Tag Archives: OCB

‘The Embrace’ , The ‘Martin Luther King’ Monument In ‘Boston Common’, 1-Year Apart — 2023 vs. 2024.

by Anura Guruge
on February 6, 2024

I go to ‘Boston‘ for my annual Cataract Checkup, at ‘OCB‘ by the BRILLIANT Dr. Theodor Sauer, around this time of year. Hence the visit last year on Jan. 29 & this year on Feb. 5. The 2nd visit, last year, just 7-days later was for Chinese New Year in Chinatown. Yes, the second visit was on a Sunday, while the first (last year) & yesterday’s was during the week.

In January 2023, the sculpture had just been unveiled ahead of MLK day. There was a lot of publicity, interest and curiosity. That was all good.

Yes, it is still there, of course, & BIG AS EVER. It is imposing.

I (kind of) like it. It is STRIKING. You can’t ignore it.

Yesterday it was EMPTY — as you can see from my pictures. There were two people to begin with — one (shown in the image above) was just using the bench to study her phone. Then there was a lady taking pictures. But, when I offered, she didn’t want her picture taken with it (BUT, then again, she might have been concerned, given my looks, that I might just run away with her phone).

The Commons wasn’t SUPER busy but there was a respectable amount of people.

Boston, on the whole, felt a BIT less crowded.

I kind of suspected that this monumental statue, in time, will get blended in to the Commons, much like all the others. That seemed to have happened. That is OK. It still has presence & tells a story.

Good Article About Cataract Care In ‘Forbes’.

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by Anura Guruge
on October 7, 2023

Click to ***access the ‘Forbes’ article***.

Having had THREE very successful cataract surgeries, with TORIC LENSES in both eyes, at ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB), by the wonderful, gifted & brilliant Dr. Theodor Sauer, ~3-years ago, I am a great believer in cataract surgery … & care. My surgeries rejuvenated my eyes.

I go back for yearly checks. Yes, one of these days they will have to do some MAINTENANCE laser ‘cleaning’. I was told about this right at the start.

So, I appreciate that CARE is important.

This article has some good info. Hence my desire to share it.

As to why I needed 3 surgeries, when alas I only have 2 eyes had to do with the toric lenses. They are shaped. They can be ROTATED inside the eye to improve FOCUS! After the surgery on my (bad) right eye, Dr. Sauer, at the 2-week check-up thought he could give me better sight IF he rotated the lens by another 15 degrees. So, we scheduled another surgery. Full works. He didn’t have to pull out the ‘old’ lens, just rotate it in place. It worked.

Glaucoma FAQ By My Brilliant Cataract Surgeon ‘Dr. Theodor Sauer’ Of ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB).

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by Anura Guruge
on April 5, 2023

Click to ***ENLARGE***. Click here to access ***Dr. Sauer’s full FAQ***.

Click to ***ENLARGE***. Click here to access ***OCB’s webpage on Glaucoma***.

Given that it impacts your vision, ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB), understandably, pay a lot of attention to glaucoma. Everytime you visit them they will test you for glaucoma. I am a very happy patient of theirs. They instill confidence in you. I always feel that I am in good hands with them.

Most of my dealing with OCB is to see the wonderful, gifted & brilliant Dr. Theodor Sauer who in late 2020 & early 2021 (during the height of COVID) performed three near miraculous cataract surgeries on me. Yes, three. He did my right eye twice, within the space of a month, to rotate the toric lens that was installed. Once it was in he took further measurements & figured that an additional 15 degree rotation might improve vision further. It did. Hence, the three, all three with 2 months (I think).

