Making the eye see

While I was being prepared for my cataract surgery at the Asian Eye Institute at the Rockwell Center in Makati, I saw a number of patients waiting for their number to be called. I thought we all were in our 60s, and had changed eyeglasses for years, until we were finally convinced to undergo cataract operation. One hour after receiving eye drops four times to dilate my left eye — I was wheeled into the operating room and I yielded my eye to the skillful ministrations of Dr. Edgar U. Leuenberger. I quickly dozed off due to a light sedation. I was told the bloodless, painless surgery had taken only 15 minutes. After two hours, I was out of Asian Eye, sans bandage, but wearing only fashionable protective googles that I used for two weeks. A month later, I had my right cataract changed. Now, with artificial cataract lenses that will last me for life – if I take good care of my eyes — I can see long distances clearly, with my 20-20 vision.

During my check-ups and conversation with the pleasant ophthalmologist, I learned about the Asian Eye story, which is quite interesting.

It began with the Oscar Lopez, chairman and CEO of the Lopez Group of Companies, travelling to Boston for many years to avail of the best specialized eye care facilities, and within a decade, undergoing eight surgeries. In the course of his visits, he struck up an enduring friendship with Dr. Felipe I. Tolentino, a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty, senior clinical scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Harvard, and senior surgeon in ophthalmologist at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, among others. The two men shared the same vision — to establish a center of excellence in eye care in the Philippines.

Dr. Tolentino selected seven Harvard-trained ophthalmologists to form the core medical team for such a center, and Lopez mobilized his management team to organize and start up the Asian Eye Rockwell Clinic in 2001. Dr. Leuenberger had arrived in Manila in 1998 after specializing in clinical research at the Harvard Medical School. After one-and-a-half years of private practice in Quezon City, he, along with six other Harvard-trained ophthalmologists and an anesthesiologist, was approached by Dr. Tolentino, who had been looking for men and women between the ages of 42 and 46 who, Dr. Leuenberger told me, “shared the same vision, who were willing to take risks and give up their own private practice and join an institute as exclusive practitioners of Asian Eye Institute.” Today, Asian Eye is staffed with eight full-time exclusive affiliate ophthalmologists and a full-time low vision and visual rehabilitation specialist and a full-time anesthesiologist.

That shared vision makes Asian Eye distinct from other eye care facilities. The doctors practice their specializations exclusively at AEI, where they have individual clinics and perform surgeries. This arrangement, said Leuenberger, allows the doctors to focus their attention on their practice as well as on research and development and delivering lectures at conventions, and not bother with non-medical matters, which AEI managers take care of, such as marketing, taxation, clinic rentals, personnel, and doctors’ rates, among others.

Asian Eye today, a world-class ambulatory eye care center (meaning out-patient eye care, including surgeries) that has served since its founding, 68,000 local and foreign patients. Leuenberger admits that Asian Eye “is at the forefront of efforts to make available in Asia breakthrough technologies for eye care and treatment.” It has satellite clinics at Trinoma, and Mall of Asia.

Asian Eye started as a clinic, but it is now called an institute because, said Leuenberger, while centers connote facilities that provide care, an institute such as Asian Eye, means it provides leadership in care, in the most up-to-date treatment, and practice patterns.

Asian Eye provides a full range of specialized medical services, including treatment and management of cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, strabismus and unveitis; LASIK surgery for those who want to do away with glasses and contact lenses; eye plastic surgery; pediatric eye care; low vision rehabilitation; optical shop services, and comprehensives diagnostic examinations.

Cataract surgeries performed at Asian Eye number over a thousand every year, or between 100 to 150 surgeries a month, and glaucoma surgeries are about 200 a month.

The most common eye problem that requires operation, said Dr. Leuenberger, is cataract. Cataract, which occurs with aging, is the No. One cause of reversible blindness. One can regain one’s vision if the problem is treated early. In amusing layman’s language, he said one’s natural cataract lens is replaced with an artificial lens, the process rather like changing a worn-out tire with a spare tire.

 On the other hand, glaucoma is the No. 1 cause of irreversible blindness. It is estimated that by Year 2020, 80 million people worldwide will be blind from this eye disease. But new technologies can help slow down the complete deterioration of the vision of patients, if treatment is sought early.

Other eye problems that require more specialized care occur in the pediatric age group, or newly-born babies, and retinal degeneration linked to diabetes.

Still another problem that people complain about is blurred vision that requires only the use or changing of eyeglasses, not surgery.

In the pediatric age group, newborn screening is important to detect misalignment of the eyes (banlag or wall-eyed, and duling , or cross-eyed), tumors, congenital cataract and glaucoma and retinopathy. Newborn screening is usually done in bigger hospitals, where the pediatrician examines the baby and watches out for abnormalities.

There are two points in life where eye problems must be given attention. The first is when one is four years old, when the symptoms for cataract or glaucoma and others become evident such as squinting, head turns, poor grades because the child cannot read words, or see the writing on the blackboard.

At age 40, most of the diseases associated with aging can be detected, like glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy.

Leuenberger said the practice of ophthalmology “is in its most exciting time because we see earth-shaking developments in each of the specializations.” He’s glad that at Asian Eye, “We try our best to keep up with the best care that’s available in the world,” and added that these development are relayed to participants in international and local conventions where he and his co-team members are regular speakers. The dissemination of the new technologies in ophthalmology would show that “the Philippines is ahead in the game and this not only elevates Asian Eye as provider, but the whole country as the premiere destination for medical eye care.”

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