February 27, 2024 • 20 mins
Clearly KC host Dr. Melissa Barnett OD meets up with Myeisha Essex of Los Angeles to discuss tips, tricks and hacks to simplify life with keratoconus. Myeisha shares her KC journey from diagnosis during graduate school to her career as an entertainment journalist. Her eye doctor convinced Myeisha to refocus on her vision health, and she left long days under bright studio lights to start Essex Media Group and to work as a meditation and wellness coach. Since she has transitioned to a mindfulness advocate, Myeisha has learned to slow down and pay attention to life’s lessons. In their conversation, Dr. Barnett mentions the Scleral Lens Education Society (www.sclerallens.org) as a resource for finding an expert in fitting scleral contact lenses. Learn more about Myeisha’s activities at www.myeishaessex.com.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:06):
Welcome to episode 22 of the Clearly KC podcast, featuring information about life with Keratoconus.
Today, we're going to talk about tips, tricks, and hacks to simplify your life with KC.
I'm your host, Dr.
Melissa Barnett.
We are joined by Maisha Essex, a leading voice in the wellness community.
She's a purpose coach, wellness advocate, journalist, and digital marketing specialist.
(00:31):
She currently serves as a communications manager for Black Women for Wellness and is the founder of Essex Media Group.
I am so excited for this episode and I can't wait to learn from you.
Welcome.
Thank you, Dr.
Barnett.
.999I'm excited to be here.
Well, I am thrilled to have you.
So let's start.
(00:52):
Please share a little bit about your journey with Casey.
Yes.
I was diagnosed with keratoconus when I was 22. 18 00:01:01,144.999 --> 00:01:03,555 I was in graduate school at the time.
.999I went to Columbia so I was in New York, so I was far away from family. 20 00:01:08,14.999 --> 00:01:11,225 And I wore glasses for a few years.
But as my condition started to progress, my glasses needed to change really often.
(01:16):
I was in graduate school, I was busy, but then I would have to go to the eye doctor like every month because my glasses wouldn't work anymore.
And finally, I went to see an ophthalmologist because the optometrist said, I think you need to see someone who's a specialist.
.999And because I was in New York and I didn't have my regular doctor there.
(01:38):
I just walked into the doctor's office and I was like, I don't know if you guys take my student insurance, but something's happening with my eyes and I really would love if you would see me and I'm so grateful that the ophthalmologist just let me walk in and saw me and that's how I was diagnosed with keratoconus.
Oh, well, that's great.
How you just walked in and just was seen right away.
(02:00):
That's wonderful.
.002So then what happened after the diagnosis? Did you try other sorts of things? After the diagnosis, I just had to get new, prescriptions of glasses. 30 00:02:11,591.66766667 --> 00:02:16,101.66766667 And so I did that until after I graduated and I moved back to California. 31 00:02:16,696.66766667 --> 00:02:24,126.66766667 And I just graduated, I didn't have a job yet, so I didn't have the insurance to cover the type of care that I needed. 32 00:02:24,896.66766667 --> 00:02:29,286.66766667 One thing I can say about my Care to Cone ish journey is I've always been an advocate for myself. 33 00:02:29,716.66766667 --> 00:02:31,536.66716667 Even the way that you and I met Dr. 34 00:02:31,536.66716667 --> 00:02:37,916.66766667 Barnett, I'm that girl who's gonna DM, I'm gonna email, I'm gonna find the doctor, find the new treatments. 35 00:02:38,316.66766667 --> 00:02:40,886.66766667 I always try to stay as proactive as I can. 36 00:02:41,336.66766667 --> 00:02:51,631.66766667 So once I landed my first job in journalism, I was working at a studio, one of the side effects of my keratoconus, obviously, is extreme light sensitivity. 37 00:02:51,761.66766667 --> 00:02:55,711.66716667 And I was on studio sets all the time, and I just couldn't function. 38 00:02:56,171.66716667 --> 00:03:04,331.66716667 When I went to the eye doctor, I told them, and so we realized that I needed to start wearing lenses because the glasses were no longer correcting it. 39 00:03:04,361.66716667 --> 00:03:08,791.66716667 I started with hybrid lenses, which worked for me for a few years. 40 00:03:09,946.66716667 --> 00:03:14,366.76716667 Hybrid lenses were not my favorite out of all the care, those are not my favorite at all. 41 00:03:14,906.76716667 --> 00:03:19,326.76716667 But I did those for probably the first five years that I started wearing lenses. 42 00:03:20,696.76716667 --> 00:03:24,421.76716667 And then did you move on to a different type of lens? Yes. 43 00:03:24,451.76716667 --> 00:03:32,911.76716667 Are you wearing scleral lenses or corneal gas permeable lenses at this time? I currently wear scleral lenses, which are my favorite lenses out of all of them. 44 00:03:33,351.76716667 --> 00:03:39,371.76616667 One of the main things with my keratoconus I can say is I experience corneal abrasions very often. 45 00:03:39,911.76716667 --> 00:04:04,951.76816667 My eye doctor told me more often than his regular patients it's multiple reasons of why that happens for me mainly because I work in media So I'm used to working very very long hours on sets and in front of computer screens and my eyes get tired really quickly and when my eyes get weak then I'll experience an abrasion or obviously if I take them out wrong. 46 00:04:05,201.76816667 --> 00:04:06,441.76816667 It's just so many different things. 47 00:04:06,791.76816667 --> 00:04:11,11.76816667 But I wear squirrel lenses now and I'm a complete fan of squirrel lenses. 48 00:04:11,711.76816667 --> 00:04:21,76.76816667 I think one of my favorite parts about it is that I also experience dry eyes and with my squirrel lens it's a kind of Kills two birds with one stone. 49 00:04:22,966.76816667 --> 00:04:24,146.76816667 That's a good way to put it. 50 00:04:24,146.86816667 --> 00:04:26,376.76816667 That's exactly right. 51 00:04:26,376.76816667 --> 00:04:31,476.76816667 Because the post lens fluid reservoir of a scleral lens bays the ocular surface. 52 00:04:31,486.76816667 --> 00:04:33,106.76766667 So it is a treatment for dry eye. 53 00:04:33,106.76766667 --> 00:04:34,466.76816667 Even severe dry eye. 54 00:04:35,6.76816667 --> 00:04:39,236.76816667 And I find many of my patients with keratoconus also have severe dry eye too. 55 00:04:39,921.76816667 --> 00:04:45,591.76816667 And scleral lenses are wonderful because they're stable and they don't fall off the eye or anything like that. 56 00:04:46,411.76816667 --> 00:04:50,171.76816667 You mentioned that you made a career shift due to your eyes. 57 00:04:50,811.76816667 --> 00:05:11,71.76816667 So what are you doing now? Yeah, so I still work in media, but my eye doctor and I, we actually came up with a solution together I would call him all the time because I would have a cornea abrasion and I wouldn't be able to drive because I can't drive without my lenses and my eyes would be so irritated that I couldn't wear my lenses. 58 00:05:11,886.76816667 --> 00:05:17,206.76816667 So I would email him and I was like, I need a doctor's note because I can't work this week, I just have to rest. 59 00:05:17,696.76816667 --> 00:05:20,436.76816667 And that started to get excessive. 60 00:05:20,876.76816667 --> 00:05:22,586.76716667 We had to have a real conversation. 61 00:05:22,636.76816667 --> 00:05:25,496.76716667 At the time I was a senior editor at Entertainment Tonight. 62 00:05:25,856.76816667 --> 00:05:28,616.76816667 I was on set all day and I worked in news. 63 00:05:28,626.76816667 --> 00:05:32,666.76816667 So I was working crazy hours and we just had to have a real conversation. 64 00:05:32,666.76816667 --> 00:05:35,886.76816667 And he's like, you know, you only get one set of eyes. 65 00:05:36,331.76816667 --> 00:05:39,891.76816667 And unfortunately, you have a more severe case of keratoconus. 