How is LASIK performed?
LASIK eye surgery is a commonly performed procedure that uses lasers to correct vision problems. These eye problems, like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, are usually caused by an improperly shaped cornea. The cornea is a clear, dome-shaped covering over the front of the eyeball. It covers the iris and pupil; the opening of the eyeball that allows light to come into the eye. The cornea’s shape allows light to properly come into the eye and hit the retina at the back of the eyeball, which is how we are able to see. When the cornea has an improper shape, it can cause light entering the eye to not hit the retina properly, leading to objects being blurry or unfocused. If the cornea is too curved, it causes objects that are farther away to become blurry. If the cornea is too flat, objects close to the face will become blurry. In astigmatism, the cornea both curves and flattens unevenly, leading to blurry vision at all distances.
There are multiple ways to “fix” or compensate for the shape of the cornea that are fairly simple, such as wearing glasses or contact lenses, and then there is LASIK, which is a surgical way to “permanently” fix the shape of the cornea.
During a traditional LASIK procedure, a flap is cut in the outermost layer of the cornea and folded away to reveal the inner corneal layer. A laser can then be used to remove small amounts of tissue, reshaping the inner layer of the cornea and allowing light to better hit the retina, correcting the visual problem. Once the inner layer is shaped appropriately, the flap can be laid back in place, and due to the nature of how the cornea heals, will require no stitches to reattach itself to the eye.
There is also a newer technique used in vision correction called no-cut or flapless LASIK, which, as the name suggests, does not involve creating the initial flap in the cornea. Instead, a laser is used to gently remove a small portion of the outer layer of the cornea, revealing the inner portion which is then shaped in the same way as with traditional LASIK. A contact lens-like bandage is then placed over the eye for about a week until the outermost layer of the cornea is able to regrow. This option is great for individuals that cannot undergo traditional LASIK due to having thinner corneas, for example.
Fun fact: “LASIK” stands for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis”
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Khanna Institute, and Benjamin Eye Institute
How does hair breakage happen from bleaching?
A common misconception about hair lightening is that bleach is used during the process. That is actually not true. A bleaching (or oxidizing) agent is used to lighten the hair, usually a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. This lightening product strips the pigment (which is responsible for the color) from the hair shaft, therefore giving the hair a lighter appearance. These lighteners don’t just remove the pigment, they also remove proteins and oils that give the hair its strength, moisture, and shine, resulting in some serious damage to the hair if used improperly or for long periods of time.
In order to understand exactly what hair breakage is, you first have to know what a strand of hair is composed of. The part of the hair that is visible and comes off the scalp is called the hair shaft. The hair shaft is composed of three layers: the cuticle, the cortex, and the medulla. When it comes to hair breakage, we’re talking mainly about the cuticle and the cortex. The cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair shaft, covering the cortex in an overlapping, scale-like pattern. It’s the protective layer of the hair; it helps prevent damage to the inner layers and also keeps moisture in the hair strand. The cortex is the middle layer of the hair shaft, making up the bulk of the strand. The cortex is where things like hair pigment reside. The health of the cortex relies largely on how well the cuticle protects it.
In healthy hair, the cuticle is usually smooth and flat around the cortex. Hair lighteners lift the cuticle in order to draw out the pigment, and with repeated use, the cuticles can stay open, making it harder for it to protect the cortex, and also leading to constant moisture loss within the hair strand. This causes the hair to be thin and fragile, and it will actually break, leading to hair loss and split ends.
The good news is that hair breakage is usually fixable. The first thing to do is cut out lightening products and try keeping heat styling to a minimum. If you can’t avoid your hair dryer or curling iron, use a heat protectant spray on your hair to help minimize the amount of moisture that will evaporate from your hair. Lastly, keep the hair very well moisturized with conditioners and leave-in products to help it stay nice and hydrated.
Sources: Philip Kingsley, Color Wow Hair, Wikipedia, and Philip Kingsley
How did Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper learn French?
Lady Gaga learned French in high school while she studied at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Manhattan, however she has stated in several interviews that she is not fluent in the language. She has also expressed her love for the language and has included many French words and phrases in several of her songs.
Bradley Cooper learned French in college, taking extra courses in the language while studying at Georgetown University. He also spent six months as an exchange student in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. While he is considered to be essentially fluent, it has been noted that he makes frequent little mistakes, and his accent sounds a lot like an American speaking French.
Sources: Forbes and Declan Software
Never Seen It with Kyle Ayers Podcast
During this episode, Chris mentions a podcast he enjoys where famous movies and tv shows are rewritten by people who’ve never seen them and then cast and read in the studio. This podcast is called “Never Seen It with Kyle Ayers” and can be streamed on most platforms. Links for the show and their website are below.
Do they have computers in North Korea?
Citizens of North Korea are in fact allowed to own computers, however once purchased they have to register it with the government and have it inspected by the Ministry of State Security, or the secret police agency in North Korea. Once the device has been inspected, users take the device to a regional information technology center, where software is installed that automatically blocks all programs that the North Korean Government does not allow. Once that is installed, other games and programs can be installed per the user’s request. Because the vast majority of North Koreans don’t have access to the internet, this is how things like games have to be installed on their devices. Some citizens secretly purchase devices without going through these procedures, allowing them to use their devices outside of the controls of the government, however this is obviously very risky and could result in device confiscation and punishment if they are discovered.
As mentioned earlier, the internet is unavailable for the majority of North Korean citizens; it is reserved primarily for government purposes. However, there is a domestic-only network called “Kwangmyong”, an intranet that gives access to sites approved by the government. It is only accessible within North Korea to approved individuals.
“The Love Witch” Movie
In this episode, Bethany mentions the movie “The Love Witch” that she recently watched and found interesting. This film, released in 2016 is about a modern-day witch who uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love with her with disastrous results. Starring Samantha Robinson from Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, The film premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam In May 2016 and received a limited theatrical release in the United States in November 2016. This movie can be streamed for free on Tubi here.
Source: Wikipedia
“Presumed Innocent” Show With Jake Gyllenhaal
“Presumed Innocent” is an American legal thriller television series based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, this series follows a prosecutor who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his colleague with whom he was having an affair. The series premiered on Apple TV+ in June of this year, and a month later was renewed for a second season. It can be streamed on Apple TV+, or on Amazon or Youtube for a small fee.
Source: Wikipedia
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