this was meant to be

John Norris III, MD, Stanley Braverman MD and John Norris II, MD. A certificate of GeriatricOphthalmology for Dr Braverman was signed years ago by John Norris II, MD President of theSociety.  Now Dr Braverman has performed eye surgery on his son John Norris III MD.

After a lifetime with poor eyesight, a Key West physician makes animportant decision. 

Growing up in New Jersey, Dr. John Norris III, MD, recalled a child-hood that was filled with fun, but also living with eyesight that re-quired wearing glasses from the very beginning.

through the years, like many who grow up having to wear somekind of vision enhancement, Dr. Norris did well. the fact that he wasnearsighted and had astigmatism was not a major obstacle.

"the fact was I couldn't see three feet in front of me without myglasses," he said. "Also, having a father who was an ophthalmolo-gist, you always knew where you stood with your vision."

today, Dr. Norris, 51, is living in Key West, specializing in InternalMedicine. his love for the outdoors and the water is what broughthim south, and he is into everything that this paradise destinationoffers.

In addition, he runs a successful and popular practice that manyin this "Conch Republic" rely on. 

Because of his eyesight and the natural slow regression with age,it seemed that what-ever he did, he neededto have a special pairof eyewear. that'swhen he talked with hisoptometrist, Dr. Darenoppenheimer.

What Dr. Norris andDr. oppenheimer dis-cussed was what couldbe done to correct thesight to a level whereglasses or contactswere not the crutch tospend the rest of hislife on.

"We talked about options and what would be next," Dr. Norris re-called the 2014 meeting. "We talked about Lasik surgery, and whatdoctors in Miami-Dade or Broward were among the best."

While there were several who did this procedure, very few had thereputation that Dr. Stanley Braverman in hallandale Beach had. Infact, while there were many names that were suggested, Dr. oppen-heimer knew which one was the best.

While Dr. Norris was not a candidate for the Lasik procedure - be-cause of his nearsightedness and a thin cornea - he was suitable forASA pRK (Advanced Surface Ablation photorefractive Keratec-tomy).

"We set things up for a consultation and I drove to hallandaleBeach," Dr. Martin recalled. "I was sold on this being able to en-hance the way I was living."

While the meeting with Dr. Braverman and his staff went "betterthan he could have imagined”, something happened during the con-sultation that really gave Dr. Norris a signal that this was meant tobe.

"When Dr. Braverman told me everything that had to be done, hepaused for a moment and asked if I was related to Dr. John Norris(II). I was floored when he asked that question."When Norris answered that he was, Dr. Braverman showed him aglass-enclosed certificate from the Society of Geriatric ophthalmol-ogy. the signature on that certificate was indeed Dr. John Norris II,who signed the certificate as the president of the society at thattime. he immediately called his father who is now living in VeroBeach.

"As soon as I saw that signature, I called and put my father on thephone with Dr. Braverman," Dr. Norris said. "We agreed to do theprocedure the next day and my father drove down."having his father on hand for the procedure, coupled with the factthat everything went so well, it was truly a positive experience.

"It's really outstanding how things work out," Dr. Norris ex-plained. "Dr. Braverman is a great doctor and a tremendous person.his staff was really first class all the way. And, then having my fa-ther there, made the experience extra special."

The Braverman Eye Center is located at: 1935 East Hallandale Beach Boulevard, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. www.bravermaneyecenter.com.

As he reflects backon the decision andtotal experience atBraverman Eye Center,Dr. Norris is pleased atthe way he can nowlive his life without bar-riers. While he doeswear reading glasses,his vision is better thanever - and no longerdoes he have to reachfor his glasses in themorning. 

WhAt to ExpECt:In ASA pRK (advanced surface ablation photorefractive keratec-tomy), the surgeon carefully removes the outer epithelial (skin) cov-ering of the cornea, and then uses the excimer laser to reshape thecorneal surface. A flap, which is cut when Lasik is done, is not nec-essary. A special "bandage" contact lens is placed onto the eye forcomfort while the epithelium is healing and is removed 3-4 dayslater. Visual recovery takes longer than with LASIK, and there aremore post-operative office visits and medication, which is whyLASIK has become more common.  however, there are patients whohave dry eyes or corneas that are too thin to perform LASIK safely,and for these patients, ASA pRK is a great alternative. When the eyeis fully healed after ASA pRK, the results are every bit as good aswith LASIK.

ABoUt DR. StANLEY BRAVERMANDr. Stanley Braverman is a Voluntary Assistant Clinical professor

at the University of Miami School of Medicine and the Anne BatesLeach Eye hospital/Bascom palmer Eye Institute. he is also an Ad-junct Associate Clinical professor at the Nova Southeastern Schoolof optometry. In addition to treating patients, Dr. Braverman, aboard certified ophthalmologist, has been a medical researcher, andis the inventor of several eye surgical instruments, and author ofmany articles for medical journals.  Dr. Braverman's newly trade-marked LACE™ procedure (Laser Assisted Cataract Extraction) pro-vides the best possible cataract surgical results. he has lectured atprofessional meetings about upgraded lens implants, advancedcataract surgery and LASIK, both nationally and internationally. hehas recently been recognized by Newsweek Magazine as one of theFifteen Leaders in Laser Eye Surgery in 2011, and recently co-au-thored a book on Z-Lasik that is being distributed internationally.You can find it on Amazon.com.

An initial cataract or LASIK consultation can be scheduled bycalling the Braverman Eye Center at:  (954) 458-2112 or (305) 374-8694.  For additional information please contact Regina Vasquez,Surgery Coordinator for cataract surgery, or Rosemary hartford,LASIK Coordinator for LASIK surgery, or visit the Braverman EyeCenter website at www.bravermaneyecenter.com where you canwatch a video of cataract or LASIK surgery and learn more about allof the latest advances in cataract surgery and upgraded lens im-plants, as well as LASIK Surgery, including Near-Far MultifocalpresbyLASIK, for patients over 40 years old who require glasses forboth distance and near vision.

In addition to Dr. Stanley Braverman, a Refractive Cataract andLASIK Laser Vision Correction surgeon, your other sub-specialtyeye care needs can also be evaluated and treated.  on staff at theBraverman Eye Center are Rashid taher MD FACS and tirso LaraMD FACS, Vitreo-Retinal surgeons; Andre Sarraga MD FACS, oph-thalmic plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon; Aarup KubalMD FACS, Complex Glaucoma Specialist; Jesse pelletier MD FACS,Corneal Surgeon; and, Eric Ciliberti MD, Neuro-ophthalmologist;Ryan Y. hargreaves oD and Shalonda McCallum oD.  All sub-spe-cialist surgeons at the Braverman Eye Center are Board Certified.

"It's really outstanding howthings work out. Dr. Braver-man is a great doctor and atremendous person. His staffwas really first class all theway. And, then having my fa-ther there, made the experi-ence extra special."

DR. JOHN NORRIS III, MD

"When Dr. Braverman toldme everything that had to bedone, he paused for a mo-ment and asked if I was re-lated to Dr. John Norris (II). Iwas floored when he askedthat question. It really caughtme off guard!"

Front 11-12_Layout 1 11/13/15 10:59 AM Page 1