Procedures

The Laser Eye Center is just one department in the offices of Ophthalmic Associates of the Southern Tier. The doctors at Ophthalmic Associates bring decades of experience to every facet of the eye care field, providing primary eye care services for all ages. Ophthalmic Associates also specializes in the treatment of glaucoma, cataracts and other eye diseases. They also have an on-site optical center

Meet Our Doctors:

JOSE SAMBURSKY, M.D., F.A.C.S. (retired)
Dr. Sambursky continues to be a prominent figure in the treatment of cataracts, glaucoma and other eye diseases. He maintained his practice at Ophthalmic Associates of the Southern Tier, P.C. for over 35 years. Dr. Sambursky is a member of the Academy of Ophthalmology, and is co-founder and board member of Rapid Pathogen Screening.

RICHARD SIMON, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Simon maintains his practice at Ophthalmic Associates of the Southern Tier P.C. and is a professor of Ophthalmology at Upstate Medical School in Syracuse, NY. Dr. Simon specializes in the medical and surgical treatment of eye diseases and is a veteran refractive laser surgeon. Dr. Simon is affiliated with United Health Services in Johnson City, NY and Lourdes Hospital, Binghamton, NY. He is a member of the Academy of Ophthalmology.

DANIEL SAMBURSKY, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Sambursky is a pioneer in laser vision correction. in the early 1990s, he participated in the excimer laser surgery investigational trials and was among the first surgeons in the United States to perform LASIK surgery. Dr. Sambursky has since performed thousands of LASIK and cataract surgeries. He also designed and patented an intra-ocular lens to replace the human lens during cataract surgery. He has lectured extensively on eye surgery in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Sambursky is affiliated with United Health Services in Johnson City, NY, and Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY. He also maintains offices in Manhattan and Long Island, and is a member of the Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. Sambursky is co-founder and a board member of Rapid Pathogen Screening

KAMRAN CHAUDHRI, M.D.
Dr. Chaudhri is the newest doctor to open a private practice at Ophthalmic Associates of the Southern Tier, P.C. and is a glaucoma and cataract specialist. Dr. Chaudhri is a certified diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology, and has completed many research projects in his field. He is affiliated with United Health Services in Johnson City, NY and Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of cataract and refractive surgeons and the Massachusetts Medical Society.

GARY PISANCHYN, O.D.
Dr. Pisanchyn is a 1984 honors graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia. He joined the staff of Ophthalmic Associates of the Southern Tier, P.C. in 1987. His practice is devoted to all aspects of general optometry. He also specializes in all types of contact lenses. Dr. Pisanchyn is a member of the American Optometric Association and the New York State Optometric Association.

STEVEN GOLDENBERG, O.D.
Dr. Goldenberg provides primary care optometry including diagnosis and follow-up for treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, corneal disease and other conditions. He specializes in computer vision syndrome and contact lens fittings. Dr. Goldenberg is a member of the American Optometric Association, Tennessee Optometric Association and the Colorado Optometric Association.

With their combined experience, the doctors of Ophthalmic Associates can treat or eliminate all types of eye-related diseases, disorders or disabilities from common to complex.

Cataracts:

What’s a cataract?
It’s a clouding of the lens of the eye that occurs frequently in patients over the age of 60. The clouding blocks light to the eye and results in blurred or distorted vision. This blurring happens gradually and may go unnoticed, so see your eye doctor regularly to check for possible cataracts. If you do have a cataract(s), the surgeons at ophthalmic associates will use state-of-the-art cataract care to help you regain clear vision.

Surgery:
Using just a topical anesthetic to numb the eye, the surgeon creates a small incision and uses high-energy sound waves to break the cataract into microscopic particles, which are then removed. To compensate for the removal of the eye’s natural lens, an intra-ocular lens (IOL) is implanted. The natural outward pressure from your eye provides a seal at the incision, and stitches are not normally required.

This procedure is preferred to traditional methods because of the increased comfort level for the patient, and rapid visual improvement. The need for shots, stitches and an after surgery eye-patch are eliminated, and most patients will notice marked visual improvement quickly. If you or someone you know shows signs of cataracts, schedule a vision screening today.

Glaucoma:

What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma refers to a group of eye diseases that damage the nerves that carry signals from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma is a gradual loss of vision that usually has no symptoms until the disease eventually takes your sight. It’s the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. there’s currently no cure for glaucoma, and, once diagnosed, it’s a chronic disease that must be treated for life. If diagnosed in the early stages, treatment can slow its progress.

It’s estimated that there are nearly 65 million suspected case of glaucoma worldwide. The disease is more common in people over 60, diabetics, those who are severely nearsighted and family members of people already diagnosed with glaucoma. The disease is 6 to 8 times more common in African-Americans than in Caucasians, and is the second leading cause of blindness among all Americans. (source: glaucoma research foundation)

Glaucoma treatment:
Most new cases are treated with medications in topical or oral form. Most topical medications reduce the eye pressure by helping the fluid to drain from the eye, or by decreasing the amount of fluid that is produced by the eye.

Surgery:
If the medications aren’t working, or in certain initial treatment suggestions, your ophthalmologist may recommend surgery, either by laser or by conventional surgical methods.

LASIK surgery for glaucoma can be done on an outpatient basis. The eye is numbed with drops, or may be numbed with an injection of local anesthetic. A special lens is attached to the eye using the laser and the laser then is used to remove tissue. The patient usually feels little or no discomfort, although after treatment, the eye may be irritated and vision may be blurred. Normal activities usually can be resumed a day or two after the procedure.

Corneal Diseases and Injury:

Corneal problems can happen to anyone at any age. If the cornea is damaged from disease, injury or infection, it can become cloudy or warped. The damaged cornea distorts light as it travels into the eye, affecting your vision. It may even cause pain.

The damaged and diseased tissue can be replaced by corneal transplant, one of the oldest, most common and most successful transplant surgeries in all of medicine. During the procedure, part of a cloudy or warped cornea is replaced with a graft from a healthy cornea procured from an eye bank. If the surgery is successful and with proper healing, vision can be greatly improved.

Corneal surgery is performed by a surgeon using delicate instruments and an operating microscope. The healthy corneal fragment is attached to the patients existing cornea with micro thin nylon sutures. The stitches don’t cause pain, but may result in some scratchiness or irritation for about a week after surgery.

Diabetic Retinopathy:

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
It’s damage to the blood vessels of the light sensitive tissue at the retina in the back of the eye due to complications of diabetes. At first diabetic retinopathy may show no symptoms, but unchecked it can eventually lead to blindness—in fact, it’s a leading cause of blindness in American adults. Diabetic Retinopathy can happen to anyone who has type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and the longer you have diabetes, the more likely you are to develop the condition. Early detection is best diagnosed with a dilated eye exam, so if you’re diabetic, contact one of our eye doctors.

Diabetic Retinopathy treatment:
Depending on the severity of the condition, and how well it may respond to specific measures, treatment options vary. You may not need immediate treatment, or you could require surgery.

Surgery:
There are laser surgeries that can be performed to stop the progress of diabetic retinopathy. These can be performed in your eye doctor’s office and involve sealing off blood vessel leaks or shrinking abnormal vessels with a series of laser burns. Your vision will be blurry for about a day after the procedure.

For more serious cases of Diabetic Retinopathy, the patient may require a vitrectomy which is a more complex traditional surgery usually performed in a hospital under anesthesia. Recovery time is longer with this procedure as well.

The doctors at Ophthalmic Associates are imminently qualified to perform any of the procedures listed above, and can treat any of numerous eye diseases and injuries including those listed below.

Other eye diseases/conditions: