Hello there. If you are genuinely concerned and if there is actually some substance to your worries, then this forum definitely isn't the right place to hunt for advice. We all tend to act like armchair psychologists here—it’s almost an American pastime, isn't it? Everyone thinks they have the answer to everything. You might even run into students or people with psychology degrees on a board like this, but if there is a legitimate issue at hand, it would be much wiser to seek out professional help first. My suggestion is to go see a therapist on your own first and lay out the situation. Only after that will you know if the issue requires a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a neuropsychologist, or if it's nothing at all. Once you have those professional insights, you can then involve your brother. This means that based on the conclusions and information gathered from a qualified expert, you can sit down with him and make a joint decision about how to proceed. As for your parents, I would leave them out of this for now. Bringing them in could unnecessarily complicate things and potentially damage your relationships, especially since your brother is far too old to be forced into anything by his parents. You need to play this very strategically, as there is a lot at stake here. Best regards.
Henry Chase4 said:Simonic is part of that row of private residences right before you hit those community colleges on... well, I think it's near the military base. They have names posted on the doors, so there's really no way to miss it.
I feel for Susan James42 regarding the issues you're facing, but personally, I haven't run into any trouble yet... though I certainly hope it stays that way.
It's ultimately your call. In my experience, hands-on learning tends to be the most effective method—it’s one of those fundamental pillars of actually absorbing information.😎
Henry Chase4 said:Thnx... In the meantime, I've realized that Simonic is still practicing, so I’ve decided to switch over to his clinic. Honestly, at this stage, I just care about finding a dentist who actually has the experience, the expertise, and the right equipment, regardless of the name. Thnx for the input!
Simonic completely ruined three of my teeth. Stay far away from him!
Stefan1 said:If you feel like getting laser eye surgery in Austria is too pricey, I honestly think it would be more affordable in Mexico, especially since they use the same excimer laser technology. From what I understand, there are three clinics there that offer this service. www.milosklinika.co.yu www.zenit.org.yu And the World Vision clinic doesn't even have a website. Regarding the Miloš clinic, I’ve heard their reputation is solid—they claim patients don't face complications after the procedure, and they haven't mentioned any issues with light sensitivity.
On a personal note, my left eye is at -0.5 and my right eye is actually fine (0.0), so I was considering correcting that tiny -0.5 difference. However, I'm really not sure if it's even worth the trouble for such a minor prescription. What do you all think?
Aside from the fact that it seems pretty reckless to undergo surgery for such a negligible prescription, you also have to consider that surgeons usually leave a little bit of nearsightedness—around -0.25 to -0.5—to account for age-related farsightedness later in life...
I have a question for those of you who shop online frequently;
have you ever had any unpleasant experiences?
My computer setup is pretty solid and I even picked up a smart card reader for Bluetooth security, but I’m still having a hard time working up the nerve to actually type my card number into a website.
I would love to hear about your experiences.
p.s. I generally stick to reputable, well-known sites—I have zero intention of wandering onto shady corners of the web—so basically, I'm wondering how safe it really is to buy from major retailers, what specific red flags I should look out for, and things like that.
swiftbison7 said:I would love to get my vision back down to zero, but reading about other people's experiences with high myopia... getting all the way back to perfect vision is tough.😢
- Light sensitivity is definitely a frequent issue, especially during the initial recovery phase. - As for prescription strength, if your nearsightedness isn't too extreme, you can often get very close to zero. For those with higher prescriptions—I believe anything over 6 or 7 diopters, though I'd have to double-check my notes—it usually requires two separate procedures spaced out by some time (again, I'm not entirely sure of the exact interval, maybe a year or so).
Generally speaking, the lower your prescription was before the procedure, the easier the recovery tends to be, though this remains a solid solution even for those with significant vision issues. - Regarding contact lenses, I'm not an expert, but you could certainly find specific information on specialized medical websites or through providers who deal with them...
Exactly. The real issue lies in the micro-tears, mucosal damage, and bleeding... which is precisely why women face a higher risk—there's a much greater chance of injury during intercourse, which opens the door to infection.
