worth-based company said it has between $50 million and $100 million in debt, and less than $10 million in assets. The company�s once operated more than 90 optical service stores in 30 states, including Vision Care, Eyeglass World and Lasik Institute locations. An attorney for the company, Matt Zifrony, said it sold the Eyeglass World...

Glenn Hagele's Criminal Conduct Cited in Attorney's Motion to Withdraw from USAEYES/CRSQA Lawsuit

2009-12-14T17:20:39-06:00

Glenn Hagele filed a frivolous lawsuit against Dr. Lauranell Burch in North Carolina in December 2007. On December 14, 2009 Jonathan Sasser, the attorney for Glenn Hagele, filed a motion to withdraw from representation and cited the following provisions of North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.16(b(3) 1.16(b)(4) 1.16(b(5), The portion of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct which Jonathan Sasser cited is: Rule 1.16 Declining or Terminating Representation (a) Except as stated in paragraph (c), a lawyer shall...

Dr. Mark Whitten, Dr. Edward Perraut, and TLC Sued for Medical Malpractice

2009-12-05T18:50:14-06:00

Jamie Domeier vs. Mark Whitten, M.D., L. Edward Perraut, Jr. M.D., TLC The Laser Center (Northeast) Inc., Jo Angeles, O.D., Andrew Morgenstern, O.D., Greg W. McGrew, O.D., Paul J. Chmielewski, O.D., and Eyecare Center Of Leesburg, P.C. Virginia Circuit Court of Fairfax County Case # CL 2009-2959 DR. MARK WHITTEN, DR. L. EDWARD PERRAUT, M.D., & TLC SUED FOR LASIK MALPRACTICE - On August 7, 2009 plaintiff, Jamie Domeier, served her Complaint against Mark Whitten, M.D., L. Edward Perraut, Jr.,...

Dr. Jack Holladay Accused of Perjury and Fraud by Bankruptcy Trustee

2009-11-07T18:31:38-06:00

Debtor knowingly and fraudulently made false oaths when he signed and executed his original Schedules that excluded a number of items of substantial value and otherwise contained incorrect information. Debtor further made false oaths at the 341 Meeting of Creditors when he testified that his Schedules were true and correct and when he testified under oath that nothing at his Bellaire home was of any value. He made a further false oath when he testified at the 341 Meeting of Creditors that he specifically recalled not executing any financial statement to Bank of America, when in fact he did provide such a financial statement, which statement was withheld from HEA for 5 months.

U.S. Warns LASIK Clinics Over Failure to Report Side Effects

2009-10-15T14:56:08-06:00

By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than a dozen LASIK eye centers have poor systems in place to report any side effects in patients who have undergone the vision correction surgery, U.S. health regulators said on Thursday. There were no problems found with the laser devices used in the procedure, but U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors found problems with side-effect reporting systems at 17 LASIK vision correction centers. Warning letters were sent to the clinics, including some TLC...

Dr. Thomas Tooma Violates FDA Safety Protocols (again)

2009-10-09T13:29:28-06:00

Laser Eye Care of California 10/09/09 Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20993 OCT 09 2009 WARNING LETTER VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS Dr. Tom Tooma Owner Laser Eye Care of California 16255 Ventura Blvd. Suite 100 Encino, California 91436 Dear Dr. Tooma: During an inspection of your facility located in Encino, California on June 11, 2009, an investigator from the United States Food...

Support Dr. Rand Paul for U.S. Senate

2009-06-15T13:28:22-06:00

Support Dr. Rand Paul Dr. Rand Paul 2010 U.S. SenateDr. Rand Paul on Healthcare IssuesDr. Rand Paul's Medical PracticeDr. Rand Paul Interview with Lew RockwellDr. Rand Paul Interview with Alex Jones (1/3) Dr. Rand Paul Interview with Alex Jones (2/3)Dr. Rand Paul Interview with Alex Jones (3/3) ...

Dr. Kevin Niksarli Successfully Sued for $5.6 Million in Medical Malpractice Case

2009-06-11T18:26:31-06:00

Johnson Devadas and Saramma Devadas v. Kevin Niksarli, M.D., Manhattan LASIK Center, PLLC, and NewSight Laser Center, PLLC New York County, Supreme Court of the State of New York Index # 107637/07 $5.6 MILLION LASIK EYE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE VERDICT. On Wednesday, June 10, 2009, a jury in New York City returned a verdict of nearly $5.6 million against Kevin Niksarli, M.D., for LASIK malpractice. The verdict consisted of an award of: $2,360,000 for the patient�s loss of income; $3,100,000...

FDA: LASIK Ads Must Warn Consumers of Risks

2009-05-22T16:23:01-06:00

By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Doctors, clinics and others promoting corrective eye surgery known as LASIK need to make sure their advertisements tell consumers about possible risks, U.S. regulators said in a letter released on Friday. The Food and Drug Administration, which has been investigating patient complaints over the procedure, told healthcare providers that commercials and other promotions that do not convey necessary warnings, side-effects and other precautions are deceptive. "Advertising and promotional materials for FDA-approved lasers used during...

Baseball Player Disabled by LASIK - Hopes Glasses Are the Solution

2009-04-27T14:37:46-06:00

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday, April 27, 2009 Brian McCann was fitted for a new pair of contacts by Atlanta eye specialist Dr. Alan Kozarsky Monday. He tested them out by playing a little catch at Turner Field Monday evening and then headed out to Class A Myrtle Beach, where he will play two games on a rehabilitation assignment. He planned to play in games Tuesday and Wednesday in Myrtle Beach to test them out. McCann is on the disabled...

USAEYES-Fraud.com Web Site Launched

2009-02-23T23:15:20-06:00

USAEYES-FRAUD.com web site exposes false advertising by CRSQA and Glenn Hagele.

Dr. Benjamin Chang Targeted by Patient Web Site

2009-02-22T17:15:30-06:00

From www.stahleyecenter-malpractice.com/benjamin_chang.html When Dr. Benjamin Chang performs LASIK laser eye surgery on you, he will obtain your personal identity information from you, and then fax it directly to Glenn Hagele at his home. When Glenn Hagele receives your personal identity information, you will be at risk of identity theft because Glenn Hagele has a history or publishing the personal identity of patients against whom he develops grudges. See the following example from Glenn Hagele's patient harassment web site in...

Dr. Thierry Hufnagel Targeted by Patient Web Site

2009-02-22T17:13:09-06:00

From www.stahleyecenter-malpractice.com/thierry_hufnagle.html When Dr. Thierry Hufnagle performs LASIK laser eye surgery on you, he will obtain your personal identity information from you, and then fax it directly to Glenn Hagele at his home. When Glenn Hagele receives your personal identity information, you will be at risk of identity theft because Glenn Hagele has a history or publishing the personal identity of patients against whom he develops grudges. See the following example from Glenn Hagele's patient harassment web site in...

Dr. Marc Werner Targeted by Patient Web Site

2009-02-22T17:09:24-06:00

From www.stahleyecenter-malpractice.com/marc_werner.html When Dr. Marc Werner performs LASIK laser eye surgery on you, he will obtain your personal identity information from you, and then fax it directly to Glenn Hagele at his home. When Glenn Hagele receives your personal identity information, you will be at risk of identity theft because Glenn Hagele has a history or publishing the personal identity of patients against whom he develops grudges. See the following example from Glenn Hagele's patient harassment web site in...

StahlEyeCenter-Malpractice.com Web Site Launched

2009-02-22T16:58:32-06:00

From www.stahleyecenter-malpractice.com Our Mission: Expose false advertising, patient harassment, extortion, and lawsuits against LASIK critics by CRSQA, aka "USA Eyes". CRSQA is an advertising agency for 32 LASIK surgeons, disguised as a surgeon certification and patient advocacy group. This organization is operated by Glenn Hagele out of his home in Sacramento California as a tax-free non-profit organization. Although Glenn Hagele's educational credentials consist of nothing more than a high school diploma, he claims to evaluate surgeons' surgical skill and...

Protective Order Granted in LASIK Malpractice Action

2008-12-16T17:19:25-06:00

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Johnson Devadas and Saramma Devadas v. Kevin Niksarli, M.D., Manhattan LASIK Center, PLLC, and NewSight Laser Center, PLLC New York County, Supreme Court of the State of New York Index # 107637/07 PROTECTIVE ORDER GRANTED IN LASIK MALPRACTICE ACTION. In a LASIK malpractice case scheduled for trial in New York, in January 2009, the trial judge, the Honorable Joan B. Carey, Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County...

LCA Surgeons Revolt

2008-12-12T19:34:22-06:00

Business Courier A physician revolt at LCA-Vision Inc. was the impetus for Dr. Stephen Joffe�s return to the company he founded. In an exclusive interview with the Business Courier, Joffe said he decided to become an activist investor in LCA-Vision after doctors expressed concerns that the company was losing market share and cutting costs in ways that could impact patient care. �There�s no room for error in this surgical procedure. It�s surgery on your eyes,� Joffe said. �They were...

Dr. Mark Whitten Successfully Sued for Medical Malplractice

2008-11-21T13:07:37-06:00

Westmoreland Man Wins in Eye Surgery Lawsuit Pittsburgh Post-Gazette A North Huntingdon man won more than $1 million in a malpractice lawsuit in which he contended his laser eye surgery was botched. A jury in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday ordered Dr. Mark E Whitten, of Rockville, Md., to pay $850,000 to David N. Cantalupo, on whom the doctor performed surgery in 2001 at The Laser Center in Wexford. Mr. Cantalupo also received settlements from three other...

Democrats Probe "Corrupted" FDA Reviews of Devices (Update1)

2008-11-17T12:56:24-06:00

By Justin Blum Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Top managers with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ``corrupted and interfered with'' scientific reviews of medical devices, agency scientists said in a letter that is sparking a congressional investigation. The House Energy and Commerce Committee will review ``compelling evidence'' that devices were approved in violation of laws to ensure their safety, said Representatives John Dingell, the panel's chairman, and Bart Stupak, a member, in a statement today. The FDA has repeatedly come...

Restraining Orders Issued Against Valley Eye Center

2008-11-14T13:25:16-06:00

Las Vegas Now Eyewitness News A judge has just signed an order to stop the practice of medicine at the Valley Eye Center. The Channel 8 I-Team was the first to expose allegations of medical malpractice at the Lasik center where people say their sight was ruined. A judge approved a petition from the state medical board seeking temporary restraining orders and injunctions against the clinic. When the I-Team first examined Valley Eye back in May, we learned the state...

Contact 13 Investigation Part II: Valley Eye Center and Vikas Jain

2008-10-31T14:52:13-06:00

Contact 13 Investigation Part II: Valley Eye Center Lasik is one of the most popular elective surgeries in the world, it is supposed to allow you to trade in your glasses or contacts for near-perfect vision. Some say one local eye center is putting profits above patient care. Contact 13's Darcy Spears has been investigating this case for three months. "I wish I never got it," said Joanne Olimpo. "The pain that I felt was excruciating," said Brandon Nybakken. The men and...

Valley Eye Center and Vikas Jain Investigated by the State of Nevada

2008-10-29T13:39:47-06:00

I-Team: Lasik Company Investigated by State Colleen McCarty, Investigative Reporter Jain lost his medical license in 2005 for harming more than 20 patients in the state of Ohio. There is an update on an I-Team investigation of a local Lasik clinic. State authorities say they're nearing the end of their review of the Valley Eye Center. I-Team Reporter Colleen McCarty first broke the story of alleged malpractice at the clinic. The State Attorney General's Office tells the I-Team it plans...

LASIK Dissidents Launch 'LasikFDA' Web Site

2008-09-24T15:19:33-06:00

Jim Dickinson Editor, FDA Webview & FDA Review A group of LASIK dissidents, led by injured patient Dean Kantis, have launched a Web site called LasikFDA.com "to expose deceit, corruption, and collusion by the FDA and the LASIK industry. You've read the hype about the 10-minute miracle. Now get the truth." To disown confusion its look-alike name might invite, its home page prominently declares: "This is not the FDA Lasik site. The FDA Lasik site is here," with a live...

Attorney David Mazie Goes Eyeball to Eyeball with Lasik Surgeon

2008-09-10T15:23:59-06:00

Lawyers and Settlements Roseland, NJ: You know how some people just seem smart�well that�s how attorney David Mazie seems. Smart! At age 46 Mazie has won millions and millions of dollars on behalf of clients lucky enough to get his firm to take on their case. His most recent win is an eye popping $2.1 million settlement recovered for a 47-year old man rendered legally blind because of a Lasik eye surgery procedure. �The settlement is large because the malpractice...

