Q: I’m going on a scuba diving vacation next month. I’m also getting more far-sighted and I’m not sure if I’m seeing as well as I would like for diving. What are my vision correction options? A: It would be nice, and likely safer, if you can see your gauges and paperwork clearly when you’re on an expedition. You’ve got a few options. If you’re able, disposable contact lenses would be the most functional and least expensive. You can wear them with your diving mask. Additionally, some contact lenses have built-in UV protection. Another option is having prescription lenses made for your dive mask, but you may be limited to which masks you can use, and you’d have to bring other glasses on the boat. Thirdly, you can think about laser vision correction. There’s not enough space here to discuss that, but you’re really short on time for that. Also, far-sightedness is generally much more difficult to correct with laser surgery that near-sightedness.

The reason chronic pain and degeneration only occur in joints and ligaments instead of other tissues, and why older people don’t heal as reliably as younger people do, has to do with decreased oxygen utilization. When there is trauma, the edema and inflammation cause a further localized decrease in oxygen utilization, which serves as a foundation for chronic pain and degeneration. The chronic pain leads to a further decrease in oxygen utilization. Break that cycle with ozone therapy, which maximizes oxygen absorption, so the cells and tissues can begin to do what they usually do so well – heal themselves.