YOUNG Dr. Sauer is brilliant. I know I have used that word multiple times before BUT there is no other word that really captures him. He just is ONE of those amazing doctors. They are getting rarer & rarer. As soon as you see him you know you have LUCKED out. He exudes quiet confidence, competence, compassion & caring. As some of you know I am no strangers to doctors, so I am not one who is in constant awe of doctors. In general I am quite critical of U.S. doctors though I, for reasons I have never worked out, have lucked out, BIG TIME, when it comes to surgeons. Just like Dr. Sauer, Dr. Charles Blitzer, who did my (also miraculous) knee surgery 4-years ago, is a sheer genius. My knee is better than new & the whole process of near painless.

But, back to glaucoma & Dr. Sauer. Check out his FAQ. It is short & pithy.

IF YOU have any eyes issues, at all, at all, consider going to OCB or more locally, the ‘Capital Vision Center‘ in Concord, N.H. They are very good too, though they don’t do surgery.

Your vision is NOT something you should overlook!

Contaminated Eye Drops Causing Blindness & Possibly Even Death!

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by Anura Guruge
on February 1, 2023

Click to ***ENLARGE***. Click for U.K. ***‘Daily Mail’ article*** from earlier today.

The eyedrops I was using — BUT I STOPPED today.
NOT taking the chance. The risk.

This is SCARY. Wow. Going blind. To be honest I would prefer to die. This is TOO close to home for I. I have never used this brand. I don’t think I have ever come across it. BUT here is the worry. If this brand got contaminated, others could TOO — especially others, like this one, that REFRAIN from using Preservatives. That is what is key here. No preservatives, no additives. Preservatives are said to irritate the eyes of some. That is why I doctors promote ‘Preservative Free’ eye drops — which are MORE EXPENSIVE.

Though I had worn contact lenses, daily, for 52-years, I was never big into eye drops. I could go for months without using — or needing — any. Dry eyes per se was never a problem or concern.

That all changed after I had my cataract surgeries in 2020/2021. My outstanding & brilliant surgeon, Dr. Theodor Sauer, of ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB), impressed upon I the importance of keeping my eyes lubricated. He recommended the Refresh Mega-3 drops. He, per OCB guidelines, was very adamant that you should stay clear of eye drops that contain preservatives. In essence, IF the eye drops are in a bottle they will have preservatives. You have to go with these small, single-use ‘droppers’ to avoid preservatives. IF the drops are going to be exposed to air, as in a bottle, they need a preservative. Preservatives can irritate the eye. That is why you are told to stay clear of them.

Well, I am NOT going to take a chance. As it happens I have an appointment with Dr. Sauer (that I am looking forward to) in Boston this coming Monday. I will, of course, discuss this with him.

I had ‘Refresh’ as an Amazon monthly ‘subscription item’. I was due my next shipment next week. I cancelled that today!

‘Refresh’ Eye Lubricant Drops: The Gel Disappoints, the ‘Mega-3’ Drops Are Good.

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by Anura Guruge
on August 1, 2022

Though I had worn contact lenses, daily, for 52-years, I was never big into eye drops. I could go for months without using — or needing — any. Dry eyes per se was never a problem or concern.

That all changed after I had my cataract surgeries in 2020/2021. My outstanding & brilliant surgeon, Dr. Theodor Sauer, of ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB), impressed upon I the importance of keeping my eyes lubricated. He recommended the Refresh Mega-3 drops. He, per OCB guidelines, was very adamant that you should stay clear of eye drops that contain preservatives. In essence, IF the eye drops are in a bottle they will have preservatives. You have to go with these small, single-use ‘droppers’ to avoid preservatives. IF the drops are going to be exposed to air, as in a bottle, they need a preservative. Preservatives can irritate the eye. That is why you are told to stay clear of them.

I used Mega-3 for a longtime. Then I saw the ‘Soothing Gel’. I thought that I would prefer the gel — & that it might be longer lasting. WRONG. The Gel, at least as far as I was concerned, just did NOT work. I had trouble getting the gel out to begin with! That was very annoying. Just couldn’t get it out of the damn container. Plus, it was THICK & gooey. Blurred my vision for 10 minutes or more. So, I stopped using the gel & went back to the Mega-3.