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Nidek and Multiple Surgeons for Illegal Medical Experiments

2008-08-28T15:27:06-06:00

A medical device maker and more than a dozen California ophthalmologists are named in a federal class-action suit filed on behalf of patients who had vision correction surgery with an unapproved experimental Lasik tool. The suit alleges that Japan-based Nidek Co. and two U.S. subsidiaries conspired with the doctors and four vision care facilities to perform procedures to correct farsightedness from 1996 to 2006 using a laser tool that the Food and Drug Administration had certified only for clinical trials on nearsighted patients. Lead plaintiff Robert Perez filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California after learning in October that the Lasik surgery he underwent in 2002 to correct farsightedness was performed with a Nidek EC-5000 Excimer laser system. Nidek was authorized to use the device only for preliminary testing on nearsighted patients, according to the complaint.

Alcon Sued for Products Liability Due to Recall of Defective LADAR6000 Excimer Laser

2008-08-24T22:11:00-06:00

Jenna Reed and Rian Reed vs. Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Alcon Manufacturing, Ltd., and Alcon Refractive Horizons, Inc. United State District Court, District of Colorado. Denver, CO (PRWEB) August 24, 2008 -- On August 20, 2008, plaintiffs, Jenna Reed and Rian Reed, filed their complaint in the United States District Court, District of Colorado, seeking damages against Alcon for strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty, misrepresentation, and violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. Case Number 1:08-cv-01759-EWN Reed et al v....

Lasik Surgery Gone Wrong Leads to Kenny Perry Withdrawing from the PGA Championship

2008-08-07T15:29:02-06:00

TravelGolf.com BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. - Kenny Perry�s stunning late night withdrawal from the PGA Championship finally has an explanation. And it�s not a pretty one. Not for Perry. Not for any pro athlete who is considering Lasik surgery - which has been all the rage in pro sports for a while. Minutes ago, Perry just admitted that the eye injury that made him decide to withdraw after having shot a 9-over 79 in the first round comes from an infection...

Dr. Dean Dornic Offers Wine "Glasses" to Patient After Damaging Her Vision

2008-06-15T11:57:19-06:00

Martha Walton, a school teacher, explains how Dr. Dean Dornic caused her to experience permanent eye pain with LASIK, and then offered her wine "glasses" as a solution to the problems he created. For more information regarding problems involving dry eye, see Researchers Admit to High Incidence of Long-term Pain Following Refractive Surgery If you would also like to receive some free wine "glasses" with LASIK, contact Dr. Dornic at 3701 NW Cary Parkway, Suite 101 Cary, North Carolina 27513...

Lasik Patients Tell FDA Panel About Injuries

2008-05-14T16:52:47-06:00

Although public comments presented to the Ophthalmic Devices Panel of FDA�s Medical Devices Advisory Committee 4/25 included ample reference to physical side effects and complications associated with Lasik eye surgery, the session was dominated by patient anecdotes and professional dispute over reports of severe depression and suicidal thoughts and actions attributed to adverse or sub-optimal surgical outcomes. Common physical complaints by patient advocates and patients claiming to have suffered adverse effects from Lasik surgery included persistent pain and stinging...

Lasik Patients Complain to Panel

2008-04-25T16:11:25-06:00

By Sabine Vollmer, Staff Writer New and Observer GAITHERSBURG, Md. - More than 200 people filled a conference room this morning to listen to report after report from patients suffering from complications of vision-correcting eye surgery. In the first hour of a public hearing, more than a dozen patients and patient advocates stepped to the microphone to tell an advisory panel of the Food and Drug Administration about their years of eye pain, night driving problems and suicidal thoughts. "You...

FDA Holds Sham Hearings on LASIK "Safety"

2008-04-24T06:31:02-06:00

Editorial by Brent Hanson With much fanfare the FDA has made an announcement that it will hold hearings on April 24-25 to listen to complaints from the public regarding LASIK eye surgery. While many LASIK patients with bad outcomes hold high hopes that the FDA will ban or restrict this defective medical procedure, a clear understanding of the FDA and its role in "protecting" public health reveals that the FDA does not have the legal authority to ban the procedure,...

Jermaine Dupri Goes Blind After Lasik Surgery

2008-04-05T19:19:53-06:00

Posted : March 04, 2008 Filed under : Janet Jackson Meant to be a cure for his eyesight problem, a laser surgery to correct Jermaine Dupri's vision has backfired. Reports are surfacing that the producer who is also known to be Janet Jackson's long-term boyfriend, is losing sight due to complications from the surgery. Dupri had an elective eye surgery two weeks ago and according to a report by MediaTakeOut, sources said that Dupri is "virtually blind". Other details regarding...

FDA Sets Date to Hear from LASIK Patients, Doctors

2008-03-24T20:29:14-06:00

By Sabine Vollmer, Staff Writer The first public hearing on how complications from laser eye surgery affect a patient�s quality of life will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 25, at the Gaithersburg Holiday Inn in Gaithersburg, Md., according to a notice published today in the Federal Register. Laser eye surgeons who are collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration to collect patient information hope to have three of their colleagues testify. Patients dealing with complications...

LASIK Critics Feel Shunned by FDA

2008-03-20T20:25:58-06:00

Info on Hearing is Scarce, Patients Say Sabine Vollmer, Staff Writer As federal regulators prepare to hold their first hearing on how complications from laser eye surgery affect a patient�s quality of life, patients are worried that they are being shut out. The Food and Drug Administration has said it will hold a public hearing on the issue this spring, but patients who have requested to speak at the event cannot get confirmation from the FDA on the date, time...

Dr. Jack Holladay Targeted by Patient Web Site

2008-03-02T17:21:55-06:00

Dr. Jack Holladay...

Some Link Depression, Failed LASIK

2008-02-03T20:24:25-06:00

Patients with impaired sight turn suicidal; surgeons reject any connection Sabine Vollmer, Staff Writer Patients who undergo vision-correcting laser eye surgery sign a release form with an extensive list of risks, but some researchers and former patients say a potential complication is not mentioned: depression that can lead to suicide. In response to patient complaints, the Food and Drug Administration plans to convene a large, national study to examine the relationship of lasik complications and quality of life, including psychological...

Eye Surgery Leaves Many with Problems

2007-09-30T20:21:51-06:00

Of millions of patients, more than a few have serious, lasting complications Sabine Vollmer, Staff Writer Millions of Americans have undergone laser eye surgery to correct bad vision, and along with the procedure�s popularity something else is coming into focus: its hazards. Advertising stresses the surgery�s safety, and most procedures are successful. Tiger Woods, who relies on keen eyesight as the world�s best golfer, pitches it as a quick and painless way to restore sharp vision. Even the U.S. Air...

Sacramento District Attorney Places Liens on Property of USAEyes / CRSQA Executive Director for Unpaid Child Support

2007-03-30T20:05:26-06:00

SEATTLE, Washington, March 30, 2007, /LASIK Newswire/ Public documents recently uncovered by Brent Hanson show that the Sacramento District Attorney directed the Bureau of Family Support to place liens on all property owned by Glenn Hagele, for his refusal to pay court-ordered child support. View a scanned copy of the order by the Sacramento District Attorney, at LasikFraud.com. SOURCE: USAEyes-Fraud.com...

Executive Director of USAEyes / CRSQA Files Bankrupty for $430,000, with Over 50 Creditors

2007-03-28T20:12:04-06:00

SEATTLE, Washington, March 28, 2007, /LASIK Newswire/ Public documents recently uncovered by Brent Hanson show that the Glenn Hagele filed a bankruptcy petition for the amount of $431,000, with over 50 creditors. View a scanned copy of the bankruptcy filing, at LasikFraud.com. SOURCE: USAEyes-Fraud.com...

IRS and State of California Place Liens on Property of USAEyes / CRSQA Executive Director for Unpaid Taxes

2007-03-27T20:09:37-06:00

SEATTLE, Washington, March 29, 2007, /LASIK Newswire/ Public documents recently uncovered by Brent Hanson show that the IRS and State of California placed liens on property owned by Glenn Hagele, for his failure to pay taxes. View a scanned copy of the liens, at LasikFraud.com. SOURCE: USAEyes-Fraud.com...

Dr. Stephen Brint Sued by Rand Hoch for Medical Malpractice

2006-11-26T23:26:31-06:00

Press Release from Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, PA While LASIK eye surgery is often an effective solution to the inconvenience of glasses, the procedure, which involves laser reshaping of the cornea, can lead to tragic results if pre-surgery screening or the procedure itself is not performed with proper care. West Palm Beach attorney and retired workers' compensation judge, Rand Hoch, learned the hard way that "guarantees" about the safety and effectiveness of LASIK surgery cannot always be relied...

John Ciccone / ASCRS Submit Falsified LASIK Report to the Government

2006-09-04T12:48:25-06:00

On August 28, John Ciccone, Communications Director of ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery) submitted a falsified version of THE LASIK REPORT: A Call for the Discontinuation of a Harmful Procedure to a government agency, at the request of Glenn Hagele who published the following statement on the alt.lasik-eyes newsgroup: The fantasy that Burch calls "The LASIK Report", fully attributed to her, is being distributed to all doctors cited, Burch's employer... Contrary to Glenn Hagele's statements that The...

Glenn Hagele / USAEYES / CRSQA Threatens to File Frivolous Lawsuits Against Five Patients

2006-03-04T16:06:00-06:00

Glenn Hagele / USAEYES / CRSQA has sent identical letters to five patients in which he threatened to sue them for defamation. The patients include owners of pro-consumer web sites, and one patient who does not own a web site.

Glenn Hagele / USAEYES / CRSQA Threatens Lawsuit Over Star Wars Cartoons

2006-02-25T16:29:37-06:00

Glenn Hagele of USAEYES / CRSQA threatened to filed a lawsuit against two women for publishing cartoons involving Darth Vader from Star Wars.

Glenn Hagele / USAEYES / CRSQA Promotes Junk LadarVision Lasers

2005-12-22T16:28:02-06:00

Glenn Hagele who operates a surgeon referral service known as CRSQA and USAEYES published the following statement at alt.lasik-eyes on December 22, 2005. The Alcon LADARVision excimer laser does not appear to have any inherent design problems and hundreds of thousands of patients have had satisfactory outcomes. In fact, even those who alledged a problem acknowledged that no patients were harmed. However, the FDA has described serious problems with the laser involving "Laser not firing", "Translator malfunction", "Loss of tracking",...

Ron Link of SurgicalEyes.org Goes Berserk and Issues Hundreds of Threats to File Lawsuits

2005-12-07T01:09:02-06:00

Ron Link the founder and former director of Surgical Eyes has apparently gone berserk and begun posting hundreds of identical messages on the alt.lasik-eyes newsgroup, in which he has threatened to sue Glenn Hagele and Christopher Roiland. In his postings, Ron Link has accused Glenn Hagele and Christopher Roiland of defamation, breaking laws, and committing criminal acts. Ron Link founded Surgical Eyes in the late 1990's, ostensibly to help patients of failed refractive surgeries. Surgical Eyes ceased to exist in...

Dr. Vikas Jain Loses Medical License

2005-11-11T09:35:13-06:00

For the first time, the state Medical Board has punished a laser eye surgeon, stripping a central Ohio doctor of his license. Board member Andrew Robbins says Dr. Vikas Jain of Newark became a "predator," repeatedly mistreating patients. Robbins says Jain's misdeeds included removing a cataract from a woman's blind eye, operating on patients who shouldn't have received LASIK including one who could see just fine, and using his operating equipment on the wrong settings. The state will inform...

Dr. Herbert Nevyas Targeted by Patient Web Site

2005-11-08T21:22:36-06:00

Jo Wills published a narrative of Keith Wills' problems with Dr. Herbert Nevyas: LASIK Gone Wrong - What Happened to Keith Wills...

Dr. David Doka Targeted by Patient Web Site

2005-11-08T18:57:12-06:00

Patient declares that Dr. David S. Doka of El Paso, Texas impairs Elvira G. Galindo�s vision for life and then kicks her to the curb! DrDoka.com...

AllAboutVision.com Leaks Customer Billing Records

2005-11-05T11:17:36-06:00

From: "Matt Ryan" To: Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2005 4:23 PM Attach: ceatus_invoice_1187_Kremer.doc Subject: Mary Guccione - AllAboutVision Mary, I just spoke with Melissa Vanasek who had asked me to send you a revised invoice for AllAboutVision listings in the Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware locations. All we need to get started is a signed invoice and method of payment (check or credit card). Once we have received both we will start writing a profile on the...

