What do the LASIK industry and the tobacco industry have in common? A smokescreen to hide the truth.
- For many years, the tobacco industry depended heavily on advertising. Big Tobacco marketed smoking as hip and cool. The LASIK industry also depends heavily on advertising. Big LASIK marketing portrays glasses and contact lenses as uncool and restrictive.
- Big Tobacco relies on peer-pressure from young people to entice their friends into the deadly habit of smoking. Big LASIK relies on testimonials and word-of-mouth promotion. LASIK patients are encouraged, and sometimes even paid, to refer friends and family members to have a medically unnecessary and risky surgery.
- Big Tobacco sold a product which contains dangerous chemicals and an addictive drug, nicotene, which gives instant pleasure and satisfaction to users. Big LASIK sells a harmful surgery which gives patients an immediate sense of joy and excitement (wow factor) when they realize they can see without glasses or contacts, leading to a high initial rate of satisfaction.
- Big Tobacco manipulated medical studies about the dangers of smoking. Big LASIK manipulates medical studies and publishes junk science to cover up the dangers of LASIK.
- Big Tobacco said that drinking one to two glasses of whole milk a day was riskier than second-hand smoke. Big LASIK says that wearing contact lenses is riskier than having LASIK surgery.
- Big Tobacco advertised low-tar cigarettes as "the cigarette that takes the FEAR out of smoking." Big LASIK currently advertises blade-free LASIK as the technology that takes the FEAR out of LASIK.
- Big Tobacco said that "unhappiness causes cancer." Big LASIK says that patient personality factors are to blame for LASIK dissatisfaction.
- Big Tobacco attempted to silence and discredit its critics. Tobacco industry whistleblowers were threatened and harassed. Big LASIK attempts to discredit outspoken critics of LASIK. LASIK patients who speak out about problems with the procedure are threatened and harassed.
- Big Tobacco lied before Congress about the harmful health effects of smoking. Big LASIK lied before the Food and Drug Administration about the harmful effects of LASIK.
- Smoking can lead to cataracts, the number one cause of vision loss in the world. LASIK can lead to cataracts. Also, steriods drops routinely prescibed after LASIK may hasten onset of cataracts. Ironically, LASIK complicates cataract surgery.
- The damaging health effects of smoking are slow and insidious. Smokers may not realize or acknowledge harm from cigarette use for years; nonetheless, the damage is there. LASIK patients may suffer obvious and immediate complications, but some universal adverse effects of LASIK are insidious. LASIK patients may not realize or acknowledge the harm they suffered from LASIK for years; nonetheless, the damage is there.
- Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in America. LASIK is becoming a leading cause of preventable vision loss in America.
Big LASIK is selling a harmful, unnecessary surgery, and covering up the truth about LASIK risks and long-term adverse effects. Don't let Big LASIK blow smoke in your eyes.
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Suggested reading:
1) The LASIK Report
http://www.thelasikreport.com
2) Top Ten Reasons Not to Have LASIK Surgery
http://www.lasikcomplications.com/TopTenReasons.htm
3) LasikFDA.com
http://www.lasikfda.com/