Just wanted to share this experience with you. Might be of help.

This (Tragic) Fatal Car Accident, 1-Day After Cataract Surgery Bothers Me — Seems Very Wrong.

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by Anura Guruge
on July 26, 2022

Click to ***ENLARGE*** & read here. From the U.K. ‘***Daily Mail***‘.

As someone who had cataract surgery, on both eyes (6 weeks apart) 2-years ago, I was perturbed to see this story.

A few things bother me. I don’t think that anybody does cataract surgery on both eyes on the same day. So, you have one new eye & one old eye. Even if the vision in the new eye is not great the next day, the old eye should be as it was — ALBEIT still with glasses or contacts. That could be where this STUPID woman went wrong. She probably wasn’t wearing her glasses because they would have distorted what she was seeing with her new eye! I didn’t have that problem because I wore contact lenses.

This is BAD. I think the doctor who did the surgery should also be CHARGED! He or she should have made it very clear as to when she should start driving.

I can’t remember the exact instructions I was given. I had mine done at ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB) by the wonderful, gifted & brilliant Dr. Theodor Sauer. Per their very rigid protocol you HAVE to go in for a check-up the day after surgery. (In my case, this fell on Thanksgiving morning — & I still had to go it. I kid you not. The doctor was there, in the morning, to check me out.)

I know for a fact that I wasn’t allowed to drive for that next-day appointment. And the timing of the follow up for such that it would be about 24-hours after the surgery. So, I know I didn’t — & wasn’t allowed — drive for the first 24-hours. I can’t remember when I started driving but I wasn’t in a hurry. I didn’t have a need.

But, this is so stupid. So tragic. She should have the book thrown at her. How idiotic. I am NOT happy. This is crazy.

2022 Volvo XC60: Radio Suddenly Stopped Working While Driving! Not Funny.

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by Anura Guruge
on February 5, 2022

Another new & infuriating problem on this frigging, bloody, accursed piece of $60K junk that was sold to me by ‘Volvo Cars of Exeter‘ in November 2021. Worst, worst, worst mistake in my 68 year old life — & that has to be saying something. I hate this diabolical XC60, I hate Volvo.

Yesterday, Friday, February 4, 2022. I was scheduled for my 1-year post cataract surgery checkup with my amazing surgeon at OCB in Boston. Despite the storm we decided that we would try to make the appointment because getting appointments is not easy. We set out 3.75 hours ahead of the appointment on what is usually, at most, a 2-hour trip.

Driving along in the snow & sleet. Temp. hovering around 25F. Had Sirius XM on. Windscreen started to freeze. Went to the temp. control & set MAX. defrost etc. Suddenly the sound stopped. Nothing. Thought it was Sirius XM. So, switched to radio. Nothing.

Luckily my 15-year old daughter was with me. So, she could check & try things while I drove. She checked all the sound settings. All good. Nothing muted. So, we kept on trying different channels. Nothing.

Was coming up to a Rest Stop. Pulled over. Restarted the car. That did NOTHING. No sound. No audio.

Tried to call the salesman who sold me this bloody, accursed, diabolical car. Got through to him. But, no sound! Phone connected to car’s audio system.

Got my daughter to call him on HER phone. She had not connected that to the car. She has sense. She no longer likes this car, though it was she, initially, that wanted a XC60. She says, quite rightly, that it is too buggy. She, like I, wants a car that you can just get in and go without continually running into problems. No chance with this car. Piece of junk.

Well, he knew exactly what to do. They know the issues with the XC60.

I had to reset the ‘unit’ by holding down the ‘HOME’ button. Said I could do it while I am driving. This is f***ing SCARY. Resetting your car while you are driving in a bloody storm.

My daughter did it. I was focused on driving.

She held down the HOME button beyond the ‘Safe for Cleaning’ message. Maybe for 1 minute. Maybe longer. Then a ‘Volvo’ message comes back on.

