Re: [APML] LASIK

["David B. Toth" <ve3gyq@amsat.org>]

At 12:41 PM 10/28/2002 -0800, Tony Hallas wrote:
>Guess I should add my two cents worth... I have a family friend who is an 
>accomplished opthomologist and eye surgeon... I asked him frankly about 
>LASIK since I have to wear glasses for far away... his reply was that if 
>you make a living using your eyes, stay away from ANY surgery... my 
>eyesight is 20/15 with glasses on... I'm quitting while I am ahead... 
>there is ALWAYS the slim chance of a screw up in surgery... his advice was 
>to weigh the odds... with the new titanium frames and plastic lenses my 
>glasses are so light I hardly know they are there... yes they are a 
>nuisance at times, but I make a living with my eyes, and even 1/10,000 
>odds are too much for me.
>

And that ladies and gentleman, is my medical advice too ...

Let me tell you a story for perspective:
In London, Ontario, where I used to practice, an eye surgeon offered FREE 
LASIK to any optometrists and ophthalmologists that wanted it and there 
were NO TAKERS. There is a reported 10% possibility of the cornea 
developing some haziness, and that is enough to turn me off.

I had my contact prescription tweaked last November, right before the 
Chiefland Star Party. I was so pleased because it really sharpened my 
vision right back to 20/15. But when I went to look at a star chart, I 
couldn't see a thing. When your pupil dilates, you lose depth of field, 
just like when you open your camera lens from f/16 to wide open. That's why 
some folks don't need reading glasses in the daytime, but they will at night.

I love my contacts, have corrective glasses available for my myopia when I 
don't wear my contacts, and have reading glasses available when I do astronomy.

Dave
Lima, Ohio


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