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New eyes one year later

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Grand Rapids, MI- It’s been exactly a year since I’ve had surgeries to remove cataracts from both eyes. The process took close to two months at the Verdier Eye Center in Grand Rapids.

In May, I went almost completely blind to a point where I could no longer drive or write because I couldn’t see the computer screen or the windshield. And that’s exactly what a cataract is- a dirty windshield or lights on the car. Some cataracts take years to develop, mine only took two years from the first consultation. They don’t necessarily just strike older people, which is also one of common misconceptions.

Verdier Eye Center — Dr. David Verdier, a recognized eye surgeon

I couldn’t see the TV screen, so I couldn’t do my yoga practice. I cried hard. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to see my son Jake and daughter-in-law Maranda at their wedding on Oct. 25.

I knew Dr. David Verdier from earlier stories that I had written for Advance Newspapers and Gemini Publications about his worldwide work for Orbis. He is a well-known eye surgeon who brought to West Michigan subspecialty skills of modern corneal transplantation and external eye diseases, cataract removal and intraocular lens implantation.

Dr. Verdier is recognized by his peers as a member of The Best Doctors in America, Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care and Who’s Who in American Education.

As such other ophthalmologists have to recommend you to get to him. I asked my eye doctor Holzer that I want Dr. Verdier to do the surgery.

“You’ll have to wait to get in, but he’s worth waiting for,” said Dr. Holzer.

The whole process took several visits to the eye center, but it was well worth it. I overheard some patients waiting for the surgery say, that it is a frivolous surgery.

I would never call any surgery, a frivolous affair. It was done under local anesthesia and with an anesthesiologist present. The prep time for it took two hours.

Today, one year later I still don’t need eye glasses because Dr. Verdier also implanted lenses into my eyes that corrected the vision. I carry patient lens implant identification cards on me.

I am grateful to Dr. Verdier for his expertise and for “Taking my eyes to heart.” I even got a plant Kalanchoe to get well. Both, the plant and my eyes are doing well.

Here are the links to last year’s stories grouped in a mini-series “New Eyes with Dr. Verdier.”

https://emmapalova.com/2014/09/06/new-eyes-with-dr-verdier/

https://emmapalova.com/2014/09/13/new-eyes-with-dr-verdier-3/

https://emmapalova.com/2014/10/01/new-eyes-with-dr-verdier-iii/

https://emmapalova.com/2014/10/21/new-eyes-with-dr-verdier-iv/