Our office is conveniently located on the upper
eastside of Manhattan at 52 East 72nd Street, New York, NY 10021. We offer
professional, state-of-the-art care in a thoughtful, compassionate setting.
NEW Location
We are pleased to announce the opening of our new satellite office in Staten
Island to better serve our Brooklyn, Staten Island, and New Jersey patients. We
are located on:
78 Todt Hill Road, Suite
111
Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel: 718-447-2047
Fax: 718-442-3989
We participate with Medicare and
several other major insurance carriers. Ms. Melanie Saez, our office manager, is
available during office hours to answer questions about insurance and
appointments. In addition, our staff includes Ms. Edwina Rivas, our receptionist
and appointment scheduler, and Ms. Wanda Carrasquillo-Boyd, our ophthalmologic
technologist and angiographer. They are always glad to assist you with questions
you may have regarding the office exam, procedures and hospital information.
We see patients by appointment only during our office hours:
EYE
CONDITIONS
The following are some of the various conditions
that are encountered in our practice:
Age Related Macular
Degeneration (AMD)
Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of
the leading causes of vision loss in older Americans. Although the underlying
cause is unknown, age is the most significant risk factor for developing AMD.
Heredity, light colored iris, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and
smoking have also been identified as risk factors.
The visual symptoms of AMD involve loss of
central vision. While peripheral vision is unaffected, one loses the sharp,
straight ahead vision necessary for driving, reading, recognizing faces, and
generally looking at detail. Imagine being able to see a clock on the wall but
unable to make out the time or unable to read because you could not see parts of
words on the page.
Several treatments have been
demonstrated to be of benefit and are all performed by Dr. Rosberger at
MaculaCare. Click
here for more information.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic
retinopathy is a frequent complication of diabetes that causes damage to the
blood vessels in the retina. In the early stages, non-proliferative diabetic
retinopathy (NPDR), this damage causes the vessels to leak and bleed. This in
turn, can cause swelling of the macula and decreased vision. This swelling, or
edema, can be reduced with appropriate laser treatment.
As
the damage progresses, there is closure of the normal blood vessels and the
creation of new, abnormal blood vessels. This more advanced form, proliferative
diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is very serious and can cause total blindness.
Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are abnormal and grow on the surface of
the retina, so they do not resupply the retina with blood.
Diabetic retinopathy often has no symptoms, if
you have any form of diabetes you should have your eyes examined regularly.
Retinal Artery
Occlusion
High blood
pressure can affect vision by damaging arteries in the eye.
Retinal artery occlusions are blockages
in the central (main) retinal artery or one of its four branches that
supply the retina, the light- sensing nerve layer lining the back of the
eye. The most common cause of artery occlusion is a thrombosis, the
formation of a blood clot. Sometimes the blockage is caused by an
embolus, a clot carried by the blood from another part of the body.
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Vein occlusions are blockages of the central
(main) vein or one of its four branches draining the retina. Although there are
many causes of vein occlusions, the most common identified risk factors include
advanced age, high blood pressure, diabetes and glaucoma.
Branch retinal vein occlusion blocks small veins
in the retina, the layer of light sensing cells at the back of the eye. If the
blocked retinal veins are ones that nourish the macula, the part of the retina
responsible for straight-ahead vision, some central vision is lost. During the
course of vein occlusion, sixty percent or greater will have swelling of the
central macular vision area. In about one third of people, this macular edema
will remain for over one year.
Cytomegalovirus
Retinitis (CMV Retinitis)
CMV retinitis is a serious eye infection of the
retina, the light-sensing nerve layer that lines the back of the eye. It is a
significant threat to people with weak immune systems, such as people with HIV
and AIDS, newborns, the elderly, people taking chemotherapy, and recipients of
organ transplants.
Warning signs that should be examined by an
ophthalmologist immediately are floating spots or spiderwebs, flashing lights,
blind spots or blurred vision. Recurrence of CMV retinitis is common so frequent
retinal examinations are important.
Floaters and Flashes
Small specks or clouds moving in your field of
vision as you look at a blank wall or a clear blue sky are known as floaters.
Most people have some floaters normally but do not notice them until they become
numerous or more prominent. In most
cases, floaters are part of the natural aging process.
The appearance of flashing lights comes from the
traction of the vitreous gel on the retina at the time of vitreous separation.
Flashes look like twinkles or lightning streaks. You may have experienced the
same sensation if you have ever been hit in the eye and seen stars.
Floaters and flashes are sometimes associated
with retinal tears.
Detached and Torn
Retina
A retinal detachment is a very serious problem
that almost always causes permanent blindness unless treated. The appearance of
flashing lights, floating objects, or a gray curtain moving across the field of
vision are all indications of a retinal detachment. If any of these occur, you
should be seen immediately.
As one gets older, the vitreous, the clear
gel-like substance that fills the inside of the eye, tends to shrink slightly
and take on a more watery consistency. Sometimes as the vitreous shrinks it
exerts enough force on the retina to make it tear.
Retinal tears increase the chance of developing a
retinal detachment Fluid vitreous, passing through the tear, lifts the retina
off the back of the eye like wallpaper peeling off a wall. Laser surgery or
cryotherapy (freezing) is often used to seal retinal tears and prevent
detachment.
If the retina is detached, it must be reattached
before sealing the retinal tear.
Macular Hole
The macula is the part of the retina responsible
for acute central vision, the vision one uses for reading, watching television,
and recognizing faces. A macular hole is a small round opening in the
macula. The hole causes a blind spot or blurred area directly in the center of
your vision.
Vitrectomy surgery, the only treatment for a
macular hole. With treatment, most macular holes close and some of the
lost central vision returns. The amount of visual improvement typically depends
on the length of time the hole was present.
Epiretinal Membranes
Epiretinal membranes, also known as cellophane
maculopathy, retinal wrinkling, and macular pucker, is a condition where a fine
growth of fibrous tissue occurs on the surface of the macula causing surface
wrinkling and distortion of the macula. Patients with epiretinal membranes
usually complain that they see wavy lines and images where they should be
straight.
Treatment involves removing the vitreous gel and
gently peeling the membrane from the surface of the retina. This usually results
in a significant improvement in the distortion seen by the patient as well as
some improvement in visual acuity.
Retinal Manifestations
of Rheumatologic Diseases
Many rheumatologic diseases (systemic lupus
erythmatosis, sarcoiciosis, Behcet's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and others)
can cause problems with the retina. In addition, several of the
medications used to treat these conditions (Plaquenil) can cause retinal
toxicity. Dr. Rosberger has a Ph.D. in Clinical Immunology in addition to
his extensive training in ophthalmology and retinal diseases. He has a
particular interest in the retinal manifestations of rheumatologic diseases.
