Asian Eye Institute Glaucoma, Cornea and Refractive Surgery (LASIK), and Cataract specialist Dr. Robert Ang received the TOPGUN Best Overall Instructor award at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Symposium and Congress in Los Angeles, California last May 2017.
Dr. Ang was voted over 13 other surgeons from Asia and the United States of America who were challenged to share tips and techniques that can make cataract surgical cases smooth and more efficient. He was named as the Best Overall Instructor after he spoke about a capsule marking technique that makes cataract surgeries easier by using a readily available and relatively inexpensive tool.
Cataract is the clouding of the natural lens of the eye. This lens is enclosed in a clear lining called lens capsule. During cataract surgery, the surgeon opens the front portion of the lens capsule to gain access to the cataract, break it into pieces, remove it and replace it with an artificial lens called intraocular lens (IOL).
According to Dr. Ang, opening the front portion of the lens capsule is one of the three critical steps in performing a cataract surgery. “It should be consistent, appropriately-sized and centered to make sure that there is a more stable position to place the IOL and provide patients with better vision.”
Digital markers are used to guide surgeons in creating a consistently sized and round capsule opening, but these markers are expensive. Instead of using these digital markers, Dr. Ang suggested using an optical zone marker. “The optical zone marker is available in different sizes and can create a small temporary mark on the cornea. Since it is usually used in LASIK surgeries, it is also easily available to all eye doctors.”
Dr. Ang was part of the Asia-Pacific team of doctors who went head to head against a team of American doctors in discussing their surgical techniques. The Asia-Pacific team won in all categories in the symposium, making them the Overall Best Instructor Team and beating the American home team. Completing the team are Dr. Soosan Jacob from India, Dr. Tetsuro Oshika from Japan, Dr. John Chang from Hong Kong, Dr. Soon Phaik Chee from Singapore, Dr. Y.C. Lee from Malaysia, and Dr. Michael Lawless from Australia.
Dr. Ang and his research team also enjoyed a back-to-back win when they received a Best Paper award in the same convention for their research paper entitled “Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Visual Outcomes of an Accommodating and Two Multifocal IOLs: 5 Year Follow-up”. In 2016, Dr. Ang won a Best Paper award during the ASCRS for his research study on the “Comparison of Visual Performance of Monocular and Binocular Implantation of a Small-Aperture IOL”. He also received Best Paper and 2nd Place Best Poster awards from the Asia Pacific Cataract and Refractive Surgery (APACRS) convention and 1st Place Resident Research Paper from the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology (PAO).
Dr. Ang has research projects in the fields of cataract surgery, intraocular lens technology, refractive laser eye surgery, presbyopia (the loss of near vision), dry eyes and glaucoma. He shares, “Doing research studies allows Asian Eye Institute to do its part in advancing the science of eye care and gives patients access to the latest cutting-edge technology.”
