© Gunther Deichmann, November 2007

A true "repair" story about the real lens
and how to fix it.

What is the most important lens for a photographer? The Eye.
Yes, you have heard right, it is our very own Eye that is more important than any other optical piece of glass.
We are only to eager roaming the camera shops to purchase a new lens for our camera and without any hesitation pull out the credit card and smile at the newly purchased piece of glass, wow now I can take even better images. Are you sure?

But when it comes to our own lens the Eye and it needs work done or even surgery, we all say WOW that is expensive, we try to cut corners and save money, working on discounts etc., etc….

Why? I guess it is human nature, taking it all for granted, I mean our Eyes.
The old saying goes …”through the lens of …” I be live it should say “through the eyes of …”, I have mention this many times before, it is the eyes which see the subject first and not the lens, without the eyes and of course our soul we cant create this magic image in the first place, Right.

I guess it is in all of us, like children with a new toy having just bought that new Camera, Lens or the latest software, how can we make adjustments or even looking at our images on the Computer if our eyes have a problem.

But now I get to the point: I recently discovered that I had a blurry vision on my right eye (lucky not my shooting eye) I got concerned and rushed for a check up.
Sure enough I had Cataract on my right eye, oh boy, I thought what next….?
I done some research and got a few opinions, well the end result was surgery, hey that was yesterday and now I am typing this Blog, now that is pretty cool and my keyboard looks so clear now.

Without going into to many details my vision is fantastic again, with the camera and on the Computer and I mean real fantastic, OK I have to take some medication for a week or so, have one or two more check ups but that is about it, technology is out there and it is real good, not that cheap but for the first time in my life I bought the very best lens and I can see my old friends again clearly, he he.

The surgery took only 20 minutes and was absolutely painless and I mean painless,
Cataract is a different procedure than eye correction with laser, please read below some more details.
So there you have it, before you go shopping for a new lens, get your eyes checked and if you need to go through the Cataract Surgery don’t complain about the cost, (some of my lenses are a lot more expensive) remember Your Eyes are your biggest assets and not only in Photography.
The procedures will not necessary eliminate the use of eyeglasses, in my case I still need them for reading but the rest of my vision is back to normal or even better.

Remember one of my very first sentences in this article:
The old saying goes …”through the lens of …” I believe it should say “through the eyes of …”, maybe some of the writers on photography should be rephrasing the old saying, it is not the camera or the lens, it is You and Your Eyes, the hardware and software are only tools and not the creator, the painter uses his brush and Canvas as a tool, he or us photographers have to see it first before we can record it.
Personally I like to see more articles written which are related to our Eyes, vision and the procedure in fixing some of the more common problems.
Oh , I almost forgot, thanks to Doctor Espiritu for taken good care of my most important lens.
GD

What is a Cataract?

The transparent human lens, like the lens of a camera, focuses light rays onto the retina (camera “film"). A cataract is any opacity or discoloration of the normally clear lens that interferes with light transmission through the eye. It can be compared to a window that is frosted, steamed or yellowed.

There are many misconceptions about cataracts. It is not a film over the eye nor is it caused by overusing the eyes. It is not a cancer and does not spread from one eye to the other. It does not cause irreversible blindness.

What causes Cataracts? How does one get them?

Most cataracts develop as part of the aging process. Everybody will eventually develop cataracts if people lived long enough. The pace of progression varies from individual to individual and is influenced by environmental factors such as long term exposure to UV rays. Other causes of cataract include certain medical conditions like diabetes, or intake of certain drugs like to steroids. There are congenital and juvenile cataracts. Infections, inflammations and injuries can likewise cause cataracts.

When is the best time for surgery? Do I have to wait for my cataracts to “ripen”?

Different people have different visual needs. The mere presence of a cataract does not automatically mean it requires surgical intervention. Surgery should only be done when patient lifestyles are altered because of the decline in vision related to the cataract. For example, one cannot see well enough to cook, read, drive, work or watch television despite the best prescription eyeglass or contact lenses possible. Once the cataract is significant enough to interfere with one’s activities, regardless whether it is already “ripe” or not, then one may be a candidate for cataract surgery. With the advent of modern day techniques of cataract surgery, more and more cataracts are being operated on in their early stages.
For more information please go to: www.eyecenter.com.ph
For images by Gunther Deichmann please click this link :
www.deichmann-photo.com

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