John Rodgers on thu 21 aug 08
Kelly Savino's comment in a recent post - about Googling with an
embedded computer chip in the glasses, brought this to mind.
There is the "Vision of the Artist" and there is the vision of the
artist. It is the later I speak of here.
I know there are many out there who are beginning to if not already
experiencing the vagaries of aging bodies - and especially in the realm
of vision. In the past couple of years I really went through the gamut
of vision problems. Heres my "Big HUZZAH" for modern medical technology.
I experienced the whole thing - first came the single visual correction
glasses. Then around the forties the ol' visual accommodation weakened
and I had to get bifocal glasses, then later came Tri-focal glasses, At
the same time, there was the fading of vision - it took brighter and
brighter lights to be able to see detail. Finally came the need to have
retina surgery, and the surgeon said I needed to have cataract surgery
due to the yellowing of my lenses in my eyes. So, short story, I did. My
new lens implants are perfectly clear. I was blow away by how rich and
bright the colors of flowers and things really are. I didn't realize how
much I had lost, but that sudden switch to clear vision again was a
shocker. There are a few things about it that are not perfect, but I can
live with it easily enough.
As for the lenses, in so many ways the new vision is so much better -
brighter colors, 20/20 vision (which I have never had in all my life) I
can walk in the rain and not be frustrated by wet glasses though which I
could not see, I can see my fishing cork floating clearly out beyond the
end of my pole. - just lots of things are better. But there are a few
drawbacks - but very few. One is glare. It seems to be inherent with
optical implants. So during days I am certain to have my Polaroid
sunglasses on most of the time when outside. At night - well, that is a
problem, but I have learned that one can get anti-glare night driving
glasses. And finally, I do have to have reading glasses on for the close
up stuff. They get in the way sometimes.
But here's the real kicker - while my lenses are fixed focus, sort of
the last of the old technology, the newer stuff is fantastic. Instead of
fixed lenses and wearing reading glasses, with the new technology that
has recently arrived, recipients of ocular implants will not need
reading glasses.
There is a muscular ring around the lens of the eye that contracts and
relaxes, and in doing so, makes the lens thicker or thinner. This action
changes the focal length so one can focus both near and far. In cataract
surgery, lens is removed, the fixed focal length lens is fastened into
place, and as with all muscles, no activity of the muscular ring results
in atrophy of the lens muscle. So once done, you cannot ever go to
something else. Enter the new technology. The newer implants have a two
tabs on them - opposite each other - and where the tab attaches to the
lens implant - there is a tiny crease, making the tab movable like a
door on a hinge. These two tabs are anchored to the eye, and as the
muscle ring works, it causes the lens to move back and forth, much like
a camera lens moves back and forth to focus. Thus with these new lens,
there is no need for glasses of any kind.
The future is bright for improved vision. My surgeon, who is also
heavily involved in research, told me that a look-alike lens replacement
is about 10 years off. So some of you young whippersnapper clay folk out
there have much to look forward to when you get my age - old as dirt itself.
In 2006, there were 9 million cataract surgerys done in the US - the
most highly successful surgery of all.
Worked for me. Like the "Lil Boy sez, "Ain't technology wonderful!"
John Rodgers
Chelsea, aL
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