25 YEARS OF CATARACT SURGERY, PART 1
Over the past 25 years, there have been significant advancements in cataract surgery. In the past, cataract surgery was typically performed almost at the stage when a person was completely blind. The procedure involved making a full incision in the eye, removing the cloudy lens, and replacing it with an artificial lens. After completing these steps, the eye would be stitched up, and the patient would stay in the hospital for several days. However, today, the approach to cataract surgery has changed significantly.
In 1987, phacoemulsification was proposed by the American Dr. Charlie Kelman. At first, this technique wasn’t initially accepted by doctors, but today it has received widespread use. And now phacoemulsification is the gold standard of cataract surgery. In 87, this method was only at the initial stages of development and was not widely practised. But the US specialists actively promoted it and conducted various courses. As a young specialist, I was sent to Budapest by Professor Fedorov for a training program organized by US doctors, specifically for physicians from the Eastern Bloc. Upon my return to the USSR, I brought back a certification that enabled me to proficiently perform phacoemulsification surgeries. I was actually one of the first to be trained by the US specialists in phacoemulsification. And since then, this manipulation has become a real standard that is used all over the world.
In 1987, phacoemulsification was proposed by the American Dr. Charlie Kelman. At first, this technique wasn’t initially accepted by doctors, but today it has received widespread use. And now phacoemulsification is the gold standard of cataract surgery. In 87, this method was only at the initial stages of development and was not widely practised. But the US specialists actively promoted it and conducted various courses. As a young specialist, I was sent to Budapest by Professor Fedorov for a training program organized by US doctors, specifically for physicians from the Eastern Bloc. Upon my return to the USSR, I brought back a certification that enabled me to proficiently perform phacoemulsification surgeries. I was actually one of the first to be trained by the US specialists in phacoemulsification. And since then, this manipulation has become a real standard that is used all over the world.