Cataract and corneal transplant surgeries provided at MCDH
4/29/05

Two new pieces of ophthalmic surgical equipment have arrived at MCDH to support the cataract and corneal transplant surgeries now being provided by Dr. Joseph Fleming. A new microscope and diode laser allow Dr. Fleming to perform procedures equivalent in quality to those found in major metropolitan areas.

The hospital’s new ophthalmic microscope is used in about two-thirds of all eye surgeries. This state-of-the-art instrument has a better depth of focus than older models, and can focus on several planes simultaneously.

It allows Dr. Fleming to perform small incision cataract surgery, which is the state-of-the-art procedure provided in more populated urban markets. This procedure uses the microscope plus a sound wave unit to dissolve the cataract. The microscope is also used for corneal transplants, which treat eye disease or injury that has scarred the cornea.

Also new to MCDH is a diode laser, which emits a green laser light necessary to treat diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, and retinal tears, among other procedures. The diode laser replaces a 20-year-old argon laser, and has allowed MCDH to expand its ophthalmic services.

Dr. Fleming is also enthusiastic about MCDH’s recently upgraded MRI services, as he is able to order MRIs for patients with abnormalities of the optic nerve. The optic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and conveys visual information to the brain. Among the reasons to order an MRI for examination of the optic nerve are unexplained vision loss, a suspected tumor impinging the nerve, or increased pressure in the brain.