To Chelsea Eye and Cosmetic Surgery
When I first heard about LASIK eye surgery, it was many years ago. I lived in a rural upstate area which didn’t offer doctors or much information. I wore very thick glasses since I was 8 years old and suffered from headaches from the thickness of the lenses.

I was beyond ecstatic at about age 14 when I ditched the glasses, braces and zits and went for contacts. However, the contacts posed to be a challenge since I had astigmatism in my left eye.

Contacts were a quick fix but not a longstanding solution. Contacts at least gave me the vanity I wanted, but I often found when going for eye exams, I had to compromise seeing things as clearly as I did with my glasses. I still of course had to wear my glasses at night as the pain of the lenses would get too much towards the end of the long school days.

When I moved to New York I started dating a man who had one of the first LASIK surgeries done in New York, this was before it was with laser and he swore it was life changing and pushed me to find out more information. I was hesitant as I knew the risks involved and thought I would not be a candidate due to the astigmatism.

Years went by and I gained a position working in fashion doing garment production at Marc Jacobs International, LLC.
I would travel for many days on end and have long fights, although I loved my job and the travel aspect, the hassle of taking out my contacts on flights and then putting them back in on the plane became too much. I also would have to remember to always bring a spare, what if I lost a lens in Hong Kong!

After returning from a few fast trips, I found that we had a flexible spending option thru the company which I could apply to LASIK and other various surgeries. I did some research and found that Chelsea Eye was the most acclaimed and accredited in my area.

I was still not convinced.

I went for my consultation and to my surprise... found -I was a candidate!! I met with Dr. Eviatar and felt more at ease with his knowledge and attention to each of his patients. I expressed my concerns and my past experiences with contacts and glasses. I wanted to be entirely sure that LASIK was the right choice for me.

I started the prep before the procedure, I bought the nicest pair of glasses I could find, knowing that they would be miraculously, my last.

When the day of the procedure came, I was very anxious. I could not concentrate, but when I walked into the procedure waiting room I saw that Dr. Eviatar was actually performing surgery on another patient. I watched the surgery in progress- which took all of …5 minutes! I could not believe how fast and easy the surgery was. I felt lucky to see someone else bravely proceed and then it was my turn.

All I can say about my actual surgery was it was quick and effortless!

I finished with the procedure with out a hitch, put on the dark glasses on to go home and rest for a few hours.
When I awoke from my rest, I could not believe the quality and contrast of the sight I was seeing.

I was actually BETTER than with my glasses and contacts- combined.

To me it was a miracle. I had suffered for so long and had so many doubts.

Now it is over 2 years after the procedure and I am the biggest Pro LASIK and CHELSEA EYE enthusiast. I am constantly informing people I see in pain from contact lenses , I tell them my story and can only feel empowered daily as I wake up to see clearer than ever before!

-Olivia Marino
September 28, 2009

Hello everyone, I am here today to write about Chelsea Eye & Cosmetic Surgery Associates, CECSA for short. First off, a little background information about me. I have been wearing glasses since I was six years old. I have been diagnosed with astigmatism and farsightedness. I used to wear very thick glasses and each pair would be very expensive due to the seriousness of my prescription. I am currently in active duty in the United States Marine Corps. I have been in service for over twelve years now, and I have done many challenging duties including a tour in Iraq. The military offers the same service as CECSA, however there were stipulations that I did not meet and there was a huge waiting list of at least two to three years.

In 2004, I went to an eye surgery center in Manhattan to see if I was a good candidate. At the time I was real nervous about the surgery since I didn’t like the idea of someone playing with my eyes. I was also not impressed with the eye surgery center, soI decided to give it time and wait. The biggest concern I had with the whole surgery is the idea of someone touching my eye. Just thinking about it still makes me eyes tear. Last year I decided it was time to go ahead with procedure, since I spent so much money on a new pair of glasses I decided to save some money and pay for the surgery myself. In November of 2008 I did my research on the whole operation procedure. This time I wanted to make sure what I was doing was right, and I wanted to pick the right doctor. I first began researching about the type of procedure, after much research I decided to go with ILASIK surgery. I looked at everything that I could find on the Internet and the library. I looked at every story about serious repercussions, risks, and recovery. I also looked closely at what to look for in an eye doctor. The biggest thing that took my attention is how many surgeries each doctor has performed. CECSA stood out on top of my research.

My next step was to see for myself how good CECSA really was. After my initial visit I was impressed with the number of tests given and the step by step guidance given prior to surgery. They were very thorough and made me feel more comfortable about going through with the procedure. Dr. Joseph Eviatar did an outstanding job the day of the surgery. I was so nervous, I didn’t know what to expect and how the process was going to be.

During the procedure, due to my nervousness I couldn’t keep still. Dr. Eviatar calmed me down and proceeded with great poise. Due to his experience in and the number of surgeries he has performed he was able to complete the surgery with no problems and maintain control the entire time. During the surgery, the doctor put band aid lenses to make sure my eyes healed correctly. The next day, the doctor took off the lenses, and I saw a major difference in my vision. The post recovery was quicker than I expected it to be. Dr. Eviatar was glad to see that I didn’t have any serious repercussions from the surgery. It was a dramatic improvement right away, and he was thorough with his follow up appointments. All in all, my experience with Chelsea Eye & Cosmetic Surgery Associates was unforgettable and a great success. I recommend them to anybody that is skeptical about the whole procedure. They will do their best to answer all your questions and to take care of you. That is my story. If you're still skeptical go see for yourself. Good Luck.

My Lasik surgery was completed just before my last trip to Afghanistan, and I immediately felt a difference, both in my eyesight and psychologically. Even sleeping on the 14-hour flight to Dubai was so much easier. No contacts adhered to my corneas, no routing around looking for dropped glasses. I arrived and felt I had better sight than ever – and wasn’t constantly rubbing my eyes because of the dust. No bottles of solution, saline, extra contacts to drag around.

I went skydiving soon after my surgery, and loved the freedom of not having to think about my eyesight, when really I want to be focused on the techniques and safety procedures of the sport.

In so many aspects of my life - including noticing each vibrant leaf this fall on the trees around my house – I am thrilled to have had the surgery. It was my gift to myself in my 40th year – and it truly has changed my life for the better.

Michelle Fanzo

I just wanted to be able to see my future husband’s smile as I walked down the aisle on my wedding day. That became my most important reason for having LASIK. However, I had been contemplating it for a very long time.

My eyes were exhausted. At 30 years old, I had been wearing contacts for almost 15 years after feeling frustrated with heavy and cumbersome glasses. When I began medical school, my contacts became even more irritating as my hours of reading and sleep-deprivation increased. My eyes were always dry, irritated and red. This grew even worse in residency and I often would have to resort back to glasses. However, no matter how many times I changed my prescription, my vision was never as crisp with glasses but I was just unable to tolerate contacts for so many hours while taking care of patients.

I had asked my optometrist many years ago about LASIK and he had told me I would be a terrible candidate due to my dry eyes. I gave up hope.

However, as I began my career as a geriatrician, I began to hear about the successes of LASIK, even with people who have dry eyes. Then, on August 9, 2006, my boyfriend proposed to me. I was ecstatic. However, I immediately began to imagine my wedding day with red, irritated eyes as I tried to focus on him walking down the aisle of my church.

A colleague of mine had LASIK done by Dr. Eviatar at Chelsea Eye and had fantastic results. After much fear over the idea of a laser near my eye and my past recommendation to avoid the procedure, I made an appointment for screening. I was actually considered a good candidate and had all of my questions answered by my physician.

On March 29, 2007, I had LASIK on both eyes. Afterwards, with the exception of very mild irritation for a few hours that first night, I felt fantastic and my vision had never been so crisp.

At the hospital, I was able to take care of my patients without constantly blinking or putting drops in my eyes.

On August 25th, I walked down the aisle and smiled happily at the crystal clear image of my soon-to-be husband. I had a beautiful wedding day and went on to a honeymoon in Tahiti, my first trip without contacts. I was able to sleep comfortably on the plane, stay worry-free on the beach when sand and wind blew, and see the underwater coral reefs and fish better than ever on a SCUBA diving trip.

LASIK has truly changed my life.

Laurie Rufrano, student

Lasik is fascinating:  so quick, yet life altering.  Thank you very much for a successful operation.  I am very happy with the results.

I found Chelsea Eye just by walking by.  I had no references.  So, I must say, I was a little apprehensive at first.  After several visits to Chelsea Eye, however, I was more than pleased by the professionalism of the employees; it built my confidence and trust.

I found Alicia Adema a very responsive and reliable Lasik Coordinator.  Her personal ability and her warmth were very much encouraging to me.  Since I had some personal issues that may have conflicted with my surgery, I am indebted to her for helping me out on a human level – she left business aside.  This really helped build my confidence and trust.

I also found that both you and Dr. Eviatar were extremely competent, knowledgeable, and experienced.  You, especially, have a calm and reassuring demeanor. You never seemed like you were rushed when you were answering my questions or examining me.
This most definitely built my trust.

Thank you again for changing my life for the better.  I would recommend Lasik and your group to all my friends.

Julia C.

If I had known the procedure would have been this easy, I would have had it done years ago. Dr. Coad and his assistant were great!

[Michael Woods: Financial Services]

[Emily Hacker: Director of Ed. Technology]

It’s a miracle! I never thought I’d be able to see and read clearly again. As an acting coach I was co-dependent on my glasses. I’ll still use them – but not for seeing – for a prop! To now go to theatre without 2 sets of glasses – one for the program, the other for distance – but to go and see live theatre with my own baby blues will be heavenly. Thank you, Dr. Eviatar, what a gift you have.

[Patrick Quagliano: Real Estate Broker/Acting Coach]

[Ana Ceppi: Advertising Executive]

I wore thick lenses for nearsighted vision from age six prior to my LASIK treatment. I now have 20/15 vision AND no glasses or contacts thanks to Dr. Coad and the staff at Chelsea Eye Clinic.From my first telephone contact with Carolyn on I was treated with respect, given straightforward answers from all staff, thoroughly educated about the LASIK procedure, given a full range of high technology eye exams; all of which gave me full confidence that I had chosen the right clinic and staff for my procedure.
I woke up at 4AM in the morning following my 6:00PM laser surgery. I could see everything in the bedroom! I opened the curtains. Tiny details of a bridge on the horizon were crystal clear. The first things to pop into my head were the words to Culture Club’s song “It’s A Miracle”. I was so excited I stayed up, got to work at 6AM still singing Boy George’s tune “It’s A Miracle”
Please take my advice. Contact Chelsea Eye Clinic to learn about LASIK eye surgery. The results will change your life. You will also be embraced by the staff, you will be comfortable in the Clinic’s warm, Etruscan detailed interior which sports an art gallery along with spooled videos explaining the various procedures, but most importantly….you will be “given” eyesight without glasses.
The other song that surfaced in my brain is “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” which I dedicate to Dr. Coad and the staff at the Chelsea Eye Clinic.

[Kenneth Loyal Smith: Statistic Analyst]

[Russell Halley: Stylist Agent]