The last 20 years have gone by in the blink of an eye for Eye Care Unlimited.
The Pelham Bay optometrist and eye care business is celebrating two decades of service.
It opened across the street from its present spot at 1748 Crosby Avenue in 1992.
Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, and Councilman Jimmy Vacca recently joined the owners – Pelham Bay native Dr. A.J. Contento, Dr. Annette Contento, and Dr. Evan Kaplan – to offer happy birthday wishes.
Contento said that working with his wife Annette and best friend Evan is a dream come true.
“I am thrilled to have served my family, friends, and neighbors with my wife and best friend here in the beautiful Pelham Bay section of the Bronx,” he said.
Through both its Crosby Avenue location and branch at 1086 Morris Park Avenue, the business is working hard to bring the best frames, lenses, contact lenses, and low vision devices to the community at reasonable prices.
The doctors at Eye Care Unlimited also provides LASIK, Blade-less Lasik, cataract, glaucoma, and ocular disease surgeries to their patients, said Contento.
“We work in a surgical center, so we provide a full scope of surgical care to our practice, as well as glasses and contacts,” said Contento. “So when grandma has cataracts, or your uncle has glaucoma, or your buddy who works in a construction site gets metal in his eye, we can take care of all of that.”
Contento said that the business was founded in Pelham Bay because he grew up in the area and wanted to serve the community.
A former president of the Pelham Bay Merchants Association, he’s proud his business is one of several on Crosby Avenue that have been there for more than 20 years.
“The patients are really dedicated to our practice. Even the ones that move out of town come back from Florida and the Carolinas to have their eyes checked.”
One patient comes back from Jamaica when she visits relatives in New York.
“I love my patients and the relationships we have developed over the past 20 years,” said Annette Contento, “and I look forward to the next 20 years with the help of God.”
Dr. Kaplan is also thrilled to be part of a thriving practice.
“The chemistry between the staff, opticians and the doctors have developed to be the cornerstone of our success,” said Kaplan. “The patients appreciate the camaraderie and feel very confident and comfortable under our care.”
For more information, call (718) 792-2020.
Patrick Rocchio can be reach via e-mail at procchio@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3393
Photo courtesy of Eye Care Unlimited
