Dimitri Azar, MD
Jose de la Cruz, MD
Millennium Park Eye Center of UIC
30 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 410
Chicago, Illinois 60602
(888) 243-6988
Dr. Dimitri
Azar
Dr. Jose
de la Cruz
Drs. Dimitri Azar and Jose de la Cruz offer LASIK in Chicago and the surrounding area
Dimitri Azar, MD, and Jose de la Cruz, MD, are board-certified ophthalmologists offering a range of vision correction services to patients in Chicago and the surrounding area. Dr. Azar is an internationally acclaimed refractive surgeon and leading researcher whose work has led to numerous innovations in LASIK vision correction surgery. He was among the first surgeons in the world to perform the advanced Epi-LASIK surgery, and he played a key role in the development and approval of the now widely used VISX STAR S4 excimer laser platform. Dr. Azar holds several major LASIK technology patents and is the author of numerous highly regarded articles and books on refractive surgery, including the authoritative reference for eye surgeons worldwide, Refractive Surgery. Dr. Azar has been featured in many media outlets, including Chicago Magazine and Chicago Sun-Times. Dr. Jose de la Cruz is a Harvard-trained eye surgeon who has been in the field for more than a decade. In addition to refractive surgery, Dr. de la Cruz is considered an expert in keratoprosthesis, an artificial cornea implant procedure. He has authored numerous book chapters on topics pertaining to refractive surgery and has received the "Best Doctors in America" award three years in a row.
Dr. Azar's and Dr. de la Cruz's greatest commitment is to their patients. Together, they strive to provide the finest laser vision correction services for the most discriminating patients throughout the Chicago area. For Drs. Azar and de la Cruz, patient safety always comes first. This is why they perform detailed evaluations, provide thorough explanations of the available treatments and give straightforward answers regarding each patient's LASIK eligibility. This treatment philosophy, coupled with their outstanding technical expertise, results in rewarding vision correction outcomes that repeatedly surpass patients' expectations.
To schedule a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Azar or Dr. de la Cruz and learn more about your vision correction options, contact Millennium Park Eye Center at (888) 243-6988.
More About Vision Correction at Millennium Park Eye Center
Dr. Azar has been featured in numerous books, magazines and publications.
As Chief LASIK Surgeon of the Millennium Park Eye Center and Head of the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, Dr. Azar leads a team of talented surgeons and scientists who perform pioneering surgery and conduct leading-edge research on a daily basis. The renowned infirmary has been recognized for outstanding patient care throughout its 150-year history and is consistently ranked among the best hospitals for eye care by U.S. News & World Report. Millennium Park Eye Center continues this notable tradition by leading the way in laser and non-laser vision care.
The experienced vision care professionals at Millennium Park Eye Center are dedicated to using the most advanced technologies and techniques to provide vision correction treatment that is safe and effective. At this state-of-the-art facility, patients can receive a range of laser vision correction treatments, including LASIK, Epi-LASIK, LASEK and Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK). To enhance patient safety and improve surgical results, Millennium Eye Park Center's doctors use IntraLase technology when performing LASIK surgery. This method allows them to perform the procedure completely blade-free; while standard LASIK uses a blade (microkeratome) to create a flap in the cornea, LASIK performed with IntraLase uses a laser. As with standard LASIK, an excimer laser is then used to reshape the underlying corneal tissue. The result is a more precise treatment that often leads to better vision correction results.
Drs. Azar and de la Cruz also offer the advanced Epi-LASIK procedure, which is often the best option for patients who do not qualify for LASIK. In fact, Dr. Azar is an internationally recognized authority on Epi-LASIK, which detaches a significantly thinner layer of cornea than other forms of LASIK, making it a more suitable procedure for patients whose corneas are too thin for LASIK.
In addition to laser vision correction, the Millennium Park Eye Center also offers a variety of non-laser treatments, including Conductive Keratoplasty (CK), Intracorneal Ring Segments (ICRS), Phakic Intraocular Lenses (IOL), Refractive Intraocular Lenses (IOL),cataract surgery, oculofacial plastics, pediatric ophthalmology and routine eye exams, to name a few.
The Millennium Park Eye Center, conveniently located on Michigan Avenue across from Millennium Park
in the heart of the city's cultural attractions, is dedicated to providing the most innovative eye care services
for the most discriminating patients.
More About the Eye Surgeons of Millennium Park Eye Center
Dimitri Azar, MD, completed his residency and fellowship at Harvard Medical School's Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He later joined the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he served as the Director of Refractive Surgery Services. Dr. Azar has also served as Director of Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery Services at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and as the senior scientist for the Schepens Eye Research Institute. Dr. Azar is a former Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and he is currently Professor and Department Head of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary. Dr. Azar is a board member of the American Ophthalmological Society and an International Council Representative for the International Society of Refractive Surgery.
Jose de la Cruz, MD, received his medical degree from Ponce School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine internship at St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center on Staten Island. He later became the Chief Resident in ophthalmology at the renowned New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and continued his training at Harvard Medical School. Dr. de la Cruz then underwent an advanced refractive surgery fellowship at the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary. Throughout his career, Dr. de la Cruz has authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters on topics pertaining to artificial cornea implant and refractive surgery. He is affiliated with many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.