Long Island LASIK Specialists

Dr. Daniel Kiernan has joined Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI) as an associate physician specializing in medical and surgical diseases of the retina, vitreous and macula. He will be joining Glenn Stoller, MD and Ken Carnevale, MD in Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island’s retinal department. Dr. Kiernan was recently awarded the Raymond R. Margherio Research Award from the Retina Society. This prestigious award, given for outstanding original research or surgery on macular disease, was presented to Dr. Kiernan at the Society’s annual meeting in September 2010 and has already been acknowledged at both the Macula Society and The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meetings.

 ”The accolade has furthered my motivation to pursue translational research involving correlating retina structural imaging and function,” says Dr. Kiernan. Dr. Kiernan’s other research interests include age-related macular degeneration, hereditary macular conditions and retinal vascular disease.

 Being the eldest son of an ophthalmologist, Dr. Kiernan says his decision to train as a retinal surgeon was based on a sense of personal responsibility and his desire to become an “innovator in a field governed by fine visual details, superb motor skills and the marvelous sense of sight.”

 ”We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kiernan to our team of experienced and dedicated staff of eye care professionals at OCLI,” said Tom Burke, CEO, OCLI. “He will prove to be a great addition to our continuing efforts to meet and exceed our patients’ needs.”

Dr. Kiernan graduated from the University of Chicago with his Bachelor’s degree in Biology. He received his medical degree from Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Kiernan completed his ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago Hospitals, Pritzker School of Medicine. He is currently completing his vitreo-retinal surgical fellowship at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary.

 For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kiernan in Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Stony Brook, Port Jefferson, please contact OCLI at 1-866-SEE-OCLI (1-866-733-6254)

See the attached features in the Baldwin Herald and Farmingdale Observer about OCLI Bowling for a cause.

Baldwin Herald_Bowling for A Cause

Farmingdale Observer_Bowling for a Cause

On Friday June 10th, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI) participated in a bowling event to raise money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC). Over 40 people attended the event on June 10 which raised $950.00. OCLI is a flagship sponsor of the MSABC Walk which takes place in October at Jones Beach. This year, their goal is to raise $50,000.

On Wednesday, June 8, Dr. Anzhelika Vaccaro of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI) participated as a guest speaker and vision expert at a workshop for the Suffolk County Department of Health’s Stepping On program. Stepping On is a program that empowers older adults to carry out health behaviors that reduce the risks of falls, improve self management, and increase quality of life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) one out of every three people ages 65 and older, fall each year. Among older adults, falls are the cause of injury and hospital admission for trauma and death. Dr. Vaccaro facilitated a workshop about vision and the role vision plays in keeping one’s balance. This community-based workshop was one of several offered over the course of seven weeks using adult education and self-efficacy principals. Participating in this workshop is one way Dr. Vaccaro, a resident of Mt. Sinai, gives back to the community in which she lives and works

A board certified ophthalmologist for OCLI, Dr. Vaccaro discussed the following guidelines for vision safety and preventing a fall:

1. Regular Eye exams including screenings for cataracts and glaucoma
2. Wearing eyeglasses and making sure they are updated regularly
3. Keeping eyeglasses clean
4. Make sure lighting is sufficient
5. In the home, be aware of pets, clutter and furniture
6. When outside, scanning the environment ahead for other pedestrians, cars and bicycles

Dr. Vaccaro is a board certified ophthalmologist and a fellowship trained glaucoma specialist. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at Hunter College in New York, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Dr. Vaccaro received her Medical degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate College of Medicine followed by an internship at the Staten Island University Hospital and an ophthalmology residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). She then served a Fellowship in Glaucoma at the prestigious New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Dr. Vaccaro worked as a Physician Assistant in Pediatrics for a private practice and later as a Research Assistant at the Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University. She has participated in several research studies and is a proud member of Sigma XI, the Scientific Research Society. Dr. Vaccaro has written several articles and co-authored a book chapter. Dr. Vaccaro has volunteered her time helping patients at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Hospital. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Medical Association, the American Medical Student Association and the American College of Physicians, also known as the American College of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Vaccaro is a former professional figure-skater trained at the Ukrainian School of Figure-Skating. She is fluent in both spoken and written Russian. Dr. Vaccaro works out of OCLI’s Port Jefferson and Stony Brook offices.

For more information, please contact OCLI at 1-866-SEE-OCLI (1-866-733-6254) or on their website www.ocli.net.

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month in an effort to educate the public on the risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options of the world’s leading cause of blindness.

According to PBA, there are more cases of cataract globally than there are of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy combined. Today, cataract affects more than 22 million Americans aged 40 and older. As the U.S. population ages, more than 30.1 million Americans are projected to have cataracts by the year 2020.
Risk factors for developing cataract include a family history of cataract, diabetes, smoking, extended exposure to UV rays, serious eye injury, and the use of steroids.

Americans spend $6.8 billion every year on direct medical costs for outpatient, inpatient, and prescription drug services for cataracts, according to “Economic Impact of Vision Problems: The Toll of Major Adult Eye Disorders, Visual Impairment, and Blindness on the U.S. Economy,” a 2007 study funded by PBA.

“We encourage everyone, especially those age 40 and over, to get a dilated, baseline eye exam from [their] eye care professional,” said Hugh R. Parry, PBA’s president and CEO.

If you or a loved one believes you have a cataract, please call 1-866-733-6254 to arrange an appointment with an Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island doctor today.

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

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

Team Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI) walked the Families Walk for Hope in Port Jefferson on May 7. The walk raised money for the Fortunato Breast Health Center at Mather Hospital. See the feature here.

Families Walk for Hope_the Village Beacon Record