Eyeworld

58 | EYEWORLD | JULY 2023 C ORNEA by Julie Schallhorn, MD Cornea Editor S ome days my clinic feels like an en- durance event. It reminds me of my time on the swim team, where my event was the 500 m freestyle, a lengthy measured exertion as com- pared to the explosive flash of the 50 m sprint. The goal, of course, is speed, to go fast enough to win. But 400 m into the race, with your lungs burning and your arms feeling like lead weights dragging you down, every stroke can be agony. "Remember your form!" my coach would yell above the water at the turn at this point in the race. Remember my form. At the time, it made sense to me in a race. With my tired arms and heaving for breath, focusing on the me- chanics of each arm extension and pull gave me the mental fortitude to stay engaged and in the competition. Competitive swimming is no longer a part of my daily life, but I find myself coming back to the mantra of remembering my form. When I feel battered and weary with the toils of daily life, I think of this and focus on the technical and mental execution of the task at hand to car- ry myself through. I think of this often on those never-ending clinic days. Best practices are the summation of the technical aspects of medicine. They are, in effect, the perfection of the form of medicine. They are there to guide us and to shape our ac- tions, especially when we most need it—during a grueling clinic day to remind us to check the lids on every cataract preop or in the middle of a hectic OR schedule to remind us to confirm the implant at the start of the case. Best practices are, by design, simple. It's not rocket science or a heavy mental lift when it comes to following them. The actions of best practices should come naturally, as naturally as remembering to roll your shoulders with each swim stroke or to lift the weight with your legs instead of your back. They are a welcoming backstop when the fatigue of the long race to the end of the day starts in. In this issue, we have two articles that focus on best practices in cornea. An outstanding article on management of blepharitis should make its way into every clinician's playbook. The other reminds surgeons how to best treat the challenging combination of endothelial disease and glaucoma. An additional article features discussion from a symposium at the 2023 ASCRS Annual Meeting about what to do in various cases of irregular corneas. Having a framework of best practices to rely upon helps me maintain my form when the going gets tough and helps me to keep my game strong when it comes to caring for patients. Best practices: back to basics Having a framework of best practices to rely upon helps me maintain my form when the going gets tough and helps me to keep my game strong when it comes to caring for patients.

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