66 00:05:40,301.76816667 --> 00:05:49,281.76816667 We have to be realistic about the work you do in putting yourself in a situation that actually nourishes you and can benefit you for the long term. 67 00:05:49,851.76816667 --> 00:05:52,391.76816667 He suggested maybe I start my own company. 68 00:05:52,681.76916667 --> 00:06:00,551.76916667 And he's like, and if you do that, then you can outsource some of the work and also you can choose your hours and you can work when your eyes are healthy and well. 69 00:06:01,891.76916667 --> 00:06:03,501.76916667 And I was like, I think that's a good idea. 70 00:06:04,81.76916667 --> 00:06:04,541.76916667 Right. 71 00:06:04,561.76916667 --> 00:06:13,971.76916667 So I let go of my position, which was kind of hard because I was 31 at the time and I'd worked my whole career to get to this point. 72 00:06:13,971.76916667 --> 00:06:17,391.76916667 Like I had the salary, the corner office, the title. 73 00:06:17,891.76916667 --> 00:06:25,191.76916667 I always wanted to be this big time editor, journalist, and I finally made it by the time I got there, my eyes just couldn't handle. 74 00:06:25,821.76916667 --> 00:06:29,831.76916667 12 hour days like I could in my twenties, it just wasn't realistic for me. 75 00:06:30,661.76916667 --> 00:06:39,981.76916667 When I left, I started my own marketing agency and it's been the best decision ever because I'm able to give out assignments to my team. 76 00:06:40,1.76916667 --> 00:06:44,431.76816667 And I'm also able to take on the work when my eyes are in a healthier place. 77 00:06:45,556.76916667 --> 00:06:53,826.76916667 But one of the funny things that I learned from that is, is I actually experience less cornea abrasions now because my eyes aren't overworked. 78 00:06:53,876.86916667 --> 00:07:02,516.86966667 I started to think, I used to drive home really late at night and my eyes would be tired and it just wasn't a healthy situation for me anymore. 79 00:07:02,886.87066667 --> 00:07:06,546.87066667 But now I don't experience as many abrasions because I can wear my contacts. 80 00:07:06,911.87066667 --> 00:07:18,881.87066667 I try to take them out at the 7 hour mark if I can, but before I would wear them probably honestly like 12 hours a day and now I have a little bit more control over that. 81 00:07:20,431.87066667 --> 00:07:21,451.87066667 Wonderful. 82 00:07:21,601.87066667 --> 00:07:29,621.87066667 Well, tell us more about the Essex Media Group and I love your motto, which is living in purpose is the best self care. 83 00:07:30,371.87066667 --> 00:07:31,41.87066667 Yes. 84 00:07:31,441.87066667 --> 00:07:32,961.87066667 I actually made a transition. 85 00:07:32,961.87066667 --> 00:07:36,1.87066667 I started my career in entertainment journalism, as I told you. 86 00:07:36,341.86966667 --> 00:07:42,221.87066667 And when I started my agency, I really wanted to do work that felt empowering for me. 87 00:07:42,271.87066667 --> 00:07:57,996.87066667 When I walked away from journalism in the traditional sense, I kind of had this I don't know, come to self type of realization moment, because I had to realize who am I without being a journalist or an entertainment journalist in that way, because I had worked my whole career to get there. 88 00:07:58,506.87066667 --> 00:08:05,176.87016667 And so I just had a moment where I had to realize who am I without this career that I dedicated my whole life to. 89 00:08:05,786.87016667 --> 00:08:08,496.87016667 And I really went on this beautiful wellness journey. 90 00:08:09,141.87016667 --> 00:08:15,321.87016667 And through that I started meditating, I started pouring a lot into my self care. 91 00:08:15,741.87016667 --> 00:08:24,891.87016667 I saw a holistic wellness doctor and I started getting all of these tips that actually helped with my wellness as a whole. 92 00:08:25,251.87016667 --> 00:08:31,961.87016667 Once I started to learn those practices, I got really excited about teaching the same tools that I learned to my community. 