You probably already know all about lens-induced myopia, and how basically all of clinical science knows that minus lenses are the single largest contributing cause to progressive myopia (in a large majority of cases).
You know that the old-timey lens prescription dogma causes progressive myopia, because Google Scholar (and because thank you science).
You also probably already know the huge, massive, mind boggling profit that creating this condition is netting the lens-manufacturing industry (and optometry at large). When we’re talking about actually creating a vision deficiency with a 16th century devised “treatment”, and then looking at the insane amount of money this practice generates … it should leave one speechless.
You know how high myopia increases retinal detachment risk by 500% or more. You know how lattice degeneration, macular degeneration, and glaucoma have been linked to moderate to high myopia (which in turn is in large part created from minus lens wear).
You know how LASIK is a misstep of such epic proportions that even the FDA’s own head of LASIK trials called for a criminal investigation.
You know all of this. You’re probably shaking your head quite a bit reading this blog, continually finding out that the myopia rabbit hole just goes deeper and deeper, and that it’s all just about the money. Optometrists who fight the system are strong armed, threatened, and silenced by any means necessary.
Here’s one you might not know about yet, and it’s just as ugly as all the rest of it.
There’s the actual lenses being sold. Good whatever-is-holy, what a ripoff.
The entire scheme of myopia-for-profit boils down to selling lenses. Those little pieces of plastic make more profit than just about anything else man has ever created. Guess how much those hundred dollar lenses you’re wearing right now, actually cost the optic shop. Go ahead. Just guess.
If you’re part of BackTo20/20, or if you’ve been around here long enough, you already know to buy raw lenses from eBay, or buy glasses online, or at least make a deal with your optic shop to give you decent deals. But if you don’t, if you’re just another regular consumer, brace yourself, for this next breakdown.
This is straight from the horse’s mouth, a lens buyer giving some figures on how much lenses actually cost the optic shop:
How do you like them apples!
Top quality, brand name lenses, in any prescription strength, we’re talking less than a cup of coffee at your local gas station. Hey, remember how much you used to pay for lenses? Anywhere from a few hundred percent over cost, to literally paying hundreds of dollars more than the wholesale cost of a matter of pennies. How does that feel, knowing you’re paying potentially hundreds of dollars for two eight-cent pieces of plastic?
Combine that profit margin knowledge, with knowing what those minus lenses do to your long term vision health. Combine that with the straight faced statements from trained, licensed medical professionals, about myopia causes. Surely, your myopia must be genetic, or created by not going outside enough, or really anything other than the “treatment”, which has a profit margin so huge that I don’t even know how to put it in a percentage number. Let’s just call it … all profit, for the sake of conscientious accounting.
And that’s not all. There are plenty of stories of consumers being strong armed to pay not just exorbitant, but beyond-extra-super-buy-a-new-Benz exorbitant amounts of money for lenses. Check this out:
Sheila is not alone in her experience. If you were to go out and investigate retail practices, you’d be appalled at what goes on at some shops.
Comments here from an old article on HubPages about CR-39 lenses.
And you know, it’s all good. Business is about making money. Most people just tow the line, do as they’re taught, they don’t exactly think much about the big picture. Most people don’t go read science journals, and question their various masters. There isn’t malice at every corner optic shop. Actually, in the big scheme, there is surprisingly little malice, considering just how much damage this old timey, pre-medicine, nonsense way of treating myopia actually causes.
So there’s no point at being angry. No benefit in bringing out the pitchforks. But you do probably want to take a big step back, look at the whole enchilada o’ money here, and consider getting off this insane marry-go-round of increasing myopia, paying for a potentially dangerous quick fix.
Like this kind of information? Want to contribute? Share! Whether on Twitter or just clicking one of the social media links here, without being preachy, just forward articles you like to your friends. A little wink, a little smirk, that’s all it takes.
Cheers,
-Jake
