It’s no secret that tourism is the lifeblood of the Sunshine State’s economy. According to Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation, more than 140 million nonresidents visit each year.
The reasons are varied but unsurprising. The most popular attractions include beaches and waterfront activities, shopping, sightseeing and theme parks.
However, among a select population, there is a lesser-known — though notable — reason to travel to Florida: medical tourism.
Though this is often associated with the relative costs of medical care between countries, quality of care ranks high for those coming to the United States. The National Institutes of Health has found an increase in medical tourism in recent years, though actual statistics remain elusive.
Here in Northeast Florida, the rich abundance and reputation of hospitals and other medical facilities, cutting-edge innovation, physicians and specialties have made it a desirable place not only to visit, but in some cases to put down roots.
One would be hard-pressed to find a better example of a key participant in this trend than the Gulani Vision Institute, the world’s first eye surgery spa, located in Jacksonville.
A Matter of Focus
With more than three decades of experience, and having established himself early on as a leader in the field of ophthalmology, Dr. Arun C. Gulani is the founder of this practice, located at 8075 Gate Pkwy. West.
Gulani offers the full spectrum of services, but also proprietary techniques. Having become involved in LASIK (Laser Assisted In-Situ-Keratomileusis) years before it became available in the U.S., he literally wrote the book on several groundbreaking procedures. For instance, he trademarked LaZrPlastique, a form of LASIK that can be completed in minutes without cuts, blades or flaps, and LenzOplastique, a no-needle, stitch-free cataract surgery.
He has earned numerous accolades and endorsements for his work and might have chosen to locate his practice in New York or Beverly Hills, where the rewards would be considerable. However, his selection of Jacksonville has proven an asset for Northeast Florida, not only because of the propinquity of exceptional eye care, but also because of the financial impact of his ability to attract patients from around the United States and the world.
In fact, this aspect is central to Gulani’s practice, with about 80% to 90% of his patients coming from outside the region. They come from as far away as the Orient, attracted by his reputation and success rate, but also by his personal approach.
He takes time to meet one-on-one with his patients and doesn’t maintain a traditional waiting room — when patients arrive for an appointment, they find the doctor completely focused on them.
It’s a perspective he shares with physicians who have taken instruction from him.
“I teach other doctors all over the world: Just focus on the patient,” Gulani said.
Accommodating the Patient
With an eye toward maximizing his clients’ experience, Gulani has taken the extra step of enlisting the aid of a local hotel.
“A couple of years ago, the opportunity became available for us to partner with Dr. Gulani,” said James Angel, director of sales for Aloft Jacksonville Tapestry Park. “He was looking exclusively for a hotel that his staff could recommend.”
The hotel is only a mile and a half from Gulani’s office, so it is convenient for patients.
“They’ll buy breakfast with us here, head over the Dr. Gulani’s office, spend the afternoon there, come back here and they’ve got easy access for a late lunch or dinner without having to go very far,” Angel said.
In addition, there are restaurants within walking distance — a desirable quality for someone undergoing eye surgery.
Because the hotel is smaller than some others, Angel sometimes has an opportunity to converse with the guests, and the subject of Dr. Gulani inevitably arises.
“They always tell me the same thing,” Angel said. “Every time they’re here, they’re like, ‘You know, he’s incredible. He spends as much time as I need making me comfortable.”
Angel himself has not needed to avail himself of Gulani’s services, but he knows where he stands on the doctor’s appeal.
“Based on the feedback from every guest we’ve had, I’d recommend Dr. Gulani anytime without hesitation,” he said.
Abundant Praise
Hotel stays and bed taxes are but one way the practice benefits the local economy. Patients eat in local restaurants, shop in local stores and seek out opportunities to explore Northeast Florida. One of Gulani’s patients even hired a tennis pro for the five days he spent here.
Chris Maletis is among those who have traveled a considerable distance to acquire Gulani’s services, and he holds nothing back in his praise for the man who rescued his eyesight.
“He’s the GOAT, in my opinion, for what he does,” said Maletis, using the acronym for “Greatest Of All Time.”
Maletis, of Portland, Oregon, is an amateur golfer who has played all over the world, winning numerous tournaments, and even played in the U.S. Amateur at TPC Sawgrass.
However, a growing fluctuation in his vision began to interfere with his performance.
“You really do have to have excellent vision,” he said.