Dr. Anthony Kameen Employs Prejudicial Racial Tactics to Escape Justice

2005-10-27T14:01:47-06:00

Batson challenge delays LASIK trial A lawyer's medical malpractice suit against a doctor who performs LASIK vision correction surgery was postponed yesterday after the plaintiff successfully argued that the defense improperly struck black jurors from the panel. Represented by his law partner Jay D. Miller, George Psoras Jr. alleges he went blind in one eye after undergoing LASIK. Miller said the case against Dr. Anthony Kameen will be one of the first LASIK cases to go to trial in Maryland....

1/3 of LASIK Patients Unhappy With Results

2005-10-14T17:23:40-06:00

Survey Finds More Than Two Million Americans Not Satisfied With Lasik Results CHICAGO, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 1 in 3 Americans have complained of under or over correction in one or both eyes, loss of quality of vision, vision fluctuations and poor vision in dark conditions, after undergoing Lasik surgery. The survey conducted by Synovate and commissioned by NeuroVision Pte Ltd, also found that of all Americans who experience these conditions, those in the South and the mid-West,...

Dr. Anthony Kameen Sued by George Psoras for Medical Malpractice

2005-10-01T12:47:54-06:00

On May 22, 1998 Anthony Kameen, M.D. performed Laser Refractive Surgery, LASIK, upon the Plaintiff, resulting in retinal tears and detachment in Plaintiff's left eye resulting in total blindness.

Lawsuits Against Patients Backfire on Litigious Surgeons

2005-09-25T16:16:09-06:00

Law suits, doctors, patients, relationships, transparency Kent Bottles As anyone who reads this blog knows, I am fascinated by the doctor/patient relationship. I have blogged on this subject often, and I have pocast interviews with thoughtful experts on this subject like Carl E. Schneider. Today brought more evidence that neither doctors nor patients are all that thrilled by the state of the doctor/patient relationship. Techdirt in "Doctors Furious That People Might Criticize Them Online" (http://techdirt.com/articles/20050914/1318205_F.shtml) looks at doctors from the...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sues Lasik Patient for $2 Million After Damaging His Vision

2005-09-21T09:08:15-06:00

Dr. Nicholas Caro has filed a lawsuit seeking $2,000,000 in damages from Dean Kantis, after previously performing LASIK on him. Dr. Caro alleges in his lawsuit that Dean Kantis "has engaged in an ongoing process of telephoning, mailing, facsimile transmitting, e-mails and related written communications, to various governmental bodies and/or individuals, including, but not limited to: (a) Better Business Bureau of Chicago (b) Brett (sic) Hanson." Dr. Caro is represented by Eric Phillip Ferleger an attorney whose license was...

Dr. Anita Nevyas Sues Patient After Damaging His Vision

2005-08-24T12:01:36-06:00

Dr. Herbert Nevyas and Dr. Anita Nevyas filed a lawsuit against Dominic Morgan for operating a web site at LasikDecision.com, and obtained an injunction to prevent Dominic from publishing information about this case. IT IS ORDERED THAT, ON COUNT III OF THE COMPLAINT, THE AGREEMENT WHICH WAS ENTERED INTO BY DEFT, MORGAN AND PLTFS ON OR ABOUT THE PERIOD 7/30/03 THROUGH 8/4/03 IS ENFORCED AND DEFT, MORGAN WILL NOT MENTION DR NEVYAS OR HIS PRACTICE OR ANYTHING CONCERNING PAST ITEMS...

Complaint Filed Against Dr. Nicholas Caro with the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation

2005-08-17T08:15:52-06:00

August 17th, 2005 Attn: Investigator Joe Annerino (Medical Enforcement) Illinios Department of Professional Regulation James R. Thompson Center 100 West Randolph, Suite#9-300 Chicago, Illinios 60601 w: 312-814-4526 F: 312-814-3145 Thank you for your reply to my initial complaint #200504961 against St. George Corrective Vision Center/Dr. Nick Caro: I do hope that this complaint issued by me is fully scrutinized. I also feel that if the attention to detail is given, many other findings will be revealed about this practicing doctor,...

Mark Schiffer Wins a Record 7 Million Judgement Against Dr. Mark Speaker

2005-07-30T11:55:10-06:00

Former Banker Awarded $7M in Damages From LASIK Eye Surgery Anthony Lin New York Law Journal A Manhattan jury has awarded a former investment banker $7.25 million in damages for vision impairment he claimed resulted from LASIK eye surgery. The award -- $4.5 million in lost income and $2.75 million in pain and suffering -- is the largest to date in a suit over the popular vision correction surgery. It is against one of New York's leading LASIK practitioners as...

VISX, Laser Vision Centers, and Dr. Tom Morrison Sued by Cheryl Atchison for Medical Malpractice and Use of a Defective Device

2005-07-06T20:05:41-06:00

The LASIK surgery was first performed on plaintiff�s right eye. While approximately midway through performing the LASIK surgery procedure on the left eye, defendant Morrison and Tri-Lakes discontinued the procedure. The laser stopped prematurely and/or the fluence became out of range causing an asymmetric treatment, furrow or trough in the stroma and/or more ablation to be received in a portion of the left eye of plaintiff when the surgery was being performed, causing damage to her eye.

Glenn Hagele / CRSQA / USAEYES vs. Collection Agency

2005-05-09T13:54:12-06:00

ACE Judgment Recovery Service P.O. Box 438. Mt. Prospect, IL 60056-0438. (847) 981-1330 ace.recovery@comcast.net We enforce and recover your delinquent civil judgments May 9, 2005 Brent Hanson 1687 Whitehall Court Wheeling, IL 60090 Dear Mr. Hanson, While conducting standard case file research we noticed that on 2/21/03 you were awarded a judgment of $2850.00 in Rolling Meadows Municipal Court against Glenn Hagele. As a judgment holder, you have the right to assign your judgment to a third party to enforce...

Dr. David Kleiman and Dr. Anthony Evangelista Fined by Texas State Board of Medical Examiners

2005-04-23T15:17:10-06:00

State fines two eye doctors $ 25,000 each for unsubstantiated ads Maria M. Perotin Fort Worth Star Telegram Two ophthalmologists at an Arlington eye-care center have been fined $ 25,000 apiece for running advertisements that couldn't be substantiated. The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners reprimanded David Kleiman and Anthony Evangelista for ads published in various Dallas-Fort Worth newspapers. The ads for the Kleiman-Evangelista Eye Center contained statements such as "nearly three out of four patients are seeing better than...

Dr. Michael Campion Sued by Dr. Gary Smethers for Medical Malpractice

2005-04-08T18:24:41-06:00

Expert witness' testimony as to his personal practices is admissible Smethers v. Campion, No. 04-0117 (Ariz. Ct. App. Mar. 22, 2005) - DEx 95391 The Arizona Court of Appeals reversed a trial court's decision to exclude a doctor's testimony of his personal practices and held that an expert witness may testify as to his personal practices, even if his personal practices are beyond the standard of care, because such testimony could be relevant and enables the jury to evaluate the...

Florida Judge's Vision Remains Damaged Following Twenty Surgeries

2005-04-08T17:52:55-06:00

Judge's eyesight remains imperfect Twenty surgeries and one settled lawsuit later, Lynn Tepper sees three moons instead of five at night. But it's still a strain to see, she says. By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer DADE CITY - Every time Circuit Judge Lynn Tepper gazes up at the moons, there's no escaping it. Her vision has been permanently damaged, she said. "I used to love looking at the night sky," she said. "Now I get a little bitter." Instead...

Lasek Surgery Disqualifies Israeli Pilots from Training Program

2005-04-07T17:45:26-06:00

If you are one of many who underwent Lasek laser surgery for the removal of eyeglasses, perhaps in the hope of becoming eligible to apply for the Air Force's pilot training program, you may as well begin looking for an alternative military career. The IDF's weekly BaMahane magazine reported that people who underwent Lasek surgery are not eligible to apply for the pilot training program under regulations established by the air force's medical board. Those who wear eyeglasses or had...

Study Condemns Sleazy Ads by Academic Medical Centers

2005-04-04T18:06:35-06:00

Pushing procedures; Study condemns ads by academic medical center Hospitals have relied on publicity campaigns for decades, rolling out a mix of ads in newspapers, on radio and on television to help drum up business and differentiate themselves from their competitors. Lately, however, marketing departments at top-flight academic medical centers have become increasingly creative in their pitches to patients, drawing on the kinds of subtle, sophisticated techniques that some critics say are more often associated with pharmaceutical firms and car...

Florida Judge Settles Malpractice Lawsuit Against Serial Surgeon

2005-03-29T18:42:47-06:00

PAIN, BLURRED VISION BLAMED ON SURGERY DADE CITY � Pasco Circuit Judge Lynn Tepper has reached a settlement with the Largo eye surgeon she sued for malpractice in 2003. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Tepper, 52, sued John Michaelos saying that Michaelos botched the Lasik eye surgery he performed on her in December 2000. Michaelos performed 19 additional surgeries in an attempt to correct the damage to Tepper's right eye, but nothing worked. The last surgery was in...

Dr. Jack Dodick Escapes Liability for Damaging Lisa Amendolia's Vision

2005-03-25T19:08:18-06:00

New York Law Journal Amendolia v. Dodick, No. 18268/01 Court: Kings Supreme Plaintiff Attorney: Jonathon D. Warner of Warner & Scheuerman, New York. Defense Attorney: John L.A. Lyddane of Martin Clearwater & Bell, New York. A New York ophthalmologist was found not liable for vision problems one of his patients complained of following LASIK surgery. Plaintiff Lisa Amendolia claimed that her vision worsened significantly in the three years following the LASIK procedure, which uses a laser to reshape the cornea....

Singaporeans Reject Lasik in Favor of Neurovision

2005-03-25T18:55:31-06:00

More myopic Singaporeans resort to Neurovision treatment to achieve better vision Channel NewsAsia Using the novel Neurovision treatment, more myopic Singaporeans are now able to throw away their eyeglasses. The non-invasive treatment has the potential of giving near-perfect vision and is good news for the estimated half-a-million Singaporeans who suffer from low myopia. The treatment "re-programmes" a patient brain to see better, without any surgery. To do that, the patient stares at a computer screen as part of the treatment...

International Refractive Surgery Club: Is it a Front Organization for Questionable Surgeons?

2005-03-14T10:46:56-06:00

Mission Statement Questionable Surgeon Arrested on Drug Charges The International Refractive Surgery Club is an international organization of the world's leading refractive surgeons. Membership is limited to those Ophthalmic Surgeons who have been chosen by their peers for their proficiency and skill in state-of-the-art methods of surgical correction for myopia (near sightedness), hyperopia (far sightedness), and astigmatism. Membership is granted to those physicians, who have made a significant contribution towards the advancement of refractive surgery through service, creative innovation,...

American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators Promotes Irresponsible Marketing Practices

2005-03-07T17:57:24-06:00

Tapes for sale by American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators Extreme Marketing Botox Cosmetic in the Refractive Practice: The Gift that Keeps on Giving LASIK Liability Review Learning to Listen: A Key to Selling Laser Vision Correction LASIK Postoperative Complications Innovative Marketing Ideas Help! Our LASIK Practice Is In Trouble Government Crackdown on Research and Clinical Trials Fraud Enhancing Your Bottom Line, With Internal Marketing Avoiding Fraud and Abuse in Ophthalmology: Lessons Learned from Real-Life Situations Bulletproofing Your Charts (Tape...

Dr. Robert Maloney Targeted by Patient Web Sites

2005-03-01T09:52:13-06:00

Kathy Griffen says: 'Here�s the deal. I�ve had severe complications from lasik surgery. My doctor WAS Dr. Robert Maloney of the Maloney Vision Institute in Los Angeles and �Extreme Makeover�. I will not be going to him again. I�ve had FIVE surgeries on my right eye. Three were lasik surgeries and one was an attempt at corrective surgery by Maloney. Most recently, I had another corrective surgery by another doctor and let me tell you, once my complications began in 2003, it was a bitch! My last "procedure" was a 90 minute surgery, and I had 17 stitches in my eye for three weeks!'

Dr. Herbert Nevyas and Dr. Anita Nevyas Accused of Submitting Fraudulent Reports to the FDA

2005-02-28T14:42:50-06:00

Nevyas, while operating under and IDE for the Nevyas laser, failed to report various complications or adverse events to the FDA. Data from Nevyas simply cannot be trusted, and now Nevyas data has helped Intacs get on the market. The potential consequences could be severe.

