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Community Corner

Garden City Father and Daughter Featured in National Advertising Campaign

Dr. D'Aversa, an ophthalmologist, and daughter Jaclyn have appeared in a series of print ads currently running in national optical trade magazines.

Garden City residents Dr. Gerard D’Aversa and his daughter, Jaclyn, are being featured in a national ad campaign for Marchon Eyewear.

Dr. D’Aversa, an ophthalmologist at Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI), and Jaclyn have appeared in a series of print ads that are currently running in national optical trade magazines. They are also featured in a video on Marchon’s website.

In the video, the D’Aversas talk about their Unite for Sight mission trip to Accra, Ghana where they spent 10 days at the North Western Eye Clinic providing clinical care, vision screenings and implementing educational programs for children and adults.

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Dr. D’Aversa performed sight-restoring surgery and brought medical supplies and equipment. He also trained the clinic’s director, Dr. Michael Gyasi, how to perform modern cataract surgery using phacoemulsification.

“Prior to our trip, Dr. Gyasi was performing large-incision surgery on his patients, which usually requires longer healing times,” said Dr. D’Aversa. “When performing surgery with the phaco machine, the incisions are much smaller and no stitches are needed which leads to a much faster visual recovery.”

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With the acquisition of the phaco machine and the training he received from Dr. D’Aversa, Dr. Gyasi became the second doctor in the entire country who was able to perform modern cataract surgery, essentially changing the way medicine and cataract surgery are being performed in Ghana today.

Unite for Sight, based in New Haven, CT, is a nonprofit organization providing eyecare worldwide and offering high-impact, hands-on public health opportunities for volunteers. Unite for Sight only pays for the surgeries; the phaco machine that was used by Dr. D’Aversa to train Dr. Gyasi was donated by Island Eye Surgicenter in Carle Place.

The D’Aversas received a tremendous amount of support from a number of other sources including companies that donated lenses and medical supplies, donations from family members and OCLI patients, fundraisers and a young elementary school student who collected hundreds of eyeglasses by placing boxes in local shops and going door-to-door.

“Without the support of so many, we never would have been able to carry out our mission,” said Dr. D’Aversa.

"We were thrilled to be chosen by Marchon Eyewear for the ad campaign,” said Jaclyn, currently a senior at Barnard College of Columbia University. “My dad and I are excited about sharing our story about how we were able to make a difference in the lives of many people while sharing an unforgettable experience."

Headquartered in Melville, Marchon Eyewear is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of eyewear and sunwear.

To view the ad and video, visit www.ocli.net.

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