Columbus is on the cutting edge, trying to change the standard of care for cataract surgery.
“A cataract is basically when the lens inside our eye clouds and when that interferes with our ability to see, we can address that surgically,” Dr. James Schumer, the Founder and Director of ReVision, explained.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, cataracts affect over 20 million adults nationwide. And every year, 4 million surgeries are performed to address the issue, making it the most common procedure performed in the United States.
But here in Columbus, you will find something that's not common at all – Dr. Schumer is performing cataract surgery – not looking down at the patient – but looking up at a digital 3D image of his patient's eye.
“And so we have three different lasers surrounding me, and a 3D visual platform. And it's all designed to drive the end result of this technology,” Dr. Schumer said.
Dr. Schumer is the first Ophthalmologist in the state of Ohio to implant the TECNIS Symfony lens using a laser platform, and 3D technology to guide his hands.
“So super exciting,” Dr. Schumer said. “And this operating room that you're in is the most sophisticated eye surgical room in the entire state of Ohio.”
The end result is removal of the cataract, as well as correcting all focusing defects, including astigmatisms, with this new Symfony lens.
“It's revolutionary and it can actually change the way patients see for the rest of their life and they can get them to see better than they have in their entire life,” Dr. Schumer stated.
Surgery is complete in less than 20 minutes and vision is corrected, you might say, in the blink of an eye.
“This is a blast. I love doing this. It gets me up in the morning. And we get to help people see. It doesn't get much better,” Dr. Schumer said.
The TECNIS Symfony lens was approved by the FDA on July 15 and the first implants are being performed in the United States this week.