Cassimer McDonald, 69, was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes 20 years ago, and he wore eyeglasses for decades to correct his astigmatism, a condition that causes blurred vision. By fall 2013, though, McDonald’s cataracts had grown markedly worse.
“My vision was becoming cloudy,” McDonald says. “I could not see things at a distance, and I had trouble reading.” McDonald’s local eye care provider referred him to Martin Seremet, MD, for laser-assisted surgery at Hartford Hospital’s Eye Surgery Center in Newington. McDonald had surgery on his right eye in October and returned to have his left eye done in December.
“When they finished the first one, I thought they were still prepping me for the operation, because it was so quick,” McDonald says. “There were no stitches, and I didn’t have to take any painkillers. It was all so precise and so perfect.”
In addition to using the laser to treat the cataracts, Dr. Seremet used it to reduce McDonald’s astigmatism. Based on customized measurements the laser makes possible, he preprogrammed the device to make precise “arcuate” — or curved — incisions of an exact length in predetermined locations in the cornea. By restoring the cornea to a more rounded shape, such incisions nearly eliminate astigmatism.
Although he will probably need glasses for reading, McDonald is enjoying his near-perfect vision. “When I take off the glasses, I can see everything perfectly, like when I was 20 years of age,” McDonald says. “I’m a brand-new man!”
Just as important, McDonald has high praise for Seremet and for the Eye Surgery Center staff. “The people in Newington were so nice,” he says. “From the moment you step into that place until you leave, they are nothing but love. The way they treated me was excellent.”