Media Type : Textbook (Hardcover)

Synopsis : Premium Cataract Surgery , as the title may indicate, is providing a service for patients who are in need for cataract surgery something more than an average cataract patient may receive. It can be in the form of astigmatic intraocular lens (IOL), multifocal IOL, limbal relaxing incision (laser or microkeratome), and post-cataract refractive laser surgery, with the hope that the patient will not have to wear glasses at all. Dr Hovanesian and his co-authors provide a step-by-step guide with the hope that it will provide a framework for cataract surgeons who are contemplating to incorporate the premium service into their practices. I believe in many ways, this book has achieved the goal. However, implementation of these steps may be more difficult or complicated than you think.

Target Audience : Cataract Surgeons

Review : Dr Hovanesian has been one of the acknowledged leaders in the field of cataract surgery over the past two decades. He has assembled a team of experienced authors, each of whom have contributed to different areas of this topic. The book is intended for any ophthalmologist involved in cataract surgery to expand the practice into the premium cataract surgery.

The book is divided into three sections and 26 chapters. It may not cover everything related to premium cataract surgery but it does provide a framework for the novice surgeon to start integrating this service into his or her practice. In Section I, it begins with chapter 1 where Dr Hovanesian discussed “How to Get Started in Premium Cataract Surgery” and ends with chapter 6 when he concluded with “Educating Patients About Refractive Cataract Surgery.” I found chapter 5 very interesting as it discussed “Advertising and Public Relations For Premium Cataract Surgery.” This is an unfamiliar area for me and I am not very comfortable in discussing with anyone since I have always been involved with academic medicine my whole career. Nonetheless, it is a very important topic to discuss and make the novice surgeon aware what he or she needs to do to educate patients regarding the pros and cons of this technology. In Section II, “Surgical Technique and Implants,” Dr Hovanesian and his group have broken down this topic into six individual chapters. These chapters quite nicely covered information regarding the techniques and the different types of lenses. If there is something that I wish they would consider putting into this section, it is a chapter on managing complications occurred during premium cataract surgery. In Section III, the authors have done a nice job in discussing the postoperative considerations and enhancements.

Overall, I feel that the book is an easy read. It covers most of the pertinent topics regarding premium cataract surgery. Having said that, I am not quite sure it is really a step-by-step guide. However, it does provide a basic frame work for anyone who is interested in venturing into the field of premium cataract surgery.