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VK3ABK > HELP 07.06.07 00:42l 74 Lines 3320 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 58012_VK3HEG
Read: DG1VV GUEST
Subj: Eyes and Ears.
Path: DB0FHN<DB0NOE<DB0GAP<DB0FSG<DB0PV<DB0MRW<DB0ERF<DB0AGM<DB0EWB<DB0PDF<
DB0OSN<DB0RES<ON0BEL<VK7NW<VK3HEG
Sent: 070606/2210Z @:VK3HEG.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC #:58012 [Ballarat] $:58012_VK3HEG
From: VK3ABK@VK3HEG.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC
To : HELP@WW
Hello Optomists.
There has been a good bulletin response to the 'Eye Problem' theme, and I
have also received four SPs to which I have sent my thanks. And thank you
to all who have offered information about cataract surgery. All understood.
Perhaps some back-ground and the main reason for asking for opinions might
be of interest. It is all related, in some way, to Amateur Radio.
In 1979, I became deaf overnight. I stepped out of bed one morning and almost
fell. I couldn't balance and I was deaf in one ear. About a year later, the
same thing happened, this time with my right ear. In addition to a vibration
transducer, the inner ear contains a kind of spirit level which sends a
message to the brain about your status, which enables you to stand and walk
without thinking about it.
This happened without warning, and the cause was never explained. I have had
the feeling that it was pressure on ear nerves, or the blood supply to them.
When the eye cataracts were diagnosed recently, I wasn't particularly worried
as the remedy is common and well known. But a week before the proposed work
to fix the problem, I received a leaflet from the intended anethesist, which
explained the procedure and the risk of nerve damage that could occur.
This got me thinking about the sudden unexplained hearing loss, and what I
would call 'disastrous' results if something similar happened to my eyes.
The anethesist's leaflet suggested a risk of one in a thousand of losing
eyesight when the eye nerves were damaged. The eye and ear nerves are fairly
close, and I thought a bit too similiar; maybe both as easily affected. But
maybe this is being too cautious and 'one in a thousand' are good odds.
Most people take hearing and eyesight for granted. The number of, mostly young,
who walk around with their ears plugged with loud rock music, full of peaks,
and harmonics that go un-noticed, are being careless with their hearing. As is
the Amateur who sits for hours listening to HF SSB, especially with cans on
his head. This was the subject of a QST article back in 1980. Many will know
of industrial deafness that was accepted years ago. And now that we are using
our eyes in computer-based Amateur Radio, it's our eyes that we need most;
and for me at any rate, are most important. Both facilties are of prime
importance in our hobby, and in all modern communications.
Now, this may have you all bored rigid, and it's a real party pooper who
talks about 'my operation'. But in sending the original bulletin I just wanted
to get some first-hand experience from those who have been there. After all
the eye-man who is under contract is telling me of the risks involved. Today,
I suggested that he is 'naturally cautious' and we laughed about his denial.
With my present pre-op appearance due to preliminary raising the shutters, or
dealing with 'Ptosis' as they say in the trade, I suggested a likeness of a
'cockeyed optimus', just to give us both a shot of confidence! The cataracts
will be tackled at a date to be fixed.
Well,I hope this has been interesting. It seems so, and some of the callsigns
that have appeared in the SPs are new to me, and others in SBs have been
refreshed, so maybe it has hit the right places.
73. Dick. VK3ABK.
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