Care of culturally diverse patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery

We live and work in a multicultural world and need to be knowledgeable about culture and how it affects the quality of care given to patients. Although people of the non-dominant culture may have knowledge of the English language, many have limited English proficiency (LEP), a topic of great importance for the ophthalmic patient in the healthcare setting where populations grow increasingly diverse. Knowing how to communicate effectively with patients includes an understanding oflanguage. Because of the need for accuracy in ophthalmic surgical treatment, it is critical for ophthalmic caregivers to learn the skills necessary to communicate proficiently with their patients in order to assure a positive outcome in patient care. To achieve this goal, ophthalmic healthcare providers need to realize that accessing medical interpreter services is a necessary component of providing culturally sensitive patient care.