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New York Post
22-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Doctors, former patients warn of LASIK eye surgery dangers: ‘Biggest scam ever put on the American public'
The suicide of a 26-year-old Pennsylvania police officer over the after-effects of the popular eye surgery LASIK was not an isolated incident, with others saying it left them with agonizing and life changing symptoms, patients and doctors told The Post. LASIK providers say the procedure is 95% to 99% safe, but one LASIK survivor said she had suicidal ideations for two years after her 'disastrous' surgery in 2000. She also claimed to know of at least 40 people to have taken their own lives because they couldn't take constant pain and vision problems, developed after the procedure. Advertisement 8 Ryan Kingerski, 26, died by suicide after undergoing LASIK surgery in 2024. Family Handout 8 Tim and Stefanie Kingerski said Ryan suffered headaches, double vision, seeing dark spots and floaters — tiny spots that appear as streaks or cobweb-like shapes across a person's field of vision — after LASIK surgery. CBS Pittsburgh 'I really didn't want to stick around at times, but I decided I would to get the word out about how dangerous this surgery can be,' Paula Cofer, 66, of Tampa, Fla., told The Post Wednesday. Advertisement 'The LASIK lobby and the surgeons will tell you only one percent of patients have issues afterward. That's not true. There are multiple studies that indicate otherwise. 'The percentage of those with poor outcomes are in the double digits, not one percent. And they know it,' she claimed. Since LASIK was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999 over 10 million people in the US have undergone Laser Vision Correction, according to the medical journal Clinical Ophthalmology, which states between 700,000 and 800,000 people sign up for it each year. Cofer runs the Lasik Complications Support Group on Facebook, one of numerous organizations on social media which have sprung up in response to LASIK procedures gone wrong. Advertisement 8 Laser vision correction being carried out by a doctor. Vadim – 'If you understand Lasik and what it does to the eyes and cornea, you realize you can't do it on a healthy eye and not expect complications,' Cofer said. The procedure — Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis — reshapes the cornea of the eye. 'Not everyone has severe complications but a lot more people are suffering than you know. I got floaters, severe dry eyes, induced astigmatism and severe night vision problems,' said Cofer. Advertisement Ryan Kingerski, 26 — the cop who died by suicide after taking time off from the Penn Hills Police Department in Allegheny County, Penn. last August to undergo LASIK — had similar symptoms. His grieving parents, Tim and Stefanie Kingerski, told CBS News this week about the hell their son went through after the procedure. The Kingerskis said Ryan began suffering from headaches, double vision, seeing dark spots and floaters — tiny spots that appear as streaks or cobweb-like shapes across a person's field of vision, they said. 8 Paula Cofer, 66, started the Lasik Complications Support Group on Facebook to help others after suffering complications from her own procedure. Courtesy of Paula Cofer 8 Fox 2 Detroit meteorologist Jessica Starr took her own life and left a note and videos explaining it was because of the complications she suffered after undergoing LASIK surgery. Facebook Ryan's parents told a story similar to that of Detroit TV meteorologist Jessica Starr's widower, Dan Rose, who said she took her own life after struggling with intense eye pain and vision problems following laser eye surgery. The 35-year-old mother hanged herself on Dec. 12, 2018, just two months after undergoing LASIK to correct her vision. 'Prior to the procedure, Jessica was completely normal, very healthy,' Rose told WJBK in 2019. 'There was no depression … no underlying issue.' Advertisement Rose said his wife left behind a 30-page suicide note and videos, which made it clear the decision to end her life was because of the elective surgery. Morris Waxler, now 89, was an FDA advisor who headed the branch responsible for reviewing data on LASIK between 1996 and 2000, which covers the period it was approved. 8 A patient undergoing eye surgery mehmet – 8 Morris Waxler says he regrets approving the use of LASIK when he worked for the FDA and has been speaking out publicly about its dangers since 2010. Vadim – Advertisement It's a decision he told The Post he regrets — and has been speaking out publicly about LASIK's dangers since 2010. 'It didn't matter what questions and concerns I had, because the surgeons were very powerful and still are,' he claimed. Waxler has previously told CBS in 2019 his own analysis of industry data showed complication rates between 10% and 30% and in 2011, he petitioned the FDA to issue a voluntary recall of LASIK. 'People come in with healthy eyes and all they need is eyeglasses. But when surgeons cut the cornea they are removing nerves and leaving the corneas with odd shapes and some patients will have intractable pain,' he added. Advertisement The FDA warns on its website there are risks to undergoing LASIK including losing vision, glare, halos, and/or double vision and other 'debilitating visual symptoms'. However, The American Refractive Surgery Council says on its website: 'LASIK is safe and is one of the most studied elective surgical procedures available today … the rate of sight-threatening complications from LASIK eye surgery is estimated to be well below one percent.' 8 Dr. Edward Boshnick's practice is dedicated to restoring vision and comfort to people affected by eye conditions. He calls LASIK a 'BS procedure'. For Abraham Rutner, 43, a Brooklyn electrician, there was hope after his failed LASIK surgery five years ago. Advertisement 'It's like you have a layer of oil on top of your eye — it was so hazy and terrible,' Rutner told The Post. 'I couldn't work. I couldn't drive. I felt like I was still a young man and I lost my life.' Then he heard about 84-year-old Edward Boshnick, a Miami eye doctor whose optometric practice is dedicated to restoring vision and comfort lost due to a variety of eye conditions and surgeries, including LASIK, keratoconus and corneal trauma. Dr. Boshnick, whose website is called Eyefreedom, fitted Rutner with something called a scleral lens which fits over corneas damaged by LASIK. Paula Cofer also said she got fitted with the lens, which has helped her too. Boshnick told The Post 'Everyone has different problems when it comes to LASIK, and called it a 'BS procedure.' 'It's the biggest scam ever put on the American public,' he said. 'And it's a multi-billion dollar business.'
