A 28 year-old male was referred because of sterile infiltrates and peripheral pannus formation of 1-2 mm of both corneas. He was a long-term soft contact lens wearer, frequently slept in his lenses, and did not use a disinfectant. We instructed him to discontinue his contact lenses and prescribed a course of a topical steroid. The corneal infiltrates gradually resolved.
If you need vision correction, the thought of laser eye surgery may be intimidating. You might worry about the procedure’s cost or the risks involved, and these factors may lead you to believe that contacts are the better solution.
However, there are notable downsides to wearing contact lenses, and LASIK offers several advantages, including the convenience and freedom of no longer needing to rely on a vision correction device.
Below, Dr. Raymond Stein of Bochner Eye Institute talks more about why LASIK is a better solution than contacts. Read the rest of this entry »
After making the decision to have laser vision correction, the most important choice you will make is the surgeon you select to perform your procedure. The search for the right surgeon can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking for. To help guide you in the right direction, leading LASIK surgeon Raymond Stein of Bochner Eye Institute shares his thoughts on choosing a LASIK provider. Read the rest of this entry »
A common question that Dr. Raymond Stein of Bochner Eye Institute receives from cataract surgery patients is whether cataracts can “grow back” after surgery. Cataracts cannot, in fact, grow back after surgery. Once they are removed, they are gone for good.
However, in rare cases, patients who have their vision restored with cataract surgery may notice a regression in their eyesight that is similar to what they experienced with cataracts. This decline is due to a condition known as secondary cataracts; and luckily, it is easily treated. Read the rest of this entry »
Do you struggle with the challenges of a refractive error and the restrictions of glasses or contact lenses, yet find yourself on the fence about having LASIK?
Bochner Eye Institute understands that the idea of having laser eye surgery to improve vision makes some people uncomfortable. However, we want you to know the truth about LASIK: the short, virtually painless procedure can give you the freedom and joy of clear, crisp vision and a glasses- and contacts-free lifestyle!
If you need more motivation to consider your options, read on as we share five reasons to consider having LASIK in 2019. Read the rest of this entry »
Dr. Raymond Stein was pleased to be a keynote speaker at the 2018 Precision Ophthalmology “Optimizing the Refractive Status of the Eye” meeting at Columbia University in New York City. Held November 30, the meeting gathered ophthalmologists, optometrists and eye care professionals from around North America to discuss the current state of cataract surgery, refractive surgery, dry eye and corneal disease treatments and share information about advances in the field.
In his first talk, Dr. Stein reflected on some of the lessons he has learned in 10 years of performing topography-guided PRK and corneal crosslinking for the treatment of keratoconus. Dr. Stein and his colleagues at Bochner Eye Institute are some of the first doctors in Canada to use this approach to treat the progressive thinning and bulging of the cornea. To date Dr. Stein has performed over 5,000 of these procedures with excellent results. 
Later, Dr. Stein spoke about using a corneal laser to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), or the deterioration of the portion of the retina responsible for central vision. Bochner Eye Institute is the first practice in North America to use a laser to modify the cornea and improve distance and near vision in patients with AMD. A study conducted by the Bochner team showed that patients who had the laser procedure experienced improvements in both distance and near vision three years after treatment.
Dr. Stein was invited to speak at the Precision Ophthalmology meeting by Dr. Stephen Trokel, a renowned ophthalmologist and a pioneer in refractive surgery. Dr. Trokel developed the excimer laser for vision correction and performed the first human excimer laser surgery in 1987. He also trained Dr. Stein in refractive surgery in 1991.
Earlier in 2018, Dr. Stein spoke at the World Ophthalmology Congress of the International Council of Ophthalmology in Barcelona as well as the Canadian Ophthalmological Society’s annual meeting, which took place in Toronto.
Dr. Raymond Stein is a board-certified ophthalmologist and the medical director at Bochner Eye Institute. For more information about the work Dr. Stein and the Bochner team are doing with macular degeneration, keratoconus and refractive surgery, please feel free to call 416-960-2020 or email us today.
Keratoconus is a degenerative disease that affects the cornea, or the transparent covering of the eye. Instead of maintaining a round shape, corneas affected by keratoconus thin and bulge, developing a distorted conical shape. This distortion prevents light entering the eye from focusing properly on the retina, resulting in significant visual impairment. What’s more: keratoconus can make it difficult to comfortably wear certain types of rigid contact lenses to correct vision.
