It's always one of those weeks. . .

Seriously…I started to write a post about the work stuff I was dealing with, and then thought better about sharing too much info on the web. Let’s just say a top person left the company, and it’s creating extra work for me. . .and some extra visibility with corporate senior management that I don’t want when I am under the gun. . .I like to have time to get things “perfect” and it ain’t happening this week. Plus, I am traveling two days this week and two days next week. It’s the first time I’ve had to travel since I’ve been in school.


It’s particularly annoying to have all this extra work stuff because I had everything perfectly planned out to make life work while writing a biology term paper and prepping for a chemistry proficiency exam. Hopefully once I write this, I can let it go and move on with working on said paper!


At least I have OPM to vent to because my kids do not seem to care!

Ugh. I hear ya. Write your formulas on flash cards and stick them in your pocket, at least you can review those while you are walking places. And look on the bright side, when traveling, you are sans kids. Which means after meetings are done, you have a few moments of quiet.

Random rant. . .I have realized on this trip, where I have been in presentations and looking at powerpoints all day, that my eyes are getting even more nearsighted. I can’t see squat, and my eyes are so tired from the strain that I can barely keep them focused to study. . .I was supposed to get Lasik in January but didn’t due to another unplanned surgery eating up my FSA money. Think I’m going to have to do it anyway, because I am not going to pay for another trip to the optometrist and box of contacts when I was JUST THERE in January and have a 9 mo supply left. . .(Lasik has a lifetime warranty if my eyes change. Bonus since I won’t have vision insurance if I’m a med student.)

As a side note, has anyone heard of wearing readers as a preventative measure for becoming nearsighted? I read that it’s something you can do to preserve your far vision b/c if you read and do close work all day, your eyes will misshape and become nearsighted. You have to do it while you’re still in the 20/30 range, so a little late for me, but I wondered if anyone else has heard of it or tried it. I wonder if it makes you dependent on readers. . .

Honestly, my optometrist recomended AGAINST lasik. Apparently the scar tissue is causing tear duct issues due to the nerves being severed during surgery. What’s happening is the procedure is not lasting and multiple other issues arise from inadequate hydrating of the eye. Apparently (though feel free to correct me if I’m wrong) she said many places in Europe don’t even do it anymore. Instead, they place a permanent contact under the cornea which ends up having fewer cuts to the eye.


Good luck w/ whatever you decide though and hopefully the slow focus is just a fatigue thing.

I don’t know about “readers”, but I had Lasik done about 8 years ago now and it has been fantastic!! - Astigmatism in both eyes. I can definitely say that my tear ducts are working well (been going through a hard time as we have had to put my dad in a long term care facility recently) and a just visited a new optometrist earlier this year and he was wary or laser eye surgery (unless from a high end supplier) but he said the guys that did mine did a great job on me.


Make sure if you do go for the surgery that you select a place with a well established reputation.


My 2 cents.


Lynda

Lynda, Susan- Thanks for your comments. . .I am glad to hear both viewpoints. Lynda-I also know several people who have had successful Lasik. . .it’s good to hear from one more. To Susan’s point, my aunt had Lasik several years ago (5?) and has had problems. . .but she’s also 63 and was correcting “old age” eyes, which they say now that Lasik isn’t too good for. I also know they have to assess your cornea thickness and make sure it’s adequate for surgery. There are definitely people who shouldn’t hvae it.


I think it’s interesting that the optometrist would recommend against Lasik. I’m sure yours isn’t trying to be self-serving, but they do have an interest in keeping you in glasses! Conversely, the opthamologists will say wearing contacts is riskier than Lasik. . .due to infections, etc. I actually know a guy who wore extended wear contacts for a long time and now has to wear glasses now instead of contacts because of cornea damage.


I’ve already been through the process of vetting a surgeon, since I was going to do this in Jan. The one I’ve picked is reputable - I didn’t pick the $299 one from the weekly circular. My neighbor is a technician for him and has had the surgery by him. I’m never a big fan of unneccesary surgeries, so I’ll be pretty cautious about what I do.

Well, actually she was trying to push him to get the permenent contacts thing done LOL. (No she doesn’t do either)


I heard that about contacts too. I think this implant thing is a little diff.


And Lynda, I am now remembering her saying something about older patients. Perhaps that was the key. I’d have to ask her again though.



I’m not a candidate for Lasik, too much damage to my eye, I would have to have an actual cut on my eye and a permanent contact implanted. It’s a more intense surgery similiar to the one Susan was describing and since my eyes are so bad it’s not guaranteed to be all that corrective. I have had some major issues with my eyes, mostly because I haven’t always taken care of them properly with my contacts so I would advise anyone to take extra care with their eyes!!! I do now but unfortunately the damage is already done. I am still considering the surgery though, but most likely will need multiple surgeries to get the correction needed.