We got a few comments on my inaugural contribution to Alex’ blog! Well done. Alex responded by sending me a login to the site, and carte blanche (for now at least, till he realizes the folly of that decision) on adding posts. If you enjoy it, do leave some comments to calm his conservative Austrian nerves a bit. ;-)

Just A Bit Of Background About Me:

I come from the evils of institutional finance. I’m a pretty selfish guy, all things told. I had the rather lucky fortune of getting out of that game at the peak, and then dedicating myself to travel and discovery. At some point I had become a bit obsessed with eyesight, since mine had been poor and getting worse in a scary way. Life isn’t so much fun when you can’t see well at all! It also became a great excuse to travel with a specific focus, seeking out practitioners from many cultural backgrounds and ideologies.

Over the years, I have literally been pocked in the face with needles (China, not surprisingly), experienced rather fascinating tribal style rituals (didn’t do so much for my eyesight, unfortunately), and spent an unholy amount of money on Western ophthalmologists.

The good news is that I do have 20/20 vision these days, at least in good lighting (still sometimes using -1.50 for wandering around strange locales at night). The other good news is that myopia isn’t considered to be unpreventable or incurable, in lots of places. Some of those places might not be your first choice for seeking eyesight improvement, being extreme in superstition as much as the West is obsessed about mixing the medical profession with profit motives (a bit of a questionable combination, that one).

In Alex style, the inspiration for this post comes from the comments:

Reading the forum, I have to say that Sara is one of the greatest writing contributors to the site. Somebody give this girl a guest post login!

Here is what I responded:

Which leads us to the title of this article, in fine timing with the current rumblings of trouble coming out of Russia.

What we get in the West, is consumer facing medical advice that is created by corporate interest. Universities receive funding from corporations. Studies are funded by corporate interests. Industry journals are funded by advertising. It’s not malice by intent, but money is a key aspect in how treatment is realized. The system couldn’t exist without the corporate sponsorship (since the government, which should fund these things, doesn’t). I come from exactly the financial end of all of this. Believe me, in the big picture contact lenses and glasses become revenue projections and dividend payment expectations, nothing more. Nobody cares about your eyesight, at least not anybody with the means to make a difference.

So what happens, when you get out of the West, and away from profit motivated medicine?

If you go to poor enough countries, you get all sorts of weirdness. In all honesty, I’d say that for 80-90% of pointless ritual and superstition, you get 10-20% of meaningful advice. It’s a mixture that in enough cases produces results, that people hang on to the whole story, even if most of it isn’t helpful. Compare that to profit ideals of the West, where here it might be the shaman holding on to his power over the community (maybe, if we are going to be jaded about it).

On the other hand, there is Europe and the eastern block, and Russia in particular. Interesting since there is a blend of Western drive for understanding (instead of mysticism elsewhere), but without the unchecked quest for maximizing profit. While I’m not a fan of communism, or likely to buy a vacation home in Russia, their perspective on myopia is rather insightful.

You find these guys who are highly educated, having been to medical schools that are nothing short of impressive. But there isn’t a 30 billion dollar market cap lens manufacturer whispering in their ears. There isn’t anybody telling them that the only truth is selling lenses and up-selling lens coatings, and up-up-selling fashion brand frames (unless you go to Moscow, I can’t vouch for that town even a little bit).

So, what do you get with meaningful education, and no profit motive?

You get actual insight. I’ve been to 26 optometrists and ophthalmologists in Russia, over the years. 19 of them recommended that I wear the lowest possible prescription, that I don’t read in dark rooms, that I don’t spend too much time in front of a computer, and that I get outside and use my distance vision.

Oddly familiar, all of that, if you read Alex’ blog, right?

Those 19 shops didn’t have a whole lot of fancy frames, and when I asked for high index and oleophobic coating, and Transitions VII photochromics (just because I have an odd sense of humor), they just looked at me like I’m out of my mind. It’s an interesting coincidence, really. You don’t have fancy stuff to sell, so you don’t sell fancy stuff. Customers don’t really have money, so they get advice on how to see just as well, without spending what they don’t have.

Myopia Increase Is A Capitalist Illness.

I’m for capitalism, for the most part, outside of this topic. Still, you go to Singapore and Hong Kong, and you see 90% of students being myopic. Think of that for a moment – that figure should boggle the mind! Then you go to Vietnam or Russia, and the figure is more like 20-30%. Same (or similar at least) study and close-up habits, but the former with money and the later without.

You take in enough of this, and you realize why Alex isn’t enjoying his retirement. It’s a health scam of the most epic of proportions, worldwide, without anybody at the wheel. It’s true, you can’t even blame anybody! Everybody is just a little cog in the big machine of salaries and profit.

I’m supposed to also be somewhat retired, not teaching about myopia recovery. Even for someone as selfish and jaded as me, that’s just hard to ignore. It all started with trying to unplug my family and friends from Zeiss and Bausch and Lomb and Acuvue and the rest of them. But then you make new friends, and they have friends, and before long you are basically spending all of your productive time trying to help people wrestle their eyes back from corporate ownership.

So here we are. You, a tiny minority fortunate to have found answers to myopia. Me, caught up in Alex’ vision of using the Web to raise awareness. Let’s spend a few minutes to give something back:

Please don’t be passive about consuming all of this information. Consider occasionally getting involved in discussions on health blogs, prod the awareness especially of prolific writers, offer them my help to improve their vision. If you follow a health blog, drop an e-mail to the author. Hint that they might consider their eyesight health. Whether or not they choose to talk about it, I’ll still gladly help them (free, no catch). Keep in mind that people don’t appreciate fervent beliefs or grand enthusiasm on fringe subjects (which sadly, this is). Just a matter-of-fact comment on the silliness of glasses might inspire some to look for answers.

You can also always reach me directly at: