Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : Dorsey Wright & Associates. Point and Figure -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rich1 who wrote (3867)	12/30/1999 2:01:00 PM
From: Patrick Slevin	Respond to of 9427

I don't think it's a function of the laser doing both. The short and sweet version of the way the eye focuses on text, then distance, then text, is through the use of muscles that adjust the lens by pulling it wider or allowing it to contract. That's why many people need reading glasses as they get older. The muscles deteriorate; they get tired. The eye does not "grow" in the sense that the rest of the body does. In your case, "Mono" vision probably would result in not needing glasses, because you would tend to lean on one eye for reading and one for distance. But it might just drive you crazy. When the procedure is done, the doctor straps you in so your head is immobile. You are under a light, the ruby laser light. Similar to your epidermal layer than protects the body there is a "skin" on your eye called the epithelium. He cuts that, leaving a hinge so it may be flipped back almost like a contact lens. The surgery then takes perhaps 19 seconds on each side of the eye. You have to stay focused on the light the entire time. Even though your head is immobile you cannot move your eye. Your eyelids are pinned back during the procedure. As the eye is lased, a viewer would see a ripple effect across your eye such as you might see a small wave looking down on a beach. From the point where the eye is trimmed to the where it ends there becomes a sort of hollow. A dish, as it were. So depending on how "bad" you eye is, this ridge of the hollow may be rather sharp or smooth. If it is sharp, then for a period of time (until it smooths down) you may get a "halo" effect particularly at night. If you think about it, this is a normal refractive event; in terms of physics. After the eye is lased the epithelium is replaced over the eye; again, since it is similar to a contact lens it's that sort of procedure. It takes a day or so for the lens to adhere once again to the eyeball. During that time you should not rub the eye and so many doctors will give you an eyeshield to wear, particularly at night so you don't disturb it while sleeping. With Lasik the results are dramatic. Certainly by the next day your eye should be relatively stable. Good luck, when and if you decide to go down that road. I would urge you to engage someone you trust implicitly. When I was under that laser the first thing that jumped into my head while he was doing this was "Thank God I trust this guy".