Co-Management of Cataracts and Various Eye Conditions in Philadelphia – Dr. Lewis

Nearly 60% of all patients see an Optometrist for all of their vision care needs. This relationship is often one based on years of successful ocular health management, spectacle correction, contact lens fitting, as well as therapy for conjunctivitis, dry eye, glaucoma, and retinal disease. The comfort and trust in this doctor-patient relationship should not be interrupted by the need for cataract or other intraocular surgery.

Dr. Lewis has been a strong proponent of cataract and cataract/glaucoma co-management since he began his training at Duke Eye Center in 1983. North Carolina Optometrists co-managed cases with Ophthalmology and used topical medications for the treatment of Glaucoma and External Disease (Dry Eye, Conjunctivitis) two decades before Pennsylvania Optometrists.

Most surgeons offering to co-manage with Optometrists today were anti-optometry just a few years ago. These surgeons are often members of the Pennsylvania Ophthalmology Society, a vehemently anti-Optometry political organization and these same Ophthalmologists contribute to the Scope Fund of the American Academy of Ophthalmology whose goal is to limit the scope of Optometric practice. These same surgeons compete with Optometry by selling glasses and contact lenses in their Optical Shop, by promoting their role in routine eye care, and by seeking referrals from Family Doctors, Internists, and other Hospital-Based Programs. In fact, most hospitals still refuse to allow Optometrists on staff.

Dr. Lewis was the first Pennsylvania Full-Time University Faculty Ophthalmologist to perform cataract surgery for the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Many feel this arrangement assisted in the approval of Therapeutics for Optometry ( SB831 ) in 2002. Dr. Lewis remains the only surgeon authorized to perform cataract surgery for the patients of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, which is now part of Salus University.

Dr. Lewis was able to convince Phoenixville Hospital to place Barry Fabriziani, OD, a well-known optometrists of 30 years on staff. He may well be the first Optometrist on a Pennsylvania Hospital Staff authorized to perform consultations for the Medical Staff.

With the exception of corneal transplantation, all of Dr. Lewis’s surgeries and procedures are routinely co-managed with the referring doctor. This is convenient and comforting for the patient. He co-manages SLT (Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty), YAG Capsulotomy, PI (Peripheral Iridectomy), Cataract Surgery, Premium Cataract Surgery, combined Cataract and Glaucoma Surgery (Aquaflow, Mini-Express Shunt, Ahmed Valve), LASIK Epi-LASIK, Visian ICL (Intraocular Contact Lens), and most recently IPL (Intense Pulsed Laser) for dry eye.

Dr. Lewis routinely lectures on pre and post-operative care to students and residents of The Eye Institute of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. He also participates in Optometric teaching at the Kremer Eye Center and at Salus University. He has been invited to speak at the Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators Annual Workshop this June.