Ophthalmology · The Team
The same specialist, from your first examination through your final follow‑up
The ophthalmology department at Palazzo Manzoni in Brescia is led by Dr. Andrea Russo, with Dr. Giulia Festa, Dr. Alessandro Boldini, Dr. Anna Cancarini, and Dr. Jacopo Zilioli on the team. Five specialists. One principle: the doctor who examines your eyes at the first visit is the one who plans your surgery and reviews you at every follow-up.
The ophthalmology department at Palazzo Manzoni in Brescia is led by Dr. Andrea Russo, MD, PhD (founder, specialist in cataract and refractive surgery, research fellow at the University of Brescia, FWCRS Fellow, 1,200+ peer-reviewed citations, inventor of D-Eye retinal imaging), with surgeons Dr. Giulia Festa, Dr. Alessandro Boldini, Dr. Anna Cancarini, and Dr. Jacopo Zilioli. Single-surgeon continuity is the working principle: the same specialist sees you at consultation, performs your examination and any indicated procedure, and reviews you at every post-operative interval.
How This Department Works
How this department works
The ophthalmology department at Palazzo Manzoni operates around three principles that shape how a patient experiences the service.
Single-surgeon continuity
The specialist who sees you at the first consultation is the specialist who performs your examination in depth, plans any indicated procedure, performs it, and reviews you at every post-operative interval. There is no junior trainee performing your surgery under remote supervision, no hand-off mid-examination to a different specialist. The relationship between patient and surgeon is the entire shape of the care.
Right specialist for the right condition
Ophthalmology spans the full range of the eye and vision — from refractive errors and cataract to age-related macular degeneration, dry eye, and retinal health. Within our team, each specialist has clinical focus and expertise. We match you to the specialist whose knowledge best fits your condition.
Examination-first, recommendation second
Your consultation begins with a thorough assessment: your refraction, corneal shape and thickness, lens clarity, retinal health. The examination itself — what your eye actually shows — comes before any discussion of options. Sometimes the examination reveals a path different from what you expected.
A team that is willing to say no
Not every eye is a candidate for every procedure. Not every patient needs surgery. Patients seeking a procedure that their eye anatomy cannot support, or seeking it at the wrong time, are told so plainly. Some are recommended to wait, or not to proceed. The trust this builds is what the practice is built on.
The Team
Five specialists,
mapped to the work they do
Dr. Andrea Russo
Lead Ophthalmologist
Ophthalmologist. Founder of Palazzo Manzoni. Lead of the department. Specialist in cataract surgery, refractive surgery (LASIK, SMILE, PRK, Presbyond), ICL phakic lens implantation, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Research fellow at the University of Brescia with 1,200+ peer-reviewed citations. Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery (FWCRS), member of AECOS and ESCRS. Inventor of D-Eye, a smartphone-based retinal imaging device used in clinical practice worldwide. Training includes Moorfields Eye Hospital London.
Dr. Giulia Festa
Ophthalmologist
Specialist in cataract surgery and refractive surgery (laser and ICL). Works across the range of cataract procedures including standard and premium multifocal lenses, and refractive surgery for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia.
Dr. Alessandro Boldini
Ophthalmologist
Specialist in cataract surgery, refractive surgery, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — both wet and dry forms. FWCRS and FEBOS-CR Fellow with extensive experience in refractive surgery, bringing particular expertise to advanced retinal imaging and AMD surveillance.
Dr. Anna Cancarini
Ophthalmologist
Specialist in cataract surgery and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Works across standard and premium IOL options for cataract patients, and brings expertise in the diagnosis and long-term management of dry and wet AMD.
Dr. Jacopo Zilioli
Ophthalmologist
Specialist in cataract surgery and refractive surgery (laser and phakic lenses). Works across the full range of refractive procedures and cataract management.
Procedures and Specialists
The procedures and the specialists assigned to them
A condensed reference of the team’s scope, by procedure family. You are matched to the right specialist at your initial consultation; all diagnostic and surgical procedures are performed by the team members listed for that procedure.
Cataract surgery
Phacoemulsification with IOL implantation; standard or premium multifocal lenses
Russo
Festa
Boldini
Cancarini
Refractive surgery
Laser: PRK, Femto-LASIK, SMILE, Presbyond; phakic ICL lens
Russo
Festa
Boldini
Zilioli
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Diagnosis and surveillance (dry and wet forms)
Russo
Boldini
Cancarini
Dry eye assessment and management
Russo
Festa
Boldini
Cancarini
Premium and multifocal lenses
Consultation and implantation
Russo
Festa
Boldini
Cancarini
Comprehensive eye examination
Comprehensive eye examination and diagnostic imaging
Russo
Festa
Boldini
Cancarini
What You Can Expect
What you can expect
Consultation duration
~60 minutes
Comprehensive eye examination with advanced diagnostic imaging and discussion of options.
Diagnostic equipment
Zeiss systems
Topography, OCT, angiography, wavefront analysis — currently the benchmark in ophthalmic diagnostics.
Operating theatres
In-house
Hospital-grade day-surgery suites inside the restored historic palazzo at Via dei Mille 14, Brescia.
Anaesthesia
Local
Local anaesthetic eye drops for laser and ICL; local or light sedation for cataract surgery depending on patient preference.
Length of stay
Same day
Day surgery for all procedures (laser, ICL, cataract); you return home the same day.
Follow-up
Structured
Scheduled reviews at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months minimum; longer surveillance for AMD and other chronic conditions.
Direct specialist access
Included
Between visits, with reasonable response time.
Languages
IT / EN
Italian (primary), English.
Take the Next Step
Your next step starts
with a conversation
At Palazzo Manzoni in Brescia, every consultation is personal, unhurried, and designed to give you clarity about your next step.
Address
Via dei Mille 14, 25122 Brescia, Italia
Phone
Hours
Mon-Fri 8:30-18:30 · Sat 9:00-13:00
01
Get in touch
Call, email, WhatsApp, or book online.
02
Meet your specialist
A personal consultation to understand your situation.
03
Your plan, your pace
Together you decide the best path forward.