93 00:08:32,491.87016667 --> 00:08:36,221.87016667 I think our purpose is a lot deeper than just what our job titles are. 94 00:08:36,691.87016667 --> 00:08:39,981.87016667 Our purpose is the gifts that we share with people. 95 00:08:40,441.87016667 --> 00:08:44,781.86916667 And when we go to sleep at night, what makes us feel fulfilled. 96 00:08:45,191.86916667 --> 00:08:51,401.86916667 For me, I had to realize my purpose was so much more than this career that I had to walk away from. 97 00:08:51,401.86916667 --> 00:08:53,871.86916667 It was more about what I had to contribute to the world. 98 00:08:53,901.86916667 --> 00:08:56,51.86916667 And I can do that in any lane that I want to. 99 00:08:57,731.86916667 --> 00:08:58,811.86916667 So beautiful. 100 00:08:59,551.86916667 --> 00:08:59,981.86916667 Thank you. 101 00:08:59,981.86916667 --> 00:09:11,321.86816667 One of the things that I learned from the holistic wellness doctor that I worked with was that my cornea abrasions, a lot of that had to do with when there's mineral deficiencies in my body. 102 00:09:12,81.86816667 --> 00:09:25,501.86916667 And I found out that I was vitamin D deficient and I don't know the exact connections with that and keratoconus, but I started to recognize every time I got sick, like I remember during 2020 when I had got COVID. 103 00:09:26,136.86916667 --> 00:09:29,286.86916667 My both of my cornea abrasions in both of my eyes. 104 00:09:29,746.86916667 --> 00:09:35,186.86916667 So when I had COVID, I lost my eyesight, I lost my nose, and I lost my smell. 105 00:09:35,786.86916667 --> 00:09:43,406.86916667 And then I realized after that every time I get sick, even if it's a common cold, I'll get abrasions in my eyes and I can't wear my contacts. 106 00:09:43,966.86816667 --> 00:09:53,506.86816667 The holistic doctor told me that it could be a mineral deficiency in my body and maybe my body is pulling from my eyes as like the first thing. 107 00:09:54,221.86816667 --> 00:09:58,881.86816667 And so I have to feed myself vitamins and nutrients on a regular basis. 108 00:09:59,891.86816667 --> 00:10:03,601.86816667 Now I take vitamin D pills and I make sea moss gel. 109 00:10:03,601.86816667 --> 00:10:05,201.86816667 I don't know if you're familiar with sea moss. 110 00:10:05,291.86816667 --> 00:10:06,931.86816667 Oh, tell me about sea moss gel. 111 00:10:07,121.86816667 --> 00:10:07,701.86816667 Yes. 112 00:10:07,801.86816667 --> 00:10:09,831.86916667 Sea moss, it comes from the sea. 113 00:10:10,461.86816667 --> 00:10:13,781.86866667 It's part of the seaweed family, but there's minerals in it. 114 00:10:13,881.86866667 --> 00:10:18,211.86966667 And I make sea moss gel and I eat sea moss every single day. 115 00:10:18,681.86966667 --> 00:10:28,531.86966667 And that helps put a lot of the nutrition's back into my body, and I've noticed the difference when I travel and I don't do my CMOS, then my eyes will get weak. 116 00:10:28,601.86866667 --> 00:10:35,931.86866667 But when I am do my CMOS every day and I do my herbs and I take my vitamins, my eyes are healthy and strong. 117 00:10:35,971.86966667 --> 00:10:39,101.87016667 That's a really big part of my self care regimen now. 118 00:10:39,656.87016667 --> 00:10:40,486.87016667 Interesting. 119 00:10:40,496.87016667 --> 00:10:48,146.87016667 I'm very familiar with a lot of studies on vitamin D and dry eye and vitamin D deficiency, but not CMOS. 120 00:10:48,146.87016667 --> 00:10:49,116.87016667 I'm going to have to look that up. 121 00:10:50,126.87016667 --> 00:10:56,766.86916667 Is vitamin D deficiency, do you think it's a direct cause of keratoconus? Not keratoconus, but dry eye. 122 00:10:57,66.87016667 --> 00:10:59,706.87016667 So there are lots of studies on dry eye. 123 00:11:00,226.87016667 --> 00:11:03,116.77016667 And that would make sense with the corneal abrasions. 