Posted by: Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons in Featured Patient
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Just ask Joe, this month’s spotlight patient. Joe has never been a stranger to long odds. Diagnosed with a congenital heart defect at the age of five, Joe wasn’t expected to live to see his tenth birthday. But Joe proved the doctors wrong. Now 62 years old, Joe never let his condition slow him down or keep him from living a rich, full life.
But ironically, it was this same heart condition that brought Joe to Dr. William Segal. As a professional auditor working with several high profile companies, Joe performed detailed examinations of records and spreadsheets on a daily basis, so when he found out, three years ago, that he was developing cataracts, he expected the worst. Joe’s vision rapidly deteriorated to the point where he was unable to do his job or even drive, but his heart condition made finding a surgeon willing to perform the procedure problematic. The lower levels of oxygen in Joe’s blood made any procedure involving anesthesia potentially dangerous, and after twice preparing for surgery only to find out, at the last minute, that the surgeon had decided to back out, Joe decided to seek out a second opinion and found Dr. Segal.
“It was frustrating to be trapped at home, straining to make out details on my home computer,” explained Joe. “If I ever wanted to go anywhere, I had to ask my wife to drive me. It was humiliating. Then to be strung along twice and have the whole plan fall apart was just too much. But Dr. Segal was extremely positive and up front. He went out of his way to work with me, personally consulted with my cardiologist at Emory, and organized everything through Northside Hospital. I knew I was a tough case, but I felt like Dr. Segal took care of everything.”
Dr. Segal performed Joe’s first intraocular lens transplant on his right eye in August, and Joe was immediately amazed by the results. “It was absolutely unbelievable!” he said. “I was almost blind in my right eye, but as soon as the procedure was over my vision was clearer than it had been in years. Everyone on Dr. Segal’s staff was great – really professional but also fun. They were a real pleasure to work with.”
Now that Joe has had the second procedure completed on his right eye with the new LenSx® laser system, he enjoys nearly perfect vision. He was able to start driving again and happily returned to work. “People on the job joke that they miss my cataracts,” said Joe. “Now they can’t get any mistakes past me. I’d highly recommend Dr. Segal. He’s the best.”
If you are interested in sharing your experience with Dr. Segal and the Georgia Eye family, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us. Be sure to follow Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.C. on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more patient stories and tips for healthy eyes.
