Vickie McCullough’s eyes remain an important tool for her job. As a call center nutrition representative in the dietary department of an area hospital, reliable vision allows the 64-year-old Atlantan to be of maximum service to patients when navigating and sharing information.
However, cataracts in each eye, combined with an astigmatism, were making her occupation increasingly difficult. Her sensitivity to the lights in her office became challenging. Unless she was uncomfortably close to her computer, blurriness impaired her vision. And driving to and from work in the dark amongst bright lights was troublesome.
Ms. McCullough yearned for relief. Unhappy with the first ophthalmology practice she visited, she took a recommendation and reached out to Eye Consultants of Atlanta, and made an appointment for an assessment. Unfortunately, the day of her visit coincided with a terrible rain storm, complete with strong winds and heavy participation.
On the day of her appointment, Ms. McCullough says she was taken by the dedication of the Eye Consultants of Atlanta staff for keeping the office open in the midst of inclement weather. As she entered, she says she was greeted with a warm smile from front desk specialist Tabitha Sundberg, which helped put her at ease. The above-and-beyond attention she received continued with the various providers she met with that day, from medical scribe Lalique Sweeney-White to lead technician Tyesha Elder and finally Dr. Ryan Oliver, who specializes in comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract surgery.
“Everyone was just very pleasant,” Ms. McCullough recalls. “They all gave me a calming experience that allowed me to relax and let me know that I was in good hands.”
In addition to being impressed with Dr. Oliver’s training and medical school honors, Ms. McCullough says she was struck by Dr. Oliver’s sincere interest and optimal bedside manner.
“Connecting with patients is not only important to successful treatment, but it’s incredibly gratifying,” Dr. Oliver says. “To be able to clearly communicate with a patient, understand where they’re coming from, and help meet their needs is one of the best parts of my job.”
After a thorough exam, Dr. Oliver recommended meeting Ms. McCullough’s needs by performing cataract surgery on both eyes with each eye receiving a Clareon Toric lens implant, which corrects astigmatism and helps provide the best possible distance vision without glasses. Ms. McCullough says he explained his suggested course of action clearly and answered all of her questions, giving her additional confidence in the physician.
This prompted Ms. McCullough to choose Dr. Oliver and Eye Consultants of Atlanta for cataract surgery. The surgeries would take just less than a month apart and would require Ms. McCullough to take a leave of absence from work. When she discussed this with Dr. Oliver, Ms. McCullough said he worked closely with her to make sure everything was completed before she would need to return to her job.
“That was another thing that impressed me,” Ms. McCullough says. “It showed that he not only cared about me as a patient, but also as a person.”
Both procedures, she says, went as pleasantly as possible. For each eye, Dr. Oliver would make a small incision in the cornea and remove the cloudy lens. He would then insert the toric lens before closing the incision.
Ms. McCullough says Dr. Oliver and her staff made her feel incredibly comfortable and secure. “Each time, after waking up from anesthesia, I felt fine, relaxed and ready to go home.”
According to Dr. Oliver, he was extremely pleased with the results. “I believe she had an excellent outcome,” he says. “She had great vision with both eyes on day one after each operation. She needs no correction in the distance vision, which was the goal. And now she can see to work again.”
Ms. McCullough says she’s equally pleased. “Now that he’s done the procedure, I don’t have to wear glasses to see distances anymore,” she explains. “I can sit further away from the TV and I can see well when driving. I’m able to get my job done and enjoy myself. My vision is much better than before, and I’m very grateful for Dr. Oliver and Eye Consultants of Atlanta.”