124 00:11:03,116.87016667 --> 00:11:04,986.87016667 So I need to look more into CMOS. 125 00:11:05,86.87016667 --> 00:11:06,746.87016667 I really haven't heard about it. 126 00:11:06,881.97016667 --> 00:11:11,21.87016667 But share other tips for us. 127 00:11:11,21.87016667 --> 00:11:17,461.87016667 What else do you do? How do you help us to maintain your keratoconus? Yes. 128 00:11:17,471.87016667 --> 00:11:19,941.87016667 So CMOS is a really, really big one for me. 129 00:11:20,311.87016667 --> 00:11:23,441.87016667 Also, I never travel anywhere without my eye kit. 130 00:11:23,501.86916667 --> 00:11:25,321.86916667 That's the number one thing. 131 00:11:25,991.86916667 --> 00:11:29,991.87016667 And what's in your eye kit? So I have my plungers and I always have extra. 132 00:11:30,41.87016667 --> 00:11:32,371.87016667 So I have a small plunger and a big plunger. 133 00:11:33,171.87016667 --> 00:11:36,500.7475 I don't know if that's the proper name for them, but that's what I call it. 134 00:11:36,500.7475 --> 00:11:38,91.87016667 Yes, that's a good finding. 135 00:11:38,996.87016667 --> 00:11:47,466.87066667 And I have my eye solution, and I have an eye solution that's a gel solution, and then I have more of the regular solution base, water base. 136 00:11:47,811.87066667 --> 00:11:48,381.87066667 solution. 137 00:11:49,431.87066667 --> 00:11:57,21.87066667 And yes, and my eye drops and I use liquify eye drops for my red eyes, which I use almost daily. 138 00:11:58,371.87066667 --> 00:12:00,21.87066667 And so I keep that in my kit. 139 00:12:00,141.87066667 --> 00:12:14,331.86966667 And then I also keep two cases for my lenses, because I crack my lenses a lot I'm that Keratoconus patient who's always calling, they're like 400 when I get a new one, but I'm always calling for more. 140 00:12:14,331.86966667 --> 00:12:15,341.86966667 I try to get backup. 141 00:12:15,946.86966667 --> 00:12:20,756.86966667 And so I have two cases, one for my current lenses and then one for my backup lenses. 142 00:12:21,256.86966667 --> 00:12:27,986.86966667 And I also put Q tips in my kit because sometimes when I wear makeup, I'll get smudges on my lenses. 143 00:12:28,526.86966667 --> 00:12:36,286.86966667 And when I'm driving, especially at night because my eyes are extremely sensitive to light, I'll get smudges on my eyes and I can't see. 144 00:12:36,676.86966667 --> 00:12:41,576.86966667 So I have to pull over a lot and just use my solution and I'll use a Q tip to clean. 145 00:12:42,346.86966667 --> 00:12:50,206.86916667 But it's really important for me, and if I leave home and forget my eye kit, I'll get anxiety because it'll be that one time that I need it. 146 00:12:50,206.86916667 --> 00:12:52,346.86866667 Your lens will crack or break or something. 147 00:12:53,236.86966667 --> 00:13:00,846.86866667 Also when I fly on the airplane, I only wear one of my squirrel lenses, so I have, one of my eyes is significantly more severe than the other. 148 00:13:01,631.86966667 --> 00:13:05,231.86966667 And I don't sleep in my lenses, but I do like to sleep on the airplane. 149 00:13:05,771.86966667 --> 00:13:15,331.86966667 And so I only wear the lens in my stronger eye just because if I happen to get an abrasion, at least not in both eyes. 150 00:13:16,341.86966667 --> 00:13:18,571.86866667 So I'll only sleep in my left eye one. 151 00:13:18,591.86966667 --> 00:13:23,521.86966667 And then once I get off the plane, I'll always put my, the left lens in. 152 00:13:23,541.86966667 --> 00:13:28,191.86966667 So I kind of swapped them out when I travel just to give my eyes a break. 153 00:13:29,961.86966667 --> 00:13:32,71.86966667 Seems like you figured this out. 154 00:13:32,71.86966667 --> 00:13:39,406.91766667 This spare pair of scleral lenses has actually been a hot topic that is really significant. 155 00:13:39,646.91866667 --> 00:13:42,826.91866667 And so, yes, some people lose a lens or break a lens. 156 00:13:43,396.91766667 --> 00:13:46,996.91866667 It's a discussion that we've been having over the years. 157 00:13:47,46.91866667 --> 00:13:51,626.91866667 And I'm glad that you brought that up because it's important. 