Dr. Gindzin carries patient through snow to save her vision

Dr.Gindzin

WALKER, Mich. — A Spring Lake woman says her ophthalmologist saved her vision this past weekend. Lillian Havenga says Dr. Yosef Gindzin went out of his way to help her by coming in to work on his day off, and by carrying her to and from his office in the snow.

Lillian has wet macular degeneration, and is nearly blind in her left eye. She can still see reasonably well in her right eye, but needs shots every four weeks to keep her vision.

“She’s kind of an unusual patient. If we’re late at all with her injection, she starts to bleed,” said Dr. Gindzin, an Ophthalmologist at Grand Rapids Ophthalmology in Walker. “So in the last 15 years we’ve tried not to be late by one day.”

Lillian’s appointment was originally scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 14. But she couldn’t make it because she was in the hospital getting emergency treatment for a separate health issue.

Lillian was finally cleared to leave the hospital on Saturday, but she and her daughter — Marie Havenga — didn’t want to wait any longer to get her eye injections, since it could mean further loss of vision.

That’s when Marie reached out to Dr. Gindzin to see if he could help them.

“He gave me his cell phone number and said he would be willing to meet her at the office on Saturday and open up just so he could give her her eye injections in hopes of saving her right eye,” she said.

When they arrived at Dr. Gindzin’s office there was too much snow in the parking lot to drive through, let alone navigate through in Lillian’s wheel chair. “We didn’t plow our driveway because it was the weekend, and her car couldn’t make it up to the door,” said Dr. Gindzin. “So I just carried her into the building.”

And after the successful procedure, he carried her back to her car. Now, Lillian is back at her home in Spring Lake. She’s enjoying the beautiful view outside her living room window, and looking forward to seeing her 6-year-old granddaughter in the near future.

And she’s ever grateful for Dr. Gindzin.

“He carried me into the office, treated me, and carried me out again. Now what doctor would do that?”

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Grand Rapids Ophthalmology is pleased to provide top-quality, comprehensive eye care to our patients in the Greater Grand Rapids area. We have 15 conveniently located eye care centers that utilize the latest and most advanced technologies across the entire spectrum of ophthalmology. If you are seeking information about one of our eye care locations please click into our locations page for more information. Hours are subject to change due to upcoming Holidays.

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East Beltline
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
East Beltline Medical Center
750 East Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(Located on the Southeast corner of East Beltline and Bradford - enter from Bradford)
616.588.6598
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am – 5pm
Late Night – T: 8am – 7pm
Sat: 8am – 11am
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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Grandville
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Rivertown Office Center
4475 Wilson Ave SW
Grandville, MI 49418
(Located on the Northwest corner of 44th St/Rivertown Pkwy and Wilson - enter from Wilson)
616.588.6598
Hours
Tu, W, F: 8am-5pm
Late Nights – M, Th: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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Walker
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology (Located on the upper level)
3300 Walker View Dr
Walker, MI 49544
(Located North of Walker Avenue exit on I-96 – enter on the upper level)
616.588.6598
Hours
M, T, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – W: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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Cutlerville
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Corewell Health Care Center
80 68th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49548
(Located inside the Corewell Helath Care Center on the corner of 68th St and Division)
*Please note there is no exterior signage showing Grand Rapids Ophthalmology at this time.
616.588.6598
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-6pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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Rockford
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Mercy Health Campus
6050 Northland Dr NE, Suite 100
Rockford, MI 49341
616.588.6598
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 7am-5pm
Caledonia
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Mercy Health Campus
10047 Crossroads Ct SE
Caledonia, MI 49316
616.588.6598
Hours
M, Tu, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Closed 12pm-1pm daily
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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East Grand Rapids
Lakeshore Eye
717 Bagley Ave SE
East Grand Rapids, MI 49506
616.588.6575
Hours
M-Th: 8am-5pm
F: Closed (until December 1, 2023)
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Holland
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
Lakeshore Medical Campus
3235 N Wellness Dr, Suite 130
Holland, MI 49424
(Located ¼ mile East of US-31 on the left)
616.994.0477
Hours
M, W, Th: 8am-5pm
F: 7:30am-3:30pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Thurs 8am-5pm & Fri 7:30am-3:30pm
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Ionia
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
537 W Main St
Ionia, MI 48846
616.527.1640
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – Tu: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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Greenville
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology
705 S Greenville W Dr. #Suite 201
Greenville MI 48838
616.754.5667
Hours
Monday: 7:30am-6pm
Tuesday 7:30-5pm
Wednesday 7:30-5pm
Thursday: 8am-5pm
Friday 7:30-5pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Standale
511 Wilson Ave NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
616.301.8663
Hours
M, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Late Night – T: 8am-7pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am – 5pm
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GRO Surgical Center
Grand Rapids Ophthalmology Surgical Care Center
750 East Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(Located on Southeast corner of East Beltline and Bradford – enter on the second floor)
616.588.6598
Hours
M, TU, W, Th, F: 8am-5pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 8am-5pm
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Walker Surgical Center
Walker Surgical Center
3300 Walker View Dr
Walker, MI 49544
(Located North of Walker Avenue exit on I-96 – enter on the lower level)
616.588.6570
Hours
M, Tu, W, Th, F: 6am-5pm
Phones answered Mon thru Fri 6am-5pm
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