Interview with Harold G. Scheie about ptosis

We found this while digging for more ptosis information and reading material for all of you.

During this particular interview with Harold G. Scheie, he responds about his work with ptosis and sometimes dealing with upset mothers that expected better results. He describes that ptosis surgeries weren’t his favorites but he also explains why he went into the ophthalmology field

…Plastic surgery never particularly appealed to me. I went into ophthalmology originally because it was one of the three happiest services at the university hospital. That’s one of the reasons, I think the most important reason, for my selecting ophthalmology. In plastic surgery many patients are not truly happy about the results, no matter how well you do.
They may have a residual scar or the function may not be perfect. I did do ptosis work in my practice and the mothers were often dissatisfied, no matter how good the result. I used to tell the mothers of children with ptosis, before I’d operate on them, “Now, this child wasn’t put together normally, and by doing the surgery we’re substituting an abnormality that is less objectionable than the original. But it should be much improved.” That type of surgery was not my favorite.
The reason I went into ophthalmology was, as I said, because it was a happy service. In obstetrics, another happy service, the mother goes out with a new life and everyone is delighted. In ophthalmology, a patient often comes in with poor vision or little vision and also leaves the hospital happy with a new life.

source: full interview

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