Dr. Joseph Dello Russo's Insurer Ordered to Pay $15.3 Million

2005-02-20T15:53:28-06:00

An insurance company for a prominent Bergen County, New Jersey eye surgeon must pay $15.3 million to cover malpractice claims made by 16 former patients, a Superior Court judge has ruled. Princeton Insurance Co. claimed an arbitrator's ruling that settled the dispute between the plaintiffs and Dr. Joseph Dello Russo, a Bergenfield physician, was unfair. Dello Russo joined with the plaintiffs in contending that the insurance company should pay the award. In a series of lawsuits dating to 1991, the...

Sales of Alcon's Malfunctioning LadarVision Lasers Falls

2005-02-10T21:24:07-06:00

Revenue from refractive surgery, commonly known as LASIK surgery, dropped almost 9 percent as equipment sales fell. The complete article is available at www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/10864465.htm...

Texas Woman Sues Alcon after being Damaged by Malfunctioning LADARVision Laser

2005-02-04T14:41:29-06:00

Victim says eyes were injured by Alcon Laser System Dallas, TX (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) February 4, 2005 -- A Lubbock County, Texas woman is suing the Fort Worth maker of a laser system used by doctors to perform LASIK eye surgery. According to the lawsuit, Sandra Brown v. Alcon Manufacturing, L.T.D. and Alcon Laboratories, Inc., the LADARVision laser is defective (Case #236-209603-05 District Court Tarrant County Texas 236th Judicial District). The lawsuit accuses Alcon of ignoring warnings that...

CBS News Airs Report on Malfunctioning Alcon LadarVision Lasers

2005-02-03T14:55:12-06:00

Fort Worth-Made LASIK Surgery Machine Under Fire More Patients Claiming LASIK 'LASIK Casualty" Status By Investigator Ginger Allen Producer/Photojournalist: Dave Manoucheri At the turn of the millennium, it was the wave of the future--Peel back the lens of your eye, and look forward to sight you never imagined. It is the possibility of regaining 20/20 vision. Sandra Brown saw hope. Three years ago, Brown had Lasik surgery. The pediatric eye surgeon was well aware of the risks associated with the...

Alcon Sued by Dr. Sandra Brown for Damage by Malfunctioning LadarVision Laser

2005-01-25T12:54:40-06:00

CAUSE NO. 236 209603 05 SANDRA BROWN, Plaintiff, vs. ALCON MANUFACTURING, L.T.D., and ALCON LABORATORIES, INC. IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS. PLAINTIFF'S ORIGINAL PETITION, MOTION FOR LEVEL THREE DISCOVERY PLAN AND REQUEST FOR DISCLOSURE TO THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT

22 Patients Blinded in One Day at Russian Clinic

2005-01-20T17:26:11-06:00

Ophthalmologists Accused Straight in their Eyes by Yulia Osipova Kommersant - New Russia's First Independent Newspaper Yesterday the Central District of Moscow Prosecutor�s Office began the examination of the medical staff of one of EXIMER, one of Russia�s largest ophthalmologist clinics systems, where in one day 22 people, lost their sight all in one day after the surgery. Nikolay Pavlenko, an EXIMER patient, who was blinded as result of surgery, filed a lawsuit at the Prosecutor�s Office pressing criminal charges...

Keeping Sight of the Risks

2005-01-17T12:57:30-06:00

Nottingham Evening Post When Dave heard about laser eye surgery he thought he would be finally free of his spectacles. He had been hampered by glasses since he became long-sighted at the age of 18. "It got to the stage where glasses were just getting in the way," said Dave, a keen sportsman. So five years ago, impressed by reports of how laser eye treatment could correct long- and short-sightedness, Dave approached a firm offering the surgery. In 1999, he...

Researchers Conclude Lasik is More Damaging than PRK

2005-01-13T18:25:01-06:00

Corneal barrier function, tear film stability, and corneal sensation after photorefractive keratectomy and laser in situ keratomileusis American Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 139, Issue 1, January 2005, Pages 64-71 Ryohei Nejima MD, Kazunori Miyata MD, Tatsuro Tanabe MD, Fumiki Okamoto MD, Takahiro Hiraoka MD, Takahiro Kiuchi MD and Tetsuro Oshika MD, Meiwakai Medical Foundation, Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyazaki Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan Purpose To compare corneal sensation, corneal barrier function, tear secretion,...

FDA Approves Device for the Diagnosis and Management of Glaucoma in LASIK Patients

2005-01-07T16:50:11-06:00

RetinaPharma announces FDA-clearance of TonoPach device for glaucoma determination: new technology especially important for diagnosis and management of glaucoma in LASIK patients RetinaPharma, a privately-held portfolio company of the Hopkins Capital Group, LLC, announced today that it has received 510(k) FDA clearance to market its unique, patented device that enables more accurate intra-ocular pressure (IOP) determination in patients. The device, TonoPach (TM), provides for the unprecedented simultaneous determination of intra-ocular pressure and corneal thickness at the same location on the...

Trial Set for TV's "Extreme Makeover" LASIK Surgeon, Dr. Robert Maloney

2005-01-06T17:15:27-06:00

Robert Maloney, MD, well known for his role on ABC's successful "Extreme Makeover," will be the defendant in a jury trial set for April 6, 2005 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Santa Monica, CA. In a civil suit, Maloney has been charged by one of his LASIK patients with negligence, battery, and fraud. The case will be heard in the Los Angeles Superior Court at Santa Monica. The case stems from injuries inflicted on Judy Chang, a patient of Dr....

ALCON Accused of Criminal Conduct in Concealing Reports of Defective LadarVision Lasers

2005-01-05T00:24:40-06:00

GE HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL SERVICES, a component of GENRAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Plaintiff, v. EBW Laser, Inc. Defendant. Third Party Plaintiff, v. ALCON LABORATORIES, INC., and REFRACTIVE HORIZONS, L.P. Third Party Defendants.

New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation Pays Claims for Failed Surgeries

2004-12-29T17:00:37-06:00

ACC pays out for eye claims Eleven people have been awarded compensation for medical misadventure after laser eye surgery in the past five years. Nineteen claims have been made to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) between July 1999 and last month by laser eye- surgery patients. Of the 11 claims accepted, patients had variously suffered loss of vision, visual disturbances, damage to their eye by laser, an infection and/or pain. The successful claims equate to about 0.05 per cent of...

Scottish Surgeon: 10% of "Successful" Patients at Risk of Future Complications

2004-12-27T18:59:04-06:00

Surgeon warns of laser eye cure risks Expert claims dangers of treatment not made clear Peter Martell Scotsman http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1465082004 LASER eye surgery firms are underplaying the risks associated with the operation and doing too little research on its long-term effects, a leading Scottish expert has warned. Dr Alistair Adams, one of Scotland�s most senior ophthalmic surgeons, believes that as many as one in 10 patients who undergo the corrective procedure �successfully� could develop complications in later life. But Adams, a...

Web Postings: Docs Would Rather Fight than Settle

2004-12-23T13:14:31-06:00

Illinois Leader SPRINGFIELD - Every year for several years, legislation to identify individual physicians involved in medical malpractice lawsuits has been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly without advancing to a vote. The chief sponsor of the Patient Right-to-Know Act, Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), has said she plans to reintroduce the bill in 2005. A recent article in the New Jersey Law Journal, highlighting the impact of similar legislation which took effect there in July of this year, may provide...

Fox News Airs Report on Malfunctioning Alcon LadarVision Lasers

2004-12-21T12:10:31-06:00

Mark Saxenmeyer interviews Dr. Kent Kirk, and Doug Harris, an attorney for EBW, a laser leasing company which is suing Alcon for selling defective LadarVision lasers. Incriminating documents and a taped telephone conference call with the former of CEO of Alcon, Tim Sear, are presented. The taped conference call includes conversations with surgeons Dr. Joseph Dello Russo, Dr. David Dulaney, and Dr. Herman Sloane. A copy of the report is available here (96 MB file in MPG format)....

Ghostbusters Look for Cause of Ectasia

2004-12-21T10:57:13-06:00

Ectasia after LASIK Mario Oyarz�n MD and Luis Bravo MD Letter to Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery When we saw the article by Binder, we expected to find the answer to many questions about how to predict the patients at higher risk for developing corneal ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Perhaps a magical formula would be described. After reading the excellent review by Binder, we see that, unfortunately, the answer to the predictive question still eludes us....

Judge Issues Order to Protect Expert Witness from TLC Intimidation

2004-12-17T17:44:23-06:00

Decision of Interest; New York Supreme Court, New York County; Justice Schlesinger Schiffer v. Speaker - On September 29, 2000 Mark Schiffer met for the first time with an optometrist, Dr. Regina Zyszkowski, to determine whether he was a suitable candidate for LASIK surgery. He wore glasses at the time. Dr. Zyszkowski was an employee of Farkas, Kassalow, Resnick and Associates. She performed various tests on Mr. Schiffer's eyes, including a keratometry, a topography and a slit lamp exam....

Eye Surgery Deemed Too Risky for NHS

2004-12-06T12:03:26-06:00

Watchdog says the chances of damage in treatment do not justify widespread use By Sam Lister MOVES to make laser eye surgery available on the NHS are likely to be blocked by the Government�s clinical watchdog amid growing concerns over its long-term safety for patients. A year-long review by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) into the procedure known as Lasik, which is currently available only at private clinics, has concluded that current evidence on the treatment�s safety does...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "N.K."

2004-12-03T18:41:56-06:00

Plaintiff claimed that after undergoing LASIK surgery on her right eye on April 30, 1999, she experienced difficulties with a serious candida fungal infection which she followed-up with him on several occasions, which consisted of cap cleanings, prescription of several antibiotics and a steroid, until the following June 11th, her last visit. She subsequently had to undergo a corneal transplant.

Man Suffers Retinal Detachments in Both Eyes Following Lasik

2004-12-01T18:09:20-06:00

Bilateral serous macular detachment following laser in situ keratomileusis American Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 138, Issue 6, December 2004, Pages 1069-1071 Arun Singhvi MD, Mayank Dutta MBBS, Namrata Sharma MD, Nikhil Pal MD and Rasik B. Vajpayee MS, FRCSEd, Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Purpose To report a case of bilateral serous macular detachment following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Design Observational case report. Methods A 33-year-old man presented with...

Lasik Vision Institute Sued for HIV Disability Claim

2004-11-25T18:18:00-06:00

Public awareness of HIV case prompts 2nd alleged victim to step forward Disability Compliance Bulletin November 25, 2004 Vol. 29, No. 3 Sometimes a dormant settlement negotiation can be kick-started by using innovative approaches to keep word of your efforts alive among members of the affected community. At least, that's been the recent experience of attorney Eric Maxfield, of the Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People in Denver, whose use of the Web and an audiencespecific newsletter...

Rock Star Unable to Drive at Night Following Lasik

2004-11-23T19:02:47-06:00

50 things about U2 The New York Post NOW a quarter-century old and with its members well into their 40s, the Irish supergroup U2 is that true rock rarity: a still-intact band that has sold more than 125 million records worldwide and remains consistently relevant. In the past week alone, U2 rocked the opening of the Clinton library, did a three-song set on "Saturday Night Live," and, yesterday, performed a free show for fans in DUMBO to promote their 14th...

Notorious Doctor Escapes Liability in Malpractice Lawsuit

2004-11-22T18:04:48-06:00

Doctor Malpractice: Lack of Consent Defense Verdict: Visual Impairment A 27-year-old female suffered visual impairment while in the care of the male defendant ophthalmologist where she presented for Lasik eye surgery. The plaintiff contended that the defendant failed to obtain informed consent for the surgery and that she was never informed of the risks involved in the surgery. The plaintiff further contended that because of her large pupils, she was at increased risk for night glare and that the defendant...

TLC Draws Negative Publicity After Malpractice Misstep

2004-11-19T10:50:49-06:00

When most medical malpractice lawsuits are settled, a gag clause is signed as part of the settlement contract. In the case of Richard "Zig" Zickefoose vs. TLC, TLC's attorneys failed to put a gag clause in the contract. After TLC executives discovered that the settlement agreement contained no gag clause, TLC's attorneys unsuccessfully attempted to renege on the settlement. Since Zig acquired internet domain names based on executives' personal names in addition to tlcbigskylasercenter.com several years ago, TLC should have...

Longer Discontinuance of Rigid Contact Lens Use Before LASIK Surgery Recommended

2004-11-10T18:54:47-06:00

Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week A study published in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery suggests that rigid contact lens users should stop using contacts and switch to glasses 3 to 6 weeks before having pre-LASIK examinations, rather than the traditional 3 weeks. The study found that only 56% of eyes (31 of 55) achieved a stable refraction after 3 weeks, but 78% were stable after 6 weeks, said study author Patricia Tsai, MD, a fellow at the...

