EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
Issue link: https://digital.eyeworld.org/i/119916
78 EW IN OTHER NEWS April 2013 One-man continued from page 77 What truly made it memorable was the fact that the members of the team, whose bonds had grown strong, were set to part ways. "At the very end of that last race we put the boat away, got it ready for transport, and I remember [having] tears in my eyes knowing that this was the last time I was going to race with these guys," Dr. Boxer Wachler recalled. "It was really emotional for me." Reunion revelation Twenty years later, it was at the Henley Royal Regatta that the crew came together for a reunion. During the gathering, one of his old compatriots brought up the idea of individual sculling (rowing with two oars). The idea of working a single scull (without the need to coordinate other rowers' schedules) appealed to Dr. Boxer Wachler, who had been CAPSULORHEXIS Many Choices - Same Excellent Results ST5-1602 Masket Capsulorhexis Forceps - Titanium Fine angled tips perfect for grasping delicate capsule. Curved shafts with stop allows for freedom of movement in the anterior chamber. Flat handle. Also available in stainless steel. ST5-1603 Utrata Capsulorhexis Forceps - Titanium Fine angled tips perfect for grasping delicate capsule. Angled shafts with stop allows for freedom of movement in the anterior chamber. Flat handle. Also available in stainless steel. ST5-1611 Inamura Style Capsulorhexis Forceps - Titanium Cross action allows for use within a minimal incision. Delicate tapered shanks seal the incision during continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis. Also available in stainless steel. ST5-7035 23ga MicroSure Capsulorhexis Forceps - Titanium 23ga allows for optimal use in Micro Incision Surgery. Squeeze handle allows for optimal control within the eye. Visit Us at ASCRS Booth #1208 2500 Sandersville Rd., Lexington, KY 40511 USA Phone: 800-354-7848, 859-259-4924 Fax: 859-259-4926 E-Mail: stephensinst@aol.com www.stephensinst.com Dr. Boxer Wachler rowing in his scull Source (all): Brian Boxer Wachler, MD unable to compete on a team since college due to his demanding schedule. "After this reunion I came back galvanized with my resolve that I was going to figure out a way to learn how to scull so that I could get back on the water," he said. He found the UCLA community sculling program and within months was racing again, this time on the masters level where he was competing against those in his age group. He began with the local competition in Marina Del Ray, where the boats were started at intervals rather than side by side. "My first race I won," he said. "There was a luncheon afterward and they were announcing the winners. For my category they announced me, and I thought, 'What? I actually won this?'" he recalled. He was encouraged to find that he could still hold his own. "I raced the next year and I thought, 'Let's see how I do against the national versus local competition,'" he said. His first national race was in 2011 in Oklahoma City, on a sweltering 90-degree day. Drinking coconut water between races, Dr. Boxer Wachler kept himself well hydrated and stayed competitive, although his mind was also on his wife, two young daughters, and his mother-in-law cheering him on in the "crazy" heat on the river bank. "I made it to the final, and in the final I came in third and won bronze," he said. In the most recent national masters race, in Boston in 2012, Dr. Boxer Wachler was likewise elated to find that he made it to the finals, even against the steep East coast competition. Unfortunately, this was cancelled because of hurricane and tornado warnings. From a professional perspective, Dr. Boxer Wachler finds that his sculling is a natural adjunct to his busy career in ophthalmology. "Patients love to hear about it," he said. "It's a topic that people like to ask me about because they know it is something that I've started to do again, and it's fun to be able to talk with them about it." Dr. Boxer Wachler views his time on the water as providing needed balance to his hectic career. "I think that it's healthy to have interests outside of the practice," he said. While sculling has become his personal passion, Dr. Boxer Wachler encourages other practitioners to follow their own paths. "Whatever the hobby, passion, or interest is, I think it's good to pursue that," he said. With an eye toward the future, Dr. Boxer Wachler continues to train for the 2013 national masters sculling competition. While sculling helps to give him balance, he also prizes the perspective it gives his twin daughters. "I love the fact that I'm setting an example for my two daughters, who are almost 7 years old, that being physically active is important," Dr. Boxer Wachler said. EW Contact information Boxer Wachler: 310-860-1900, bbw@boxerwachler.com