South East Eye

I had cataract surgery on January 19 in the Brunswick. Dr. Imhoff and his staff were amazing. They calmed my fears! I would highly recommend them.

Below is my Facebook post the day after surgery with little about my story.

Ronda’s Ramblings

Today I was able to do something that I don’t think I’ve ever done before. What may seem mundane to you was wonderful to me. I could tell the time on the clock without scooting to the edge of the bed, leaning close, and squinting.

When I
Was in third grade,my teacher discovered that I needed an eye exam. Even sitting in the front of the row, I could not see the chalkboard (back when we used chalk). Showing my age here. When copying was required, sweet Miss Miller would pull a seat up even closer. I was a shy and very conscientious student. She kindly helped me without embarrassing me.

After the exam, I returned several days later to get that first, life-changing pair of specs. I will never forget when the staff opened the back door. Oh my. What in the world? I saw a bird on a power line. What? And I saw trees with leaves. Actual, individual leaves. It was a whole new world to me. We have all seen kid’s drawings of trees with a tall trunk topped by green, cloud like toppers. Well, that’s what I thought trees really looked like! And I don’t think I knew that birds stopped on power lines because I had never seen it.

Honestly, I’m not sure when my vision deteriorated. Maybe I couldn’t see before then and I just adapted. Maybe having to read from a distance exceeded the limitations of my impaired vision. From then on, I have always been totally depended on corrective lens of some sort. I started wearing contacts in junior high. I usually put my glasses on in the dark to go to the bathroom at night. Sometimes, laying in bed in the dark, I feel like I can hear better with them on. I have never,ever even considered attempting to drive without glasses or contacts. As my prescription changed a little almost every year, I remember once asking if I would go blind, a real concern for me. The optometrist assured me that my eyes would level off around the age of eighteen. Once my glasses broke and I had to wear my glasses for a while with masking tape holding them together. Places advertised one hour glasses, but my strength always had to be special ordered. The same for my contacts.

My prescription has remained between a -7.5 and -8.5 as an adult. I have no idea what my vision is, but I once asked based on 20/20 being ideal. Mine was 20/400. I remember once in middle school, I attempted to water ski. Daddy kept yelling at me to grab the rope! What rope? I could t even tell who he was except by voice recognition. With other boats in the lake, I couldn’t even identify which boat was ours, much less find the rope. Let just say that was my first and last attempt at water skiing.

To really show my age, my first, middle school contact lenses were expensive. I wore the same pair for a year, carefully cleaning and sanitizing in a unit nightly that actually brought the solution to a high temperature for proper sanitation.

Monday, I had cataract surgery. The doctor said I could wait, but due to the severity of my vision, I was encouraged to go ahead. His exact words were that the procedure would be life changing. I didn’t sleep much the night before as I was apprehensive and excited. A little like waiting to have a baby….worried about the procedure but so optimistic about the life changing event to come. Although I am not superstitious, it was reassuring to read my fortune cookie from our Chinese food Sunday night. It read “When you awaken tomorrow, solutions to your problems will become clear!”. It made me smile. And now I can read my clock! After my follow up today, even without corrective lens and before right eye surgery, the doctor said legally I could drive. In the words of the old hymn, I was “blind but now I see!”.

They did my stepfather glaucoma surgeries in both eyes and have done one cataract surgery so far. Dr. Imhoff and his staff are the best thank you so much for your care.

As a retired neurologist with early cataracts, I was apprehensive about having cataract surgery. I had worked with Dr. Johnson professionally over the years and decided to have him do the job.I could not be more pleased with the outcome! We decided on a blend of two Panoptix multifical lenses. My vision in now 20/20 at all distances and I no longer require reading glasses. As a physician, I was admittedly not the best patient however all my concerns were thoughtfully addressed by Dr. Johnson. He’s recommended without reservation.

Thank you Dr Imhoff, Dr Van, Ms Rachel and staff.

Dr Imhoff did both eyes for cataracts. He was professional, kind and personable. He answered all my questions and concerns. He even made me laugh a few times.

Dr Van was also professional, kind and personable. He answered my hundred questions I asked always with a smile.

The staff was professional and caring. I am so happy with the services provided, I would highly recommend them to anyone.

I have always been treated with respect at this office they did a great job on my surgery I couldn't have asked for better care I recommend to all who want the best. Dr imhoff preformed a miracle on my eyes thank you always

Thank you for everything!
You’re the best!!

Absolute Best. No one would touch my unusual problem except John Imhoff. 31 years later still seeing as well as ever.

I waited in four different rooms for a total of two hours while waiting to see the doctor. I had the audacity to ask him why I had to wait so long.
He flew into a rage: He raised his voice, wagged his finger at me, angrily threw my folder across the room, and hit my foot with his rolling chair. He kept screaming “two hours, two hours!” He told me any doctor’s appointments would involve a two-hour wait. (This is arguable, though he stated it is as fact). He also told me that in the future, I should take an entire day off work for any doctor’s appointment. He also told me to “Go Blind!” and mocked me for being “pissed off.” He was very angry and I am gravely concerned for his well-being.
His conduct was outrageous! If I have to take an entire day off for one doctor’s appointment , something is very wrong in this organization.
Please stop double-booking or over-booking. This practice is great for the doctors who make more money and I’m sure have fine homes on Sea Island, but for those of us mere patients, this seems greedy and forces us to lose money in lost wages (The dr. did not even offer the give me an excuse for work). As a patient, this is extremely disappointing.

Some suggestions for them:
1. Advise patients of a wait time of at least two hours before they arrive at the doctor’s office. They could add this warning to the packet of information you mail to patients.
2. If you can’t keep the appointment you make, don’t make it! If you absolutely have to, at least feign an apology about the patient’s wait time.
3 Get some magazines.

Have not had the surgery yet, but was told one thing over the phone and completely different at the office, also have disability insurance through my job, and they cut it off because someone at the office told the insurance company I could return to work,....as I said have not had surgery and restricted from driving.