Rothman is the owner of Lasik of Nevada, a 2-year-old medical practice that offers laser-vision correction and utilizes the most advanced technology available in the field, the Allegretto Wave Excimer Laser.

Rothman -- an ophthalmologist who trained at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and completed a fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery in Boston -- has been an enthusiastic proponent of laser treatment for the last decade.

"In 1995 I was fortunate to perform laser vision surgery in Northern California," said Rothman, who is originally from New York. "I worked in a practice where the director was very forward-thinking and brought the laser in prior to FDA approval, so the day they approved it we did some cases. I found my true professional love in that moment and have been doing it ever since."

Previously, Rothman had been doing general ophthalmology, corneal transplantation and some Radial Keratotomy (RK), a corrective vision treatment that was popular in the late 1980s and 1990s. But he was not convinced RK was the most effective solution to rectify poor eyesight.

"The cornea really is like a multilayered piece of wood, and with RK you're basically going against the grain of the cornea," Rothman said. "So the result was it weakened the cornea and allowed it to improve its shape, but the process also led to instability later on and my intuition told me it was not the answer to correcting vision. Once the laser was available it made much more intuitive sense."

Rothman opened Lasik of Nevada (formerly Lasik Nevada) two years ago. The practice, which has seven employees, now has two locations in Las Vegas and a new office in Reno. Rothman estimated he treats between 60 and 100 patients per month, offering a sliding fee schedule based upon the complexity of the individual's prescription.

"My philosophy is I don't think everybody should be charged the same price," Rothman said. "If somebody has a very simple eye prescription why should they pay the same price as those who have complex procedures?"

If a patient has a straightforward prescription, Rothman said he can provide laser vision correction for as little as $299 per eye.

"I can use laser technology that's a little older that still provides excellent results at a very low cost to us, which we pass on to the patient," he said. "On the higher end it's about $1,499 per eye, (but) it's important to emphasize that with the Allegretto laser, people around the country charge nearly double that. We could charge more also but my philosophy is I want people to be able to afford this procedure because it's such a life-changing event. We don't want it to just be for the rich -- we want make this available to as many people as possible."

The Allegretto Wave is certain to help bring this vision to fruition.

"The Allegretto laser is the absolute latest, most advanced technology for treating vision," said Rothman, adding that Lasik of Nevada is the only medical practice in the state that has it. "It's the only new laser system approved by the FDA in the last five years, and it was revolutionary technology versus evolutionary. In other words, since 1995 there's been evolution, as things gradually become better and more improved. Most laser systems are (initially) approved for a very narrow range of treatment, but this one was approved for tremendously wide treatment from day one."

Other advantages?

"It was the first laser system ever approved with the demonstrated effect of improving night vision, and that's really important because previous technologies tended to show reduction in the quality of night vision in some patients." Rothman said. "The re-treatment rate is much reduced and it's also much faster."

Among Rothman's patients is Sharon Coniff, a singer-songwriter who underwent corrective surgery with the Allegretto Wave laser about four months ago.

"It has been an absolute miracle in my life," Coniff said. "I was legally blind from the time I was a little girl and always wore the thick Coke bottle glasses. As I got older I started wearing the gas-permeable contact lenses, which irritated my eyes, and you're just a slave to them. I contemplated surgery for years and researched different doctors. When I found Lasik of Nevada and Dr. Rothman I felt that he and his entire staff really cared about me. It was an easy experience right from the beginning and his prices were the most affordable. I see better now than I did when I wore glasses or contacts, and that was with one procedure. As soon as I sat up from the operating chair I was able to read the clock."

Coniff said she would readily recommend Lasik of Nevada to friends and family, and has apparently done just that.

"I called my sister up in Seattle and she felt so uneasy about getting her eyes done," she said. "Now with my success story I would hope that she would step forward and go see Dr. Rothman as well."

Latoya Bembry, an account executive with Impress Communications, also had corrective surgery at Lasik of Nevada earlier this year. Bembry, who had worn glasses since the sixth grade, was more than ready to shed her specs, although she admitted she carefully contemplated the procedure before determining to move forward.

"(My vision) wasn't too bad, but faraway I just was a mess," said Bembry, who was referred to Rothman's practice by another Lasik specialist. "I was tired of wearing glasses and losing my glasses. I was a slave to them and didn't think I looked good with them. I didn't want anyone to laser my eyes, so it took me about two years to decide to do it. But it has to be in the top five of the best things I've done in my life so far."

Rothman credits the success of Lasik of Nevada in part to a dedicated staff, which includes an optometrist, two patient counselors, two operating room technicians and front desk personnel.

"We have a cohesive team of people who love what we do, and that's one of the secrets to our success -- we've all come to the conclusion that laser vision is a great thing," he said.

As for the future of Lasik of Nevada, Rothman is anticipating additional growth.

"We also want to help other doctors emulate the model we provide," he said.