The Stories That Inspire Us: Patient Testimonials from 2024

As we close the chapter on 2024, we at Vitreoretinal Consultants of NY find ourselves reflecting on the incredible journeys we’ve shared with our patients. This year has been one of dedication, innovation, and heartfelt connections. We are both honored and humbled to have played a role in restoring and preserving vision—helping our patients see the world more clearly and embrace the lives they deserve. In this post, we highlight some of the most touching testimonials from our patients, whose kind words remind us why we do what we do every day.

David M. Fastenberg, MD

• "Doctor Fastenberg is a wonderful doctor a caring human being and a major asset to our neighborhood. I consider myself very lucky to have such a capable professional and friend."
• "Dr. Fastenberg was reassuring, thorough and put me at ease. I had an emergency and he saw me right away! Thanks so much, Dr. Fastenberg. I was truly grateful."
• "Dr. David Fastenberg is a "ten-star doctor." He is one of the most kindhearted, talented and caring professionals you will ever have the pleasure of working with."
• "Very knowledgeable and professional. Great Doctor and that’s exactly what you need when you have a torn retina. Definitely want the best working on your eyes."

Jeffrey L. Shakin, MD

• "I've only been Dr. Shakin's patient for a few months and I'm really pleased. Dr. Shakin has a wonderful bedside manner and a gentle hand which for me is huge. Very knowledgeable and explains everything. The staff is ultra pleasant, very professional, and the office is very well organized. I'm happy I was referred there."
• "This man is fabulous. Bright warm, communicative, willing to explain things and answer questions. Has gotten my particular retina problem under control. Top flight doctor. Feel at ease if you go see him. You're in highly competent hands. Can't say enough about him."

https://www.vrcny.com/retina-specialists/eric-shakin textL Eric P. Shakin, MD

• "Dr. Shakin truly treats his patients like family. He’s not only highly skilled and knowledgeable in his field, but he also prioritizes your well-being, never recommending surgery solely for financial reasons. You can trust him completely."
• "I could not be happier with Dr. Shakin or with his staff. I came in and was taken almost immediately. I spoke to, or dealt with at least three of his staff members, and each was nicer and more pleasant than the next. I had a great deal of confidence in the doctor given his expertise and his kind manner. He was informative, and extremely pleasant. I am delighted I found this practice and will be back in one year for a check up. (Please note, I don't always give these kinds of glowing reports for other doctors I have seen. This was a true pleasure, and a rarity.)"

Philip J. Ferrone, MD

• "Dr. Ferrone cares so much about his patients. There is no other doctor like him in this entire world. You can’t even believe how brilliant this specialist is. He is the one percent of the one percent when it comes to retinas. And his skillset matches his bedside manner. We love Dr. Ferrone more than you could imagine. If you are lucky enough to have him for your doctor, you will live out your best life enjoying all world sights. BEST DOCTOR!!!!!! Office staff is also just lovely."
• "Dr. Ferrone is absolutely brilliant. I am not often one to leave a review but it’s a small price to pay in trade for what I believe he has done for my 3yo son… which was saving his vision from what could have been blindness from where we started with a very bleak prognosis. Long story short my son’s situation was a unique one. A scary one. Multiple laser surgeries later the kid can spot baby ants on the counter that I even have a hard time to find. Great doctor and good man overall. Cares about his patients."

Vincent A. Deramo, MD

• "After 1 year of amazing retinal reattachment surgery by Dr. Deramo and vision is completely restored due to his brillance and expertise. Dr. Deramo and his staff truly are a blessing and will always be held in my mind and heart for restoring my sight."
• "Dr. Deramo is a wonderful example of what a medical professional should be. He is caring, compassionate and expert in his procedures. Additionally, he will fully answer any questions in an easily understood way."

Kenneth B. Graham, MD

• "My mother loves Dr. Graham! He’s been treating her macular degeneration for years and at 96 years old her eyes are great! Highly recommend him and his staff!"
• "Absolutely the best of the best! I have been seeing him for years and he treated me for a tear in my retina several years ago. He lasered it and I've been following up with him ever since. He is wonderful and I highly recommend him and have referred so many other people to him."

Brett J. Rosenblatt, MD

• "Dr. Rosenblatt has been my go-to retina specialist for many years. He has provided excellent care and advice in treating me for dry macular degeneration. He patiently explains the test results, options, is available to see me in between scheduled visits if necessary, and answers all my questions. He understands my concerns and is sensitive to patient needs, fears,and feelings. He openly and willingly discusses research in the field. I have faith and trust in him to provide excellent treatment."
• "Dr. Rosenblatt is AMAZING. He is so smart and knowledgeable. He has a great personality and truly knows how to help people overcome vision obstacles. He is amazing. He explains all procedures and options, and I never feel pressured to do anything I’m not comfortable doing I follow his guidance and he is confident he will be able to help and he seems to always do that as I have said, he is amazing!"

