 |
 |
| Dr. Mahipal S. Sachdev MD Chairman, Centre for Sight |
Dr. Minu M. Mathen DNB Senior Consultant, Chaithanya Eye Hospital |
Technology has affected every aspect of our professional lives including. Advancements in technology have led the revolution of health care from being solely clinician dependent to being dependent on both the man and the machine. In fact in most forms of medicine, technology is on the verge of taking the forefront for example cardiology practices are nearly stethoscope free, with ECHO tand ECG being first line investigations nowadays.
Ophthalmology has had a dependence on technology from a very long time, with the use of basic magnifying loupes and ophthalmoscope for examination and microsurgical needle instruments and fine steel sutures for surgery. The last 2-3 decades has probably seen the largest leaps in technology in ophthalmology with the introduction of advanced phacoemulsification, excimer and femtosecond laser based refractive surgery and state-of-the art vitrectomy systems. Robotic surgery is just around the horizon but still a little distance away.
“Technology is indeed shaping the future of ophthalmology and we have seen how technological advances are helping us serve our patient better. In the last decade, there have been major advances in diagnostic as well as therapeutic armamentarium. Tools such a corneal topographies, higher resolution OCT machines and aberrometers have helped us make more critical decisions regarding therapeutics and also diagnose certain diseases in early stages. Technological advances like multifocal IOLs and refractive procedures like SMILE ICLs have helped in catering to the patient needs while maintaining the health of the eye”, says Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdeva, Director, Centre for Sight group of hospitals.
Technology has certainly changed the way Minu M. Mathen, senior consultant, cataract services at Chaithanya Eye Hospital and Research Institute practices. He says “With newer technology (Multifocals, Toric and Extended depth of focus IOL’s), I am now able to offer a wider spectrum of options to my patients. Newer OCT machines have helped me predict the visual outcome for patients and accurate biometry systems, reliable phaco machines and OVD’s have enable me achieve that.” He adds “The next decade will see cataract surgeon’s move away from postoperative medication drops towards the use of intraocular drug depots and other sustained release mechanisms. Newer IOL’s which can be corrected in terms of power and multifocality in vivo after insertion into the eye are likely to hit the market as will artificial intelligence and newer machines and laser systems to make cataract surgery safer and precise.”
Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdeva thinks that the next decade is particularly promising for presbyopic corrections. He feels that in the area of corneal transplant, bio-engineered corneas are likely to help patients in places where donor corneas are not available. He also feels that promising research in the field of stem cells is likely to fill a number of lacunae in the field of ocular surface disorders. According to him, cataract surgerystill has scope for advancements particularly in need for machine guided intraocular placement of a fluid lens mimicking the human lens.
On whether he thinks technology will overtake the human touch in ophthalmology, Dr Sachdeva vehemently says “Not at all. We agree that the technology will definitely help provide doctors with far more opportunities to treat their patients in a much more skilled manner. However, we hope that mere machines will not replace the bond of faith between the patient and the doctor.
” Dr Minu agrees with Dr Mahipal Singh Sachdeva. “Clinical assessment and diagnosis will have the top role. But we should all be willing to embrace the assistance from technology which shall help perfect our diagnosis and management skills.
” For more views and thoughts on how technology will change ophthalmic practice, read the interview “Technology in Ophthalmology.”