Surgeon: Ophthalmologists should embrace new treatment paradigm

SAN DIEGO — Ophthalmologists must rise to the challenge of delivering more patient care caused by the popularity of presbyopia-correcting IOLs to stay viable in the marketplace, a surgeon said here.

I. Howard Fine

I. Howard Fine, MD, spoke Sunday at a symposium on the fundamentals of presbyopia-correcting IOL practices at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting.

He highlighted how patient treatment is changing due to numerous factors, including the high cost and health care expectations of patients who receive presbyopia-correcting IOLs. Presbyopia is the most common refractive error in the U.S., he said. As baby boomers age and desire better vision, the field should expand even more.

"Over the past 20 years, physicians have found themselves in a market-based environment with respect to costs, that is to say, billing, hiring personnel, paying rent, but we're in a socialized environment with respect to reimbursement," Dr. Fine said. "This is the worst of all possibilities."

He said the new paradigm employs high quality, personalized, patient-based care to deal with the changing marketplace. Those factors should become the "mainstay" of ophthalmic practices, he said. Maintenance of those factors will require close monitoring of outcomes, discussing all options with patients and interactive, informed patient consent, Dr. Fine said.