Not A Dry Eye On The Slope

Not A Dry Eye On The Slope Alongside the keratoconus, which causes the cornea to bulge outwards, Steve had the additional problem of being extremely near sighted. Dr Boxer Wachler, who has helped other athletes and also performed Laser Eye Surgery live on national television (more of this later), had developed an alternative treatment. By using a combination of vitamin and light applications he was able first to strengthen Steve’s cornea allowing the insertion of a special contact lens to…

Previously Blind Bob Sleigh Hero Wins Gold

Previously Blind Bob Sleigh Hero Wins Gold Truly it must be amazing to look back on one’s career and realise that among its many highlights, you have contributed to your country’s gold medal collection – and without even being a world class athlete. Add into the equation restoring the sight of a champion Olympian who goes on to win the first four-man gold medal for his country in 62 years and you have the making of a national hero. This…

No “Sell By Date” On After Care

There is No “Sell By Date” On After Care I was thinking about Patsy and the vet’s behaviour when I met Dr Dan Reinstein’s wife, Ursula, at the clinic’s Thanksgiving party. I discovered that Ursula had trained and qualified in veterinary medicine and was also fascinated to learn that she had also  joined the ever-growing list of London Vision Clinic patients – a few months previously, Dr Dan had corrected his wife’s eye sight. I wondered what it must have…

Patsy And The Vet

Patsy And The Vet I have been feeling sad recently –not only as in Seasonal Affective Disorder (although this winter seems never ending); but also due to the loss of a much loved pet.  Dear little Patsy was not a conventionally handsome cat, but what he lacked in good looks he more than made up for in personality. He was simply a delight to have around – from his first day, when he wandered in through the cat flap and…

And The Patient Patient

The Patient Patient Since his childhood in the Kashmir region of Pakistan, Menir Ahmed suffered from poor eye sight – at the age of ten he was extremely short sighted (-9 or -8). His youth was blighted by all the inconvenience associated with wearing glasses so thick that they affected his peripheral vision and dashed any sporting  aspirations he had. As an adult, Menir read about Laser Eye Surgery and began his painstaking research into the subject. However, despite his…

Binning The Alice Band Of Glasses

Binning The Alice Band Of Glasses Returning to the scenario of sitting next to someone famous in the waiting room of the London Vision Clinic…. Should one put down one’s reading matter and offer to make them a cup of tea? Or would that appear too ingratiating for comfort? I would have to contend that, in this situation,  there can be no fixed agenda… it all depends on… well every thing from pre-op nerves to general feelings of sociability or…

If Life Gives You Lemons…

If Life Gives You Lemons… Ever since he was a little boy Paul Ryb has been the sort of person for whom the phrase: “If life gives you lemons you make lemonade”, does not go far enough. Despite, summing up the message of making the most of a bad situation, Paul’s personality urges a deeper and more analytical approach to the lemonade mix; leading to research – for example – not only into lemonade recipes, but also the history of…

Blind In Business

Blind In Business Unfortunately it is not only those poor people in Nepal and other Third World countries whose eye sight problems cannot yet be solved. Despite amazing medical advances, there are still many people in our midst who would cheerfully hand over their life savings or travel to the ends of the earth to undergo any pioneering form of treatment in order to prevent their blindness. They would opt for any sight enhancing surgery, choose lenses or glasses (however…

Meeting Paul

Meeting Paul Paul Ryb walked purposefully across the reception area of the RBS London head office towards me. As I watched him approach, navigating the hectic lobby and pre lunchtime queues of people forming either side of the high speed revolving doors, I thought: ‘This can’t be him’. “I know; I am not what you expected. Everyone is surprised when they meet me for the first time”. As he shakes my hand his attitude is warm and friendly, immediately dispelling…

Squinting Super-Models And Other Diner Table Chat

Squinting Super-Models And Other Diner Table Chat I can share with you that as well as the menu (which was somewhat unusual), holidays, and Alena and Ana Rita’s bag snatching adventure – there were a couple of sight related topics which I found fascinating at the London Vision Clinic team dinner. One took us back to the first primitive attempts at cataract surgery. It turned out that nurse Kim’s grand-mother had performed her own version of a cure on those…