No Symptoms: Ophthalmologist has His Eyes Opened by Heart Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital
Ophthalmologist Matthew Schmidt, MD, had no symptoms or family history of heart disease prior to undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery at Silver Cross Hospital in December.
Matthew Schmidt, MD, joined the medical staff at the former Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet some 25 years ago, and he remembers the hospital’s outstanding medical staff well. A quarter century later, he experienced it firsthand at the hospital’s New Lenox campus, which will celebrate its 14th anniversary later this month.
Schmidt, 59, who has an ophthalmology practice with offices in Orland Park and Palos Heights, noticed a couple years ago that his blood pressure was running slightly high. Knowing his HDL – or “good cholesterol” – was chronically low, he reached out to an old friend from medical school, Dr. Joseph Stella , a cardiologist on staff at Silver Cross Hospital, and Chairman of the hospital’s cardiology department.
Dr. Stella ordered a $49 heart scan (a calcium artery scoring CT scan) that measures calcium in coronary arteries. A higher score from the brief, painless scan means more calcium build-up in the coronary arteries, which limits the blood flow to the heart.
“My score was high, so I did a stress test, which at the time showed no problems. He put me on a statin medication for the low HDL,” Schmidt said.
However, a follow up stress test in November 2025 showed an abnormality. This led to a coronary angiogram with Dr. Hong Jun Yun , interventional cardiologist on staff at Silver Cross. That test showed a 75 percent blockage in the main coronary artery.
Since the blockage was located in an area that made a stent impossible, doctors recommended coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Pat Pappas along with his associate, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Nina Delavari , performed Schmidt’s bypass surgery in December.
“That’s a big surgery, but they had me up in the chair the very next day. I spent only four days in the hospital and was back to work in less than four weeks,” Schmidt said.
“All this kind of blindsided me because I had no symptoms or family history of heart disease. I have been in good shape and have regularly exercised my whole life. I am extremely fortunate to have picked up the issue early and have friends like Dr. Stella, Dr. Yun and Dr. Pappas,” he added. “It was certainly interesting being on the other side as a patient. I can truly say the doctors and staff at Silver Cross are top-notch, and they show they really care about you.”
“Now here I am after major heart surgery, back caring for my family and my patients. It is just awesome. I can’t say enough good things about Silver Cross.”
“Dr. Schmidt was a great patient and followed all directions from his care team to help his recovery process move quickly,” said Miesha Landers, Manager of the Cardiovascular Unit and the Cardiovascular Step-Down Unit at Silver Cross. “It was our privilege to take care of him and to help him get back to doing his work of caring and helping others in our community!”
For more information or to schedule a $49 heart scan , visit silvercross.org/heart
