NUMC DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY RECEIVES CORNEAL TOPOGRAPHER AND BIOMICROSCOPE FROM HICKSVILLE LIONS CLUB AND THE NYS AND BERMUDA LIONS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION TO BENEFIT VISUALLY IMPAIRED PATIENTS
June 8, 2009
Contact: Shelley Lotenberg
(516) 572-6055
shelley@numc.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NUMC DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY RECEIVES CORNEAL TOPOGRAPHER AND BIOMICROSCOPE FROM HICKSVILLE LIONS CLUB AND THE NYS AND BERMUDA LIONS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION TO BENEFIT VISUALLY IMPAIRED PATIENTS
East Meadow, New York…Marcelle Morcos, MD, chair of the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) department of ophthalmology announced that, the Hicksville Lions Club had donated to the Nassau University Medical Center department of ophthalmology, a corneal topographer. “This instrument, donated through the generosity of the Lions members, maps the shape of the cornea using modern computer technology. The information is then used to diagnose various visually impairing conditions, helping monitor patients who need or receive corneal transplants to restore their sight,” said Dr. Morcos.
The New York State and Bermuda Lions Club International offered a matching grant. That grant enabled the NUMC department of ophthalmology to purchase a hand held battery operated biomicroscope as well as a series of precision attachment lenses for the operating microscope. “The biomicroscope will bring the examining room to the patient hospital bed; it allows examining of bedridden or emergency room patients with various eye problems or injuries following accidents or trauma,” added Dr. Morcos. “The attachment lenses for the operating microscope allow detailed and wide angle views of the hidden areas of the retina that need to be worked on. The microsurgeries that are needed to save sight threatening complications from diabetes can be conducted with precision and expertise. Retinal surgical procedures are extremely delicate; they need state of the art enhanced viewing and precision lenses such as these in order to restore priceless sight, ever more successfully.”
According to Marie Grosso, Lions Club Board Member of the Diabetes Education Center and Trustee, NYS & Bermuda Foundations, “The Hicksville Lions Club has been serving our community since 1942. It is an all volunteers and not for profit organization, with one link in the National and International Lions Clubs organization of 1.4 million members world wide.” “In those sixty-seven years, the members of the Hicksville Lions Club have contributed their time and resources to improving our community and aiding those in need with a helping hand, by awarding scholarships to our high school students, contributing to the youth club, the Guide Dog Foundation, diabetes education, diagnostic instruments to hospitals, anonymous holiday gifts to families in need, the camp for the blind and hearing impaired, sight preservation projects and the Lions Eye Band, which provides the gift of sight, all these projects serve to benefit the community at large.”
Joseph Hallak, OD, PHD, low vision and contact lens specialist for the department of ophthalmology at NUMC, joined Dr. Morcos in expressing appreciation to Marie Grosso, the Lions Club International and the NYS and Bermuda Lions Organization. “We are grateful for your generosity in funding precision equipment that will enhance the care provided to visually impaired patients at the Nassau University Medical Center.”
If you are interested in making a donation to benefit the patients of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, your donation would be most welcome and could be mailed to the LI Medical Foundation, Box 6, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY 11554 or feel free to contact Cindy Reisman at 516-572-5101.
Left to right: Gregory Ras, treasurer Hicksville Lions Club
Marcelle Morcos, MD, chair department of ophthalmology at NUMC
Marie Grosso, board member of the Lions Club diabetes education center
Joseph Hallak, OD, low vision and contact lens specialist, NUMC ophthalmology department
Edina Fields, president Hicksville Lions Club