Fox Sports
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Steelers legend, 'FOX NFL Sunday' co-host Terry Bradshaw helps with jammed airplane door
Terry Bradshaw was part of a unique flight experience last week. On a flight going from Dallas-Fort Worth to Pittsburgh — where Bradshaw helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win four of their six Super Bowls — the door to open the plane was stuck and couldn't be opened at Pittsburgh International Airport. Fortunately for everybody on the plane, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and cohost of "FOX NFL Sunday" was able to help get the door open after roughly a half-hour, according to CBS Pittsburgh. "The pilot announced, and you could kind of hear he was chuckling as he said it, but he said, 'Thanks to the strength of one of our passengers, we were finally able to get the door open' and so I think we all knew he was alluding to Mr. Bradshaw," Selah Gamble, a passenger on the flight, told CBS Pittsburgh. Bradshaw was flying to Pittsburgh for a roast of former teammate Mel Blount, who was also part of four Steelers' Super Bowl teams. All that said, Bradshaw downplayed his role in helping open the door, posting to Instagram, "Just to set the record straight … I did nothing to open the door on the plane! The maintenance crew had it open in 15 min." Bradshaw, who spent his entire 14-year NFL career in Pittsburgh (1970-83), is second in Steelers history with both 27,989 passing yards and 212 passing touchdowns. Of course, the 1978 NFL MVP, two-time Super Bowl MVP and three-time Pro Bowler went on to be a staple of FOX Sports' Sunday NFL coverage, having been on the set of "FOX NFL Sunday" since the first show in 1994. As for the show's future, former head coach and two-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Johnson announced his retirement from broadcasting after the 2024 season. Johnson was on the set from 1994-95 and 2002-24. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League Pittsburgh Steelers recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials celebrate as reservoir makes comeback following years of drought: 'It will come back'
After years of record-breaking drought, a Pennsylvania reservoir is bouncing back — and with it, hopes for a safer, healthier season ahead. Water levels at the Youghiogheny River Lake in Somerset and Fayette counties are lower than the Army Corps of Engineers would like, but the difference since fall is dramatic. Just four months ago, the historic Great Crossings Bridge emerged from the dried-up lake bed, drawing thousands of curious visitors. However, thanks to a snowy winter and gradual spring thaw, the bridge is once again fully submerged and boating season is officially open. "Right now, we're at 200 feet," local resident Ray Jakomas told CBS Pittsburgh. "From 200 we've got to come back up to 375 to be at summer pool. But come the 375, we're in good shape. If we get some rain, it will come back." The Army Corps reported that the lake sits 1,425 feet above sea level, roughly 14 feet below ideal summer conditions. While the water isn't quite where it needs to be, it's deep enough for watercraft to return safely. That's welcome news for families who count on lake access for fishing, kayaking, and small-business income tied to the area's tourism season. Perhaps even more importantly, the rebound also helps restore local ecosystems that suffered during last year's drought. Restoring healthy lake levels can revive aquatic habitats, protect drinking water sources, and reduce the risk of harmful algal blooms. The dramatic comeback of the Youghiogheny follows other recent conservation bright spots across the U.S. For instance, there has been a recent government pledge of $50 million toward a rising water line at Utah's Great Salt Lake. There have also been efforts toward "drought-proofing" the environment, including the cultivation of drought-resistant crops. While much remains uncertain, local communities are already celebrating the good news. It is, overall, a reminder that recovery is possible for areas impacted by our heating planet. How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week One hour a week Less than one hour I don't have any plants Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CBS News
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Melanie Rayl named Pittsburgh's 2025 Miss Smiling Irish Eyes queen
Melanie Rayl has been named Pittsburgh's Miss Smiling Irish Eyes queen for 2025. The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pittsburgh is just 11 days away and Rayl and her court will be among the annual guests of honor. Rayl, a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, is a second generation Miss Smiling Irish Eyes queen, following in the footsteps of her mother who received the honor in 1991. Rayl attends Trinity College in Connecticut, studied abroad in Ireland last fall, and says she hopes to return there to attend graduate school. Joining Rayl for the city's parade later this month will be court Maidens Reece Flowers and Elizabeth Sweeney. The parade is set to take place on Saturday, March 15 at 10 a.m. Mike Darnay Mike Darnay is a digital producer and photojournalist at CBS Pittsburgh. Mike has also written and produced content for Vox Media and the Mon Valley Independent. He often covers overnight breaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers and high school sports.
CBS News
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Delighting in PTL Diner Week 2025. Our map pinpoints the most savory spots in Pittsburgh area.
By / CBS Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Today Live is bringing back one of our most popular weeks of the year. It's Diner Week, when we feature the best eateries around Western Pennsylvania that are flipping flapjacks and serving up savory sandwiches. Keep track of where we've been and where we're headed here. 5m ago Christy's Family Restaurant Daisy Jade visits Christy's Family Restaurant in Ellwood City, Beaver County. This family run gem has been serving up comfort food with a side of community for nearly 40 years. Here's our visit to Christy's. Put a pinpoint on the map in Ellwood City! We're so glad we finally got to check this place out. For more information, visit their Facebook page here. 10m ago V&V Scratch Kitchen Our first stop took Katie O'Malley and PTL videographer Jeff Roupe to the talk of Finleyville, Washington County. Here's our visit to V&V Scratch Kitchen. Put a pinpoint on the map in Finleyville! This place is absolutely delicious. For more information, visit their website here.
