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I had to post this story because I know about 10 friends who have had Lasik surgery, some with good results and some with bad. One had surgery so she could see the dolphin's under water but after the surgery she couldn't see her sheet music without glasses when she played at church. Think this process through before you have it done. You can also have dry eyes afterwards which require daily drops as another friend has and she's not even 30.
The FDA warned LASIK eye surgery providers to stop making fake safety claims regarding the popular surgery.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to eye care professionals this week saying that they have 90 days to update any promotional materials that make untrue claims. If they don’t comply, the agency will take regulatory action.
"It's about the false claims and not adequately providing consumers with information about the risks associated with the procedure," said Erica Jefferson, FDA spokeswoman, as quoted by Health Day.
LASIK is a laser eye surgery procedure that shapes the cornea, and it does have small risks involving vision loss, infection, double vision and glare.
According to Eric D. Donnenfeld of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, people interested in LASIK surgery should make sure that they choose a physician that has been board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
"Choosing the right doctor is the most important thing one can do," said Donnenfeld, as quoted by Health Day. "A lot of patients make a decision based on an ad in a magazine or an audio clip on radio… there are a lot of very good doctors who advertise, but it doesn't mean a doctor is good because he advertises or offers group discounts."
Additionally, some people are not good candidates for LASIK, Donnenfeld pointed out. These people include those with thin or irregular corneas, eye diseases such as dry eye or glaucoma, or cataract.
What is LASIK?
The surgeon folds the hinged flap back out of the way, then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The excimer laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely remove ("ablate") very tiny bits of tissue from the cornea to reshape it.
When the cornea is reshaped in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before. The flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed.
For more on LASIK go to:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/lasik.htm
I wanted to post this story below after I spent 4 hours on the computer trying to make flight reservations and Firefox kept crashing. I thought it was my computer until I tried the third one. I'll have to call ZoomText Monday I think they can solve the problem for me.
A New Light by Ernest Jones
Gary sat staring at the computer. He was tired and his eyes hurt, still he knew he had to continue; he had a job to complete and felt he couldn’t take a break. But had he considered his options he would have realized that taking a few minutes away from the computer would have helped him finish his work faster.
Do you have computer eye strain? This problem is not limited to those who enjoy full vision. Those who are visually impaired can feel this strain too, if they use the monitor to some extent. For those whose vision is compromised, computer eye strain may be an even greater problem.
In 2008, Americans were using the computer at their workplace an average of fifteen hours per week. College students increased their time in front of the computer by 50 percent between 2005 and 2008. Extended computer use can lead to headaches, pain or stiffness of the neck, back, shoulders, or wrists. However, the most prevalent symptoms involve eye strain—blurred vision and dry eyes.
MORE DEVICES, MORE EYE STRAIN
With the increase of social networking and technological advancements such as the iPod, iPhone and BlackBerry, people are using their eyes even more often for screen reading.
Therefore, the following tips may make things easier on your eyes.
1. Get a complete vision check-up at least yearly and let the doctor know how many hours a day you use the computer.
2. Resting your eyes every fi fteen to twenty minutes is one of the simplest and best things you can do to ease the burden on your eyes. Just take your eyes away from the computer monitor. Take a short walk outside for a breath of fresh air as you enjoy the beauty God has provided; feel your mind and body relax as you stretch your legs and arms. Research shows that taking a break from daily tasks can greatly increase productivity.
3. When you cannot leave the computer, stop occasionally to blink—purposefully and forcefully. This will help decrease dry eyes and irritation. A person typically blinks many times each minute, but when staring at the monitor one may only blink a couple times in a minute. Not blinking is one of the main causes for dry eyes and eye fatigue. So stop every twenty minutes and blink your eyes ten times.
4. Use artificial tears if you feel continual dryness in your eyes. You may need to ask your vision care specialist whether prescribed eye drops or an over-the-counter brand is best for your particular need.
5. Another suggestion is what is referred to as 20/20/20. Every twenty minutes take your eyes away from the computer and look at some object twenty feet away for twenty seconds. This helps the eyes relax and resume a more restful focal length.
6. You may find that a pair of computer glasses helps. If you do wear glasses, make sure they have anti-reflective coating.
7. If possible, use a nineteen-inch or larger monitor. Adjust the brightness to be about the same as your work environment. Also, adjust the contrast between the screen background to a high setting. Make sure the print is large enough and use a color that you can read easily. Black text on a white background is probably best, though some prefer white on black. A dimly lit room is easier on the eyes than a bright one.
8. Always check with your vision specialist if you have persistent problems with dry eyes or if you have other problems when using the computer that these suggestions do not resolve.
Remember, by taking a break you will often finish the job faster and with fewer mistakes than if you just doggedly stay in front of your
computer hour after hour.
Ernest Jones, who is blind, is a regular Lifeglow columnist.
November - December 2010, Vol. 27, No. 6
