When it comes to vision correction procedures, you’re in the best hands with Dr. Christopher Coad, MD, FACS the board certified director of ophthalmic care at Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology. Dr. Coad will perform your procedure as well as your preoperative and postoperative eye care. His dedication to your well-being and successful outcome is quickly apparent when you meet him.
Dr. Coad has been performing laser vision correction for over 20 years with more than 25,000 vision correction procedures and has been trusted to perform laser vision correction on US fighter pilots, airline pilots, Olympic athletes, professional athletes and renowned actors. He has been featured in newspapers and television and lectures as an authority on laser vision correction and advanced cataract surgery.
Dr. Christopher Coad is an attending physician at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and part of Continuum Health Partners. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of California, San Diego and was awarded his MD from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Afterwards, he interned at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City and completed his postgraduate training in Ophthalmology at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in New York, NY.
Dr. Coad is certified on several laser platforms including the advanced VISX and Intralase lasers for vision correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Keep in mind that he has been performing vision correction procedures such as LASIK, PRK and LASEK since they were first FDA-approved in the early 1990’s. He is one of the only ophthalmologists in New York City who offers Visian ICL for the correction of mild to severe myopia (nearsightedness), and is also a leader in refractive cataract surgery. He offers multifocal lens implants such as ReSTOR and Tecnis, accommodative implants like Crystalens and astigmatic correcting Toric implants. He was chosen for an international ophthalmology fellowship with ORBIS, the only international flying eye institute and is also listed in the 2015 New York Super Doctors and 2015 America’s Top Ophthalmologists.
How long have you been performing LASIK procedures?
I've been performing LASIK procedures with great success since theprocedure's inception in the early 1990's and vision correction surgery likecataract and lens implant micro surgery since 1984.
Why do vision correction costs vary from practice to practice?
There are many reasons for this: Many practices cut corners in cost by performingonly basic testing to check a patient's candidacy and also using oldertechnology. At many LASIK centers patients often don't get to meet their surgeon until the very day of surgery. Their pre-operative and post-operative care may be handled by non-physicians which saves money. At Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology, we do not cut corners in these ways. We believe in doing the surgery the way I would want it done for myself or a loved one: We do extensive testing to thoroughly determine a patient's candidacy. When it comes to LASIK technology, use only the most advanced, which is iLASIK. We have alternative procedures when a patient is not a good candidate for one type of visiton correction procedure.I handle all pre-operative and post-operative care myself and spend timewith my patients getting to know them and educating them on the process. My staff and I take the time to answer all your questions and walk youthrough every step of the process. We provide comfort and assurance to our patients with the best bedside manner. We want each patient to feel like we genuinely care-and we do! When questions or concerns arise we are available by cell, after hours, weekends, etc.There is no pressure at Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology. We let the patient know that the complimentary appointment is meant to be educational and an introduction to who we are as a practice. Patients are encouraged to take their timem aking a decision and move forward only when they feel comfortable.Since we are a full comprehensive eye care facility, our patients are patients for life. We can handle situations that might come up with their vision or the health of their eye and continue to care for them over their lifetime.
What if I'm not a candidate for LASIK vision correction?
We offer the complete spectrum in vision correction procedures including PRK, Visian ICL lens implants and Clear Lens Exchange. Patients have the widest selection and best opportunities in refractive surgery that will givethem the safest and best visual outcomes.
What if I want the LASIK procedure but don't have the money to pay for it rght now?
There are various payment plans including 0% interest-free financing andpayments as low as $80 per month without any upfront costs. So LASIK can bemade affordable and possible on almost any budget. We will work with you to create the best payment plan. Prospective patients are often surprised that LASIK surgery will cost you much less than a lifetime of wearing glasses and contact lenses.
Is it true, and if so, why do you think that iLASIK better than traditional LASIK?
Traditional LASIK is a fine procedure with a long track record of almost 15years. iLASIK is the same procedure except it incorporates the latest and most advanced technologies available. It is both safe and precise and the only laser vision correction procedure approved by the US Government for astronauts and fighter pilots...and that's saying a lot. It allows for the excellent results, better precision and faster healing and recovery time.The technology breaks down into two separate components. The first is alaser called Intralase that is used to create the flap. With traditional LASIK, the flap is cut with a blade. Because a blade can never be exact with how thin or precise the flap is created, patients who have thinner corneas were not considered good candidates for LASIK. However, with iLASIK, we usea laser to create an extremely thin and precise flap allowing for a higher number of candidates. Creating the flap with the Intralase laser is so precise and minimally invasive that it's similar to etching your name into apiece of human hair. Flap complications with traditional LASIK are now prevented. The second component to this technology is a mapping system called CustomVue which allows us to provide "custom LASIK". The computer creates an individualized map of each eye so that we can address specific needs. We believe it improves quality of vision by decreasing unwanted side effects such as halos, blurriness, and bad night-time vision. What we have found is that many more patients wind up with even better than 20/20 vision with iLASIK because it fine tunes the treatment to create the best visual outcome.You should also know that with iLASIK, the map creates a safety precaution because it will only work on the eye it is customized to treat. We can't treat the wrong eye even if the prescriptions of each eye is very similar.The laser follows eye movement with an eye tracker. For example, if the patient is nervous and shaking it will not affect what the laser is doing. If the eye looks away, the laser actually shuts down so that it will nottouch an area that it is not supposed to be treated. This advanced technology protects the patient against potential human error plus allowsfor faster healing time and easier recovery.
CareCredit Financing at Chelsa Eye Ophthalmology
At Chelsea Eye Ophtalmology we offer CareCredit financing for those patients who want to improve their vision now and pay for the procedure expense over time with affordable, easy monthly payments. You can get interest-free financing or payments can be as low as $80 per month. Get the vision you’ve always wanted without worrying about up-front and out-of-pocket expenses.
Flex Spending at Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology
Use your TAX-FREE dollars to pay for elective treatments. A Flexible Spending Account (FSA), is an employer-sponsored benefit so you can pay for eligible medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. You will save money in the long run by reducing your income taxes: the contributions that you make to your Flexible Spending Account are deducted from your pay before your Federal, State, or Social Security taxes. So you have a decrease in your taxable income and, as a result, an increase your spendable income. Know that you can save hundreds or possibly thousands of dollars by using the Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Apply TODAY through your HR Department before the END of the tax year!
