Raleigh News Observer article on LASIK risks

[Silverlady]

Rheumatoid Arthritis

I noted in the article the man saying his wife had rheumatoid arthritis. That alone would have been a red flag to any knowledgeable or caring doctor. Most people who have rheumatoid arthritis will develop Sjogren's at some point in their life. I did.

Billye

[Lucy]

Billye-these doctors would never go that deeply into possible problems. Every time they turn someone down, it's a $4,000 loss to them. Easy money=no insurance to turn in, cash up front, they can turn several of these ops per hour. They find every possible reason to take the patient, even to the point of being negligent.

I thought this may have changed since lasik etc have been around awhile now. My recent conversations with a lasik surgeon prove otherwise. They'll still do everything they can to take the patient.

Lucy

[dianat]

One issue I continue to have is that even if a doctor did dig into the health history of a 20-year-old potential LASIK candidate, what about future issues that may arise?

I believe I may have filled out a form about medical history when I went in for my LASIK screening, but that was only a snapshot in time. What about 10 or 20 years down the road?

Even for those without problems immediately following LASIK, there is no way for the surgeon to predict that a disorder down the road would cause LASIK- compromised eyes to cause misery later. I guess the statute of limitations has run out by then so who cares.

Do doctors still state the Hippocratic oath? If so, has it been so modernized and distorted that patients' best interest are no longer considered?

[YGB]

Thanks Rojzen!

Truly the best coverage of the problem imaginable! Superb fact coverage, no namby-pamby pandering to the practitioners, and great writing. Can this be picked up for syndication to other papers, perhaps? In any case, I think that other news outlets will find this, and pick it up for secondary reporting. Maybe, for once, the problem won't be played down as it reaches a greater audience. . .Thank you from the bottom of my heart (I'm not a LASIK survivor, but your pain and the complexity of your daily life, post-LASIK, are familiar). . .Be well. . .

Hi Roj - thank you for the incredibly kind words. I always find your posts enlightening and read them with great interest. I even got moisture chamber (MC) glasses made by the wonderful and detail oriented Scott Kornfeld thanks to your post. I use the MC glasses at work and can't imagine getting by without them. Many, many thanks!

[YGB]

Some letters to the Editor are in ...

Please see the link below for 3 letters to the editor relating to the article ...

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/...728738-p2.html

[dianat]

Wow. Interesting. Thanks for keeping us updated.

[Peggy]

Thanks for the invaluable article...I also suffer from headaches,sore eyes and facial pain after lasik and was overcorrected ! It is so difficult to explain to people what I have and how it affects my daily life. I am going to print the article and carry it around and when I get those questions like whats wrong with you today I am just going to hand them the article. Many thanks again and keep spreading the word ! Peggy

[Scout]

Hey YGB!

Your story is now on the McClatchy News wire service and showed up on the front page of my local paper this morning! (Central Valley California)

You now are in wide release!

Thank you,

Scout

[YGB]

Your story is now on the McClatchy News wire service and showed up on the front page of my local paper this morning! (Central Valley California)

You now are in wide release!

Thank you,

Scout

Thanks Scout. After you mentioned this I typed my name in google and I see that the article is being picked up in various places. It is even in the Taiwan News!

[Rebecca Petris]

My mom just called to let me know that this appeared on page 2 of the Seattle Times today. YGB... you're really making an impact with this thing.

[dianat]

YGB,

Can I have your autograph?!

[Natalie06]

Very, very cool YGB.

I am sending the story to the local newspaper who refuses to publish my letter to the editor!

Natalie

[YGB]

Thanks Diana, Rebecca, and Natalie. It's great to see the article getting attention. It was the result of a great group effort.

As for my autograph, I'm still waiting for the 8x10 glossy photos of me wearing my goggles to come back. Then I will sign "YGB" and mail to anyone interested .

The link below has another letter to the editor relating to the article. The letter is titled "Callous Comment"

http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/...ry/734282.html

[Rebecca Petris]

It was not till I got a hard copy of the paper today that i realized how large this article really was. The Seattle Times devoted the entire page A3 to it, and even had a tickler on the front page. It made me wonder if they were giving it added prominence in hopes of hearing from local lasik patients for further reporting from a local interest standpoint.

[YGB]

Here are some of the newspapers around the country/world where the story has run. It's interesting to read the different headlines. Also, there are some parts and pictures that must have been edited out of the original Raleigh N&O story but yet they are included in other stories.

If you see more stories please post the link. Since it is a large article, I'm hoping it will get printed in more papers this coming Sunday since it was put on the news wire earlier in the week.

Seattle, WA
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...5_lasik11.html

Memphis, TN
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...asik-problems/

Norwalk, CT
http://access.thehour.com/access_con...9604652775.php

Youngstown, OH
http://www.vindy.com/content/nationa...4091156649.php

Charlotte, NC
http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_ne...ry/299688.html

Tuscon, AZ
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...lasik1006.html

American College of Radiology
http://gr.acr.org/acr?action=viewNew...155627623700b8

Thomson Healthcare
http://www.micromedex.com/pressroom/...912&category=8

Jewish World Review
http://jewishworldreview.com/1007/lasik_dangers.php3

Taiwan
http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/new..._rss=WORLD_eng

Raleigh, NC
http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/721249.html