The Balancing Act: A Global Ophthalmologist shares expertise on All Things Eye-Care and How She Balances Work, Life and Giving Back
“An unapologetic workaholic, that’s what I am; pushing the pedal to the metal, whether at work in South Texas or in operating rooms around the world.” For Women’s Health Wednesday, today’s woman dreamer, Dr. Madhavi Reddy, a global Ophthalmologist, shares everything you need to know about eyecare. Been spending a lot of time on your computer screen lately? Sleep schedule been off? Eye care for kids vs adults? Dr. Reddy shares her expertise, and her fascinating journey as a volunteer surgeon all over the world. Enjoy Madhavi’s inspiring story!
Tell us your story. What interested you in health and medicine?
Growing up in little towns scattered across Andhra Pradesh, India, going to Telugu-language schools with tribal girls, and moving every couple of years prepared me well for a career in global ophthalmology. I switched to English-language in eleventh grade, and at sixteen, I was the youngest in my medical school class. Medicine opened a door to an exciting world for me! I found the complexities of the human body, especially the brain and its related structures, fascinating. Eyes are amazing pieces of technology, converting light into chemical energy, then to electrical energy, then into a three-dimensional visual experience in the brain. To be able to fix when something goes wrong in this process was simply irresistible for me! As a resident in ophthalmology in Hyderabad, I had the opportunity to assist American volunteer surgeons aboard a flying eye hospital, Orbis International. Their skill and commitment inspired me to seek further training in the United States. It took me years of research and postgraduate residency training to recertify as an ophthalmologist in the US. The challenges were formidable: I was a female, a foreign medical graduate, and a mother, looking to penetrate a white, American, male-dominated surgical specialty at that time. I was fortunate to find mentors, whose guidance was crucial to my success. That planted the seed for an activity that's close to my heart. Now, we have established a professional women's group that mentors disadvantaged school girls. I am particularly proud of a sixteen-year-old high schooler who has developed a smartphone app that can be used to check vision, and another sixteen-year-old female medical student that I am guiding in Myanmar.
Why global Ophthalmology?
Despite a full time, busy private practice and a growing family, there was a void I needed to fill. I kept remembering the reason I had chosen ophthalmology: the majority of the world’s blind live in remote, rural areas. It was 2004, when I began working with SEE International, a global charity eye-care organization. My first trip was to Mexico, followed by Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador, Peru, Vanuatu, Cambodia, Myanmar, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and India. All these surgical missions opened my eyes to how much more needs to be done! The key is not to do a few hundreds of surgeries but train and empower the local ophthalmologists to take care of their patients. Now that my children are grown up, my dream is to alternate working for six months in the US and six months in Africa and Asia to train international residents in eye surgery to have more impact on blindness in the developing world.
There are many common questions that come to mind when it comes to eye care, such as screen time, sleep, how eye-care varies from kids etc. Can you share your expertise with us?
On Increased Screen Time:
All of us, children and adults included, are getting more screen time in 2020/2021. The best way to rest your eyes is to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every twenty minutes, take twenty seconds to look away at something at least twenty feet away. It helps to have your chair face a window while working, so that you can look away periodically. Remind yourself to blink frequently as we don’t blink often enough whenever we are reading or watching a screen. For older folks, dry eyes can cause tired eyes, burning, and watering. Over-the-counter artificial tears can be used to lubricate eyes, up to four times a day. Wearing up-to-date, prescribed glasses, when required will also help reduce eye strain.
Sleep:
It is advisable that children and adults take time off from bright screens at least two hours before bedtime to improve sleep quality.
Blue light from electronic devices:
There has been much talk about blocking blue light from screens, but there is no official recommendation on wearing special protective glasses. In the evenings, and even throughout the day, it's good to switch to night settings on your screen.
Children:
It's very important for children to go out and play, as that induces their eye muscles to focus at different distances, as opposed to looking at a screen at a fixed distance for a prolonged period of time. Encourage small children to take a five-minute break between online classes to run around.
Adults:
Most adults after the age of 40 to 45 years of age need reading glasses. If one does not have a distance glasses prescription, then it’s fine to use over-the-counter reading glasses. They range from +1.00 D to +3.00 D.
Generally speaking,
40 to 45 year olds need +1.00
45 to 50 year olds need +1.25/1.50
50 to 55 year olds need +1.75/2.00
55 to 60 year olds need +2.25/2.50
Above are general guidelines for reading; as we typically view a computer screen from a greater distance, less power is needed. For eg: if you need + 2.50 for reading, you would need + 2.00 for the computer. The above recommendation does not apply to people who wear glasses for distance. They would need to get a customized bifocal/progressive glasses prescription from their eye doctor.
It is also important to have a comprehensive eye exam with an ophthalmologist after the age of 40, to make sure one does not have glaucoma, especially if there is a positive family history. Diabetics should have a yearly exam to monitor for any changes in the eyes.
How do you find work-life balance? How do you pursue your passions when you are busy?
An unapologetic workaholic, that’s what I am; pushing the pedal to the metal, whether at work in South Texas or in operating rooms around the world, bringing Indian culture to the Rio Grande Valley, mentoring students, sponsoring children abroad, or being a tiger mom! Sometimes my friends say, “You need to pull back and slow down. You are not getting any younger!” But we don't live forever. That’s why I don't believe in having a bucket list. If you really want to do something, it’s better to do it right away! My three children are seven years apart and when the youngest was three years old, instead of waiting for him to grow up, I decided it was time to begin what I have always wanted to do, to go on surgical eye missions to developing countries. The first trip was such a life-changing experience that I made the trips, a part of my to-do list for every year. I have worked as a volunteer surgeon in twelve countries so far. In addition to expanding my abilities to work in different parts of the world and with different teams, it has reinforced my leadership skills. Seeing how a small act can change the life of not only one blind person but their whole family, is an indescribable feeling.
I consider perseverance and fearlessness to be my strengths. My weakness is falling in love with too many people, too many places and too many activities. Occasionally it stretches my time too thin but it is incredibly rewarding. Working with like-minded teams allows me to pursue my other interests like bringing Indian dance and music to our community as part of the India Association, planting trees with the Stiftung Life foundation, Germany, and teaching Indian heritage classes to youth.
Thank You Madhavi for Sharing Your Beautiful Story and Expertise with Us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: A board certified ophthalmologist in the United States and India, Madhavi Reddy has been practicing ophthalmology and co-managing the eye clinic in Brownsville, TX for the last twenty two years. She attended Gandhi Medical College and completed a residency in ophthalmology at Sarojini Devi Eye hospital, Hyderabad, India. After a short stint at Indian Council of Medical Research, she relocated to Houston, TX. She completed a Master’s degree in vision sciences at University of Houston and went on to do a two year residency in Internal Medicine followed by a residency in ophthalmology at Texas Tech University. She received the 2019 Humanitarian award by SEE International, a global eye-care organization for her work in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.In addition to being a partner at South Texas Eye Centers, she is affiliated with the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine and School of Public Health UT-H, is the cultural chair of the India Association of RGV, founded “Power Talks” a professional women’s group for mentoring girls in public schools and is also the founder of Indian heritage classes in the valley. “My supportive husband and three children, a cardiologist, a PhD student in AI, and an undergrad keep me grounded most of the time!”
WHO WE ARE