Many times I ask myself, what made these guys decide to perform surgery on eyes? At what point does someone decide they want to be a surgeon, an accountant, a lawyer, an ophthalmologist?

Well for some, like Dr. Carlos Buznego, they know in high school.

In this very interesting article featured in CRST (Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today) Dr. Buznego explains what made him decide on his career and why looking back 2 decades later, it was the best decision of his life.

A quote that stuck with me:

“We are definitely specialists, but at the same time, we are family doctors who take care of patients across four generations. We are surgeons, but at the same time, we are internists of the eye. We take care of the most important of the senses. We regularly relieve suffering, restore vision, and make the blind see.”

Entire article provided below! To view directly on CRST please click this link

CARLOS BUZNEGO, MD

A few weeks ago, I came across a frayed, yellowed newspaper clipping from the Miami Herald. Staring back at me was a face I barely recognized. It looked like me but with a whole lot more hair and less mileage than the one that I shave in the morning. The journalist had interviewed the high school valedictorians of that year. In the article, I said that one of my wishes was that Hispanics and non-Hispanics would learn to get along better. The article also stated, “Carlos plans to attend medical school and become an ophthalmologist.”

After 2 decades in ophthalmology, it surprises me that I would say that to the writer. What did I know about ophthalmology? I am the first member of my family to become a physician. Although I was a lifelong contact lens-wearing myope, I had never even seen an ophthalmologist! Little did I know how wise an answer I gave that day.

Despite the naysayers, I would argue that ophthalmology is a great profession for many reasons. We are definitely specialists, but at the same time, we are family doctors who take care of patients across four generations. We are surgeons, but at the same time, we are internists of the eye. We take care of the most important of the senses. We regularly relieve suffering, restore vision, and make the blind see. We use the latest applications in medical technology (lasers, minimally invasive surgery, etc.) before other specialists.

I never thought of myself as clairvoyant, but in that interview, I showed prescience as a high school senior. I became an ophthalmologist, and this morning’s Miami Herald proclaims that two of my Cuban brethren are within reach of the White House.