Brent Hanson - USAEYES-FRAUD.com
2010-03-01 05:12:26 UTC
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Lines: 80
Message-ID: <_0Iin.267155$***@newsfe01.ams2>
X-Complaints-To: ***@newsgroups-download.com
NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:12:26 UTC
Organization: Public Usenet Newsgroup Access
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:12:26 -0800
Bytes: 4573
Xref: number.nntp.dca.giganews.com alt.lasik-eyes:70977
http://www.usaeyes-fraud.com/news-stories/dr.-nicholas-caro-barred-from-performing-lasik-eye-surgery.html
By Deborah L. Shelton, Tribune reporter
February 19, 2010
A state regulatory agency is barring a Chicago ophthalmologist from
performing Lasik eye surgeries in Illinois, one of a number of
disciplinary actions taken against the doctor on Friday.
After finding that Dr. Nicholas Caro had engaged in unprofessional
conduct and gross negligence, the Illinois Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation suspended his medical license for 30 days,
placed him on probation for a minimum of 3 years and banned him from
performing procedures aimed at changing the curvature of the cornea,
which includes Lasik surgeries.
The agency also fined him $10,000, the maximum allowed per violation.
A Tribune story in July reported that Caro had been sued almost 50 times
for medical malpractice in Cook County since the late 1990s. The story
revealed that the state's chief medical prosecutor, Lisa Stephens,
recommended in 2008 that Caro's medical license be "suspended, revoked,
or otherwise disciplined" because the ophthalmologist had allegedly
mishandled Lasik surgeries and failed to properly manage treatment of
post-operative complications.
Yet Caro continued to perform eye surgeries, highlighting ongoing
concerns about the aggressiveness of the watchdog agency charged with
punishing bad doctors.
On Friday, Stephens said the disciplinary actions will protect the public.
"We addressed the issues that were part of our formal complaint and we
addressed them the best way we could," Stephens said. "If he can't do
those things anymore, then future patients can't be hurt by him."
Attempts to reach Caro for comment were unsuccessful.
Lasik is an elective surgical procedure in which a laser is used to
change the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the
eye. Lasik, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is
intended to reduce a person's dependence on glasses or contact lenses.
The procedure is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries performed in
the U.S.
According to the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Co., which insures about 30
percent of U.S. ophthalmologists, about 75 percent of the specialists
who practice at least 25 years have three or fewer lawsuits or
malpractice claims in their career.
The Tribune checked the records of more than a dozen other Lasik doctors
in the Chicago area and found none had been sued for malpractice more
than 12 times; most had far fewer lawsuits.
Of the almost 50 lawsuits against Caro, some 29 were filed in the past
decade.
Lawsuits, depositions and documents compiled by state regulators
describe patients repeatedly seeking treatment from the doctor for
painful or worrisome complications.
One of those patients, Joseph Smith, was pleased to learn of Caro's
punishment.
"I'm glad that he doesn't have the chance to hurt somebody else like he
messed up my eyes," said Smith, who is suing Caro. "It's good that they
finally did something about him."
Under the conditions of Caro's probation, he is required to hire a
licensed physician, approved by the regulatory agency, to oversee his
practice.
In addition to the lifetime ban on doing refractory procedures, such as
Lasik, Caro will not be allowed to perform intraocular procedures in his
medical office, which include cataract surgery, corneal transplantation
and refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction.
Caro has said that he has performed about 25,000 eye procedures in 25
years.
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Lines: 80
Message-ID: <_0Iin.267155$***@newsfe01.ams2>
X-Complaints-To: ***@newsgroups-download.com
NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:12:26 UTC
Organization: Public Usenet Newsgroup Access
Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:12:26 -0800
Bytes: 4573
Xref: number.nntp.dca.giganews.com alt.lasik-eyes:70977
http://www.usaeyes-fraud.com/news-stories/dr.-nicholas-caro-barred-from-performing-lasik-eye-surgery.html
By Deborah L. Shelton, Tribune reporter
February 19, 2010
A state regulatory agency is barring a Chicago ophthalmologist from
performing Lasik eye surgeries in Illinois, one of a number of
disciplinary actions taken against the doctor on Friday.
After finding that Dr. Nicholas Caro had engaged in unprofessional
conduct and gross negligence, the Illinois Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation suspended his medical license for 30 days,
placed him on probation for a minimum of 3 years and banned him from
performing procedures aimed at changing the curvature of the cornea,
which includes Lasik surgeries.
The agency also fined him $10,000, the maximum allowed per violation.
A Tribune story in July reported that Caro had been sued almost 50 times
for medical malpractice in Cook County since the late 1990s. The story
revealed that the state's chief medical prosecutor, Lisa Stephens,
recommended in 2008 that Caro's medical license be "suspended, revoked,
or otherwise disciplined" because the ophthalmologist had allegedly
mishandled Lasik surgeries and failed to properly manage treatment of
post-operative complications.
Yet Caro continued to perform eye surgeries, highlighting ongoing
concerns about the aggressiveness of the watchdog agency charged with
punishing bad doctors.
On Friday, Stephens said the disciplinary actions will protect the public.
"We addressed the issues that were part of our formal complaint and we
addressed them the best way we could," Stephens said. "If he can't do
those things anymore, then future patients can't be hurt by him."
Attempts to reach Caro for comment were unsuccessful.
Lasik is an elective surgical procedure in which a laser is used to
change the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the
eye. Lasik, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is
intended to reduce a person's dependence on glasses or contact lenses.
The procedure is one of the most common cosmetic surgeries performed in
the U.S.
According to the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Co., which insures about 30
percent of U.S. ophthalmologists, about 75 percent of the specialists
who practice at least 25 years have three or fewer lawsuits or
malpractice claims in their career.
The Tribune checked the records of more than a dozen other Lasik doctors
in the Chicago area and found none had been sued for malpractice more
than 12 times; most had far fewer lawsuits.
Of the almost 50 lawsuits against Caro, some 29 were filed in the past
decade.
Lawsuits, depositions and documents compiled by state regulators
describe patients repeatedly seeking treatment from the doctor for
painful or worrisome complications.
One of those patients, Joseph Smith, was pleased to learn of Caro's
punishment.
"I'm glad that he doesn't have the chance to hurt somebody else like he
messed up my eyes," said Smith, who is suing Caro. "It's good that they
finally did something about him."
Under the conditions of Caro's probation, he is required to hire a
licensed physician, approved by the regulatory agency, to oversee his
practice.
In addition to the lifetime ban on doing refractory procedures, such as
Lasik, Caro will not be allowed to perform intraocular procedures in his
medical office, which include cataract surgery, corneal transplantation
and refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction.
Caro has said that he has performed about 25,000 eye procedures in 25
years.