He had some success with radial keratotomy. Later, he had a photorefractive keratectomy procedure done. But in the end, he simply had to accept that his vision would fluctuate throughout the day.
“I was wearing three sets of glasses during the day: a morning set of glasses, a noon set of glasses and then an afternoon set of glasses, each set a little weaker,” he explained. “Basically, I just had to live with it.”
Everything changed after he discovered Gulani online, though he was a bit skeptical at first, thinking that the endorsements he read there were simply too good to be true.
“What really got my attention was when eye doctors and other doctors who needed their eyes for their profession were going to him,” Maletis said.
Ultimately, he flew to the First Coast and met with Gulani. The resulting procedures restored his eyesight.
These visits also allowed Maletis to enjoy the many attractions offered by Northeast Florida.
“Jacksonville’s just a great place to be,” he said. He spoke highly of the hotels where he stayed, the ease with which he got into and out of the airport and the access to the ocean.
One of the things Maletis learned was that he was not the only patient to travel a great distance to receive treatment. During a post-procedure gathering consisting of Gulani and a group of his patients, Maletis said he was “blown away” by all the people who could not receive the help they needed wherever they happened to live.
“I literally heard story after story after story of people that had nightmarish situations, with doctor after doctor saying, ‘There’s nothing we can do,’” Maletis said. “And they we’re practically in tears because Dr. Gulani gave them vision.”
He recalled meeting a patient from Kenya, named Eric, who was legally blind and needed a new lens that wasn’t even being made. In the end, one of the suppliers created a lens specifically for the man.
“Dr. Gulani basically made it his personal mission to do everything in his power to have Eric see again,” Maletis said.
New hope, new home
The history of Gulani Vision Institute is filled with such stories — patients who would fly in from all over the globe to avail themselves of these procedures. To date, Gulani said, he has treated people from more than 100 countries, which he believes to be a world record.
They will often bring family with them, and while the patient is concerned with his or her treatment, the others in the entourage are sightseeing and spending money throughout the First Coast.
Some grow so enamored of this corner of the world, out of the way by New York or Los Angeles standards, that they relocate here permanently — even building homes here.
Robert Morris, a resident of Washington, D.C., for the past 31 years, is an example.
Like Maletis, he had radial keratotomy and also saw marked improvement after treatment. However, a decade and a half later, his focus was diminished and he followed up with photorefractive keratectomy. Again, the results were good, though temporary.
Discovering Gulani online, he did his due diligence. Reluctant to undergo yet a third set of surgeries, he continued to learn more about Gulani and, after about five years, opted to seek the doctor’s help.
Arriving in Jacksonville, Morris, who had retired from the U.S. Navy, was pleased with the familiar naval presence in the city. He was also impressed with his visit to Jacksonville Beach and the climate of Northeast Florida, which, compared with many other parts of the state, maintains a bit more seasonal fluctuation.
He found the transportation system to his liking, as well.
“It’s easy to get from one place to the other,” Morris said. “That was kind of a breath of fresh air.”
When he and wife Kelly discovered Del Webb Nocatee, they made a major life decision.
“We thought: This is the right spot for us; we’re going to build here in Ponte Vedra,” Morris explained.
A physician’s perspective
As Maletis pointed out, some of the most convincing patient testimonials come from physicians.
Dr. Emmanouil Nichlos, a plastic surgeon from Frankfort, Germany, flew to Jacksonville in 2021 for treatment.
“I had a special condition called pinguecula in both eyes,” he said, referring to an abnormal growth of tissue on the clear membrane that covers the white of the eye. “Nobody in Germany was operating on this condition.”
Seeking a solution online, he found that Gulani was one of very few surgeons in the world who operated on this type of problem. As part of his research, he also read Gulani’s book, “The Art of Pterygium Surgery.”
Satisfied that Gulani lived up to his reputation, Nichlos flew to the First Coast.
“I am very pleased with the results,” Nichlos said. “I do not have any discomfort, and the red area from the irritation is now brilliant white!”
Though he stayed close to his hotel, he did have opportunity to visit downtown Jacksonville.
Now he is back home in Frankfort.
In a video testimony on YouTube, nationally renowned eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang said, “I call (Gulani) the Mozart of eye surgery.”
As with any type of tourism, the object of the trip — particularly where it involves aligning multiple flights from distant locales and a considerable investment of time and resources — must be worthwhile. It must deliver as promised.
And Gulani’s many satisfied patients agree that his practice does just that.
