MCMH first in Iowa to use cataract procedure

 The Montgomery County Memorial Hospital unveiled a new piece of equipment to make cataract surgery much easier. 

On Thursday, March 26, Dr. Michael Halstead performed the first surgery using a new microscope and phacoemulsification machine. The hospital is the first in the state of Iowa to have both pieces of equipment. 

The microscope, manufactured by Alcon, delivers a six times larger and highly stable area of focus. It also allows the surgeon to see a “red reflex zone,” which shows when a cataract is not present. The scope offers more light in the surgical field, allowing for better visuals for the surgeon. 

“It’s just a tremendous, really nice piece of equipment to have and it’ll serve the hospital well for years to come,” Halstead said. “The one we had worked pretty well, but it’d been around, well my guess would be, about 25 years, and so just the capabilities of this scope are the optics are better, it gives us a better view, and it’s just a matter of the science of optics improved over the years, just like the  science of medicine has improved. We’re not doing cataracts now like we did them 30 years ago. So, it’s just been a great thing. It’s been a great investment on the part of the hospital.”

Another machine was purchased to aid in phacoemulsification, a process to break up the cataract and remove it from the eye. The new machine offers the surgeon control over aspects such as pressure on the eye and flow rate for the phacoesmulsification process.

The hospital’s commitment to purchase both machines will make a surgeon’s job easier and cataract removal safer for the patient.  

“For the hospital to spend the kind of capital they have speaks to how dedicated they are to provide services here so patients don’t have to travel to Omaha, because the equipment I have here now is just top of the line,” Halstead said. “I couldn’t ask for it any better in any other hospital that I go to.”

Although the purchase of this equipment was a high-cost commitment, it will allow the hospital to better serve the community. Patients can now avoid driving to Omaha or other large cities for cataract removal. 

“Two new pieces of equipment in a relatively short time is a big commitment on the part of hospital and we really appreciate it,” Halstead said.