“Sometimes, it felt like there was a film over my eye, and
I would blink a couple of times to see if I could clear it,” recalls Clare
Brown. “It wasn’t constant. It was something that came and went, you might
say.”
A believer in the importance of eye care, Clare says that
she first discovered her ophthalmologist quite a few years ago, after reading
articles about him in
Florida Health Care
News
. “I liked what I read, and then I just liked him, his personality.”
Confident that he would take good care of her vision, she
settled into a regular examination schedule that soon revealed the need for
glaucoma treatment, as well as a growing cataract. “I usually go to Dr. DelRowe
twice a year, and when I came back from being up north this past summer, the
cataract he’d been watching had grown to the point that he could remove it,”
she shares.
Though the experience felt singular to Clare,
statistically, she is one of many.
According to
the American Academy of Ophthalmology, cataracts affect nearly 22 million
Americans age 40 and older. By age 80, more than half of all Americans have
cataracts.
Daniel J. DelRowe, MD, of DelRowe Eye Care, P.A., says,
“Cataracts are actually a normal change that occurs in the lenses of almost
everyone’s eyes. There are many, many different types of cataracts, but they
are usually age-related. Young people are not immune to them, though, and while
there are a variety of catalysts, the medical community doesn’t really know the
exact cause of them. We just know that the lens in the eye becomes cloudy.”
The doctor’s diagnosis
One of the most problematic areas for Clare turned out to
be the pursuit of one of her favorite hobbies. “I do cross-stitch,” she says,
“and toward the end, when I tried to do the stitching, there were times when I
lost track of what line I was on. Some things just took me that much longer.”
“Usually, people with cataracts have visual symptoms, but
not always. They can develop slowly over time. They don’t see as well; they
have trouble reading, trouble driving, trouble doing usual tasks and activities
like crossword puzzles,” explains Dr. DelRowe. “I had a patient who worked at a
bank. At first, her vision became a little blurry. Eventually, she couldn’t see
numbers well.”
In Clare’s case, when Dr. DelRowe told her that cataract
surgery was an option, she didn’t hesitate. “I was all for that,” she says.
Quick and painless
The surgery, the doctor informs, lasts a total of 30
minutes.
“It’s really quick and painless, and because we have an
office-based surgery center at my practice, it’s easy and convenient for the
patient.
“The patient walks in and we check them in. Then they put
on a light gown and are brought into a pre-operative room, where they lie down
on a bed and we administer an IV to bring them to a nice, relaxed state. Once
they’ve received a local anesthesia, we put drops in their eyes and prepare
them for surgery. During the surgery, the patient doesn’t feel a thing, even
though they might be aware of their surroundings. Meanwhile, a high-tech
ultrasonic procedure is performed to remove the cataract and a lens replacement
is skillfully placed, restoring the patient’s vision.
“After the surgery is completed, the patient is brought into
a post-operative area, where they come out of the twilight sleep and have some
juice and a small snack before they go home. Then they come in the next day for
a follow-up.”
The entire experience lasts about an hour and a half, says
Dr. DelRowe, and is considered outpatient surgery because a patient never
enters a hospital throughout the process.
“It’s all done here in the surgery center.”
Amazing results
Afterward, Dr. DelRowe says, visual recovery from cataract
surgery is quick. “I typically have people notice a significant difference in
their vision within the first week. It usually takes about two to three weeks
to heal completely, but in the first week, people often notice the biggest
improvement.”
For Clare, the change has been dramatic. “The colors are
brighter and things are much sharper. I’m just so thrilled that I had it done.”
In fact, she chuckles as she remembers the sight of her
bathroom walls after the procedure. “When the light went on in that room, I
thought,
Gee, I’m glad I had two years
for this to fade because I don’t know if I would have picked it out if I had
good eyesight
.”
Practice makes perfect
Suddenly free of glasses for the first time since junior
high school, Clare says she’d recommend DelRowe Eye Care to anyone. “From
beginning to end, everyone was fabulous. They were professional and caring. It
was such an easy experience.”
The doctor credits his team for creating such a high
standard of care. “I think what sets our practice apart from the rest is that we
have such a great staff. They treat people with respect and strive very much to
give quality and professional eye care. It’s so important to us that we pay
attention, listen to people, and provide the best, most consistent care.”
This is one of the reasons Dr. DelRowe gives for 22 years
of success as a board-certified ophthalmologist in St. Lucie County.
Another key to success, he notes, is patience.
“I try to explain things to patients, so they know exactly
what’s happening. We’re a very busy, established office, but we never allow
that to keep us from taking our time with every patient. We like to have all of
a patient’s questions answered. Even if it has to be explained five times, it’s
fine.
“The real
essence of my practice is taking time with people,” Dr. DelRowe adds, “making
them feel at home and comfortable, and getting rid of their fears or anxieties regarding
eye care.”
The doctor also says that helping patients
prevent
problems is top on his list of
goals. “I want to stress the importance of preventative care. I urge people to
have their eyes checked at least once a year by a board-certified ophthalmologist.
“The biggest reward
to me is to help patients maintain their independence rather than relying on
other people because their eyesight is so bad. I want people to live life to
the fullest.”
The pursuit of that ideal is what Dr. DelRowe says is the
most gratifying aspect of his work. “I just love to help people.”