Dr. Merck performs surgery in Guatemala

Dr. Joseph Merck, ophthalmologist and surgeon at Great River Eye Clinic, recently participated in a mission trip to Guatemala. While there, Dr. Merck performed sight saving cataract surgery on Guatemalans who had no access to healthcare.
Dr. Merck’s father, Dr. Michael Merck, also an ophthalmologist, started The Foundation for Saving Sight over 25 years ago. For the past three years, Dr. Merck has joined his father on these annual trips to Guatemala as a surgeon.
“My father began going to the village of San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala in 1992 after visiting the mission there which is supported by the Catholic Diocese of New Ulm. I grew up accompanying him on these annual service trips which instilled a passion at a young age to become an ophthalmologist. Many of the patients in need of surgery there have been legally blind for months to years from mature cataracts. It is such a privilege to encounter these people, and to hear their stories of how losing sight has affected their life, work, and families. Some receive difficult news that their blindness is from an untreatable condition. Those with treatable cataracts undergo surgery and we get to share in their joy as the patch is removed the following day. One patient this year simply looked at his hand for the first time in years as he said to us in Spanish “Sight is the light of life.” I have such affection for the people of San Lucas and look forward to serving their community for the rest of my career,” Dr. Merck said.
At Great River Eye Clinic, Dr. Merck provides a variety of ophthalmic services including cataract surgery with standard or premium intra ocular lens implant options, glaucoma management and surgery, macular degeneration, eye-related diabetic disease, ocular trauma and emergency ocular care.
Great River Eye Clinic has two locations in Crosby and Baxter and outreach locations in Deer River, Grand Rapids, McGregor, Aitkin, Onamia and Staples. For additional information on Dr. Merck, Great River Eye Clinic or any of the services offered, call 800-952-3766 or visit greatrivereyeclinic.com.