Setting New Standards in Cataract Surgery
James P. Gills, MD

Dr. Gills explains why going the extra mile is so important in health care, and why he's surrounded himself with physicians who share his philosophy

Cataract surgeons have the unique opportunity of not only restoring vision, but also improving the quality of their patients’ lives by reducing dependency on glasses. But in order to do this, we must exceed the acceptable practices and procedures known as standard of care.

I realized early in my career that just meeting the standard wasn’t enough. Accepting the status quo simply wasn’t fair to my patients. I have been a part of many innovations in ophthalmology that makes surgery safer, simpler, and a more pleasant experience. My cataract patients receive many extra services and procedures that aren’t reimbursable. In fact, nearly one-third of the services we provide at St. Luke’s are not paid for or offered by most other ophthalmologists. They’re value-added services that raise the level of care by increasing the safety of an already safe procedure and improving the quality of vision.

I’ve spent most of my career developing techniques that have enabled St. Luke’s to have one of the lowest infection rates in the country, maybe the world. I feel this can be largely attributed to the extra precautions we take when performing surgery. For example, all solutions that are used during surgery first pass through a filter before they reach the eye. And a specially formulated solution of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories is placed directly into the eye at the end of the procedure.

We check the eye pressure within the first half-hour after surgery. We do this to ensure that the incision is tightly sealed and the pressure is normal. A tightly sealed incision reduces the risk of infection. Plus, if the pressure is too high or low, we can treat it right away – before the patient goes home. I have written and lectured extensively on this topic, and yet I know very few surgeons who do this important test. All the operating rooms are equipped with ultraviolet lights that are activated when the rooms are not in use. These lights – also used in cardiology suites – reduce the risk of bacteria.

Preventing infection is critical, but so is providing accurate, predictable results. This requires attention to detail. At St. Luke’s, specialized measurements are taken before surgery to determine the correct intraocular lens power and the amount of astigmatism.

We measure astigmatism with corneal topography – a sophisticated computer that takes thousands of measurements of the cornea in just seconds. Corneal topography, along with surgical keratometers attached to each operating room microscope, provide essential information about the corneal curvature. I use this information to correct astigmatism so my patients are less dependent on full-time glasses.

The eye is measured for the lens implant power using the most advanced equipment and techniques. This critical information is entered into the latest formulas available that calculate the appropriate lens power.

These are just a few of the "extras" we do at St. Luke’s, all with a single goal in mind: to provide our patients with the best possible care. I’ve surrounded myself with surgeons and staff who share my philosophy in their respective areas of expertise. Whether you have glaucoma, cataracts, or just need a routine checkup – it’s all about exceeding the standard. What does that mean to you? A better quality of vision, and a better quality of life.
 

    
A video greeting from Dr. Gills, founder of St. Luke's