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J J n r t l a n b © h s e r u e r _____________________________________ April 30.2008
H ealth MATTERS
Dangers of Lasik Surgery Revealed
Health officials
investigate
(A P) - A decade after Lasik eye
surgery hit the market, patients left
w ith fuzzy instead o f clear vision
are airing their grievances before
federal health o fficia ls.
Make no mistake: M ost Lasik
recipients do walk away w ith crisper
vision, some better than 20/20.
But not everyone's a good can
didate, and an unlucky few do suf
fer life-changing side effects: poor
vision, painful dry eyes, glare or
problems seeing at night.
How big are the risks? The Food
and Drug A dm inistration thinks
about 5 percent o f patients are dis
satisfied w ith Lasik. How many
struggle daily with side effects? How
many are just unhappy that they
c o u ld n 't co m p le te ly d itch th e ir
glasses? The range o f effects on
patients' quality o f life is a big un
Michael Tillery
Broker
503.975.8004
michael@ bridgetownrealty.com
known.
So w ith a public hearing Friday,
Please call me, your neighborhood
specialist, fo r any o f your Real Estate
needs. M y success is b u ilt on a
com m itm ent to quality service.
A doctor uses a laser to flatten the cornea o f a patient. A decade
after Lasik eye surgery hit the market, patients left with fuzzy
instead of clear vision are airing their grievances before federal
health officials. (AP Photo)
the F D A is beginning a new effort
to determine i f warnings about
Lasik's risks are appropriate. The
agency also is pairing w ith eye
surgeons fo r a major study expected
to enroll hundreds o f Lasik patients
Emergency Department Visits Surge
C uts to the Oregon H ealth Plan
led to a 20 percent increase in
em ergency-departm ent visits and
B R ID G E T O W N
REALTY
□
m onths before and a fte r the O r
fo r O regon H ealth P o lic y Re
egon H ealth Plan cuts in Febru
search.
ary and M arch 2003.
aid program s n a tio n w id e , these
p ita l adm issions o f uninsured
fo r O regon hospitals rose fro m
cine in th e O H S U School o f M e d i
events in O regon should p ro vid e
patients.
$256 m illio n in 2002 (before the
cine, said co st-cu ttin g measures
a w a rn in g about a pote n tia l large
T h e fig u re s w e re gathered
O H P cuts) to $509 m illio n in
may have substantial and lasting
increase in em ergency de p a rt
fro m visits to Oregon emergency
2004 (a fte r the O H P cuts), ac-
im pacts on the health care sys
ment use by the uninsured in the
d e p a rtm e n ts
co rd in g to research by the O ffic e
tem, and m ore im p o rta n tly on its
U n ite d States,” L o w e said.
to prepare yo u r fa m ily fo r a m ajor
disaster strike; federal assistance
could take up to 72 hours before
being available; w ould your fa m ily
be ready? This free class w ill pre
pare your fa m ily to survive w ith
self-sufficiency fo r the first few
days. T o register, call 503-335-3500.
The center is open Monday through
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Peer-to- Peer Recovery - Peer-to-
Smoke-Free Support Group -
peer education recovery course is
a free, nine-week course on the
topic o f recovery fo r any person
w ith a serious mental illness. The
courses are led by mentors who are
recovering from mental illness and
are trained to teach coping strate
gies to others. For more inform a
meets Mondays, 7 to 8 p.m. For
more information,call 503-256-4000.
d u r in g
th e
24
Oregon Action Internships -The
grassroots organization Oregon
A ction is seeking an intern who is
com m itted to im proving healthcare
fo r non-English speaking patients
in northeast Portland. This is a non-
paid internship w ith college credit
availability. Call 503-828-6588 ext.
Agent
We moved to our new loeation at:
9713S.W. Capitol, Portland, OR
503-221-3050
Fax 503-227-8757
5.
