ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A Windermere doctor accused of performing unnecessary eye surgeries on dozens of patients is expected to go on trial Tuesday.
Prosecutors said Dr. David Ming Pon, with Advanced Retina Eye Institute in Leesburg and west Orange County, did it to defraud Medicare.
James Allen, of Minneola, will be 93 in March and said he has no major problems with his eyesight.
"I drive when I want to. I've been out two times this week," Allen said.
Allen said there was a time when he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to drive. He said Pon told him he had macular degeneration and had him undergo years of regular laser treatments.
Allen said after growing tired of lengthy wait times at the doctor's clinic he decided to visit another doctor.
"He told me right away that I didn't have macular degeneration and told me the treatments were unnecessary," Allen said.
Allen is just one of the many patients the federal government said Pon lied to about their eyes.
According to his 2014 indictment, prosecutors allege the 57-year-old intentionally misdiagnosed Allen and others with eye conditions they didn't have so that he could collect more than $7 million from Medicare.
"Just greedy -- I can't understand why people would do you that way," Allen said.
Allen, a World War II veteran, said he is glad his sight survived the ordeal and hopes justice comes next.
"I think he should go to jail. I think all his assets should be disbursed to pay back the money that he defrauded Medicare out of. I hope that's what happens," Allen said.
Pon faces 20 counts of Medicare fraud.
Jury selection in his case is expected to begin Tuesday morning.