Soldiers Receive Free Memorial Day Lasik Surgery Before Going to Iraq
BERGENFIELD, N.J., May 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two-dozen members of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment yesterday captured the offices of Dello Russo LaserVision, getting ready for their upcoming deployment in Iraq. Instead of shooting targets with blurry eyes, they were undergoing a Lasik procedure that allows them to have 20/20 vision within an hour.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080523/NYF043 ) Drs. Joseph and Jeffery Dello Russo marked the 3rd time in what became an annual celebration of patriotism, providing free corrective eye surgeries to members of the U.S. military before they go to their missions overseas.
The Dello Russos have completed another round of Free Lasik surgeries in their Manhattan location, helping another dozen of soldiers to get rid of their eyeglasses and contact lenses. Some of them have been waiting for years to get this treatment, but were not able to afford it before receiving bonuses following their return from Iraq. The 113th Infantry Regiment, to be deployed in September, were thrilled: "This is just the best thing that could have happened," said Spec. Randall Bisset, a sniper and scout. "Glasses fog up. They're uncomfortable with the night vision goggles, and contacts dry out and you have to look for solution in your bag in the middle of the field. You can't endanger your unit like that." "You can't really do our job with glasses," said Staff Sgt. Robert Marks of Rockaway, NJ. "The reflection from the lenses will give away your position. Dr. Dello Russo is an American hero. Getting the support really means a lot to us." The family-run business, which was founded 40 years ago, was the first center in the U.S. to offer a bladeless Lasik surgery, as well as first out-patient cataract surgery center in the Northeast, the first commercial Excimer laser in the Northeast, the first commercial flying spot laser system in the country, and more. "We have tons of patients in the military and the police force," said Dr. Jeffrey Dello Russo, "we feel that it is a great opportunity for us to give back, especially before the Memorial Day weekend. We wanted to make sure that soldiers who are in pretty extreme environments that are not suitable for glasses will be safer and more comfortable." The soldiers went through exams and preparations before undergoing the procedure, in which the laser beam itself is used for less than a minute. Minutes after the minimally invasive surgery, the soldiers wore dark sunglasses and rested for an hour. Staff Sgt. Lisandro Peralta could barely identify 6-inch tall letters during his vision test. He could not believe it when following the procedure he could flawlessly pick out letters a fraction of the size - a sign that he now has 20/20 vision. First Call Analyst:
CONTACT: Stephanie Waterman, +1-201-522-3081, media@njeye.com Web site: http://www.dellorusso.com/
2008-05-23 18:54:25 0369961 PRNEWSWIRE
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