Pilot's $4 million Award Over LASIK Surgery is Reinstated

2004-11-02T17:42:36-06:00

By Anne Denogean Tucson Citizen A man whose career as a commercial pilot was ended by a LASIK eye operation should get a $4 million judgment, a judge ruled. The Superior Court judge reinstated a $4 million judgment against University Physicians Healthcare - formerly University Physicians Inc. - in the case of former United Airlines pilot Steve Post, whose night vision was reduced by the eye surgery. With interest, the judgment is now at $4.3 million, the largest verdict in...

VISX Accused of Submitting Falsified Data to the FDA

2004-10-13T17:54:10-06:00

VISX reported that 97.7% (84/86) of eyes had UCVA of 20/20 or better at 12 months. These 86 eyes represent only 24.5% of patients. Accountability is reported to be 95.6%, despite the fact that 70.7% (248/351) of patients were labeled �not yet eligible� for analysis at 12 months.

Researchers Conclude Nidek MK-2000 is Better than Hansatome and ACS Microkeratomes

2004-09-01T18:34:22-06:00

Comparison of corneal flap thickness between primary and fellow eyes using three microkeratomes Journal of Refractive Surgery Volume 20, Issue 5, September 2004, Pages 417-421 Shemesh, G., Leibovitch, I. , Lipshitz, I. Ophthalmic Health Center Department of Ophthalmology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv Abstract PURPOSE: To compare corneal flap thickness created in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in primary (right) and fellow (left) eyes (same blade for both eyes) using three microkeratomes. METHODS: The corneal thickness of 132 eyes (66...

Researchers Conclude ACS is Worse than Hansatome and MK-2000 Microkeratomes

2004-09-01T18:24:03-06:00

Intraoperative microkeratome complications in 47,094 laser in situ keratomileusis surgeries Journal of Refractive Surgery Volume 20, Issue 5 SUPPL., September 2004, S723-S726 Nakano, K., Nakano, E, Oliveira, M, Portellinha, W., Alvarenga, L. Abstract PURPOSE: We evaluated the incidence and intraoperative microkeratome-related complications in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS: We present non-randomized, retrospective, comparative, interventional case series. We reviewed the records of patients who underwent LASIK from August 2000 to March 2004 at Excimer Laser Santa Cruz, S�o Paulo, Brazil...

Dr. Steve Arshinoff Condemns Irresponsible Advertising

2004-09-01T12:52:58-06:00

LASIK advertising - We should not sell procedures Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Volume 30, Issue 9 , September 2004, Pages 1823-1824 I read the editorial on advertising in ophthalmology[1] with great interest and wholehearted agreement. The seemingly progressive tendency to irresponsible advertising, particularly of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), is becoming an embarrassment to all of us who wish to practice ethical medicine and do no harm to our patients. There are no national boundaries to modern Internet...

Surgeons Accuse Alcon of Concealing Reports of Defective Lasers

2004-08-28T15:33:29-06:00

"Fears that grew over 'perfect' operation" LASER eye surgery, by offering patients near-perfect sight in one quick operation, has become a billion-pound industry, using the latest technology to generate vast profits. From the biggest players such as Alcon, a �2 billion eyecare company, to the hundreds of sought-after ophthalmologists, the stakes could not be higher. When a number of doctors from across America began to question whether Alcon's Ladarvision system, a machine using Nasa laser technology, was malfunctioning, the company...

Pupil Size Again Proven to be a Factor in Night Vision Problems

2004-08-01T18:48:44-06:00

Pupil size and night vision disturbances after LASIK for myopia Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Volume 82, Issue 4, August 2004, Pages 454-460 Helgesen, A., Hjortdal, J., Ehlers, N. Department of Ophthalmology, �rhus University Hospital, �rhus, Denmark Eye Department, �rhus Kommunehospital, N�rrebrogade 44, 8000 �rhus C, Denmark Abstract Purpose: To examine whether standardized, preoperative evaluation of pupil sizes can predict the risk of night vision visual disturbances after bilateral laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia. Methods: A prospective study was carried...

Comparison of Two Moria Microkeratomes

2004-08-01T18:43:14-06:00

Clinical evaluation of two types of microkeratome for laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) Japanese Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology Volume 58, Issue 8, August 2004, Pages 1515-1517 Tagawa, K., Kawasaki, K. , Higashide, T. Dept. of Ophthalmol., Yatsuo General Hosp., Yatsuo Nei Toyama, Japan Jinzu Eye Clin. Department of Ophthalmology, Yatsuo General Hospital, Yatsuo Nei Toyama 939-2376, Japan Abstract We performed laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) on 155 eyes using either of two types of microkeratome produced by Moria. Manually operated...

Ohio Ophthalmologist Stripped of Gun License

2004-07-27T22:29:43-06:00

By Jim Phillips The Athens News In a case that is reportedly creating a buzz among local police officers and gun-rights advocates, an Athens doctor who allegedly pulled a gun during a traffic confrontation has had his concealed-carry permit temporarily suspended. "It has been a topic of discussion in the law-enforcement community, and amongst the gun owners," confirmed Jerry Sullivan of Buchtel, who is both a county sheriff's deputy and a supporter of Ohio's new concealed-carry law. Sullivan said the...

LASIK Reduces Supply of Usable Donor Corneas

2004-06-24T02:27:10-06:00

LASIK may hurt donor corneas Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico) Jackie Jadrnak Journal Staff Writer * Doctor says weakened spot may rip during removal for transplant If you have LASIK surgery to correct your eyesight, a little semicircular line, a sliver of a healed spot, is left behind on your cornea. It's not a big deal. You can function perfectly well with it there. But it could make a difference if you donate your corneas for a transplant after you die....

Cornell University: "LASIK not worth it"

2004-06-17T23:02:55-06:00

The Risks of LASIK Corrective Eye Surgery: A Mass Transfer Approach to a Universal Concern By: Julia Ferullo Kellly Ruggles Bina Lokchander Christina Siryk Puneet Panda Although there are social and aesthetic benefits to the surgery, such as having no need for glasses or contact lenses, the slight risk of complications is a heavy one to take. Since LASIK is an elective procedure and thus is not covered by many insurance plans, patients pay as much as $1,000 to $2,000...

Oregon Clinic Has Infectious Outbreak for Years: Blames Surgical Gloves

2004-05-01T00:16:27-06:00

After years of high-incidence DLK at surgical clinic, gloves found to be instigator Matt Young EyeWorld Staff Writer www.eyeworld.org/printarticle.php?id=439 Outbreaks of diffuse lamellar keratitis plagued Drs. Fine, Hoffman, & Packer LLC, Eugene, Ore., from 2000-2003, with the incidence as high as 37% in one three-month period and 85% on one day. After trying to eliminate the problem by switching sterilizers, changing their pre-operative and intra-operative regimen, and troubleshooting in other ways, surgeons there switched glove brands during refractive surgery and...

Macular Hemorrhage with Intralase Laser

2004-04-12T17:59:45-06:00

Macular hemorrhage after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with femtosecond laser flap creation American Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 138, Issue 4 , October 2004, Pages 657-659 Alexandre H. Principe MD, Danny Y. Lin MDa Kent W. Small MD and Anthony J. Aldave MD, Cornea (A.H.P., D.Y.L., A.J.A.) Los Angeles, California, USA Retina Services (K.W.S.), Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUSA Purpose To report the first case of macular hemorrhage following laser in...

Indiana Supreme Court Rules Against Dr. Robert Wiley

2004-04-08T14:08:12-06:00

High Court Hears Nearly Blind Man's Case By Niki Kelly The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday about whether the medical malpractice suit of a northeast Indiana man left nearly blind in one eye can move forward. In 2001, L. Thomas Booth sued Dr. Robert G. Wiley, Dr. Ronald Norlund and Midwest Eye Consultants in Wabash, but a trial court judge found the man had not sued within the statute of limitations and...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "S.W."

2004-03-19T18:47:22-06:00

These husband and wife plaintiffs are claiming that during one of two, or possibly both bilateral LASIK surgeries performed by Dr. Nicholas Caro on September 22, and October 5, 1999, metallic particles were left embedded in both of Mrs. W's corneas. Although her treatment subsequent to the discovery of the alleged particles was not yet disclosed in this file at the time it was copied, it is possible that she had to undergo corneal transplantation.

Emory Files Lawsuit Against LASIK Eye Doctors

2004-03-12T16:12:07-06:00

Atlanta Business Chronicle Vol. 26, No. 40; Pg. A8; ISSN: 01648071 It was late February and Emory University officials didn't like what they saw. A group of eye doctors who had severed ties with Emory had launched an advertising campaign promoting their LASIK eye surgery practice under a new name, InView. The marketing blitz included messages on billboards, mailings, and on television, radio and the Internet describing InView as "formerly Emory Vision." "New Name, Same Quality," one Internet pop-up...

Loss of Vision Quality Top Complaint of Refractive Patients

2004-03-01T23:54:45-06:00

Matt Young EyeWorld Staff Writer www.eyeworld.org/article.php?sid=445 New evidence suggests that the most common complaint among dissatisfied refractive surgery patients is a loss of quality of vision, said Terrence P. O'Brien, M.D., associate professor of ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore. However, the management of these complications shouldn't always involve surgery, he said. Sometimes, surgeons should simply wait for technology to advance for certain cases, he said. And while surgeons are already greatly concerned about good...

Researchers Admit to High Incidence of Long-term Pain Following Refractive Surgery

2004-02-28T14:20:31-06:00

Neural Basis of Sensation in Intact and Injured Corneas Experimental Eye Research 78 (2004) 513�525 Carlos Belmonte, M. Carmen Acosta, Juana Gallar Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Herna�ndez�CSIC, Apdo correos 18, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain Abstract A renewed interest in the characteristics and neural basis of corneal and conjunctival sensations is developing in recent years due to the high incidence of discomfort and altered sensitivity of the cornea following refractive surgery, use of contact lenses...

TLC V.P. of Marketing Describes Co-management Payments to Optometrists As "Marketing Costs"

2004-02-15T23:40:45-06:00

What�s the Right Price For LASIK? Walt Bethke, Managing Editor �Comanagement costs overlap with marketing costs,� says Anna Austin, vice president of marketing for TLC Vision. �If you�re comanaging some of your refractive patients, obviously you may pay more to the comanager than if you just followed up the patient yourself. But, that referral might have actually replaced a marketing cost you would have incurred if you had to generate that patient. So, though there�s a cost in maintaining a...

The Promise of Refractive Surgery: A Promise Not Kept

2004-02-15T20:31:04-06:00

An Insiders Journal on the Evolution and Misinformation of Refractive Surgery Dedicated to: And the thousands of others whose quality of life has suffered greatly as a result of believing the professionally communicated promise of refractive surgery Table of Contents Section Page Introduction 2 Refractive Surgery and Misinformation 3 Fundamentals of LASIK 5 LASIK�s surgical landscape: the Cornea Asphericity and imaging of light rays on the retina The loss of contrast sensitivity and quality of vision Dry eye DLK (diffuse...

Appeals Court Overturns Judge's Order for New Trial in Pilot's Case

2004-02-11T17:44:13-06:00

The Arizona Court of Appeals has overturned a judge's order for a new trial in the case of a former airline pilot who sued for damage done by LASIK eye surgery. The decision reinstates the $4 million verdict, the largest award ever given in a case involving the popular eye surgery, said the attorney for plaintiff Steve Post. Post, a 33-year-old resident of Sierra Vista, is a former commercial pilot for United Airlines who claims his night vision was destroyed...

T.V. Show Compares LASIK surgeons to Online Perverts

2004-02-11T17:06:19-06:00

`Law & Order' puts Patriot Act on trial Thank heavens for sweeps. Only during these arbitrarily chosen months on Nielsen's calendar do I learn the truth about online perverts and fly-by-night LASIK surgeons on our suddenly perked-up local news. Also, I get to watch episodes of "Law & Order," TV's most efficient recycler of live and late-breaking story lines. Because I prefer the new and different to the old and familiar -- call it an occupational hazard -- I rely...

N.J. Supreme Court Says Doctors, Lawyers Can't Be Sued for Consumer Fraud

2004-02-03T02:23:25-06:00

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Doctors, lawyers and other professionals cannot be sued for false advertising under New Jersey's consumer fraud law because it wasn't written to cover them, the state Supreme Court ruled. The decision issued Monday overturns a ruling made in March 2003 by a state appellate court. It throws out a class-action lawsuit filed against Dr. Joseph Dello Russo, an eye surgeon who widely advertises his LASIK surgery to improve vision. The suit focused on claims by...