Patients diagnosed with keratoconus have asked our team at Bochner Eye Institute whether the disease is curable. While a definitive cure for keratoconus has not yet been determined, our eye doctors are at the forefront of treatments to manage the disease and stave off vision loss. We are widely known throughout North America for our expertise; in fact, we established the first keratoconus clinic in Canada in 2008. Read on as we explain how we can prevent vision loss to keratoconus. Read the rest of this entry »
Dr. Samuel Markowitz, a specialist in Low Vision Rehabilitation and our associate and collaborator offered the following with regards to our common experience with Clear K CPV:
Corneal PhotoVitrification (CPV) is the latest of promising therapies approved recently in Canada suitable for application in cases with dry AMD. CPV is in essence a corneal photorefractive procedure which results in structural changes in the superficial cornea which in turn redirect light passing thru the cornea towards the peripheral retina. In essence the net result of the procedure is similar to the effect of prisms on incoming light into the retina. The wavefront aberrations profile of the cornea following CPV is best described as dominated by a quadrafoil pattern which can be recorded with corneal topography. Each of the 4 quadrants of the pattern produces a prismatic effect on incoming light towards the periphery of the retina.
This technology embraces the modern understanding of residual visual abilities in those who lost central vision due to disease and the ensuing rehabilitation process. Modern low vision rehabilitation in the event of macular vision loss is based on identification of Preferred Retinal Loci present on the retina and attempts to redirect the incoming light into the eye towards the existing PRL. There is a long time honored experience in this aspect. It was and is still based on eye movement training and also on use of prisms to redirect light to PRLs. Results from this methodology of treatments are published in the literature and proved to be beneficial in improving vision in those who lost macular vision. CPV is another development in the same methodology which included training of eye movements and use of prisms. It also shows already same benefits as proven in the past with eye training methods and prisms.
In Toronto, we have experience up to date with about 20 cases (about 35 eyes) which were treated with CPV. About 18 patients saw an improvement in visual functions and noted improvements in various activities of daily living and expressed various degrees of satisfaction following the treatment. 2 cases saw no vision related improvements after treatment. There were no downward side effects following the treatment.
Given that there are no other treatments today for dry AMD, our preliminary conclusion is that CPV offers a significant benefit to those treated translated easily in significant improvements in quality of life. Also with the advent of newer technologies it has to be emphasized that CPV is not applied to and not structurally affecting the retinal tissue.
89 Years of Continued CareThe Bochner Eye Institute was founded in 1929 by Dr Maxwell Bochner, a caring, compassionate, and highly respected ophthalmologist. Dr Harold Stein joined Dr Bochner in 1958, and Dr Albert Cheskes in 1966. Dr Raymond Stein became active staff in 1988 and Dr Fatimah Gilani become part of the team in 2017. Dr Rebecca Stein is a senior ophthalmology resident at Univeristy of Toronto and will be the 4th generation ophthalmologist at Bochner. This will be a first in North America with four generations of ophthalmologists.
Ontario Optometric Association (OOA) in Toronto, June 2018The Bochner Eye Institute was founded in 1929 by Dr Maxwell Bochner, a caring, compassionate, and highly respected ophthalmologist. Dr Harold Stein joined Dr Bochner in 1958, and Dr Albert Cheskes in 1966. Dr Raymond Stein became active staff in 1988 and Dr Fatimah Gilani become part of the team in 2017. Dr Rebecca Stein is a senior ophthalmology resident at Univeristy of Toronto and will be the 4th generation ophthalmologist at Bochner. This will be a first in North America with four generations of ophthalmologists.
World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) in Barcelona, June 2018Dr Raymond Stein was an invited speaker to the WOC to discuss his techniques and outcomes with Topography-guided PRK and crosslinking. The technique allows for improving best-corrected acuity over corneal crosslinking alone, so patients may wear glasses or soft contact lenses. The goal is to reduce irregular astigmatism and prevent progressive ectasia.
Canadian Ophthalmology Society (COS) in Toronto, June 2018Dr Raymond Stein was a guest speaker at the COS meeting in Toronto on June 2, 2018 to discuss the new technique and outcomes of Clear-K® CPV laser for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This technology is now approved by Health Canada. Bochner becomes the first centre in North America to offer this innovative technology. We are currently accepting referrals for patients with dry AMD with best-corrected acuity between 20/60 and 20/800.
Dr Harold Stein Innovators Lecture June 2018The Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) established the Dr Harold Stein Innovators Lecture as an annual lecture. This year the lecture was delivered by Dr Soosan Jacob of India who discussed her ophthalmic surgical techniques that have resulted in improved patient outcomes.This is the first named lecture at the COS main meeting and was attended by Dr Harold Stein and family.
Innovators Lecture, Canadian Ophthalmological Society
Best Selling Textbook in OphthalmologyThe 10th Edition of the Ophthalmic Assistant, written by Drs Harold Stein, Raymond Stein, and Melvin Freeman, has been recognized by Amazon as the “Best Selling Book in Ophthalmology”. We are very proud that our textbook is being used around the world to train doctors, technicians, and staff in the field of ophthalmology.
