Video Website powered by Einstein IndustriesColumbus Laser and Vision Institute

ANNOUNCER: Well one of the big donors at this year's auction is Columbus Vision and Eye and we have Dr. Columbus here with us tonight and several patients as well. By the way, we have two packages from Columbus Laser Vision going up for auction tonight. We sold two last night, we have two tonight, two tomorrow night, and two on Tuesday night. So make sure you big on those. First of all, welcome and thank you for being part—

DR. COLUMBUS: Thank you, George.

ANNOUNCER: I've got some questions for you. First of all, I know before we get to you and we talk to you, talk about-- Now you're new to the Wilkesbury area, okay, but you've been performing laser eye surgery since when?

DR. COLUMBUS: 1995, FDA approval.

ANNOUNCER: Okay, and you started in New York, is that correct?

DR. COLUMBUS: New York City, yes.

ANNOUNCER: And about how many procedures have you performed?

DR. COLUMBUS: In the past five years approximately 2,000 procedures.

ANNOUNCER: Wow. Now what kind of procedure? What types of vision correction do you do?

DR. COLUMBUS: I'm currently doing LASIK procedures, laser vision correction, correct near sightedness and astigmatism.

ANNOUNCER: Okay, now I noticed reading on here, actually you have an astonishing infection rate too. That's a pretty proud statistic too.

DR. COLUMBUS: Yeah, most complications rates are very low. About five percent or less. So this is - - procedure without complications about 95 percent of the time or more.

ANNOUNCER: Okay, now the laser you have is a new type of laser. It is the Nidek? Is that how you pronounce it?

DR. COLUMBUS: Correct.

ANNOUNCER: Nidek, EC-5000 excimer laser. What makes that so special?

DR. COLUMBUS: It's one of the latest generations that are coming out. It's a scanning laser, more advanced technology. The laser technology has been improving over the past six years. It gets you smoother contour changes, more accurate treatments, a broader range of treatments of prescriptions now, and less side effects such as glare and halo.

ANNOUNCER: That's really good. As a matter of fact too, now I need to point this out, I'm going to be getting my eyes done from you and I need to point out the fact that I'm hanging for it on my own. It's not trade or anything like that. And I think I'm going in there in about two or three months so I can't wait for that. One other question here. This is very important now. You serve a wide ranging area—Philadelphia, up here. What other areas do you serve?

DR. COLUMBUS: Getting a lot of people from Delaware, State of Delaware, New Jersey as well, internationally, London as well as in the local area.

ANNOUNCER: Okay. Now I know, in fact we've had a couple other companies here as well and usually, and I know in New York you had charged upwards of $3,500, $4,000 for both eyes, so the obvious question that I know everybody is asking is how can you, providing, and you obviously do, you provide great service and a quality service, how can you offer this same service at a much lower price?

DR. COLUMBUS: There's a couple of factors that play in a price system. Previously in New York, working under corporate laser centers, there are a lot of middle fees involved, and because of that higher prices. Now I'm in my own private practice for the past year and a half. I have a family run business, no corporation. My brother works with me. He's an optometrist as well. And it's all—a lot of middle fees can be reduced that way and because of that can pass the savings on to the patients.

ANNOUNCER: Okay, so like you own the business, there's a lot of overhead that you don’t have to deal with, there's a lot of fees that you don’t have to deal with, but again, the service and everything else is just the same or better.

DR. COLUMBUS: Correct.

ANNOUNCER: That's great. We had the initial consultation. I've got to tell you one thing. This man is thorough. I sat down there and I don’t know if I tried to fake him out or what but you dilated my eyes and you were not satisfied until you got the correct reading. I was very impressed with that.

We're going to talk to a few patients that we have here and I have the names right here. Stacy—I'm sorry, Sandy. Now Sandy, when did you get your eyes done?

SANDY: March 1st of this year.

ANNOUNCER: Of this year? Was it painful?

SANDY: No, not at all.

ANNOUNCER: And how long did it take?

SANDY: If I was in there maybe about 10, 15 minutes and that was it.

ANNOUNCER: Now you wore glasses for how long?

SANDY: About 24 years.

ANNOUNCER: And then just after ten minutes that was it? You don’t need glasses anymore?

SANDY: No more glasses.

ANNOUNCER: That is just tremendous. And no side effects? Nothing like that? Just walking around and…?

SANDY: Yup, perfect.

ANNOUNCER: You're making me calm here, I know that. [laughter] This is great. And your name is?

JOHN: John.

ANNOUNCER: John, and when did you have your procedure done?

JOHN: I had it done November 30th of last year.

ANNOUNCER: Okay and how long did you wear glasses?

JOHN: I wore glasses for probably about 15 years.

ANNOUNCER: And then again, after ten minutes just nothing.

JOHN: I had the procedure done at about 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon. The next morning I drove to the appointment myself without glasses.

ANNOUNCER: That's just tremendous. And one more. And your name, sir?

JERRY: Jerry.

ANNOUNCER: Jerry, and when did you have the procedure done?

JERRY: I believe it was September last year.

ANNOUNCER: And so then how long before that were you wearing glasses?

JERRY: Since I was 12.

ANNOUNCER: Since you were 12. And do you recommend Dr. Columbus? I'm going underneath the knife here. I need to know this.

JERRY: You'll be happy. Trust me.

ANNOUNCER: - -. Well thank you very much. Dr. Columbus, thank you very much for donating and supporting the Great TV Auction. Again, we have two items of Dr. Columbus's up for bid tonight, two more tomorrow night, and two more the following night after that.