Board index » lasik-eyes » A moderate's rant

2004-04-09 09:03:23 AM
I really thought I could help some people on the internet.
I was a bit spooked the first week after PRK in my right eye, my
vision was pretty much as horrible that week as the surgeon said it
would be, but that didn't keep me from worrying. Found a site called
SurgicalEyes, where I saw others posting last Fall with the same
concerns, most of the people responding were quite comforting and
reassuring. A few were a bit more radical, but I just took it that
these people were really messed up permanently by their condition, and
I guess that would tend to make someone radical. As I improved, I
thought it might be helpful to hang around and repay the favor by
posting comforting words to those who were early in their recovery,
sharing that the vast majority had the same symptoms and fears but
those usually went away, and show them that it was OK, and that people
care. I had found so many sites where people were always so polarized
and argumentative with each other, and SE seemed like a breath of
fresh air.
Then a few strange posts about "agendas" and "critics" started showing
up, and then one had to register to even look at the site. Pretty
soon the people posting comforting things to people were gone, many of
the Doctors weren't posting nearly as much, and new posters with early
concerns weren't posting, probably because they never bothered to
register. Most of those who remained were those that were really,
really injured, physically and emotionally by what they had been
through. I really don't feel comfortable posting there much any more,
the mood has changed, and what does a refractive surgery success have
to offer them?
I thought that there must be somewhere else that these people went,
found dead board after dead board on the subject, until I checked out
usenet, and found this place. For a little while it looked like a
place to help, but it hasn't taken that long to figure out that
helpfullness is not exactly the forte here. I do see some trying, but
it's a dull hum below the roar of the people full of so much hate,
vendetta, and/or agenda that most looking for that comforting voice
are going elsewhere.
DrG,
I wish you luck around here, I don't see how you keep from losing it
here. And although Minarik is a bit to take with his hyperbole and his
very anti-RS stance, I really think that he cares about those who are
hurt just as much as you do.
Bye, I'm done with boards and sticking with reality. It's much more
civil.
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homergreg@yahoo.com (homergreg) wrote in
Thank you for your concern. Fortunately, I too am well grounded in
reality. In between my readings and postings I am seeing real people in
real life situations. For example, a little more than a week ago, I
diagnosed a patient with choroidal malignant melanoma. This has an
incidence of approximately 6 in 10 million patients per year. She will
probably lose her eye, but hopefully will have her life spared. Refractive
surgery problems are but a small part of what I do.
I am sorry that none of the groups has satisfied you 100 percent. But,
quite frankly, I am glad that you are "done with the boards," because that
means you don't really need us any more, and for that I am glad. Your
comments are well taken.
Regarding Dr. Minarik, I must say that I agree with the decision of the SE
directors.
All the best.
DrG
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On Fri, 09 Apr 2004 01:35:52 GMT, "Dr. Leukoma" <drg@leukoma.com>
wrote:
from SE. That says something about him.
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lasik-eyes

Yeah, but a whole shit load stopped posting.
He's still listed here:
www.surgicaleyes.org/participating_doctors.htm
"Ragnar Suomi" <ragnarsuomi@yahoo.com>wrote in message

Ragnar Suomi <ragnarsuomi@yahoo.com>wrote in message news:<gf1c70te2htf3v2mdvf6uoohjsmiclojla@4ax.com>...
SErebel
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That's because he is the leader of many of the kooks. Three days
after SE crucifies him, he returns with his own (stolen) website.
Instead of a shroud, his followers worship his racing striped
underwear which he was wearing at the time he found out he was getting
the boot. "The Shorts of Urine"
On Thu, 8 Apr 2004 22:22:26 -0700, "simpledog"
<simpledogs@mminternet.com>wrote:

I go further back then that. There used to be a lot docs posting there.
Dr. Minarik, who I don't know much about, is just one of many who has left.
Go back and look at some of the 2000-2002 posts, where have all those docs
gone?
"Ragnar Suomi" <ragnarsuomi@yahoo.com>wrote in message

"simpledog" <simpledogs@mminternet.com>wrote in
then have to infer that other doctors might have had similar reasons.
DrG

Not that a whole lot of the doctors listed there ever did a lot of
posting, but about a year ago, almost all of them ceased posting.
Gee, I wonder why?
On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 13:26:21 -0700, "simpledog"
<simpledogs@mminternet.com>wrote:

discussed the situation, the liability of affiliation with
SurgicalEyes - even if only as a regular contributor on their bulletin
board - was greater than the benefit provided to patients by the
doctor's contributions. There are other ways doctors are able to help
patients that do not contribute to the politics of SurgicalEyes.
Give SE's new Executive Director his dues. He is attempting change.
There may be many who do not agree with these changes, but under his
watch SE is changing. Hopefully these changes will make SE more
responsive and more valuable to its stated constituently.
Glenn Hagele
Executive Director
Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance
Email to glenn dot hagele at usaeyes dot org
www.USAeyes.org
www.ComplicatedEyes.org
I am not a doctor.
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Glenn - USAeyes.org <glenn.hageleSTOPSPAM@USAeyes.org>wrote in
its sounds too much like the mafia. I was affiliated with SE for a couple
of years...and I don't recall that my practice really suffered as a result.
However, it did expose me to a number of rather unsavory internet stalker-
types.
the direction/blessing of the past ED who has apparently shifted the burden
of making the difficult choices to the new board?
DrG
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SE affiliated with the mafia? SE's headquarters are in Tampa and
it's registered or something out of New York. Those two cities don't
have the mafia in them do they?
I wonder what that beating was all about anyway?....I wonder if
someone had mafia affiliations before SE.
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 00:45:38 GMT, "Dr. Leukoma"
<drgNOSPAM@leukoma.com>wrote:

anti-LASIK individuals are either ophthalmologists, or optometrists
who work within an ophthalmic practice. Further, almost everyone I
talk with is directly involved in refractive surgery at one level or
another. The liability of affiliation is more of a political
liability and in the realm of ophthalmology.
The few independent optometrists I have spoken with about SE tend to
be already wary of refractive surgery and are probably a bit more
supportive of the political positions SE has taken.
Truthfully, very few people within ophthalmology know much about SE,
other than as "that anti-LASIK website". No one in the industry that
I have ever talked with has first described SE as a patient advocacy
or patient resource. Keep in mind, this is only my personal
experience.
indicates a truth. It appears that things happen around SE without
the new Executive Director's prior knowledge or approval. Whether or
not this is by design, I do not know. A lack of a chain of command
makes the task of guiding any organization difficult, if not
impossible. But as I say, this is second hand and could be an
inaccurate evaluation, so take it for what it's worth.
One thing is for certain: Ron Link is still very much involved with
SurgicalEyes. To paraphrase Mark Twain: The report of his retirement
was an exaggeration.
Glenn Hagele
Executive Director
Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance
Email to glenn dot hagele at usaeyes dot org
www.USAeyes.org
www.ComplicatedEyes.org
I am not a doctor.
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Ragnar Suomi <ragnarsuomi@yahoo.com>wrote in
Glenn's remark sounded a bit "conspiratorial." I should have used the word
"conspiratorial" instead. Poor choice of words.
DrG
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