WOOLFSON EYE INSTITUTE CAPITALIZES ON GROWING LASIK MARKET

The LASIK industry is booming nationally with more than 1.3 million procedures generating well over $1.8 billion. In Georgia, industry experts estimate that in 2005 more than 35,000 LASIK procedures generated more than $68 million in revenues. Leading the industry in Atlanta and the Southeast is Woolfson Eye Institute.

Not content to be an industry follower, Dr. Jonathan Woolfson, who founded Woolfson Eye Institute in 1999, is redefining the LASIK marketplace in Atlanta. “There is a huge untapped market out there for LASIK,” explained Dr. Woolfson. “Estimates are that 58 percent of the U.S. population, or about 165.3 million Americans, require some sort of vision correction. With so many diverse communities within this 58 percent, we needed to diversify our marketing programs to sync-up with our potential customers.”

To set itself apart from the competition, and capitalize on the huge potential for LASIK, Woolfson Eye Institute has forged several key marketing agreements with professional sports teams in Georgia. “The sponsorship endorsements we have with the Atlanta Falcons, the Georgia Force arena football team and the Gwinnett Gladiators hockey team, allow us to amplify and tailor our messages to these fan bases by leveraging the teams’ existing marketing programs,” said Dr. Woolfson.

Another area Woolfson has been able to dominate in the industry is with celebrity and professional athlete endorsements. Most recently, one of latest professional athletes to endorse Dr. Woolfson and Woolfson Eye Institute is Atlanta Falcons safety Bryan Scott (#24). “Whether its cars or resorts, high-caliber players like Bryan Scott have the connections and the resources to choose the best,” said Dr. Woolfson. “So when they do the research and choose your business, that speaks volumes to potential patients about your level of quality and service.”

Endorsements and sponsorship agreements alone however, are only part of the picture. To reach the broadest segment of the market possible, services must be easily accessible.

With eight state-of-the-art surgical facilities in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, Woolfson Eye Institute has the broadest market reach of any physician-owned and operated LASIK provider. “We’re competing against corporate, publicly-traded companies, so it is absolutely imperative for Woolfson Eye Institute to be within easy reach in as many markets as possible,” stated Dr. Woolfson. “However, you have to be sure that the level of service and patient care in each location is the highest possible before considering a new location.”

Among the first to perform LASIK in the nation, Dr. Woolfson continues to train other surgeons in the procedure using FDA-approved Alcon (NYSE:ACL) and Visx (a subsidiary of Advanced Medical Optics - NYSE:AMO) excimer lasers, and has personally performed over 60,000 LASIK procedures, including those of over 300 eye doctors worldwide – establishing him as one of the most well respected surgeons in the World.

About Woolfson Eye Institute
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Woolfson Eye Institute (WEI) is the leading provider of LASIK and referral ophthalmic services in the southeast. With state-of-the-art surgery centers in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, WEI has long been the first choice for eye doctors from around the world when it comes to their own LASIK and that of their patients. For additional information please visit them online at www.woolfsoneye.com or call 1.866.527.3722.
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