Yvonne Wang, MD, is an ophthalmologist who specializes in cataract and corneal surgery.
Dr. Wang says she was drawn to her field after volunteering on a medical mission trip to India the summer before she started medical school. “I watched doctors perform cataract surgery and started to think about ophthalmology because it’s a nice combination of clinical evaluation as well as surgery,” she says. “Plus, it’s always nice to be able to help patients restore their sight.”
Cataract surgery is the most common eye surgery; it’s something many people end up needing as they get older. “You can get a very good recovery of your vision and with the technology we have now, it’s become very advanced surgery,” Dr. Wang says. “I like to give patients who are in their 60s or 70s vision that is like what they had in their 30s. Many have been wearing glasses since their 40s and now can go glasses free after surgery.”
In addition to laser-assisted cataract surgery, Dr. Wang says she uses a special device that helps with confirming and choosing what lens goes in a patient’s eyes. “There have been many advancements in terms of calculations for lenses and types of lenses,” she says.
Likewise, there have been many advances in cornea treatment. “From chronic dry eye management to big surgeries like corneal surgery, there are a range of options,” Dr. Wang says. “The field is really evolving. We used to only be able to do a full cornea transplant, but now we can do partial transplants, which is less invasive and gives a faster recovery.”
If patients are anxious about eye surgery, or even having an eye examination, Dr. Wang says she reassures them by noting how much experience she and her colleagues have.
“We perform cataract surgery on hundreds of patients a year and we have an entire team that is incredibly knowledgeable. We keep patients comfortable and from the nurses to the surgeons, it’s a very streamlined process,” she says.
Her research interests include ocular surface diseases, infectious keratitis, and corneal transplantation. She is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