Laser Eye Surgery Complaints Double

2004-02-01T16:47:54-06:00

Negligence claims involving laser eye surgery have more than doubled in the last six years, according to the UK's largest insurer for doctors. The Medical Defence Union members said that while some of the claims were over faulty surgery, many more centred on patients' "unrealistic expectations" about what could be achieved. In February the Consumers' Association warned that people who undergo laser eye surgery are "gambling with their sight". It warned that clinics made overblown claims and did not highlight...

Senate President's Wife Sues Eye Doctor While He Pushes Award Caps

2004-01-27T10:46:09-06:00

(FRANKFORT, Ky., January 27th, 2004, 10:30 a.m.) -- The wife of Senate President David Williams is suing an eye doctor, while her husband pushes for caps on medical malpractice awards. Robyn Williams claims that eye surgery performed by an ophthalmologist, Dr. Thomas Abell, damaged her vision. She is seeking unspecified non-economic damages, including pain and suffering -- the sorts of claims her husband wants to limit with a constitutional amendment. The lawsuit was filed in Taylor County Circuit Court...

Dr. William Kellogg Charged With Public Lewdness

2004-01-21T15:48:49-06:00

Doctor in laser surgery suits charged with lewdness By Karen Mahabir TEANECK - A doctor who was at the center of several lawsuits against Dr. Joseph Dello Russo's high-profile laser eye surgery practice has been arrested on charges of masturbating in a drugstore parking lot. William T. Kellogg was found slumped in the driver's seat of his 2001 BMW outside a Teaneck Road store Saturday afternoon, said Detective Sgt. Michael Falvey. He was charged with lewdness. Kellogg, 57, of Summit,...

Surgeons Discover that Microkeratomes Leave Plastic Particles in Corneas

2004-01-02T00:16:50-06:00

Plastic Particles at the LASIK Interface Anders Ivarsen, MD, Jan Th�gersen, PhD, S�ren Rud Keiding, PhD, Jesper �. Hjortdal, MD, PhD, Torben M�ller-Pedersen, MD, PhD Purpose: To investigate the origin, composition, and persistence of the interface particles that frequently are observed after LASIK. Design: Small case series and experimental animal study. Methods: Four patients received LASIK using a Schwind Supratome (Schwind, Kleinostheim, Germany) and a MEL 70 G-Scan excimer laser (Asclepion, Jena, Germany) and were examined over the course...

TLC Forces New Patients to Waive Legal Remedies

2004-01-01T23:14:00-06:00

Strategies to Limit LASIK Liability Rich Daly EyeWorld The latest legal defense against LASIK lawsuits would move cases out of the courtroom and take sky-is-the-limit jury awards off the table. TLC Vision Corp., a major laser vision correction business in North America, has asked those that perform LASIK procedures at its facilities to include mandatory arbitration language as part of their patient informed consent agreements. �I think it�s pretty innovative,� said William F. Sutton, a Philadelphia ophthalmology defense attorney, about...

Corneal Nerve Damage Continues to Increase 2-3 Years After LASIK

2004-01-01T17:51:52-06:00

Both subbasal and stromal corneal nerves in LASIK flaps recover slowly and do not return to preoperative densities by 3 years after LASIK. The numbers of subbasal nerves appear to decrease between 2 and 3 years after LASIK. The orientation of the regenerated subbasal nerves remains predominantly vertical.

Insurance Companies Drop Lasik Chain After Action News Investigation

2003-12-15T01:57:01-06:00

TAMPA - Tens of thousands of people in the Bay area went to the Lasik Vision Institute because their insurance companies offered a special deal on Lasik eye surgery. Now, those companies are taking action to protect their customers. When Erica Patterson had Lasik surgery at the Lasik Vision Institute, she thought she was getting a great deal. "I thought it was a great benefit thinking that I lucked out with this great insurance company and that I was...

Lasik Surgeon Says People Who Don't Have LASIK Save Themselves "A Lot of Grief"

2003-12-07T14:13:09-06:00

Ultimately, Boston doctors may simply reflect the conservative sensibility of their patients. For instance, Boston consistently had among the lowest numbers of volunteers willing to undergo tests of vision correction surgery in the late 1980s and early '90s, recalled Dr. Roger Steinert of Harvard Medical School, who pioneered the highly popular Lasik technique locally. "The patients who would come in for it had to have some willingness to take risks and it has absolutely been my consistent impression that people...

Dr. Anita Nevyas Target of FDA Criminal Complaint

2003-12-04T19:06:23-06:00

I now call for an investigation by the Office of Criminal Investigation, for action which would: 1) Terminate all IDEs and stop Nevyas from performing LASIK. 2) Fine and otherwise sanction Nevyas for past improprieties. It is my sincere belief that only the FDA, or an equivalent governmental agency with power to investigate criminal behavior can properly evaluate and understand what these improprieties are. The civil justice system is not adequate to the task.

Clinic Sued in Failure to Pay

2003-12-03T02:42:41-06:00

By Catherine Holahan and Kibret Markos BERGENFIELD - Dr. Joseph Dello Russo, a high-profile eye surgeon, has made millions performing laser eye surgery at his Bergenfield and Manhattan offices. So it was an unusual sight when officers from the Bergen County Sheriff's Department came to Dello Russo's New Jersey Eye Center on Monday to tag nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in equipment for repossession. Dello Russo failed to make timely payments on $737,923 worth of medical equipment leased...

Dr. George Waring Arrested, Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges (Carrying Weapons/Explosives on Aircraft)

2003-11-20T17:07:36-06:00

U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta) CRIMINAL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 1:03-cr-00682-RWS-1 Case title: USA v. Waring Date Filed: 11/20/2003 Date Terminated: 11/24/2003 Assigned to: Judge Richard W. Story Defendant (1) George O. Waring, III TERMINATED: 11/24/2003 represented by Steven Howard Sadow Law Office of Steven H. Sadow, P.C. Suite 2502 260 Peachtree Street, N.W. Atlanta, GA 30303 404-577-1400 Email: steve8300@mindspring.com TERMINATED: 11/24/2003 LEAD ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED Designation: Retained Pending Counts None...

Pennsylvania Department of Health Investigates "Drive-By" Lasik Surgeries

2003-11-18T18:04:00-06:00

Groups Worried About Lasik Trucks Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Anita Srikameswaran Two medical organizations say the Pennsylvania Department of Health should be keeping an eye on surgical suites in trucks that provide laser vision correction in parking lots and other off-street locations. Current regulations for surgical centers need to be updated to account for mobile facilities, said Dr. Michael J. Azar, president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology. "When the regulations were written, the state had no way of knowing that someday...

Spooked by Surgery? New Contacts Aim to Correct Myopia While you Sleep

2003-11-17T14:05:14-06:00

Lenses by Night, Clear Sight by Day Business Week Carol Marie Cropper IMAGINE CONTACT LENSES YOU pop in before going to bed at night and take out -- with clear vision -- in the morning. Sort of like a night brace for the eyes. About 20,000 people have been fitted with the new lenses, called Paragon CRT (Corneal Refractive Therapy), since the Food & Drug Administration approved them last year for reshaping the cornea to correct mild to moderate myopia,...

Lasik Vision Institute Faces Criminal Investigation by Florida Attorney General

2003-11-10T09:54:42-06:00

Doctor blows the whistle on Lasik eye surgery chain www.abcactionnews.com/stories/2003/11/031110lasik.shtml TAMPA - The Lasik Vision Institute, also known as LVI, offers rock-bottom rates on laser eye surgery. But when some patients came forward with serious medical problems, ABC Action News began investigating. What senior investigator Mike Mason found will open your eyes like no other investigation he's done. Judy Sanders had Lasik surgery last year at the Lasik Vision Institute on Fowler Avenue in Tampa. "I said, 'What's that smell?'...

Louisiana Ophthalmologist Fined $1.1 Million by FDA

2003-11-05T21:43:29-06:00

A Lafayette, La., ophthalmologist and eye care center he owns have agreed to pay the federal government a total of $1.1 million in civil money penalties for violating federal laws related to the conduct of clinical studies. The violations involved studies of a laser system built by the ophthalmologist for LASIK treatment of nearsightedness. In a settlement agreement signed today with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Leon C. LaHaye, M.D., will pay $150,000 and his LaHaye Center for...

Dr. Glenn Kawesch Sued by Aris Vision Institute for Breach of Contract

2003-11-03T13:52:39-06:00

Visit www.usaeyes-fraud.com for details on Aris Vision Institute vs. Dr. Glenn Kawesch....

Defense Lawyer Asks for New Trial in $4 Million LASIK Verdict

2003-11-02T17:23:16-06:00

Expert witness Jeffery J. Machat, MD, of Toronto mistakenly presented erroneous information during a May trial that led to a $4 million jury verdict against United Physicians Inc. (UPI) of Tucson, Ariz., Machat testified at an August evidentiary hearing. Machat was a witness for former commercial airline pilot Steve Post, who sued UPI after he said his night vision was impaired following LASIK. Machat acknowledged during August testimony that he left a voice message for the UPI surgeon who performed...

Refractive Success But Extreme Pain - What's the Solution?

2003-11-01T23:38:27-06:00

Matt Young EyeWorld Staff Writer www.eyeworld.org/article.php?sid=823 One patient who is an apparent refractive success story � he achieved 20/20 vision after LASIK � has had extreme pain since the surgery. Bright sunlight, cold air, and slight air current cause continuous bilateral pain. Treatments sought include recommendations by 10 corneal specialists, a multitude of Food and Drug Administration and non-FDA approved drugs, bandage lenses, and more. Some ophthalmologists that heard of this case said it is one of the most perplexing...

Researchers Conclude Moria M2 is Better Than Hansatome and ACS Microkeratomes

2003-10-23T02:01:05-06:00

Quality assessment model of 3 different microkeratomes through confocal microscopy Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2004; 30:1300�1309. 2004 ASCRS and ESCRS Jaime Javaloy, MD, PhD, Mar��a T. Vidal, MD, Antonio Quinto, OA, Victoria de Rojas, MD, PhD, Jorge L. Alio�, MD, PhD Purpose: To study the quality of the cut created by 3 microkeratomes from 2 different generations using corneal confocal microscopy. Setting: Department of Refractive Surgery, Instituto Oftalmolo� gico de Alicante, Alicante, Spain. Methods: Two different studies were...

A Profession of Clamoring Scum and Anonymous Splendor

2003-10-01T02:05:58-06:00

by Mark Johnson, M.D., F.A.C.S. To be a professional is different from just having a job or even from doing your job well. This distinction has been lost and blurred during recent decades. Workers want to claim to be professionals, as a mark of excellence and ability. Professionals want to claim to be no more than businessmen and capitalists, and escape obligation to standards and goals more lofty than the pursuit of the almighty American dollar. The classic professions: Law,...

Prominent Ophthalmologist Arrested on Drug Charges

2003-09-27T23:28:59-06:00

By J.M. KALIL REVIEW-JOURNAL A prominent ophthalmologist who has performed hundreds of LASIK eye surgeries on Las Vegans has been charged with felony cocaine possession. Dr. Kurt Buzard, owner of the 30,000-square-foot Buzard Eye Institute on West Sahara Avenue, was arrested last week and released from jail on his own recognizance. His arrest came about three weeks after police pulled over Buzard's Mercedes convertible and found more than 2 grams of cocaine in a candy tin inside, according to court...

Techniques for Dismantling a Jammed Microkeratome During Surgery

2003-09-13T22:09:35-06:00

Failed Microkeratome Reversal of Forward Pass The only unusual aspect of this procedure was that the machine jammed. By Robert E. Tibolt, MD A frustrating aspect surgeons will inevitably encounter is a mechanical malfunction. In both cataract and refractive surgery, we are dependent on the tools we use to improve our patients' visual acuity. When something goes wrong, we must be prepared mentally for a quick and accurate response to assure a successful outcome for our patients. I hope...

Dr. Jay Pepose Seeks Salesperson to Pose as "Patient Counselor"

2003-09-07T10:19:53-06:00

US-MO-St. Louis-Patient Counselor (Sales) :. Status: Full Time, Employee Shift: First Shift (Day), Second Shift (Afternoon) Job Location: 63017 Patient Counselor (Sales) PEPOSE VISION INSTITUTE A progressive ophthalmology practice is seeking a dynamic salesperson to counsel patients for LASIK surgery. Qualified candidates will have experience in health care, and possess the ability to educate patients about their vision correction alternatives. Experience in health care sales is preferred. A Patient Counselor for the Practice is a primary source of...