Groovin' a New Weight - Wednes
days beginning A p ril 30, from 6:30
to 8:30 p.m.; jo in the weight pro
gram designed fo r women only, this
eight-week program guarantees an
energy boost, education and sup
port fo r a $ 180 fee. To register, call
Creation
of Style
503-574-6595.
Concordia Wellness Street Fair -
- Saturday, M ay 3, from 10 a.m. t o
3 p.m . at N ortheast 30th and
K illingsw orth, this free fam ily event
w ill feature acupuncture, a bahy
boot camp, massages, a Tai Chi
Mother 's
Day Sale
“We are all
beautiful in
his sight”
May 3rd -
May l«th
20% off
class and more.
Childbirth Preparation Class -
Catering to
Full Figured
Women
Fridays, starting M ay 2, from 7 to 9
p.m., this four-week class w ill help
first-tim e parents prepare fo r labor
and delivery through practice and
education; the series costs $85 per
couple. To register, call 503-574-
6595.
8208 N Denver (c o rn e r o f K ilp a tric k )
Portland OR 97217
Stop Smoking! - Thursdays, start
Em ail: Creationofstyle@ yahoo.com
ing M ay 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., a
four-week, quit-sm oking program
Barbara Waters - Owner
fundam ental changes to M e d ic
professor o f em ergency m e d i
Providing Insurance and Financial Services
Michael E Harper
“ A s policym akers contem plate
D r. R obert A . L o w e , associate
O ve ra ll, uncompensated care
HEALTH WATCH
Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC
Zchon R. Jones, DC
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
(503) 284-7838
Truly ntiiking a difference in the lives of
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for 16 years.
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
call us so we can help you with your needs. (503)284-7838
offers the tools to fo r real success
m inim ize the risk o f relapse; $95 fee.
To register, call 503-335-3500.
W om en’s W ellness -- Breast
H ealth-S aturday, M ay 10, from 10
a.m. to I p.m., at Legacy Good Sa
maritan, B uilding Tw o- lower level,
1040 N.W. 22nd Ave., this free event
features a catered brunch, guest
speakers and booths w ith topics
that include cancer genetics, breast
imaging, bone density and more.
To register, call 5O3-335-35(X).
New born (.'are for Multiples - Sat
urday,M ay 11 from I to 5 p .m .,th is
class w ill prepare new parentscop
ing skills and routines to deal w ith
m ultiples. The session costs $45
per couple. To register, call 503-
574-6595.
Feeding for Multiples - Sunday,
M ay 11 from 5 to 8 p.m., this class
is designed to cover the basics o f
breast and bottle feeding m ultiples;
class costs $40 per couple. To reg
ister, cal 1503-574-6595.
Josiah Hill III Clinic's Annual
Leaving a Legacy -Thursday, May
15, the fund raiser featuring asocial
and silent auction from 5:30 to 6:45
p.m. and the dinner program w ith
keynote speaker Charles Jordan
from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m.; funds w ill
benefit the clin ic in support o f those
who suffer from lead poisoning.
RSVPby calling 503-334-9694.
Ready or Not? - Thursday, May
28, from 6:30to 8:30p.m.; learn how
We are located on the
corner o f Ml.K and Russell
Street, on the second floor
above the coffee shop.
tion, call 503-228-5692.
your carotid arteries w ith a painless
ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee
$40. To schedule a screening, call
503-251-6137.
Free B ody Basics - T his physi
cian-recommended class is appro
priate fo r all ages and health co n d i
tions. Plan to attend this one-ses
sion class fo r the simple guidelines
to safe exercise, including stretch
ing. C all 503-256-4000 to register.
Bereavement Support Groups - ‘ Osteoporosis Screening - A n u l
Free, safe confidential group meet
ings fo r those who have experi
enced the death o f a loved one
offered on various nights and loca
tions. For inform ation and registra
tion, call 503-215-4622.
