ONTARIO — Ontario ophthalmologist Harold Ballitch completed a newly FDA-approved eye surgery in Richland County on Wednesday, joining only a small percentage of doctors who have completed this procedure in the United States. 

Dr. Ballitch, of the Advanced Eye Care Center, performed his first surgical implant of the PanOptix Trifocal Intraocular Lens (IOL) on 76-year-old patient Sarah Davis with laser-assisted technology.

Within two hours, Davis was awake and talking about her experience with her doctor for a film crew. She was cheerful and talkative — “just like normal,” she said.

“I feel wonderful… It seemed like it was just 10 minutes,” she said. “I feel like I could go back to work today if he would release me.” 

Ballitch explained this new trifocal lens procedure has been long anticipated by U.S by surgeons. It benefits patients with cataracts — a common age-related eye condition and the leading cause of preventable blindness in America. 

When the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy, it’s surgically removed and replaced with an IOL, but in the past, IOLs only offered improved vision at specific distances, forcing patients to rely on glasses part of the time.

Ballitch said this new Trifocal lens improves vision at all levels, potentially negating the use of glasses entirely. Patients can remain awake and may see colors during the procedure, but they aren’t supposed to experience much discomfort.

“The difference between the trifocal lens (and other previously approved multi-focal lens) is that it gives true intermediate vision,” Ballitch said. 

Previously, he’d have to “mix and match” a lens to provide quality distant and near vision. 

“The mixing and matching is over,” he said. 

He was excited to be one of the first in Ohio and the first in the Richland County region to offer the surgery. 

“I am committed to caring for my patients by providing the highest level of medical and surgical eye care available in a professional, honest, and compassionate manner. I am committed to the pursuit of educational opportunities and staying abreast of changes and advances in technology that improve the care I provide and the quality of vision for my patients,” he said. 

According to a press release, the recent FDA approval of the trifocal lens was based on a study at 12 U.S.-based sites. Patients in the study experienced “exceptional, uninterrupted vision” following their procedures. 

Post-operation satisfaction was described as “through the roof.” More than 99 percent reportedly said they would choose the same lens again.

Ballitch is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist practicing in the Mansfield area since 1992. A graduate of Michigan State University Medical School, he completed his residency at the Medical College of Virginia, where he served as chief resident. He then completed an Oculoplastic Fellowship in Albany, New York, specializing in eyelid and orbital reconstruction. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons with a subspecialty in Ophthalmic (Eye) Plastic Surgery.

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Community health care leaders met in May to discuss high blood pressure in our community, and how we have a lot of people experiencing complications from untreated or undertreated high blood pressure. We have excellent hospitals, clinic systems and primary care physicians in our community. We have an engaged public health department and multiple clinic locations for uninsured members. We have a fully accredited heart hospital and excellent cardiologists. We have many primary care clinics who have received patient-centered medical home certification and have processes in place to screen for and treat high blood pressure. So why do we still have a lot of people in our community with undertreated high blood pressure?

Some people simply have not been screened. High blood pressure often offers no symptoms, and patients do not know how their blood pressure is doing simply based on the way they feel. Sometimes people will only go to the doctor when they are sick, and often they assume that their elevated blood pressure was because they did not feel good and are not due to true blood pressure problems. This is a dangerous assumption, and reduces our ability to intervene.

Many pharmacies provide free use of blood pressure machines that are fairly accurate. Ideally, the person would sit at the blood pressure station for 5 minutes to be sure their resting heart rate and blood pressure goes back to its normal value, especially if they walked a lot around the store. If their blood pressure is high after sitting for three to five minutes and the person is not sick or in pain, chances are they truly do have high blood pressure that is not being treated as well as it should be.

Other challenges we have in our area are a high smoking rate and a diet that is high in fat and salt. We also have high obesity rates. All three of these things — smoking, diet and obesity — are risk factors for high blood pressure. Ideal treatment of high blood pressure would not just involve the use of medications, but would also encourage healthy eating behaviors and exercise.

It is important for patients to be informed about what untreated and undertreated high blood pressure can do. This can lead to strokes, heart failure, heart attacks, kidney failure, poor leg circulation, sexual side effects in men and other long-term problems. Common causes of death from long-term, undertreated high blood pressure are heart attacks and strokes. The tricky thing is that these complications do not always occur right away, and patients feel a reduced sense of urgency to treat their blood pressure problems. Sometimes the heart attack or the stroke was caused by years of missed opportunities to treat the high blood pressure when it could have made a difference.

There are many blood pressure medications on the $4 medication discount list at several local pharmacies. Treatment of high blood pressure is often inexpensive, yet many patients simply do not know where to go nor understand why it is important to take their medication. Even though we have many clinics that will see patients at reduced or no cost if they are uninsured, patients do not know that these clinics exist or understand how to access them.

While blood pressure targets are adjusted based upon a person’s risk factors, a good rule of thumb is that normal blood pressure is 120/80, and most doctors agree treatment is needed if the blood pressure stays over 140/90. What is your blood pressure? If you do not know your blood pressure, then please get screened ASAP, either at a local clinic or using a blood pressure machine at a local pharmacy. If your blood pressure is high and you do not know how to access locations for care, please call the Center for Healthy Living at 903-593-7474, or visit it from 8 to 11:30 a.m., and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can receive a free blood pressure reading and get connected to other local health resources that will help you control your high blood pressure.

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