Advances
Dr. Birchansky is an innovator in his field. He is credited with bringing numerous surgical advances to both the of Cedar Rapids and Iowa as a whole.
1991 – Introduced No-Stitch cataract surgery. Brought back corneal transplantation after a 20-year absence in the area.
1992 – Dr. Birchansky introduced eye drop anesthesia for cataract surgery.
1993 – Introduced temporal (side-incision) cataract surgery.
1994 – Introduced clear corneal cataract incision.
1995 – Introduced acrylic foldable lens technology.
1996 – Intracameral anesthesia for cataract surgery.
1996 – Introduced office-based Excimer Laser technology.
1998 – Performed outpatient cataract surgery in an in-office surgery center instead of a hospital.
1998 – Introduced multifocal (bifocal) lens implants.
1999 – Introduced a new generation microkeratome that has no gears and is computer driven.
1999 – One of the first surgeons in the U.S. to introduce Intacs to correct mild nearsightedness.
2000 – Introduced the one-piece foldable acrylic lens implant and the copolymer lens implant.
2001 – Awarded a United States patent for the Intraocular Pressure Monitoring/Measuring Apparatus and Method. The device could be inserted as part of a lens implant in cataract surgery or could be injected into the eye by itself. The implanted microchip is activated by a laser to measure inner-eye pressure.
2001 – Introduced Iowa’s only Sunrise LTK Holmium Laser.
2001 – Received board certification in LASIK surgery by the American Board of Eye Surgery.
2001 – Acquires Alcon Autonomous LADARVision 4000 Excimer Laser.
2003 – LADARWave Custom Ablation acquired.
2005 – Introduced ReSTOR multi-focal lens for cataract and clear lensectomy patients. This lens offers a high level of freedom from reading glasses or bifocals. It can also provide a full range of vision at all levels of light.
2005 – Introduced Epi-Lasik procedure to Iowa.
2005 – Began using TORIC IOL, an astigmatism correcting lens implant, for cataract patients.
2006 – Began offering the ReZoom multifocal lens implant to compliment the ReSTOR lens implant.
2007 – Began offering the Visian ICL.
2008 – Began offering the Crystalens, an accommodating lens with flexible hinges for all ranges of vision.
2009 – Introduced Iowa’s only in-office cataract surgery.
2010 – Began offering the +3 add ReStor lens to cataract patients.
2011 – Aquired Alcon ALLEGRETTO WAVE® EYE-Q Excimer Laser.
2012 – Surpassed 24,000 cataract surgeries.
2013 – Introduced Trulign, a flexible astigmatism reducing lens implant
2014 – Introduced Ziemer Femtosecond laser to Eastern Iowa
2015 – Introduced Restor +2.50 bifocal lens implant to Eastern Iowa
Press Release Title “Dr. Birchansky recognized as a Top Ophthalmologist 2011″
Dr. Birchansky has received prestigious recognition in the “2011 Guide to America’s Top Ophthalmologists”. Being chosen for this listing is an honor, and his impressive achievements have placed Dr. Birchansky among the Nation’s most excellent by Consumers’ Research Council of America – A private Washington, D.C. company that evaluates and compiles lists of America’s Top Professionals in various industries. The selection process is based on a point value system that awards points for education, years in practice, and affiliations with professional associations.