Parenting Classes — Newborns
don’ t come w ith instruction manu
als but parents and parents-to-be
can learn about a variety o f topics
fr o m p a in and c h ild b ir th to
breastfeeding to infant CPR and
much more. For a schedule o f
events, call 503-574-6595 o r visit:
providence.org/classes.
Cancer Resource Center - P rovi
dence St. Vincent Medical Center
and the Am erican Red Cross have
jo in e d forces to create the first in-
hospital resource center providing
books, printed material, computer
access and more fo r individuals
and fam ilies dealing w ith cancer.
Knowing signs
and seeking
help is vital
death in Am erica and the No. I
cause o f adult disability. Stroke
strikes nearly 75(),(XX) Americans
each year— k illin g an estimated
17(),(XX) people. But 80 percent o f
strokes are preventable.
The sooner you recognize the
signs you o r someone you know is
having a stroke, the faster you seek
medical help, the better the chance
o f survival. That’ s even more im
portant here in Oregon, where the
stroke death rate is the fifth highest
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Parkitta Area
503-972-2719 office - 503-975-2769 cell
ckyles@mtglender.cnm
www.calvinkyles.eom
Russell St
I
Stroke Alert Screening - Check
trasound bone-density screening
w ith personalized education; fee
$30. T o schedule an appointment,
call 503-261 -6611.
Mammography Screening - Early
detection is a key factor in the pre
vention o f breast cancer. C all 503-
251-6137 to schedule yo u r high-
tech, soft-touch mammogram.
Managing Chronic Hepatitis C -
T h ird Wednesday o f each month at
5 p.m., the inform ative session led
by a registered nurse to help man
age side effects o f medications and
dosage preparations and adm inis
tration; doctors referral required.
To register, call 503-251 -6313.
Maternity Water Workout - Help
ing new moms regain muscle tone,
strength and fle x ib ility , all in the
support and freedom o f the water.
Call 503-256-4(XX) for inf ormation.
Tips to Survive a Stroke
Il is the third-leading cause o f
\V
most vulnerable patients.
nearly 50 percent increase in hos
State Farm1'
503-286-3877
to better understand who has bad
outcomes and exactly what their
com plaints are.
"C learly there is agroup who are
not satisfied and do not get the kind
o f results they expect,” F D A m edi
cal device ch ie f Dr. Daniel Schultz
said Thursday. The study should
"help us predict who those patients
m ight be before they have the pro
cedure."
A bout 7.6 m illio n Americans
have undergone some form o f laser
visio n correction, in clu d in g the
$2,(XX)-per-eye Lasik. Lasik isquick
and, i f no problems occur, painless:
Doctors cut a flap in the cornea —
the clear covering o f the eye - and
aim a laser underneath it and zap to
reshape the cornea for sharper sight.
The vast m a jo rity o f patients, 95
percent, see better and are happy
they had Lasik, said D r. K erry
Solomon o f the Medical U niversity
o f South Carolina, who led a review
o f Lasik's safety fo r the Am erican
Society o f Cataract and Refractive
Surgery.
But doctors advise against Lasik
fo r one in four people who seek the
surgery. Their pupils may be too
large or corneas too thin or they may
have some other condition that can
increase the risk o f a poor outcome.
t=J
Calvin Kyles - Broker
Commercial and Residential
I
in the country.
M ost people d o n 't know the
signs o f a stroke. Even i f someone
knows they are having a stroke,
they m ight not be able to com m uni
cate that. T hat's why the National
Stroke Association developed the
FAS T test to educate people about
the importance o f recognizing the
signs o f a stroke.
• F - Face: Ask the person to
smile. Does one side o f the mouth
or face droop?
• A - A rm s: A sk the person to
raise both arms. Does one arm d rift
downward? Can one arm not be
raised?
• S - Speech: Ask the person to
repeat a sentence. Can they repeat
it correctly ? Do they slur the words?
• T - T im e : I f the person exhibits
any problems w ith these, it's time
to call fo r emergency help.