Dr. Davidorf Promotes Lasik as Therapy for Children

2003-09-03T13:51:57-06:00

LASIK for Kids: An Option Whose Time May Be Near Connecticut Post Your child may be a good athlete, but you still worry about an injury from those pesky glasses. Or maybe you fret about your middle schooler, longing desperately to fit in but feeling terribly uncool in high-prescription lenses. What's a parent to do? Someday, LASIK surgery might be the answer. After all, more than 1 million American adults a year now have this surgery to reduce their dependence...

Surgeons Describes "Irrational Enthusiam for Lasik"

2003-09-01T12:25:37-06:00

Lee Shahinian, Jr, MD, a corneal surgeon in private practice in Mountainview, California, states that, despite LASIK�s generally excellent results, complications have been reported in approximately 4% of cases,1 and almost all of these problems are related to the microkeratome and stromal flap. �With the severing of corneal nerve trunks and the cutting of 200 million stromal collagen fibrils, LASIK has profound and lasting effects on the corneal anatomy and physiology,� he says. Dr. Shahinian says that LASEK is challenging...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "R.C"

2003-08-25T08:20:20-06:00

Plaintiff alleged that during her treatment consisting of multiple refractive surgeries to both eyes at St. George Corrective Vision Center between August of 1993 and September of 1997, Dr. Nicholas Caro and/or other personnel affiliated with him, among other things, performed two surgeries that have a well known poor success rate (hexagonal keratotomy and/or automated lamellar keratoplasty), failed to properly inform her about the experimental nature of each surgery performed which ultimately necessitated corneal transplantation, and also didn't inform her that an excimer laser, apparently manufactured by PDI Laser, was not approved by the FDA and that the FDA had denied Dr. Caro's application to use it, and went ahead and used it on her anyway.

STAAR Surgical Company Claims Implantable Contact Lenses Safer than Lasik

2003-08-23T22:40:19-06:00

Ophthalmics device company reports 99.4% patient satisfaction STAAR Surgical Company (STAA) reported that the July/August 2003 edition of the Journal of Refractive Surgery has published the findings of a study comparing the retinal image quality and postoperative aberrations of patients of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with patients that were implanted with STAAR's ICL. The article entitled "Image Quality in Myopic Eyes Corrected with Laser in situ Keratomileusis and Phakic Intraocular Lens" authored by Edwin J. Sarver, PhD, Donald R....

British Goverment Declares War on "Laser Center Cowboys"

2003-08-17T13:14:48-06:00

By Keith Gladdis News Group Newspapers LTD The News of the World LASER eye clinics face tough new regulations to protect patients from rogue medics. More than 100,000 Brits ditch their glasses and contact lenses every year in favour of laser eye surgery. And a host of celebrities have undergone treatment, including Cilla Black, Spice Girl Mel B, Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt. But the Consumers Association has warned that many patients are "gambling with their eyesight" because the industry...

Dr. Douglas Koch Condemns Irresponsible Advertising

2003-08-17T12:58:24-06:00

LASIK reporting: preserving our responsibility to our patients Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Volume 29, Issue 8 , August 2003, Pages 1463-1464 Article Outline Price Eligibility Outcome Fear Advertising has become standard practice in health care. For better, and often for worse, ophthalmologists appear to be taking the lead in advertising dollars spent and, more regrettably, in the potentially harmful nature of the ads. At risk are the respect of our colleagues, the size of malpractice awards (Richard L....

Serial Surgeon Sued for Performing 20 Unnecessary Surgeries

2003-08-14T14:00:11-06:00

Judge Tepper Sues Eye Doctor St. Petersburg Times Pasco-Pinellas Circuit Judge Lynn Tepper has filed a lawsuit against a doctor and his office over an eye operation that she says led to more than 20 unnecessary surgeries and damaged vision in her right eye. Tepper, 51, who presides over civil matters at the Dade City courthouse, had dedicated herself to the family court system for years until her eyesight and the need for more operations forced her to move to...

Surgeons Discover that Cornea Flaps Never Fully Reattach

2003-08-13T23:51:37-06:00

To Lift or Recut: Changing trends in LASIK enhancement Roy S. Rubinfeld, MD, David R. Hardten, MD, Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, Raymond M. Stein, MD, Douglas D. Koch, MD, Mark G. Speaker, MD, PhD, Joseph Frucht-Pery, MD, Anthony J. Kameen, MD, Gerald J. Negvesky, MD Purpose: To report serious complications caused by recutting laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flaps for enhancement and reconsider the current preferred method of LASIK enhancement. Setting: Multiple surgeon practices. Methods: This retrospective noncomparative nonconsecutive...

Pilot Crashes Into Hospital Emergency Room After Undergoing Lasik

2003-08-11T14:40:23-06:00

Airline pilots should stop and think before even considering LASIK for vision problems By Capt. Jolanda Witvliet (United) Air Line Pilot, August 2003, p.27 I was like a lot of pilots, tired of wearing contact lenses and ready for a fix. I looked into a variety of eye surgeries and rejected all of them except laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK). I am sure that almost every one has heard of LASIK and has read the advertisements in the newspaper: Have...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "E.L.I."

2003-07-23T09:12:55-06:00

Plaintiff alleged that on March 27, 1997, she underwent bilateral LASIK eye surgery without being given adequate informed consent regarding possible problems with her connective tissue disorder, rheumatoid arthritis and dry eyes. As a result she allegedly had severe loss of vision in both eyes from "corneal melting" and there was a period of about two and one-half months when she was legally blind.

Dr. Jain and Dr. Shahinfar Agree to Stop Suing Each Other

2003-06-27T22:26:43-06:00

Bloomberg Eye Center's Owners Resolve Legal Dispute Julie Shaw Advocate Reporter NEWARK -- Bloomberg Eye Center's two co-owners have dismissed their lawsuit claims against each other in a move that paves the way for the possible return to the practice of an eye surgeon whose license was suspended for alcohol abuse. Dr. Vikas K. Jain -- known for his past performances of and widespread advertisements for laser eye surgery -- said Thursday that he is undergoing treatment for alcoholism, has...

Laser Eye Surgery Lawsuits Double as Patients' High Expectations are Dashed

2003-06-23T17:34:16-06:00

The growth of laser eye surgery could lead to a tidal wave of litigation against eye specialists, doctors' groups admitted yesterday after revealing that lawsuits over the technique have more than doubled in the past six years. While some claims allege faulty surgery, the Medical Defence Union, the UK's largest insurer for doctors, said many more centred on patients' "unrealistic expectations". A spokeswoman for the MDU said: "Many cases take years to reach us, because people may not sue for...

Dr. Glenn Kawesch Sued by Margaret Cheleman for Medical Malpractice

2003-04-04T14:07:42-06:00

Visit www.usaeyes-fraud.com for details on Margaret Cheleman vs. Dr. Glenn Kawesch....

Keith Wills v. Nevyas Eye Associates - Report on Standard of Care Deviation

2003-03-01T15:01:35-06:00

Dr. Nevyas breached the applicable standard of care by operating on this highly myopic patient with an excimer laser utilizing a treatment zone that was substantially smaller than the pupil size in dim light. Specifically, Mr. Wills' pupils measured 6.25 mm in dim light, while the laser treatment zone was only 5 mm in diameter. With this combination of high myopia and a relatively large pupil, the use of a comparatively small diameter laser treatment zone was highly predictable to cause Mr. Wills to develop the residual visual problems from which he continues to suffer. Moreover, this specific situation (i.e. high myopia and large pupil diameter relative to laser treatment zone) was well known, even in 1997, to result in the likely outcome of permanent problems of glare, halo, starburst, and ghost imaging phenomena.

University Partners with Industry to Assist Patients Injured by LASIK

2003-02-21T16:50:15-06:00

Wendy Lyons Sunshine Special To Houston Business Journal In the hopes of tossing away their glasses and contact lenses forever, nearly 3 million people have flocked to have LASIK and other vision-correcting procedures done since they first became available in the mid-1990s. Last year alone, over 700,000 people in the United States underwent LASIK says David Harmon, president of Market Scope, a refractive industry tracking newsletter. While the majority of patients report a positive outcome and say they would choose...

Refractive Community Responds to Public Postings of Private Physician Correspondences

2003-02-01T23:48:50-06:00

Pillsbury & Levinson, LLP press release.Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today recently informed readers that excerpts of private e-mails exchanged between physician members of the International Society for Refractive Surgery (ISRS) had been posted on the public Internet newsgroup alt.lasik-eyes, causing substantial concern among the refractive surgery community. The newsgroup can be accessed by the public from the Web site www.lasikcourt.com by clicking on "Links." ISRS recently provided us with the following statement in response: "It has come to the attention of...

Ophthalmologists' E-mails Posted on Public Internet Newsgroup

2003-02-01T23:43:07-06:00

http://www.crstoday.com/02_current/crst0103_01_news.html Glenn Hagele, Founder and Executive Director of the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance (CRSQA), recently alerted a number of physicians, as well as Julia Lewis, the Executive Director of the International Society for Refractive Surgery (ISRS), and Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, that excerpts of e-mails exchanged by physician members of ISRS via its mail list at isrsnet@list.isrs.org containing �candid exchanges about patients, techniques, manufacturers, and other doctors� have been posted on the public Internet uncensored newsgroup alt.lasik-eyes....

Dr. Jack Holladay Files $2,000,483 Bankruptcy to Escape a $750,000 Judgment

2003-01-03T22:37:22-06:00

On January 7, 2003 Dr. Jack Holladay filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petition in the amount of $2,000,483.19 in order to escape a $750,000 judgment that was awarded to Houston Eye Associates P.C., in a lawsuit for Breech-of-Contract. Court documents show that the bankruptcy court trustee filed complaints against Dr. Jack Holladay for fraud and perjury. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition (Adobe PDF) Bankruptcy Trustee's Complaint Against Dr. Jack Holladay (Adobe PDF) (HTML) Pursuant to 11 U.S.C. � 727(a)(2) Debtor...

Dr. Thomas Tooma Sues TLC

2002-11-18T23:28:56-06:00

On October 21, 2002, the Company was served with a lawsuit filed by Thomas S. Tooma, M.D. and TST Acquisitions, LLC in the Superior Court of the State of California in Orange County, California. Dr. Tooma and certain entities controlled by him have been engaged in a joint business venture in the State of California since July 1999 with TLC Vision. The lawsuit seeks damages and injunctive relief based on the Plaintiffs' allegation that the Company's merger with Laser Vision...

Dr. Glenn Kawesch Sued by Virginia King for Wrongful Termination

2002-10-15T14:15:16-06:00

Visit www.usaeyes-fraud.com for details on Virginia King vs. Dr. Glenn Kawesch....

A Mysterious Tale: The Search for the Cause of 100+ Cases of Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis

2002-09-01T14:23:52-06:00

Publishing an anonymous article in which the author is not identified in a peer reviewed journal may seem inconsistent. However, this mysterious tale can, I believe, be extremely instructive for all readers, especially since it leads to no firm, clear-cut conclusion. I expect considerable correspondence after this article is published. The author requested anonymity for one simple reason: the risk of exposure for litigation with such an honest and revealing narrative. After consultation with members of the JRS Editorial Board,...

Dr. Glenn Kawesch Sued by Michael Pines for Medical Malpractice

2002-08-30T14:11:59-06:00

Visit www.usaeyes-fraud.com for details on Michael Pines vs. Dr. Glenn Kawesch....

Dominic Morgan v. Nevyas Eye Associates - Report on Standard of Care Deviation (2)

2002-06-02T18:33:37-06:00

In review of Dr. Salz' extensive examination and conclusions, I am of the opinion in complete agreement with Dr. Salz to the best degree of medical probability that the care rendered by Dr. Anita Nevyas-Wallace on behalf of Dominic Morgan fell below standard for LASIK surgery at the time. Indeed, I completely agree with Dr. Salz that Dr. Nevyas-Wallace failed to appropriately screen Mr. Morgan and exclude him as a viable candidate for LASIK surgery based on his extensive prior ophthalmologic history which would have predicted a less than optimal result, as he has ultimately experienced with the surgery performed by Dr. Anita Nevyas-Wallace.

Laser Eye Surgery: Take a Second Look

2002-05-20T21:59:02-06:00

As its popularity grows, so do post-op problems Lewis Braham www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/02_20/b3783110.htm Laser eye surgery has become so routine that ophthalmologists advertise it on billboards and perform the operation at shopping-mall clinics. But the seeming simplicity of the 15-minute procedure to correct nearsightedness can be misleading. In the surgery, called Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK), a laser vaporizes part of the cornea and reshapes it to change the eye's focus. That's not quite as routine as having your teeth cleaned. Some...

