By John Reese
At the February 19th meeting of the Retired Men’s Association Cynthia MacKay, a retired ophthalmologist with expertise in retina disease and laser surgery, delivered a presentation entitled “The Unsightly Truth of Laser Vision Correction: LASIK Surgery Makes Healthy Eyes Sick” which is also the title of the book she coauthored which was published in May 2024. The presentation aimed to shed light on the risks and complications associated with LASIK surgery, a procedure she characterized as a cosmetic and unnecessary operation performed solely to change the focus of the eye and eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses.
MacKay began by explaining that LASIK involves shaving off part of the cornea using an excimer laser, altering its natural dome shape into a flattened mesa shape. She recounted her experience at the Harkness Eye Institute of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center when LASIK was first introduced. She remembered Steve Trokel’s enthusiastic announcement about the excimer laser’s potential to revolutionize ophthalmology by eliminating the need for glasses. However, MacKay’s reaction was skeptical, as she understood the cornea’s sensitivity due to its high concentration of nerve endings. She foresaw that cutting through these nerves would result in severe pain. She then explained that her concerns extended beyond immediate pain, as she predicted that LASIK would thin and weaken the cornea, leading to a condition called ectasia, where the cornea bulges out in the thinned area. She stated that corneal transplants would likely fail due to chronic inflammation caused by LASIK. Despite her initial skepticism and prediction of disaster, LASIK gained popularity, a fact she found perplexing.
MacKay then posed the question of why people were still undergoing LASIK despite the well-known potential complications. The answer is that the public and LASIK patients are not fully informed and the FDA will not act. She explained that cutting the cornea leads to scarring, pain, distorted vision, and night vision problems. The uneven focus caused by LASIK, with the periphery retaining its original focus and the center corrected by the laser, results in quadruple vision, glare, halos, and starbursts, especially in dim light when the pupil dilates.
She clarified common misconceptions about eye lasers, emphasizing that the excimer laser used in LASIK is just one of five types of lasers used in ophthalmology. She explained that the excimer laser’s precision in etching surfaces is why it’s also used in making microchips. She also mentioned the femtosecond laser, often used in cataract surgery. She highlighted the argon, selective, and YAG lasers, which have saved the sight of millions by treating retinal diseases, glaucoma, and cloudiness after cataract surgery, respectively. MacKay stressed the importance of understanding the specific laser type and its application rather than rejecting all laser procedures outright.
Unable to show the movie “Broken Eyes” about LASIK, MacKay referred to the 2024 book she coauthored with Morris Waxler, former head of the FDA committee that approved LASIK, Paula Cofer, a LASIK patient and advocate for other affected individuals, and Ed Boshnick, an optometrist specializing in contact lenses for LASIK patients. She emphasized that every statement she made was backed by scientific literature, with 11 pages of citations in the book.
Moving into the latter part of her presentation, MacKay expressed gratitude to those who helped assemble the slideshow. She then presented images of key figures involved in the fight against LASIK-related complications. She showed a photo of herself testifying before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), followed by a picture of Paula Cofer, who suffers from debilitating pain and vision problems after LASIK. MacKay recounted a personal experience of assisting Cofer, who had effectively gone blind. She also included a photograph of Morris Waxler, the former FDA committee head.
MacKay shared the tragic story of Dr. Nancy Burleson’s son, who committed suicide due to constant pain and disability following LASIK. She mentioned a recent case of a 29-year-old policeman who also took his own life after experiencing LASIK complications. Additionally, she recounted the story of Pat Tillman, the NFL player who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. MacKay explained that the soldier who shot him had recently undergone LASIK and was suffering from impaired vision. She further cited celebrities like one of the Spice Girls and tennis star Jennifer Capriati who suffered disastrous outcomes.
She then showed a photograph of Dana Conroy, a PBS documentary producer who is severely disabled after LASIK and displayed images from the premiere of the film “Broken Eyes” and the Soho International Film Festival.
MacKay concluded her presentation by listing the complications of LASIK, as substantiated by various studies, including a 2024 study indicating a 75% chance of dry eye (most commonly a feeling of grittiness or something lodged in the eyes) after the surgery.
The RMA’s upcoming presentation, “Update on the 2024 Greenwich real estate market” by David Michonski, is scheduled for 11 AM on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Please note that this and all future RMA presentations will be held at Christ Church Greenwich, Parish Hall, 254 E. Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830.
How has the Greenwich market fared in 2024 and what may lie ahead? To find out, David Michonski will provide us a fascinating insight into Greenwich home prices over 2024. Not only will he present easy-to-understand visuals of the market, but he will compare Greenwich prices with national average and median prices. David will also discuss the state of real estate brokerage today and important trends that will affect all homeowners going forward.
Michonski has been responsible for some of the largest and most celebrated real estate sales in America for some of America’s most notable families. Over the past 30 years he has lectured, marketed, taught, and consulted on real estate sales and marketing around the world. He has been a real estate consultant for the US Department of State and led the first team of U.S. advisors into Eastern Europe after the Berlin Wall fell. He has also managed the Greenwich office of Coldwell Banker. Michonski is the founder, chairman and CEO of Quigler, Inc., and the author of three award-winning real estate books, including “Get Your Highest Price,” a guide for consumers about what they should expect from their agent to get the highest price for their home, which book served as the inspiration for Quigler.
David graduated from Colgate University with high honors, and studied at Harvard, Boston College and the Wharton School.
To stream the presentation by David Michonski at 11 AM on Wednesday, March 5, click on https://bit.ly/30IBj21. This presentation will also be available on local public access TV channels, Verizon FIOS channel 24 and Optimum (Cablevision) channel 79. The public is also invited to attend the presentation in person at Christ Church Greenwich, Parish Hall, 254 E. Putnam Avenue.
Note: The views expressed in these presentations are those of the speakers. They are not intended to represent the views of the RMA or its members.
RMA speaker presentations are presented as a community service at no cost to in-person or Zoom attendees, regardless of gender. Any member of the public who would like to receive a weekly email announcement of future speakers should send a request to members@greenwichrma.org. The RMA urges all eligible individuals to consider becoming a member of our great organization, and thereby enjoy all the available fellowship, volunteer, and community service opportunities which the RMA offers to its members. For further information, go to https://greenwichrma.org/, or contact info@greenwichrma.org.
