It’s absurd how much you can specialize within ophthalmology itself: anterior segment (refractive vs. transplantation), neuro-ophthalmology, glaucoma, retina (medical, surgical, or both), oculo-plastics, pediatrics. Buddy, you’ve only got like 23mm of eyeball to work with. What’s worse is that people asked me what I want to specialize in during my residency interviews. “Looks like you received a recommendation from a retinal surgeon… is that what you want to do?” Why can’t I just be a general ophthalmologist? I drew a cartoon reflecting my views on the matter.

sub-specialization in ophthalmology

medicine ophthalmology, toon

Some 30 million people in the US suffer from chronic sinusitis; a handful more are blessed with an acute episode around this time of year. If you’ve had a nose full of snot at some point in your life, then you know what I’m talking about.  I’ve been having a bad cold that’s been kicking my butt over the last few weeks, and I’ve been rinsing my nostrils with two interesting devices that have been helpful in relieving my symptoms.

Left: sinus rinse bottle; Right: Neti Pot;

These two rinses are made by the same company, and you can find them at the pharmacy department at most department stores. Each one holds about 8oz of water.  The company that manufacturers the bottles also sells “sinus rinse” packets that you mix into the water. These packets contain a mix of salt and baking soda in some “secret proportion”. I’ve found that 1/2 tsp of sea salt (or any non-iodinized salt) plus a pinch of baking soda works just nicely in 8oz warm water.

nasal rinse; external pressure causes the solution to rise up the tube and through the spout

The sinus rinse bottle is a positive pressure system that forces the rinse through your nostrils as you squeeze the bottle.  The Neti pot (shaped like a watering pot) flows into your nostrils passively with gravity as you tilt the spout into your nose.  Both are meant to flush the mucus buildup that forms when you’re sick.

I think both of the devices work well in relieving congestion.  The rinse bottle delivers extra pressure through your nose, which is helpful in moving along the more persistent of the mucus. It also may also cause more discomfort–it takes some time to get used to having water flowing through your nose. The end result is a happier,  less congested nose.  Nasal rinsing is a relatively harmless means to clean out your stuffy nose, and you can use it several times a day.

* Note. The above statements reflect my personal opinion about the topic. While I am a physician, you should discuss with your situation with your doctor before attempting any new medical regimen.

medicine congestion, neti pot, saline rinse, sinus rinse, sinusitis, stuffy nose

One of the phrases I hear often in the hospital is this:

Nurse 1: Is he the resident?

Nurse 2: No, he’s the intern.

Last time I checked, an intern is a first-year resident. I suppose that at my current hospital, there is unspoken hierarchy among the nursing and ancillary staff that the “intern” is the dumbass carrying the team pager while the “resident” is the one who should be called in an emergency.  The atrocities do not end there, mind you. Read more…

medicine medicine, rant

It’s been a while since I have been involved in anything with recent computing. More than anything, I suppose that my non-involvement in online tech has been a passive revolt ever since I entered the medical profession. The trite parable is that medicine has always been slow to uproot its tradition. Ophthalmology is admittedly one of slowest to adapt–the slit lamp, while improved since its inception in the 1900′s, remains relatively similar to its progenitor.  I have seen a number of ophthalmologists who maintain decades of age-stained patient records, as EMAR has been slow to penetrate the visual needs of ophthalmology. The truth is, however, that despite these shortcomings, modern ophthalmology is built upon technology. Laser eye surgeries by Steve Trokel, phaco by Charlie Kelman, and 3D imaging pioneered by Puliafito and his group are but a few of the breakthroughs of this field.

I’ve decided to purchase a domain, server space, and set up my own website. This site will serve to offer news, ideas, and tips pertaining to computing and ophthalmology (and perhaps general medicine) as I progress through my training. Perhaps my computer background will be helpful to some. Leave comments, suggestions, and criticism as you please.

Welcome to OphthoSurgery.com!

computing, medicine tech