To perform a phaco cataract surgery and a MIGS glaucoma surgery in a private surgery center is expensive. The phaco machines, the lasers (if used), the diamond keratomes, and then the supplies. Trypan blue dye costs $66 in our surgery center (that is the cheapest cost to us), the Malyugin ring is $125, and the MIGS devices can be well over $1000 (all prices in US Dollars). To do a cataract surgery in our private clinic can cost thousands and doing it at a university can be even more, like $5150 for just the basics without the MIGS, refractive surgery, specialty IOL, etc. And at the university, you may not have the services of the best surgeons since the trainee residents, fellows, and medical students may doing significant parts of your surgery.
The video shown today from our guest surgeon demonstrates that you can do a cataract surgery and a glaucoma surgery for far less. This is critically important given the number of patients worldwide without access to truly affordable healthcare. The cataract surgery is done via the MSICS technique without the need for a phaco machine. And the glaucoma surgery is the BANG technique pioneered by Dr Arsham Sheybani. This is brilliant and I applaud the efforts from our guest surgeon.
