NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Launches New Surgical Retina Service

NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Launches New Surgical Retina Service

Innovative service enables providers to deliver the gift of sight to patients with complex retinal conditions

Jul 31, 2024

NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem today announced the launch of a state-of-the-art Surgical Retina Service. The innovative service broadens ophthalmological capabilities and enables providers to deliver the gift of sight to patients with complex retinal conditions in Harlem. The new Surgical Retina Service was developed through a strategic partnership with Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, which offered technical assistance in developing the program.

The Surgical Retina Service specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of retinal diseases. Common indications of retinal surgery include:

• Retinal detachment
• Complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (vitreous hemorrhage, traction retinal detachment or combined traction-rhegmatogenous retinal detachment)
• Retained lens fragments or dislocated nucleus/intraocular lens after cataract surgery
• Endophthalmitis
• Epiretinal membrane or Macular Pucker
• Vitreomacular traction (VMT)
• Macular Hole
• Intraocular foreign bodies

"A huge "Thank you," to our incredible Ophthalmology team led by Noga Harizman, MD, Chief of Ophthalmology for launching the new Surgical Retina program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem and for working diligently to ensure that we offer a full scope of retinal services," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Chief Executive Officer Georges H. Leconte, MPA, FAB. "With the addition of world-renowned retinal expert Dr. Tarun Sharma, who is a leading expert in treating medical and surgical vitreoretinal diseases, with over 30 years of expertise, patients in the Harlem community no longer have to trek to far distances to receive care for critical retinal conditions and that makes me beam with pride."

"It was extremely important to develop a service that covers eye diseases that are prevalent in our community such as glaucoma and retinal abnormalities," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Chief Medical Officer Maurice Wright, MD, FACP. "Today, we are celebrating a partnership with Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Harkness Eye Center and the addition of our new retinal service. Our Ophthalmology department is excellent and addresses a majority of all eye diseases in our community. Thanks to the entire team."

"Having Surgical Retina available at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, led by world renowned doctors, elevates the scope and quality of services offered by our Ophthalmology department to better serve the Harlem community," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Chief of Ophthalmology Noga Harizman, MD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Columbia University.

"I had no vision in my left eye," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Patient Luis Nunez. "Since having my retinal procedure, I follow all of the post-operative eye care instructions and have seen a great deal of improvement in my vision. The Harlem Hospital Ophthalmology team has been extremely supportive throughout the process."

For more information about retinal surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, please call 212-939-4586 or email [email protected].

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MEDIA CONTACT: Philip D. Cooke and Jeanette N McGill, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, 212-939-1372

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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem is a 268-bed hospital that provides a broad array of preventive, primary and acute care services including general medicine and medical subspecialties, general surgery and surgical subspecialties, infectious diseases, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and neonatology, critical care, imaging, radiology and nuclear medicine, rehabilitation medicine, psychiatry and substance abuse services, dental and oral surgery, physical, speech and occupational therapies. They are an Area-Wide Burn Center and Level II Trauma, with Centers of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery, Breast Imaging and Sexual Assault Forensics, a designated Stroke and AIDS Center, a World Health Organization's UNICEF Designated Baby Friendly. For more information, visit https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/harlem.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan-all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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