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Phil Smith, M.D. |
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North Valley Eye Care
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Taking Time with Dr. Smith |
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Dr. Phil Smith was always interested in
going into medicine but hadn’t considered
ophthalmology until one summer during
college. He worked with his father, a now
retired general contractor, on remodeling
an ophthalmologist’s office. Dr. Rush knew
Phil was interested in medicine and invited
him to observe a cataract surgery he was
performing. Dr. Smith says, “I sat in the
operating room and watched him perform
cataract surgeries for the day, and I was
really fascinated by it.” Once Dr. Smith
completed his undergraduate degree, Dr.
Rush invited him to join the practice as an
ophthalmic technician where he worked
between undergrad and medical school.
He continued to visit Dr. Rush’s practice
to learn about ophthalmology throughout
his time at Texas Tech University. By the
middle of medical school, Dr. Smith was sure
ophthalmology was the specialty he wanted
to pursue.
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Originally from Amarillo, Texas, Dr. Smith
returned to his hometown to complete
his Internal Medicine Residency through
Texas Tech University. He then went
on to continue his studies at Maryland
General Hospital in Baltimore, where he
completed a fellowship in ophthalmology.
While practicing in Sacramento, he met
Dr. Barthelow of North Valley Eye Care. Dr.
Smith says, “I really like the fact that Dr.
Barthelow and North Valley Eye Care are
very progressive when it comes to treating
patients and using the technology that’s
available. Our philosophies on care are
very similar; we are very patient-centric. We
want to make sure patients have the best
treatment option, whether it’s surgical or
medical, and we always try to stay on the
cutting edge of technology.”
Dr. Smith is a comprehensive
ophthalmologist, which means he does a
little bit of everything, but he shares that he
has more of an emphasis on cataract and
refractive surgery. “I spend a lot of
time honing my surgical skills and doing
high-quality cataract surgeries using a
lot of intraocular lenses, so patients have
many options to choose from for the best
refractive outcome.” Cataract surgery used
to offer one type of lens for replacement,
but there are so many new technologies
and lens options available that have
revolutionized the field. Patients now
have the option to undergo surgery and
“essentially have their prescription lenses
put directly into their eyes. After surgery,
they can have great distance vision without
requiring glasses or potentially have lenses
that give distance, intermediate, and near
vision without any glasses at all.” Dr. Smith
states the outcomes from surgeries like
these are tremendous. “That ‘wow’ factor
when a person goes from being legally blind
and totally dependent on others to being
able to function without glasses at all a few
days after surgery is the most rewarding.”
Dr. Smith emphasizes the importance of
time. During the initial surgical consultation
he says, “I’m not in a rush. I want to make
sure the patients are educated.” He takes
the time to explain the specifics of their
condition, what the options for care are, and
then explains the agreed upon treatment
plan. He ensures he has ample time to
answer any questions or concerns they may
have. “You don’t rush things; the less you
rush, the better outcomes you have whether
it’s education or surgery.”
When he’s not in the office, Dr. Smith takes
time to enjoy traveling with his wife and
experiencing new restaurants, cuisines, and
music. He plays the cello, the trombone, and
the Scottish great highland bagpipes, and
he’s always looking for live music venues to
explore.