Eye Associates doctor contributes talents to eye program for the poor
After hours of traveling and hard work, Karl A. Holzinger, M.D. is finally back to serving his patients at Eye Associates in South Jersey. While working with Children's Surgical Center (CSC) in Phnom Penh Cambodia, the team performed a total of 75 surgeries during the week, along with 400 or more examinations.
"Before joining our team of surgeons here at Eye Associates, Dr. Holzinger served as chief of ophthalmology in the Navy," said president of Eye Associates, Sydney L Tyson, MD/MPH. Dr. Holzinger has participated in 45 missions in 15 different countries over his career as an ophthalmologist. During his time serving in the Navy as ophthalmology department chief in several surgical centers in Honolulu, Hawaii; Dr. Holzinger became affiliated with Britain native and founder of Children's Surgical Center (CSC) Dr. Jim Gollogly.
Gollogly set up the Children's Surgical Center (CSC) in Phnom Penh Cambodia in 1998. The original purpose was to address landmine injuries that occurred from landmines laid during the Vietnam War. Now being a robust eye program, CSC provides free care for the poor. CSC addresses eye problems and trauma including cataract, oculoplastics, and pediatric issues such as tumors, strabismus, and pediatric cataracts. Gollogly and the CSC where even featured in a BBC documentary.
Patients lined up at Children's Surgical Center (CSC) in Phnom Penh Cambodia. As people age in Cambodia, they just expect to go blind. The fact that the doctors are able to give sight to these patients is very rewarding. The surgeries are completely free for these patients through CSC. "I started working with Jim when I was in the Navy, working several times in Cambodia (generally not at CSC), but in more remote areas between 2002 and 2007," said Holzinger. Jim's organization would provide nurses and usually one or two ophthalmologists in training. "We did cataract surgery mostly. Patients generally could only see shadows before surgery and needed help walking because the cataracts were so advanced."
After retiring from the Navy in 2007, Holzinger returned to Cambodia just once in 2010.
After that he joined Eye Associates & the SurgiCenter of Vineland while attending other missions in India, Ghana, and Indonesia. "These missionary trips were great, but I always wanted to go back to Cambodia," said Holzinger. "The Cambodian people went through such atrocities during the Khmer Rouge rule. It is especially rewarding to be able to help in any little way I can."
"On this last trip, I worked with an old colleague, Dr. Kevin Winkle," said Holzinger. Winkle is a pediatric ophthalmologist now living in Alaska. "We worked together at Tripler Army Hospital in Hawaii until we both retired from the military. So it was nice meeting up in Cambodia. He did pediatric surgeries and I did adult cataract surgeries." Together, Dr. Holzinger and his colleague trained four doctors during the program.
Karl A. Holzinger, M.D. performs Cataract Surgery on patient in Cambodia while training other ophthalmologists. With all these advanced surgeries performed in such poor locations, many wonder how surgeons like Holzinger travel with all the supplies necessary. "I work through Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) out of Santa Barbara California. They provide all of the surgical supplies, which I take along on the plane." Before SEE, the military would purchase all of the supplies. "They have been a great support, and I have worked with them for probably 30-35 missions over the years. With their help, we've performed 1,500-2,000 cataract surgeries." Their web site is www.seeintl.org.
When asked why missionary trips are so important to him, Dr. Holzinger responds, "The people we treat on these trips would never in their lifetimes have any access to an ophthalmologist. As people age, they just expect to go blind. The fact that we are able to give site to these patients is the most rewarding thing I could ever do as an ophthalmologist. The surgeries are completely free for these patients through CSC."
"We are so thankful to have Dr. Holzinger," said administrator of Eye Associates, Gina Biagi. "Aside from being a great doctor, this man has such a great heart. It is so amazing to hear all of the stories Dr. Holzinger has for us when returning from his trips. I'm excited to hear where he will go next!"
Eye Associates and SurgiCenter of Vineland has offices in five locations -- Vineland, Cherry Hill, Blackwood, Hammonton and Mays Landing. Visit, www.sjeyeassociates.com.
This article submitted by Karly Jeffers for Eye Associates.