The audio came back. AMAZING.

I did some Googling today. Seems to be a common problem & folks know that you have to reset the unit by holding down the HOME button.

I am NOT amused. I am NOT happy. I hate this bloody car. I hate Volvo. I won’t even mention what I think of the folks who sold me this car knowing that it had issues.

Glaucoma Awareness Month — V. Useful Newsletter From ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB).

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by Anura Guruge
on January 27, 2022

Click to ***ENLARGE***. Click here to access ***‘National Eye Institute’ post.***

Click image to view **ENTIRE OCB Newsletter** as a ***clean, safe PDF***.

I am a very happy patient of ‘Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston’ (OCB). I had my near miraculous cataract surgeries (x3) done by them — in particular, the wonderful, gifted & brilliant Dr. Theodor Sauer.

From my many visits to them I have come to appreciate that OCB really very concerned about the early detection of glaucoma. They test you for glaucoma every time you go there. They, like I, are great believers in prevention & early detection. [I am, for NOW, ‘OK’ when it comes to glaucoma (though a few years ago, way before OCB, a doctor in New Hampshire speculated that I might be a candidate for low-pressure glaucoma. It would appear she was misguided. But, I try not to take any chances when it comes to my eyes which is why I panicked when I had ‘flashes & floaters’ in my left eye in November 2021. Dr. Sauer had warned me to keep any eye out for them.

Well, as a patient I get the OCB’s monthly newsletter. The January newsletter was all about glaucoma. It has a lot of useful information & I feel compelled to share that with YOU. I had a quick look at OCB’s large website. I could not find this newsletter. That is why I made it into a PDF and posting it here. You should take a look.

Your vision is NOT something you should overlook!

‘Vitreous Detachment’: Eye Condition, Signaled By Flashes & Floaters, That Inflicts The Old, Which Should NOT Be Ignored.

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by Anura Guruge
on November 19, 2021

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Click to **ENLARGE** & read here. ***Wikipedia link***.

Click to **ENLARGE** & read here. ***‘National Eye Institute’ (NIH) link.***

Though it is considered to be common among the old, i.e., those above 60, & mainly ‘harmless’ (much of the time), it is one of those conditions that one must not ignore or take lightly. It can lead to complications or what you think is ‘vitreous detachment‘ could be the hugely more serious ‘retinal detachment‘. It is not something you want to mess around with. Worst case you could lose vision in that eye — permanently. Not something that you probably want to content with.

Seeing flashes of light or floaters in your eye is a sure sign that you might have vitreous detachment. If you habitually have flashes & floaters, & have done so for eons since your youth, then you should be on the lookout for any marked increase.

In my case I was not accustomed to flashes or floaters. Moreover, my amazing cataract surgeon, the unimpeachable Dr. Theodor Sauer, had given me an important heads up earlier this year during a follow-up visit. He said that IF I were to experience any flashes or floaters that I should immediately call ‘OCB‘. I take everything he says seriously. So, when I suddenly noticed light flashes in my left eye this Tuesday evening I immediately knew that something was not right. I LUCKED OUT. My local eye doctor in Concord (of many, many years), i.e., ‘Capital Vision Center‘, & ‘OCB’ both scrambled to help me. I am so grateful. I was in a panic. I was NOT in a fit state to drive to Boston. So, I rushed to Concord. Dr. Tyler Webber, an excellent young doctor, did a comprehensive eye exam. He assured me, showing me all the images, that what I had — for now — was vitreous detachment. That was a relief.

I am NOT out of the woods as yet. I am at high risk for the next 30-days. Then the chances of further complications get smaller. So, I have to weather the next month — fingers crossed. I have to be careful NOT to jar my head too much. I sure will try.

This was, quite literally, an eye opener for I. I did not know about vitreous detachment. I knew a bit about retinal detachment. Hence, this post. My mission is to educate others. Make sure that they know what the signs are. So, please pass this along.