Macomb Daily

Feature Article from July 30, 1998

 

Personalized Eye Care With a High-Tech Flare

Dr. William Goldstein had two goals in mind when he relocated his practice to Shelby Township this summer. First, he wanted to continue to provide the personalized care that has been his trademark for the past 8 years. Second, he wanted to do this in an environment that offered the most up-to-date techniques and equipment available today. "In some cases, I have four generations of patients in the family. The grandparents have had me perform their cataract surgery. After their children see the results, the kids come to me with their eye care needs, whether for LASIK surgery, or simply for routine eyecare. The grandchildren need glasses and contact lenses, or even eye muscle surgery. I have become the 'family doc' of ophthalmologists!" said Dr. Goldstein.

Dr. Goldstein's commitment to personalized patient care is reflected in the attitudes of the entire office staff. "We are not satisfied until our patients are satisfied. We like to feel that every question has been answered and every worry set aside before a patient leaves the office," states Tonya Damiani, one of the members of Dr. Goldstein's staff.
"There aren't very many doctors who can combine the caring attitude that Dr. Goldstein displays and the high-tech approach to surgical treatment that he practices."

Dr. Goldstein is one of the more experienced refractive surgeons in the area, having corrected thousands of patients' nearsightedness and astigmatism. He employs the most modern technique, called LASIK, which uses the excimer laser to reshape the eye. He was one of the first surgeons in the state trained to perform this technique. Patients usually choose to have both eyes done at the same time, allowing them to return to normal activities quickly. Dr. Goldstein has performed this procedure on other doctors, their staff members and operating room nurses at the hospitals where his is on staff.

Dr. Goldstein is also one of only 15% of surgeons in the country who use the most current and safest technique for cataract surgery, which uses no injections or needles, no stitches, and no patches. "My patients love being able to leave the hospital with full function and no patch on their eye. Their doctors like this technique because, since there are no injections, they can leave their patients on blood thinners such as Coumadin or aspirin." Dr. Goldstein's technique involves the use of eyedrops and gels for anesthetic, rather than an injection, which immobilizes the eye for several hours. Very little sedation is needed, which is advantageous to patients who have breathing problems. He also uses an extremely small incision in the cornea which does not bleed and requires no stitches.

Dr. Goldstein describes himself as a "very broad-based" doctor. "other doctors seem to find themselves in a very specialized situation. They have to refer their patients to multiple doctors in multiple locations." It is rare for Dr. Goldstein to encounter a medical eye problem that he can't handle. Having trained at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, he is well prepared to handle a multitude of eye problems. As Chief Resident of the program, he was fortunate to work with the finest diabetic laser specialists, as well as glaucoma and pediatric ophthalmologists. The training allows him to provide comprehensive care to a wide range of patients, whether they are in need of a routine eye exam, or the most state-of-the-art surgery.

The new office has the most advanced equipment and technology, including digital imaging systems for microphotography of the eye and corneal surface mapping. An argon laser used for the treatment of glaucoma and diabetic eye disease is an important addition t this office. "Diabetes is still a leading cause of blindness in this country, in part because 50% of the diabetic patients do not get yearly eye examinations.

Dr. Goldstein provides seminars for physicians and patients so that they can better understand how diabetes affects the eyes, and to emphasize the need for yearly exams. Dr. Goldstein is also a regular contributor to Research to Prevent Blindness, and has donated his surgical skills to the Lion's Club on several occasions. He is on staff at many area hospitals, including Beaumont-Troy, St. Joseph's Mercy-Macomb, and Sinai-DMC in Detroit.

Copyright © The Macomb Daily 1998