Events

Eye Associates Gives Community “Gift of Sight”

Palm Beach County is not a place most of us associate with financially challenged people. However; when Eye Associates of Boca Raton extended an offer to needy people with vision impairments for free surgery we were surprised at the number of responses. 

Howard Doyle, M.D. retired partner of Eye Associates and Dr. Louis Feldgoise volunteers at the Caridad Clinic in Boynton Beach were instrumental in identifying patients who met the criteria for the free surgery. On November 25, 2008 the first annual “Gift of Sight” program at Eye Associates of Boca Raton was launched.

Howard Goldman, M.D., a veteran of over 20 eye surgery mission programs in developing countries said, “I was stunned by the need right here for eye care”.  A typical case was the 47 year old landscape worker, blind from cataracts and could not see to work, but whose only income provided subsistence wages earning him too much for Medicaid, but not enough to afford health insurance. Amsurg Corporation, a partner in our outpatient surgery center at Eye Associates donated their services along with Alcon Surgical and BioTissue donated all the supplies needed.  Dr. Doug Kohl and Dr. Mark Weiner together with Dr. Goldman performed 17 sight restoring surgeries.

Anesthesia services were donated by Dr. Steve Kiffel and Dr. Michelle Dresner. The Eye Associates of Boca Raton has always provided free care to needy patients, but the Gift of Sight program was the first of its kind in this community.

Media guests from the Palm Beach Post and WPBTV Channel 12 news were on hand to cover the exciting event and Congressman Alcee Hasting sent a letter of appreciation which is proudly displayed in our lobby.

Dr. Goldman said “we are already working on next years program and looking forward to an even better response”.