There is often a great divide from what medical or surgical care doctors recommend for their patients and what they would want for themselves. Of course, doctors are at a distinct advantage: They see the results of the interventions in their own patients. In my own practice,I've always practiced medicine from the patient's perspective; I tell them that knowing all that I know, what I would want for myself or my family member. And yes, both I and my own family members are devoted VisiVite eye vitamin users.
So it was absolutely fascinating to me to post the following question to non-surgeon optometrists - who see the results of the ophthalmic surgeons who have treated patients - what lens implant they would want for themselves if they were undergoing cataract surgery. Nearly 3,000 optometrists pondered my question.
And their answer surprised me on two counts. First, nearly 3 in 4 of them chose lens implants with "simple optics" - monofocal, toric and extended depth of focus lenses. But second, only a tiny minority of them chose Light Adjustable Lens Implants, which allow post-operative, non-surgical adjustment and refinement of the lens power AFTER it is in the eye - truly space-age ophthalmology. And my subsequent follow-up survey indicates that they didn't choose that option because they don't know enough about this technology.