And honestly, going without protection is nothing short of Russian roulette. That’s exactly what condoms are designed for. Not those cheap, textured nonsense ones you find at some corner drugstore... 😁
Regardless of the circumstances, if there was unprotected sex, you really ought to get tested... obviously not immediately, since nothing would show up on a test right away...
cafédelmar said:Hey guys, girls, boys, ladies, and gentlemen... I wear soft contact lenses, and I use the Bausch & Lomb solution along with them. When I first started wearing lenses, I also got those Bausch & Lomb tablets—if I remember correctly, they’re meant to be dropped into the lens case every two weeks for some kind of deep cleaning. Now, the thing is, those tablets are expensive as hell, and apparently, this newer solution already has those same ingredients built in, so the tablets shouldn't even be necessary. Still, my eye doctor insists I should keep using them. I actually haven't used them in three years, and I've been perfectly fine, but my daughter happened to catch me looking at my phone in the bathroom, so I figured I'd just jump online and see what everyone thinks. So, should I be using them or not?
If the disinfecting solution already includes protein removal, you don't need the tablets. If it doesn't, then you absolutely have to use them. - everything is written right there in the instructions...
It’s certainly better than doing nothing at all, but let’s be realistic. If your primary goal is actually shedding weight, you really need to be hitting that thirty-five-minute mark in a single, continuous session...
The reason I suggest that 18-hour window is because most people tend to eat simply out of habit or hunger pangs—which is essentially reactive—rather than eating strategically to fuel their upcoming activities. By having a high-quality meal at the 18-hour mark, you effectively sustain yourself through those final evening hours until about 9:00 PM. If you prioritize sufficient protein, you’ll find that you can stay completely satiated without feeling that mid-evening hunger crash.
Taylor King7, everything you’ve observed is spot on. My advice is to focus on steadily increasing your caloric expenditure and, more importantly, turning this into a sustainable lifestyle rather than just a temporary phase or a short-term challenge. You really need to rewire your mindset so that you actually enjoy the process... there's no point in struggling through it if you aren't finding any fulfillment in the journey itself. 😛
Taylor King7 said:Hey, do you happen to know what kind of speed I should be aiming for? I found a site suggesting a 10-minute interval approach, where I go full throttle for about 20 seconds and then settle back into a normal pace for another 20 seconds. The stationary bike is definitely my favorite right now. After a grueling day at work—where I’m basically running around and standing on my feet for hours—it’s nice to actually sit down for once! I usually cover about 2.2 miles miles in roughly 15 minutes. Is that a decent pace, or should I be pushing harder? Sorry if I'm being a bit much with all the questions!
Phew... you really caught me off guard there. There is actually a specific formula for training intensity based on your heart rate, but the exact math escapes me at the moment. Personally, I wouldn't focus on the speedometer; I'd focus on how your body is responding to the effort. If we're just going by feel (since I can't recall the specific formula right now), you want to reach a point where you're slightly breathless—just enough that you're working, but still able to maintain that rhythm for the entire duration you've set for yourself. Make sure to include about 10 minutes of warming up at the start and 10 minutes of cooling down at the end.
The same logic applies to the resistance level... you don't want it so light that you're barely moving, but you shouldn't be pushing it like you're climbing a steep hill in the Rockies, either.
Absolutely. The key is consistency: you really need to get on that bike for about 40 to 45 minutes, five or six days a week. To really see progress, I’d suggest pairing that with some anaerobic work—think light weights, core exercises, the usual routine—to help build up your muscle tone. A mix of aerobic and anaerobic training is honestly the most effective way to torch calories. On the nutrition side, try cutting out bread, stick to a rule of not eating after 6:00 PM, bump up your protein intake, and scale back on the carbs. Please, don't get discouraged if you don't see changes overnight. You should expect to see real results after about two months (which is also the perfect amount of time to let your body adapt to the strength training). Ultimately, you have to view this as a permanent lifestyle shift rather than just a quick countdown to a body transformation. If you follow this plan, I can practically guarantee you'll see incredible results!
I think that's about as concise as I can make it.🙂
Sam Allen86 said:Hey everyone, I have a quick question for the group!
I’ve been wearing both contacts and glasses for quite a while now, but my frames finally gave out on me. Since I need to order a new pair, I obviously need to schedule an eye exam first. The catch is that I have to be without my contact lenses for a certain period before the appointment—something about letting the cornea return to its natural shape or whatever the technical term is. I can manage being without lenses for a little bit, but because my prescription is so high, I really only have the flexibility to do this over a weekend. So, I was wondering if anyone here knows exactly how long I need to go without wearing them? I’ve heard conflicting things; some people say four days, others say three. I even spoke with a woman at a clinic in New York City who told me "at least 24 hours." Does that mean if I schedule my exam for Monday morning, I could just skip my lenses over the weekend and be good to go?
Two days is plenty. A weekend is more than enough time to get things done.
Matthew Morris2 said:My right eye has a pretty heavy prescription with significant astigmatism—roughly -3.5 sphere and -1.5 cylinder—so naturally, my vision through my contact lenses isn't quite as sharp as my left eye. I have a pair of glasses with the exact same prescription as my lenses, and everything was working perfectly until about a month or two ago. Now, when I look through my glasses with my right eye, my vision is significantly worse than it is with my contacts. I don't mean just that usual slight advantage lenses give you; I mean it's drastically worse. Has anyone else dealt with this?
...I'm experiencing the exact same thing over here. My gut feeling is that your prescription has shifted, and you might not notice that change as quickly with glasses because their correction is inherently "less precise" since they sit further away from the eye...
Andrew Hernandez said:I HONESTLY HAVE TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU ALL!
This morning, my contact lens literally snapped in two right in my eye! ...but by the time I went out tonight, it was irritating me so much that I finally pulled it out and tucked it into a paper tissue... When I went to take it out, I was absolutely floored. All I found on my finger was just one tiny little fragment of a lens.???
...I had absolutely no idea something like this could actually happen. This is a first for me. I’m wearing those soft ones that have a 12-month replacement cycle.
.
It probably cracked after it dried out in the tissue. Once a lens loses its moisture, it loses all elasticity. It becomes brittle, almost like glass. Never, ever, ever let a lens sit dry!!!!
Casey Palmer5 said:I have these soft contact lenses sitting in their case, just waiting for my allergies to clear up and for me to find the nerve to actually try them... Honestly, looking at them now, I have no idea how I'm ever going to muster the courage to put them in my eyes.
I deal with both myopia and astigmatism, but since these are soft lenses, I figured they'd be easier. If I couldn't get these, I wouldn't have bothered with hard lenses at all. As for toric lenses, there's no way I'm paying for those; I don't plan on wearing contacts very often anyway. I don't even wear glasses.
Is it possible my optometrist intentionally gave me a higher prescription since there are no cylinder values listed? My myopia used to be around -0.75, but now it’s -1.25. I haven't even tried the lenses yet, so is there a chance they might feel too strong? Or is that jump necessary to compensate for my astigmatism, which is about -0.5?
Or am I simply losing my eyesight altogether? 😢 (At this rate, I'll be carrying a white cane 😁 )
Are you referring to your eye's prescription or the actual lens power? Usually, a glasses prescription is slightly weaker than what the eye needs because the eye eventually adapts to a stronger negative correction. It's possible your vision has weakened by 0.25, and people often say that contact lens prescriptions need to be stronger than glasses—I assume it's because they sit closer to the eye and require more curvature, though I can't be entirely certain of the physics behind it. Regardless, just try them and see how it goes. Generally speaking, contacts provide much better visual correction and don't distort things up close, so they won't "shrink" your field of vision—though that probably isn't an issue for you given that your prescription isn't particularly high to begin with.
It’s really a bit of both. First off, you absolutely need to schedule a comprehensive eye exam to determine if contact lenses are even a viable option for you. If they are, your optometrist will walk you through the specific types available based on your unique ocular profile—whether you're dealing with astigmatism, declining vision, or other factors—and help you choose what fits your lifestyle best, since there is a huge variety out there. In any case, my personal advice is to get your prescription updated for glasses as well. It’s always wise to have a reliable backup ready for those days when you just don't feel like putting lenses in, or if you experience some irritation or inflammation, or simply because your eyes need a break from them... I have to say, contacts are a total game-changer when you're driving, or when smoke and wind become an issue; they offer great protection and prevent that annoying watery-eye sensation. Plus, let's be honest, they definitely help you look your best. That being said, don't go ditching your standard glasses entirely. Having a good pair is essential... Susan James42 p.s. You should probably factor in a solid pair of sunglasses into your budget too... p.p.s. Maintaining proper lens hygiene is quite literally the most important thing in the world!