HOW YOUNG CATARACT SURGEONS SHARE IDEAS

A look at how the next generation of MDs network, learn and innovate.

BY JOSHUA FRENKEL, MD, MPH

A few questions I often get regarding cataract surgery are, “How do you get your information?” and “How do you learn new techniques?” These days, I am more likely to watch a surgical video online rather than ask a peer. Many young surgeons that I speak with feel the same way. The online transfer of information has permeated every facet of our society — including how we practice medicine. However, I have found that this is much more than just watching videos in isolation.

We now have many collaborative ways to teach, learn and share ideas, several of which I outline below.

SURGICAL VIDEOS

There are now vast libraries of surgical videos on YouTube, Eyetube and other dedicated sites, such as cataractcoach.com . These sites have enabled surgeons to broaden their scope of skills during and after training.

Want to learn how to do the Yamane technique for intrascleral haptic fixation? A quick Google search reveals 8,320 video results. Looking to iris suture like a pro? There are many videos available from gurus like Dr. Ike Ahmed, Dr. Uday Devgan and others. As a young surgeon, I find visualizing something via video so much more helpful than just reading about it.

SOCIAL MEDIA

On a day-to-day basis, it is nice to have certain accounts to follow that post helpful or complex videos. I find Instagram to be a great platform for this. Not only is it an easy way to keep up with what my colleagues are doing in their daily lives, but I can also see what complex cases they are encountering, which makes learning helpful tips and techniques very easy.

TikTok is also a very popular social media platform for medical accounts, however, I find Instagram more fruitful for surgical videos and surgeon-to-surgeon communication.

ZOOM

Instead of hosting dinners, many companies and organizations are hosting educational Zoom webinars instead. This became extremely popular in early COVID-19 days, and it has continued to hold popularity and utility. I have attended refractive surgery courses, advanced anterior segment courses, mentoring sessions and many other types of courses. It makes the calculus of balancing work and home life much easier, as one can learn in their (presentable) PJs!

FORUMS

While videos are increasing in popularity, good ol’ fashioned peer-to-peer group assistance still has a large role to play. Surgical forums, such as the Refractive Surgery Alliance, kera-net (the online resource of the Cornea Society), the American Glaucoma Society forum and others are extremely popular and serve as a tremendous resource for surgeons, new and experienced alike. I particularly love it for challenging surgical and clinical questions. Having hundreds, if not thousands, of expert opinions at your fingertips is a resource that is unmatched. Chances are, if you are encountering an issue, many others have already seen it and overcome it.

DIRECT

One benefit of connecting online is that, oftentimes, an online acquaintance can become a friend once you connect at a meeting or via an event. I am very quick to text these friends and colleagues about specific cases or questions I may not feel comfortable asking in a public forum, which has been a great resource.

MD-TO-OD COMMUNICATION

In addition to MD-to-MD communication, my interactions with optometrists (ODs) have evolved since the start of COVID-19. I have done several one-on-one Zoom dinners with local referring ODs, which have been a productive way to build close working relationships. We can even interact online via Instagram or other platforms. I also find texting to be a very useful form of communication for clinical and postoperative questions they may have (in a HIPAA-compliant manner). Of course, when appropriate, traditional continuing education and networking events are still very useful.

INDUSTRY MEETINGS

All of these are wonderful remote resources, but I also feel strongly that a lot of collaboration and innovation takes place at in-person meetings, where surgeons can have the opportunity to sit down, break bread and really talk in-depth about topics we may not have the time to do on a daily basis. This is where lots of ideas can fly around and plans get made for future innovation and collaboration. OM

Joshua Frenkel, MD, MPH, is a fellowship-trained anterior segment specialist at Wang Vision Institute in Nashville, Tenn. He specializes in cataract and refractive surgery, as well as microinvasive glaucoma surgery. Email him at joshua.frenkel@gmail.com, and find him on Instagram @dr.frenkel.