Fit for Duty

Stress in the workplace affects every individual at some point—doctors more than most. The COVID pandemic, however, was a global stress event for everyone. For many, the stress came not from work, but from not working. Coping skills varied, with some spiralling into burnout and depression and others making the best of it.

In his memoir, Cyres: the Education of an Ophthalmologist, Cyres Mehta MD describes his own efforts to reverse the stress he experienced during the shutdown. This includes a vigorous return to his earlier passion for bodybuilding and activities such as walking, cycling, and a nutrition plan.

“When COVID came along, and we went into that first lockdown, I soon realised that people would still need the orthopaedist for broken bones and the cardiologist for heart attacks, but nobody needed the ophthalmologist,” he recalled. “Nobody wanted to do LASIK, nobody wanted to do routine cataract surgery, and even if you had a retinal detachment, it would wait two weeks. Of course, we still had to handle trauma.”

His ten-hour workday became zero hours, challenging him to channel his energies elsewhere. Aiming for a six-pack in six months, he dusted off his equipment in his home gym and ordered additional equipment, creating a workout schedule and setting targets. Being out of shape and 49 years old, he started slow, walking an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. He also adopted a healthier diet.

The weight began to melt away, so he added weight training, cycling, and swimming. Soon, he was working out four hours a day, losing 20 kg in around six months.

“It totally transformed the way I looked naturally and the way I started feeling. I felt more active, I could work longer hours and not get tired, my brain remained fresh—it made a difference in my overall health,” he noted.

“Gaining muscle is easy—losing fat is hard. You have to design an exercise programme which you can continue doing…the idea is to make it a lifelong journey.”

He added that he would get tired after doing 10 or 12 surgeries before this programme, and now he doesn’t. While his neck and back would hurt before, now they don’t. This physical strength and well-being are important for being a good surgeon.

“Real ‘wellness’ can only be achieved with a proper diet and exercise on a consistent basis,” he emphasised. “Changing your lifestyle, eating less, reducing stress, and constantly exercising will extend your lifespan.”

Dr Mehta commented that certain exercises like swimming or cycling free the subconscious, so the mind often finds solutions to whatever the person is dealing with that day.

He concluded it essential for ophthalmologists to include activities in life outside of ophthalmology, be it motorcycling, music, or walking. Doing so will help them become better surgeons.

Dr Mehta has continued his lifestyle changes, adding target shooting to his activity list—recently placing first in his division in a competition in India.