Juan M. Romero, MD

• "Dr. Juan Romero is professional, knowledgeable and always answers our questions. My husband and dad are both his patients. They're very comfortable and look forward to his medical care when do. We are so blessed to know him and have him as an exceptional retina Specialist! Highly recommend him."
• "Meeting with Dr. Juan Romero was the highlight of our visit. Not only was he kind and approachable, but he also took the time to thoroughly explain my mother's condition and treatment options, putting her at ease. His expertise and professionalism were evident throughout, and we left feeling confident in our decision to schedule surgery and follow-up appointments with him. I appreciated Dr. Romero's proactive approach in providing informative pamphlets and valuable suggestions about the procedure. It's rare to find a doctor who inspires such trust and confidence within minutes of meeting them. I would advise others to jot down any questions or concerns beforehand, as Dr. Romero is excellent at addressing them. Overall, I can't recommend this office and Dr. Juan Romero enough. Their commitment to patient care and satisfaction is truly commendable. A big thank you to the entire team for making our experience a positive one."

David Y. Rhee, MD

• "I've been treated for wet macula degeneration by at least 5 doctors over a 15 year period. I stopped when I chose Dr. Rhee for my only doctor. I could go on with a long list of why, but In this brief post I'll simply say that Dr. David Rhee is the best I've ever had to treat me. He's always ahead of the curve on the latest research & treatments, and he's the best of the best!"
• "I was referred to Dr. Rhee for an emergency and it always makes me nervous seeing a doctor I haven’t researched beforehand. I could not have been any happier with Dr. Rhee and his staff. They were competent, thorough and so reassuring. I will be a patient for life and am so thankful for the wonderful experience and support I received today."

Jonathan Jonisch, MD

• "My ophthalmologist noticed a retinal tear and contacted Dr. Jonisch for me immediately. I was in Dr. Jonisch's office within the hour, and he found a total of 3 tears which he repaired on the spot. Him and his staff were compassionate, patient and knowledgeable. They made a very scary situation manageable, and I would highly recommend them to anyone in need of retinal care."
• "I love Dr. Jonisch. He is straight and to the point, very knowledgeable and competent. I feel very confident in his skill and expertise. I have been seeing him for almost a year since a very bad retinal tear and subsequent complications. He is saving my sight."

David Y. Poon, MD

• "Dr. Poon is an expert in his field. He is warm and caring and makes the patients feel comfortable. He is thorough in examination and provides detailed analysis. He earns the trust from his patients. In addition, the office environment is pleasant and the staff are friendly."
• "I am so happy with Dr.Poon!!!! He is so kind, thorough, and tells you what he’s doing as he’s doing it. I am very happy and blessed to be his patient!"
• "I was detected with AMD and had vision problems with one of my eyes. With regular visits and timely treatment, Dr. Poon fixed my vision, I feel great with almost more than 90% improvement."

Jessica G. Lee, MD

• "I highly recommend Dr. Lee, she was absolutely amazing taking care of my mother's vision concerns. Dr. Lee was warm, polite, and most importantly passionate about taking care of her patients. Dr. Lee's entire organization embodies a standard of holistic care which is second to none."
• "Dr. Lee is like a breath of fresh air. I was very skeptical due to past experiences. She listens to the patient and provides feedback in real-time. She lets us see our eye pictures so we can understand where we are. She is simply amazing. She seems very down to earth, unlike others I have experienced. My spouse was able to ask questions which left us with a different perspective on specialty doctors. Thanks Dr. Lee for being human."

Albert S. Li, M.D

• "Dr. Albert Li graduated with the highest honors from Harvard, yet he remains one of the most humble and patient doctors I have ever encountered. His examination was exceptionally thorough, and his nurse team is well-trained and professional throughout the process. I had questions and concerns after my visit, and Dr. Li took the time to call me back on his day off, showing how deeply he cares about his patients. I am incredibly grateful for his dedication and would highly recommend him to anyone seeking exceptional care."
• "We wholeheartedly give our highest recommendation to Dr. Albert Li and his team. In January, we faced a frightening situation when my mother suddenly experienced severe blurry vision in her right eye. After a visit to the ER and our eye doctor, we were urgently referred to a retina specialist. After thorough research, we chose Dr. Li—and it was the best decision we could have made. From the moment we contacted his office, the staff displayed the utmost professionalism and care. They ensured my mother was seen immediately and Dr. Li scheduled for laser surgery without delay. Dr. Li’s expertise and the office’s seamless coordination put our minds at ease during a very stressful time. The office manager also went out of her way to personally check in with us, making sure every detail of the process went smoothly. Thanks to Dr. Li and his incredible team, my mother’s vision was restored, and we couldn’t be more grateful. We will forever be thankful for the outstanding care and compassion we received."

