(L-R) Congressman Thomas R Suozzi, James M Maisel MD and Mary Naccarato, Chairperson “Gift of Sight”.
The award recognizes James Maisel’s “…enormous and innovative contributions to the research and treatment of eye disease for diabetics, and for the study of speech recognition medical language models that has changed the lives of countless people by truly giving them the Gift of Sight.”
HAUPPAGUE, N.Y. (PRWEB)
October 03, 2019
James M. Maisel, MD, a retinal specialist who is Chairman and Founder of the Retina Group of New York and ZyDoc Medical Transcription, was honored with Special Congressional Recognition by Congressman Thomas R. Suozzi for the “Gift of Sight” Banko Award he received from the New York State Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. He also was awarded a Citation from Laura Curran, Nassau County Executive for “leadership, dedication and service to the community.”
Dr. Joseph Bacotti introduced Dr. Maisel for the Gift of Sight Banko award which was presented by the Gift of Sight Chairperson Mary Naccarato at a luncheon attended by hundreds of members of the national organization. The award recognized “Your enormous and innovative contributions to the research and treatment of eye disease for diabetics, and for the study of speech recognition medical language models that has changed the lives of countless people by truly giving them the Gift of Sight.” Dr. Maisel previously was honored as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Humanitarian of 2017 at a JDRF Gala for his work in diabetic eye treatment.
According to Dr. Maisel “Over 10% of the American population is currently afflicted with diabetes. Diabetic eye disease, although extremely treatable, remains one of the leading causes of blindness and blurred vision in adults. It often has no early warning symptoms or pain. When advanced, it can cause blurred vision, floaters or total visual loss, but don’t wait until you notice problems with your vision. A dilated retina examination can detect diabetic retinopathy before vision loss begins. Healthy people need eye exams every three years and yearly after age 65. Diabetics should be evaluated yearly even without symptoms. While laser treatments at the proper time can prevent blindness for over 90% of patients, vitreous surgery can restore vision in others even with advanced complications such as vitreous hemorrhage or tractional retinal detachments. Blurred vision, that formerly was only slowed with focal laser treatment, can now be stabilized or improved in most patients with pharmacologic treatments administered in the office on a routine basis.”
About the New York State Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America
The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) has provided a community in which both men and women of Italian descent have preserved and nurtured their Italian heritage. It continues to thrive, meeting the initial objectives of its founders through a wide variety of community, cultural, social, charitable, educational, patriotic and civic activities. Founded in 1905 as a mutual aid society for the early Italian immigrants, OSIA now has hundreds of thousands of family members located in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, making it the leading service and advocacy organization for the nation’s estimated 26 million people of Italian descent. http://www.nysosia.org/
About the Banko Award
The Banko Award is named after Anton Banko, the inventor of the first phacoemulsification machine to be used by Charles Kelman, M.D. who conceived of a new method of cataract removal. This method ushered in today’s advances in small incision surgery throughout medicine and remains widely utilized throughout the world.
What is the Gift of Sight Program?
The Gift of Sight Program of the New York OSIA Grand Lodge Foundation began in 1982 and gives both medical and financial assistance to people in need with vision problems. In addition to the many lay volunteers who serve on this committee, prominent physicians in the fields of ophthalmology, optometry and other related medical disciplines have donated their time and expertise to the program.
Who do they help?
The Gift of Sight has been a financial and medical sponsor to many children and adults for surgical procedures performed in hospitals throughout the United States. Housing accommodations have been met for patients who arrive for surgery from foreign countries.
What have they done?
The Gift of Sight purchased the Corneal Refrigeration Unit for the Long Island Eye Bank at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York. They also fund research grants for the Wilmer Eye Institute for Retinal Research at John Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Every year, the Gift of Sight program sponsors a guide dog through the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in Smithtown, New York. Many senior citizens without health insurance who have not yet qualified for Medicare have had retinal or cataract surgery through the help of the Gift of Sight program. They are also a regular supporter of Helen Keller Services.
About the Retina Group of New York
The Retina Group of New York, led by James M. Maisel, M.D., has provided tertiary retinal care to patients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties since 1986 at its offices in Hicksville and Hauppauge. Both locations are fully equipped with in-office laser capabilities, cutting edge diagnostic imaging, and integrated electronic records. The group holds staff privileges at seven area hospitals and teaching appointments at the New York University School of Medicine. The practice is limited to medical and surgical retinal problems. These commonly include diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, retinal detachment, macula pucker, macula hole, cataract surgery complications, uveitis, Plaquenil toxicity and second opinion.
In addition to the Banko and JDRF awards for his work in the treatment of diabetic eye disease, Dr. Maisel is an editor for the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, Section on Big Data and Diabetes. He Co-Chaired the 5th World Diabetes Congress in Prague in 2017 and presented on “Using NLP to Identify and Manage Patient Populations at Risk for Diabetes and Complications” and “Ocular Complications of Diabetes Mellitus and Laser, Surgery and Pharmacologic Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy.” Dr. Maisel’s software company, ZyDoc Medical Transcription was a finalist in the Sanofi 2013 Data Design Diabetes Innovation Challenge Prove It! and was ranked first by Black Book in 2018 for transcription service customer support by over 2900 users surveyed.
For more information about diabetic retinopathy, contact the Retina Group of New York at http://www.rgony.com or visit them at:
Retina Group of New York Long Island Offices:
400 S. Oyster Bay Road
Hicksville, NY 11801
516-939-6100
1455 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
631-273-1818
ZyDoc Medical Transcription
Center for Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT)
1500 Stony Brook Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794
(800) 546-5633
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