MORIA Wins Case Against Bausch & Lomb

2002-05-06T14:34:54-06:00

Business Wire May 6, 2002, Monday Patent Infringement On Microkeratomes: MORIA Wins the Case Against Bausch & Lomb, Ruiz and Lenchig in the Paris Court. MORIA announced today that the Paris court of first instance has ruled in favor of MORIA in a patent infringement action filed by Bausch & Lomb Inc. and others. The court found that Bausch & Lomb's lawsuit was improperly initiated against MORIA. The court rejected all claims made by Bausch & Lomb, RUIZ Luis Antonio,...

Dr. Barrie Soloway Sued by Eric Schuler-Dalverny for for Medical Malpractice

2002-05-01T11:21:18-06:00

Each of the defendants, their agents, servants, partners and/or employees, were negligent and careless in the services rendered for and on behalf of the plaintiff; in negligently and carelessly failing and neglecting to heed the plaintiff's condition; in negligently performing refractive eye surgery; in negligently and carelessly taking a history; in negligently and carelessly failing to examine and evaluate the eyes of the plaintiff; in negligently and carelessly discharging the plaintiff without adequate follow-up procedures; in failing to take adequate tests; in failing to promptly and properly perform refractive eye surgery; in failing to promptly and properly perform tests and procedures; in failing to heed the complaints of the plaintiff; in ignoring the complaints of the plaintiff; in negligently and carelessly departing from accepted practices and services rendered; in performing contraindicated procedures on the plaintiff; in failing to perform indicated procedures; in failing to follow good practice; and otherwise being negligent.

Dominic Morgan v. Nevyas Eye Associates - Report on Standard of Care Deviation (1)

2002-04-27T10:13:41-06:00

Mr. Morgan states and it is confirmed on his patient history dated 3/10/98 that he came to the Nevyas Eye Associates because he heard a radio commercial on station KYW. I have reviewed the script of radio advertisements, the Nevyas web pages, and a promotional Videotape of a program that was shown on cable television and may have been distributed to patients. I have been told that all of these materials were used during the FDA investigation of the Nevyas Laser. None of these materials included the FDA required warning that the device is limited to investigational use only. The ads also represent that the procedure is safe, and in fact the TV ad shows a simulated blurred 20/200 vision quickly dissolving into a sharp 20/20 vision. There are numerous other representations that the procedure is safe and effective. If patients were responding to these advertisements and then were entered into the FDA study, that would represent a serious deviation from the standard of care and one that I am sure the FDA would be interested in these practices.

Surgeons Describe a 5-8% Flap Complication Rate for Lasik

2002-02-15T12:33:11-06:00

Preventing LASIK Buttonholes Steep corneas and surface dryness increase patient risk Balamurali K. Ambati, MD, and Alan N. Carlson, MD LASIK is now widely performed, with an estimated 1.5 million procedures performed last year.1 Flap complications have been reported in 5% to 8.7% of cases.2 The buttonhole, occurring at a rate of 0.3% to 2.6%, is one of the more serious flap abnormalities because it results in loss of BCVA.3-6 A buttonhole in the flap occurs when the microkeratome blade...

Dr. Anita Nevyas Target of FDA Regulatory Complaint

2001-12-20T13:41:12-06:00

If the Nevyas Excimer Laser gains market approval from the FDA on the basis of improper data submission from its sole investigator, Nevyas, the results could be catastrophic. LASIK is an extremely popular operation, and some estimate over one-quarter of the North American population are potential patients. If a rogue device were to gain entry to this billion dollar market, where improper data could lead to it being used in favor of properly approved LASIK devices, the damages could be unimaginable.

Dr. Glenn Kawesch Sued by George Biagi for Medical Malpractice and Fraud

2001-12-04T14:02:05-06:00

Visit www.usaeyes-fraud.com for details on George Biagi vs. Dr. Glenn Kawesch....

Dr. Johnny Gayton Declares LASIK to be Excessively Risky

2001-06-12T21:45:39-06:00

Ophthalmologists debating safety of Lasik procedure Charlie Lanter The Macon Telegraph A Middle Georgia ophthalmologist raised some patients' - and doctors' - eyebrows recently when he announced his decision to stop offering the popular Lasik vision-correction surgery. Johnny Gayton, owner and chief surgeon for Eyesight Associates, said his practice won't perform most Lasik surgeries because, he maintains, the procedure is too risky. His decision, however, is disputed by other ophthalmologists who say Lasik is safe. "It's probably the safest and...

LASIK Letdown - Surgeons Mute Their Claims of Success as Lawsuits Mount and Authorities Clamp Down

2001-06-11T14:02:10-06:00

Carla McClain Arizona Daily Star The first signs that something is going wrong with the hottest elective surgery in the United States - LASIK eye surgery - are emerging here and nationwide. A "gold-rush mentality" developing around the quick, pay-up-front surgery to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness is being blamed for a jump in medical malpractice lawsuits filed by dissatisfied - in some cases, devastated - LASIK patients, now estimated at 5 percent of all cases. Among them is a young,...

Dr. Glenn Kawesch Sued by Frank Soya for Medical Malpractice

2001-05-31T13:57:32-06:00

Visit www.usaeyes-fraud.com for details on Frank Soya vs. Dr. Glenn Kawesch....

Defense Attorney Recommends Surgeons Avoid Engineers, Lawyers, Pilots and Physicians

2001-05-26T22:14:05-06:00

LASIK Lawsuits - Patients and their lawyers take aim. The number of cases is increasing. How to protect and, if necessary, defend yourself By C. Gregory Tiemeier, J.D., Denver, Colo. Excerpt: Patient personalities. Watch out for perfectionists. A disproportionately high number of them are engineers, lawyers, pilots and physicians. I also find that a disproportionately high number of them are plaintiffs after refractive surgery. The complete article is available at: www.ophmanagement.com/article.aspx?article=85104...

Cheryl Fiorelli v. Nevyas Eye Associates - Report on Standard of Care Deviation

2001-04-01T20:58:46-06:00

It is my opinion, to the best degree of medical probability, that Dr. Anita Nevyas-Wallace deviated from acceptable standards of care in her surgical judgement in selecting Ms. Cheryl Fiorelli as a candidate for LASIK surgery given her extremely high myopia and astigmatism. The failure to obtain corneal pachymetry to accurately assess comeal thickness preoperatively even in 1997 was substandard. The creation of the LASIK flap was complicated by microkeratome failure and stoppage both on the forward and reverse passes as documented in the medical record. Actually, a nurse was controlling the foot pedals of the microkeratome and not the operative surgeon. Moreover, an unapproved laser ("black box laser") was used to perform the Excimer Laser ablation.

Dr. Thomas Tooma Sued by Jerry Lehrer for Professional Negligence and Fraud

2001-02-13T23:46:00-06:00

Read the lawsuit titled Dr. Thomas Tooma Sued by Jerry Lehrer for Professional Negligence and Fraud at www.usaeyes-fraud.com....

Dr. Eric Donnenfeld and TLC Sued by Dr. Joseph Dello Russo for Engaging in Dirty Tricks Campaign

2001-02-01T22:31:46-06:00

Dr. Eric Donnenfeld and TLC Laser Eye Centers ran false radio advertisements claiming that Dr. Joseph Dello Russo underwent LASIK laser eye surgery with Dr. Donnenfeld, and that Dr. Joseph Dello Russo he endorsed their services.

Elias Vamvakas, Dr. Jeffery Machat, and TLC Laser Eye Centers Sued by Lasik Vision Canada - Affidavit of Brent Hanson

2000-08-27T13:46:41-06:00

Elias Vamvakas, Dr. Jeffrey Machat, and other TLC Laser Eye Center executives sued by LASIK Vision Canada for engaging in dirty tricks campaign. This is the affidavit of Brent Hanson.

Dr. Robert Maloney Sued by Yvette Boleslav for Medical Malpractice, Assault and Battery

2000-04-10T11:06:47-06:00

That because of intentional misrepresentations made to plaintiff by defendants, and each of them, to the effect that eye "floaters" could not be produced or increased as the result of the defendants� recommended surgical procedure, plaintiff submitted to the so-called "advanced" type of surgery, which, in fact, did cause and increase floaters in both of plaintiff�s eyes, so as to seriously interfere with her vision, and the details of which has been described in paragraphs 4, 5, and 6, above; that had the defendants advised plaintiff that the contemplated surgery was known to have caused, and/or increased eye "floaters" in other patients, plaintiff would never have submitted to surgery.

Dr. Thomas Tooma Violates FDA Safety Protocols

2000-04-03T03:18:02-06:00

Excerpt from the FDA warning letter: "The purpose of this Warning Letter is to inform you of objectionable conditions found during a Food and Drug Admininstration (FDA) inspection of your clinical site, to discuss your written response to the deviations noted, and to request a prompt reply with regard to the remaining issues. The inspection took place during the period of December 22, 1999 and January 13, 2000, and was conducted by Mr. ALlen F Hall, an investigator from FDA's...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "G.D." and "M.H."

2000-03-31T08:25:12-06:00

Plaintiff alleged that two weeks after Dr. Nicholas Caro performed LASIK surgery on both of his eyes on January 2, 1998, his left eye began to turn red, vision became decreased, the pupil turned white, and due to a corneal infection, developed a corneal ulcer.

Elias Vamvakas, Dr. Jeffery Machat, and TLC Laser Eye Centers Sued by Lasik Vision Canada

1999-12-30T22:26:41-06:00

Elias Vamvakas, Dr. Jeffrey Machat, and other TLC Laser Eye Center executives sued by LASIK Vision Canada for engaging in dirty tricks campaign.

Dr. Raymond Stein Accused of Malfeasance by Dr. Jeffery Machat

1999-03-23T10:51:41-06:00

I am currently receiving, along with our Clinical Affairs department, quite a number of referrals per week of patients from across North America. This includes a number of patients of Dr. Stein's. It takes us at least 2-3 hours to manage each one of these cases and it is not surprising that things have not moved forward as quickly as you wished. Once again, I cannot speak for Dr. Stein, as his letter to the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Ontario vhen he requested his original charts had stated that he wanted to continue the care of his former patients. Clearly this is not the case.

Dr. Stephen Slade Sued for Medical Malpractice by Sheryl Sullivan

1998-12-31T09:06:06-06:00

Dr. Stephen Slade performed LASIK on patient "A", using the measurements for patient "B". Dr. Slade then took patient "A" down to Mexico for experimental surgery that failed to work as intended.

Dr. David Dulaney Violates FDA Safety Protocols

1997-08-14T23:47:30-06:00

Excerpt from FDA warning letter: "The purpose of this letter is to warn you that your [redacted] system (the [redacted] located at the Barnet Dulaney Eye Center in Mesa, Arizona, may not be used to treat patients beyond the conditions of approval of your investigational device exemption (IDE). Any use of the [redacted] beyond the terms of the FDA-approved IDE is in violation of federal law. 21. U.S.C. � 351(f)(1)(B). As discussed further below, inspection of your facility by the...

Dr. Philip Roholt Violates FDA Safety Protocols

1997-05-30T03:05:57-06:00

Excerpt from the FDA warning letter: "On February 19-20, 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected the former site of your medical practice in Green, Ohio and on May 13, 1997, we inspected your current location in North Canton, Ohio. These inspections revealed that you are continuing to use an unapproved excimer laser system, which was manufactured by Photon Data, Inc., Winter Park, Florida, and assembled by yourself and Mr. Chung Lee, consultant with Nexus Technology, Inc., Ovledo, Florida."...

U.S. Marshalls Seize "Homegrown" Laser Owned by Dr. Nicholas Caro

1997-05-15T11:58:58-06:00

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES May 15, 1997 Food and Drug Administration 2098 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850 WARNING LETTER Nicholas C. Caro, M.D. 4145 W. Peterson, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60640 Dear Dr. Caro, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected your medical practice located at the above address on April 23, 1997, and determined that you have an unapproved excimer laser system, which was manufactured by Photon Data, Inc., Winter Park, Florida and assembled by [name redacted...

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "E.G."

1994-08-26T09:25:05-06:00

Plaintiff claimed that during the second of two lamellar keratectomy (LK) surgeries on his left eye on August 26, 1994, Dr. Nicholas Caro cut too deeply into it causing severe damage to the cornea and iris. He also claimed that Eye Technology manufactured a defective machine that was used during the procedure.

Dr. Nicholas Caro Sued for Medical Malpractice by "G.C."

1994-02-03T08:34:35-06:00

Plaintiff alleged that on February 23, 1994, Dr. Nicholas Caro, among other things, improperly performed a lamellar keratoplasty on him without giving proper informed consent by warning him of the risks involved which include blindness and also failed to inform him of alternatives. He is now blind in his left eye.