Eyeworld

UPDATE 15 ASCRS Foundation: Tell us about yourself. Dr. Yi: I finished my training in 2001, then did my anterior seg- ment fellowship in Boston. After that, I started my career with a solo practitioner in the Boston area, but transitioned 2 years later to join Massachusetts Eye Associates in Chelmsford where I currently practice. We are a group practice with five general ophthalmologists. I mainly do cataract surgery with a little bit of corneal work. ASCRS Foundation: How did you first get involved in volunteering to do charitable surgery? Dr. Yi: In 2012, I became interested in what I could do beyond my prac- tice to make a difference. I contacted World Medical Missions, who linked me with ophthalmologists in Kenya. It takes about 6 months to a year to plan a charitable surgery trip. I took my family with me on that first trip to Kenya in April 2013 for 2 weeks. ASCRS Foundation: Why do you think it's important to do more of what you do in your "day job" as volunteer work? Dr. Yi: As U.S. surgeons, we don't often have a good perspective of the worldwide problem of preventable blindness. Volunteering opened my eyes to the struggles outside our community, and there is something I can do about it. It makes sense to do this—companies are willing to sponsor trips, and I have the skills to make a difference. ASCRS Foundation: What are some of the challenges new volunteers need to prepare themselves for? Dr. Yi: It can be daunting, the scope of preventable blindness. There are millions and millions of people who need help, and you might question what difference you as one surgeon can make. But know that you do make a difference—for that one person you did a surgery for and his or her family. Logistically, you have to travel to unfamiliar places. The accommo- dations will be less than what you are used to in the U.S. You should be willing to suffer and get outside your comfort zone. Equipment wise, it will be very different from what we have here in the U.S. Also, the cataracts you will encounter will be much more challenging. But that is the beauty of these trips. Combining all of those factors forces you to learn and adapt; a byproduct is you become a better surgeon. ASCRS Foundation: Is there any- thing volunteers can do to prepare before their first trip? Dr. Yi: There is a procedure called MSICS (manual small incision cata- ract surgery) that many surgeons use while doing mission work that is not familiar to U.S. surgeons. This is a very useful technique to learn. ASCRS Foundation: What would you say to someone who is thinking about volunteering but is uncertain? Dr. Yi: As U.S. surgeons, we are part of the largest group of ophthalmol- ogists in the world. We should be using our vast expertise and number to do something good. Try to shift your perspective to outside your practice and your world. Seek out stories that illustrate the scope of preventable blindness. Once you understand the need and how you are uniquely qualified to address it, moving forward will be easier. Also, talk to someone who has done it before. Hear their story, and ask them questions. Get comfortable taking the leap by learning through others' experience. Just think of the impact we could have if every ophthalmologist donated 1 week in developing countries. Know that it's not just you giving your time and talent. Volunteering brings positivity to your life, another dimension, and a sense of purpose. To begin your volunteer jour- ney, visit www.ascrsfoundation.org/ volunteer. EW Contact information Yi: yi@masseyeassoc.org Zundel: nzundel@ascrs.org David T. Vroman, MD About EWAR Page: 12 and 13 Inder Paul Singh, MD, discusses how SLT can be a useful treatment in the management of glaucoma. Page: 30 Steve Elieff, MD, discusses anterior chop/nuclear elevation. Page: 37 Jessica Ciralsky, MD, discusses new CSU initiatives. Page: 51 Nancey McCann shares information on MACRA and what physicians should know about the new reporting measures. Page: 52 EyeWorld Augmented Reality (EWAR) index Constance Okeke, MD, discusses a routine Trabectome procedure illustrating the ability to ablate nearly 180 degrees of trabecular meshwork with the Trabectome handpiece. Page: 68 Anthony Kuo, MD, discusses OCT imaging for pathologic myopia. Page: 72 John Odette, MD, discusses insertion of one of his first CyPass stents. Page: 77 Elizabeth Hofmeister, MD, highlights the best refractive papers at the "Best of ASCRS" session at the 2017 ASCRS•ASOA Symposium & Congress. Page: 97 Amar Agarwal, MD, discusses postop results of his glued intrascleral haptic fixation technique. Page: 104 Watch Steven Safran, MD, perform the double-needle flanged haptic fixation technique. Page: 106 John Males, MD, discusses how to meet DMEK challenges. Page: 110 Sumit Garg, MD, presents "Crosslinking: Guide to Patient Selection Based on FDA-Approved Protocol." Page: 111 Watch Dr. Maskin perform meibomian gland probing on several patients. Page: 114 Watch a patient's testimonial of the meibomian gland probing procedure. Page: 115 See Dr. Maskin release trapped meibum with meibomian gland probing. Page: 116 Elizabeth Yeu, MD, shares insights on how to approach dissatisfied postoperative patients. Page: 129 Eric Donnenfeld, MD, explains the differences between extended depth of focus and conventional multifocal IOLs. Page: 131

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