It has been quite sometime since I've posted something on this blog...I was busy the last 6 months or so
preparing for my MS Ophthalmology exams. I'm happy to say I have passed my exams with flying
colours. This degree has meant a lot to me. I think I have finally found something I'm truly passionate
about.My experience over the last 3 years of residency in Regional Institute of Ophthalmology,
Kolkata in has been some of the best years of my professional life.I've learnt so many things and also
realised how much potiential I have to change people's lives. Today I want to share three stories during
my residency in which I was instrumental in somebody's happiness and which brings immense
satisfaction to me. There are many many more but I dont want to bore you with it all. These 3 stories
are what i call miracles not only for those patients but also how it changed my outlook towards my
profession.
Miracle 1 : When i was ending the 1st yr of my residency, I had just started doing cataract
surgeries independently and confidently. One day in the OPD a woman about 60 yrs of age entered who had mature cataracts in both eyes. In fact she was so blind that she had to be supported by 2 people into
the OPD room. For all practical purposes she was totally handicapped. I examined her and did the work
up and got her admitted. My boss gave me the opportunity to operate on her.i operated on both eyes
just a week apart from each other. The day after i operated on the second eye i entered the wards
early in the morning and observed the most beautiful sight in the world. That same patient who needed 2
people to support her everywhere was running around the wards excitedly laughing and talking to all the
other patients. The patient and their relatives somehow knew i was the one who operated on her. They
were so thankful to me that I was touched. That was the the most satisfying moment of my
professional life until then.
Miracle 2 : It was sometime during the second year of my residency. A 22yr old woman came to
our OPD. She had a condition called Congenital Blepharoptosis of one eye, where one of the eyelids
cannot be lifted like the other hence creating an asymetry in her facial features. Its not a life-
threatening or a significant visual handicap but it made an unsightly appearance due to which she was not
getting married. Lot of hospitals had refused to operate on her saying its a cosmetic problem and was
finally referred to my institute since its a govt institute and the patient was poor. I personally took up
the case and worked it up and my boss as he has always done entrusted me with the operation. I
operated on her and the operation was a huge success and it improved her appearance manifold. She
was discharged and I had almost forgotten about it. Then one day about 5 months later when i was
seeing patients in the OPD, that woman with her father had searched the whole hospital looking for me
and finally found me in the OPD. They had come to invite me to her wedding which was fixed after the
operation. This was such a humbling experience. That day I realised that no problem of
the patient is small and that we have so much power to change their lives if we show empathy to
their woes.
Miracle 3 : I was in my final year of residency and was working in a retina unit. A depressed
young woman walked into our OPD. She had a painful blind eye which needed to be removed. She had an
unsightly eye since childhood due to an accident and was very depressed with how it looked. I wanted to
remove the eye and have an artificial prosthesis fitted so that it looked like a normal eye. My present
boss was not that enthusiastic since in government hospitals due to the high case loads, they often
remove a painful eye and leave it like that without thinking of the social stigma it may cause. And being a
retina surgeon he was not sure whether it would turn out well. But I persisted and finally convinced him
to admit that patient. I operated on that eye and fitted an implant and prosthesis. It was a success. in 2
months time she had a prosthetic eye and nobody looking at her would have realised she did not have an
eye. Even my boss who was skeptical initially was very impressed. I was travelling in the metro after work one evening and that woman and her husband approached me there. I almost didnt recognize them. Both of them were looking so happy and they were so grateful.
I wish i could have captured their joy in my camera but couldnt. This was the best gift I could get for
all the effort I took to get her operated "properly" : HER SMILE.
