Page 82 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2019

feature | people who support

GOING TO A RETINA

SPECIALIST IS OFTEN

THE END OF THE LINE

IN VISION CARE, AND OREGON RETINA CENTER

BOTH WOMEN FEEL Magali Saenz and Nicole Steele are Ophthalmic Technicians at Oregon
Retina Center, in charge of patient check in, rooming patients, check-
PRIVILEGED TO CALM ing charts for all medications and interactions with other doctors,
scheduling surgery within essential timeframes and photographing the
eye. Going to a retina specialist is often the end of the line in vision
THEIR PATIENTS care, and both women feel privileged to calm their patients by explain-
ing procedures, particularly eye injections. Nicole says systemic condi-
tions can and do affect eyes—Macular Degeneration, Diabetes, MS,
BY EXPLAINING high blood pressure, all issues that can lead to blindness. The patients
often come in monthly, and relationships build. When Magali had a
baby, patients brought gifts. They bring gifts for other occasions as
PROCEDURES. well. Magali and Nicole, in turn, ask about patients and their families.
One of the upsides of their job is seeing positive results from treat-
ments. Theirs is a life-altering responsibility, each patient and his or her
situation unique. “To know you are part of protecting and improving
their vision,” says Magali, “is one of my rewards.”

80 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | winter 2019