Katie Piper - The Science of Seeing

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Lynn White
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Re: Katie Piper - The Science of Seeing

Postby Lynn White » Fri 10 Feb 2012 11:06 pm

Hi All

Interesting discussion.... My parents were once involved in a "documentary" and that changed my perception forever about these programmes. What emerged then that was that there is a universal "plot" for these things which you can see, if you know about it, in any documentary on almost any subject you care to mention.

This includes:

Conflict
Worry
Visiting experts
Time constraints (they just lurve the expression "The pressure is on")
Nervousness
Resolution

Basically, documentaries are dramas involving real people. I think the only real exception to this rule are the BBC documentaries such as Frozen Planet, although even then, some of these elements are still there. I think somewhere around 15 years ago, programme makers decided that viewers would turn off unless a programme had a "story" to follow that approximated soap operas. After that, we saw a sad demise is really informative documentaries.

The problem is, truth is often a casualty and the public really does not get it unless you are an "expert" as you guys are. It may be,for example, that Katie might have needed anti rejection drugs for a possible graft because her corneal damage was heavily vascularised and extended beyond the cornea onto the sclera. KC corneas generally do not have that issue but that is what we CL fitters are always looking out for. However, this was not explained because it was not a programme "targeted" at KC.

The issue with airing a documentary is that it is competing for viewers with a wide range of other "socially" relevant programmes. This leads to a lot of "dumbing down" in relation to scientific fact. Look at the recent documentary on "smart animals". This is actually an incredibly important issue but its sad to say the best info was obtained by listening to the presenter on the sofa on BBC News rather than the actual programme.

So.. to get to the point!! Yes you guys are being harsh on Katie as she has no editorial control over the programme. Direct your ire at the programme makers... The decision to make her travel all over the place was nothing to do with her...it was to do with editing and production in order to make a great story.

It might have been disappointing you guys, but it did make a big impression on "civilians" and any kind of PR for this kind of issue is good PR.

Lynn
Lynn White MSc FCOptom
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Clinical Director, UltraVision

email: lynn.white@lwvc.co.uk

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Susan Mason
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Re: Katie Piper - The Science of Seeing

Postby Susan Mason » Sat 11 Feb 2012 1:16 am

wish I hadn't asked now, was just curious about anti rejection pills. Still do not believe I have been 'harsh' on anyone. :|
don't let the people that mean nothing to you get you down, because in the end they are worth nothing to you, they are just your obstacles in life to trip you up!

caroline6505
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Re: Katie Piper - The Science of Seeing

Postby caroline6505 » Sun 12 Feb 2012 11:57 am

Lynn White wrote:So.. to get to the point!! Yes you guys are being harsh on Katie as she has no editorial control over the programme. Direct your ire at the programme makers... The decision to make her travel all over the place was nothing to do with her...it was to do with editing and production in order to make a great story.



No one is being harsh on Katie – I think most of us as astute enough to know that how the programme is edited, etc is outwith Katie's control. References to 'Katie' in posts (certainly in mine) likely refer to the programme makers, editors, producers, etc, and so are not pesonal. Having gone through surgery myself, and although I've done a bit of research, I wouldn't class myself as an expert (far from it) and I don't think that puts forum members in a different class as such, other than perhaps we have more of an interest and perhaps higher expectations in terms of the scientific programme content (the mere title of the programme suggested it would be more scientific). There were things in the programme that were positive - the outcome for starters. I had an appointment at the Centre for Sight on Friday and had a brief discussion with staff about the programme - one commented that, for them, it was good to see the personal side of things i.e. the patient's thoughts and feelings, what happens when they're at home - coping with mediation, eye drops, etc etc.

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Susan Mason
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Re: Katie Piper - The Science of Seeing

Postby Susan Mason » Sun 12 Feb 2012 5:17 pm

Caroline

Please can you correct your last post the starting paragraph, Susan Mason wrote ..... the following comment was not mine, it was in the post by Lynn White.

Thank you

Susan
don't let the people that mean nothing to you get you down, because in the end they are worth nothing to you, they are just your obstacles in life to trip you up!

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Anne Klepacz
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Re: Katie Piper - The Science of Seeing

Postby Anne Klepacz » Sun 12 Feb 2012 6:17 pm

Susan, I've corrected the quote so it's now attributed to the right person.
And I think I'll lock this topic before anyone gets upset. I'm not sure why such an interesting programme has generated all this controversy. I'm sure we all wish Katie the very best. And she's done a great deal to raise the whole topic of corneal donation, which can only be a good thing.
Anne


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