James Lin, M.D.

• "Dr. Lin saw me as an emergency a few months ago. I had to wait but deeply appreciated being seen. He was kind, compassionate and concerned about my condition. Even though I was an emergency, he still did not rush the appointment, instead, he extended my appointment to treat my condition and save my eyesight. He is ethical and thorough and I appreciate his caring enough about my vision to go the extra mile and provide the procedures necessary. I am so glad I found him! Thank you for helping me, Dr. Lin! High Five to you and your staff! :)"
• "Dr. Lin was extremely knowledgeable and took time to explain everything to me and calmed me down knowing that I was very stressed after having multiple retinal detachments and seeing him for the first time in an emergency. I’m very grateful for his knowledge and patience."

Charles W. Mango, MD

• "What can I say about Dr. Mango. He is simply the best. My mother has been seeing him for 8 years now, he saved her eyesight. He is very warm and caring towards my mother that it makes her visits so pleasant. She loves him like she loves her son. The staff is also wonderful, so caring and pleasant to deal with. I highly recommend Dr. Mango."
• "I was referred to Dr. Mango to confirm whether I had a retinal detachment or not. Thankfully, I don't. From the moment I walked in and front desk greeted and assisted me, I felt at ease. Dr. Mango was very hands on. He was kind, funny and took his time explaining. This was important for me as I needed to fully understand what was going on and has been going on with my eye. He made me feel at ease and that I was a priority, not just another patient. He even let me take a picture of my eyes from photos that were taken that day. Thank you, Dr. Mango!"

Pamela A. Weber, MD

• "Dr. Weber and the staff, in my opinion, is beyond amazing. She is kind, compassionate and truly a wonderful doctor, who has treated my condition (Wet Macular) with the uptmost attention and professional care. My eyes are better!!!! The proof of the pudding is in the eating. I cannot praise her enough!!!!"
• "Dr. Pamela Weber was AMAZING!!! Her whole staff is kind, efficient, and courteous. She is very thorough and does A LOT of tests to diagnose the problem. My experience with her was five star from start to finish. I found her to be very kind and compassionate and understanding. I was very scared as I had never had an issue with my eyes before or seen a Retina specialist and herself and her whole staff was very comforting. She put my mind at ease. An excellent doctor. I highly recommend her."

Jeffrey C. Paccione, MD

• "I recently visited Dr. Paccione for an eye examination, and I must say that it was a truly stress free experience. His approach to patient care is commendable - he was incredibly informative, patient, and thorough throughout the entire appointment.I was impressed by his attention to detail and his willingness to take the time to answer all of my questions without making me feel rushed. His expertise and professionalism were evident, and I left the appointment feeling well-informed and confident about my eye health. Overall, I highly recommend Dr. Paccione to anyone in need of a knowledgeable and caring eye doctor. Dr. Paccione, thank you, for providing such exceptional care! P.S.: Thank you as well to the office staff who were very friendly and professional."
• "Fantastic experience! Dr. Paccione manages to explain very complicated medical issues in a manner that is not only easy to understand but also very calming and comforting for the patient. After my very first exam by Dr. Paccione, I felt as if I already knew him for a very long time and I had enormous confidence in his knowledge and capability of fixing my eye problem. His warm personality and positive energy helped me feel so much better and confident in a positive outcome of my diagnosis. I am very happy and grateful to have Dr. Paccione taking care of me. Thank you!"

Nilesh K. Raval, MD

• "After meeting and speaking with Dr. Raval I was completely confident in his knowledge and experience to deal with my eye care. The entire office was professional and very helpful. I have already referred friends and relatives to this practice."
• "I was a first time patient and Dr. Raval took the time to explain everything that was going on with my eyes; even followed up the next day to see how I was doing after a minor procedure. Nowadays not too many doctors will do that!"

Reading these testimonials fills us with immense gratitude and pride. Each story is a testament to the trust our patients place in us and the unwavering commitment of our doctors and staff to deliver world-class retinal care. To all of our patients: thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey. Your stories inspire us to continue striving for excellence and to remain at the forefront of retina care. As we look to the year ahead, we are excited to build on the meaningful connections and life-changing outcomes that define our practice.

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