Meet The Member - Venki of Herts Eye Surgeon
Venki - Herts Eye Surgeon
We caught up with our member, Venki, to learn about his journey into becoming an eye surgeon.
We’re thrilled to have you as part of We Are Harpenden! Could you tell us about your journey? Did you always dream of being an eye surgeon, or did your career path take some unexpected turns?
Thank you and it’s a pleasure to be part of the amazing community you have created!
Growing up, I played a lot of tennis and having been one of the top ranked juniors in the UK, I thought about pursuing that as a career. However, I wasn’t quite good enough but thoroughly enjoyed my time trying and gained many transferable skills, attitudes and friends during the process. At school, I had a strong interest in sciences (particularly biology) so I aimed to study medicine. When I entered medical school, I had no idea what kind of doctor I wanted to be. However, in my penultimate year I did a placement in ophthalmology (eyes) and was immediately fascinated by this specialty. I loved the intricacy of the eye, the precision and delicateness of eye surgery and impact that operations and other treatments can have of peoples’ vision and lives. I am really pleased with the career choice I have made and hope to keep doing it for many more years to come.
What are the most common challenges or concerns people face before coming to you for eye surgery? How do you help them navigate those?
I’d say the biggest concern patients have is the fear of the unknown. Patients are understandably anxious about their eye potentially being operated on. Frequently I hear patients saying “I don’t mind any other part of my body being operated on, but when it comes to my eye, that’s different.” Therefore, even though I have performed thousands of successful eye operations, it is still very important for me to recognise and acknowledge any concerns or worries patients may have and to try and address these.
You’ve received glowing reviews from patients, what do you think is the key to building such strong connections and trust with them?
It’s been really nice to have had these reviews. I enjoy building a rapport with patients and finding out a little more about them such as hobbies they have, type of work they do or places they’ve visited as I’m interested in these things too, and have had many amazing conversations with patients. I endeavour to be professional and thorough in my clinical examination and then explain my findings and advice in a clear and practical manner. I feel that patients value my honesty and know that I will only recommend a treatment or surgery if absolutely necessary. “Do no harm” is the essence of safe and successful medicine.
What do you enjoy most about running your business here in Harpenden?
Harpenden is such as lovely place and I’ve found the patients who come and see me to be very pleasant and interesting. Spire Harpenden Hospital has excellent equipment, technology, theatre facilities and staff, and I feel confident that I can provide the highest standard of eye care in this setting. I’ve been based at Spire Harpenden for over 10 years now and continue to enjoy working there.
Reflecting on your journey so far, what’s been the most rewarding part of running Herts Eye Surgeon?
It’s been a privilege to have been able to improve and restore the vision of many, many patients over the last 10 years. I don’t take for granted the faith and trust that patients have put in me. In cases where there isn’t a treatment or operation available, it’s been rewarding helping patients to understand more about their condition and advise them on what other support might be available to them. I find that most patients are content if they feel that they have been heard and have explored the options that may be available to them.
How do you see the procedures you offer making a difference in your patients’ lives, both immediately and in the long term?
I am fortunate that most of the operations and treatments that I perform have a fairly immediate outcome and I get to see and hear about these results of improved vision at patients’ initial follow-up appointment. It is particularly satisfying when someone’s vision was at the legally blind level prior to surgery, and has been improved to 20/20 vision afterwards. Also, I having performed cataract surgery on many patients who have a cataract in their only normally seeing eye, so it’s very satisfying when their vison improves and they can go back to living their normal life. It’s also pleasing to know that cataract surgery is a one-off operation, and their good vision can last a lifetime.
Are there any new advancements or innovations in eye surgery that excite you, or that you’re looking forward to incorporating into your practice?
An aspect of ophthalmology that I’ve always appreciated and enjoyed is that there’s always constant advancements being made. These can be in areas such as more detailed imaging of the eye; more accurate measurements for cataract surgery; improved lens technology for cataract surgery to allow more independence from glasses; more effective and longer lasting therapies for potentially blinding conditions; and better genetic understanding of eye diseases. Artificial Intelligence is also allowing eye specialists to diagnose and monitor a larger number of patients, and also predict which patients are more likely to develop certain eye conditions. Exciting times ahead!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering eye surgery but feeling nervous about taking the first step?
Recognise that it’s normal and ok to feel nervous. Then seek out the best surgeon you can find and discuss your individual situation with them. Make sure you ask all the questions you want to ask, and perhaps write them down on paper or your phone beforehand so you don’t forget any during the consultation. Unless you have an eye emergency, you should be given time think about your options and don’t necessarily need to make a decision on the day of the consultation. I give patients my contact details so they can ask further questions if needed. If you are struggling with your vision, and surgery is the advised option for you, then have faith in the knowledge that the vast, vast majority of cases go very well.
As a local, where’s your favourite spot to relax or spend time in Harpenden when you’re not in the clinic?
We are blessed with lots of nice cafes and restaurants on Harpenden and St Albans, so it’s always nice to wind down in one of these. I really enjoy being a member of Harpenden Lawn Tennis Club which is lovely environment to play in with some excellent players. I also like playing golf at Verulam Golf Club which can sometimes be frustrating when looking for my lost ball. My golf is a work in progress but I think there is some hope!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I really shouldn’t admit this but I failed my driving test 5 times! In my defence, it was during my gap year, when I was trying to become a professional tennis player, so was away a lot and hardly had anytime to practice…