Day 4

The next day, I was still with Dr. Snyder. This time it was New Patient Day. Compared to the previous day, it was very laid back.

“What is fun about New Patient Day is that I am in the same seat as you. I have five seconds to look at a patient and gauge their personality so that I can adjust my approach accordingly.

“I could get it right, or I could get it all wrong,” Snyder said.

There was a variety of patients – from a twisted lens to a cataract to issues with the vitreous jelly.¹ It was interesting to see how each case was treated.

“For cataract surgery, there is a 99 percent chance of success, but there is also that one percent chance of just about anything bad that can happen to an eye,” Snyder warned his cataract patients.

What surprised me was when he gave his cigarettes speech to some of his patients. He pointed out other health issues as well.

“In my mind, I’m a doctor first. If I see something wrong, even if it is unrelated to the eye, I will still point it out,” Snyder said.

In all the cases I witnessed, Dr. Snyder was able to anticipate his patient’s mood and adapt accordingly. He was able to put the patient at ease regardless of the issue at hand.

This is something I hope to be able to do in the future.

¹The vitreous jelly is a jelly-like substance that fills the inside of the eye.