158 00:13:51,901.91866667 --> 00:13:59,811.91816667 Bringing that back to the manufacturers and the industry that this is actually something that is important to people is great. 159 00:13:59,811.91816667 --> 00:14:01,461.91816667 Thank you for bringing that up. 160 00:14:02,31.91716667 --> 00:14:12,981.91816667 That also really concerns me sometimes, too, because I know that there's some people who can't afford just 1, 200 for new lenses, or they crack or lose a lens. 161 00:14:13,41.91816667 --> 00:14:15,231.91816667 Not everyone just has 400 to get a new lens. 162 00:14:15,241.91816667 --> 00:14:16,961.91816667 That's the conversation we're having. 163 00:14:16,971.91816667 --> 00:14:17,1.91816667 Yes. 164 00:14:17,536.91816667 --> 00:14:32,216.91716667 And so that's why I know that I'm blessed at the fact that I can even afford to have an extra lens, but it really concerns me for people who don't have health insurance or who don't have that extra type of cash to just spend because it's literally a medical necessity. 165 00:14:32,216.91816667 --> 00:14:34,146.91816667 I'm legally blind without them. 166 00:14:34,186.91716667 --> 00:14:39,586.91816667 And so it just makes me nervous for other people who have keratoconus and have to live with just that one pair. 167 00:14:40,31.91816667 --> 00:15:04,716.91816667 Yeah, that's exactly the conversation we're having because we know that everyone cannot afford them and scleral lenses I believe really change people's lives and I have the opportunity which is amazing to go and teach other Doctors how to fit scleral lenses and it not only changes the lives of their patients I truly believe it changes the lives of communities It changes the doctor. 168 00:15:04,716.91816667 --> 00:15:05,696.91816667 It changes the patient. 169 00:15:05,696.91816667 --> 00:15:10,356.91816667 But communities when people can see and work and drive and do everything they want to do. 170 00:15:10,966.91816667 --> 00:15:15,496.91816667 So yes, I'm for that work you do because I'm serious. 171 00:15:15,506.91716667 --> 00:15:21,886.91716667 Finding a good doctor who can fit you well for lenses is not as common as you think. 172 00:15:21,966.91716667 --> 00:15:26,746.91816667 I've gone through multiple eye doctors over the years and my current eye doctor. 173 00:15:26,756.91816667 --> 00:15:28,296.91816667 Shout out to Dr Bali. 174 00:15:28,706.91816667 --> 00:15:29,646.91816667 He's amazing. 175 00:15:30,56.91716667 --> 00:15:31,776.91716667 But he's amazing. 176 00:15:32,266.91716667 --> 00:15:38,256.91716667 Such an expert in fitting my lenses, and I just know how long that process is. 177 00:15:38,626.91716667 --> 00:15:45,446.91716667 So thank you for doing that work to teach other doctors, because as a patient, it's just very emotional going through that whole process. 178 00:15:45,476.91716667 --> 00:15:46,56.91716667 It hurts. 179 00:15:46,176.91716667 --> 00:15:47,206.91716667 It's painful. 180 00:15:47,216.91716667 --> 00:15:48,666.91716667 You want a solution. 181 00:15:48,666.91716667 --> 00:15:50,226.91716667 So thank you for that. 182 00:15:50,606.91716667 --> 00:15:52,56.91716667 And you're welcome. 183 00:15:52,56.91716667 --> 00:16:02,586.91716667 And you're exactly right that it's a process and a great resource for patients and practitioners is the Scleral Lens Education Society, where you can find a practitioner. 184 00:16:02,666.91716667 --> 00:16:06,186.91716667 That's a practitioner who is specialized in scleral lens fitting. 185 00:16:07,116.91716667 --> 00:16:10,166.91716667 In our conversations, I don't know if we talked. 186 00:16:10,436.91716667 --> 00:16:12,546.91716667 about my meditation practice. 187 00:16:12,566.91716667 --> 00:16:14,336.91716667 I've been meditating for many years. 188 00:16:14,386.91716667 --> 00:16:16,406.91716667 I've been doing yoga for many, many years. 189 00:16:17,6.91716667 --> 00:16:19,796.91716667 I'm actually from close to where you live. 190 00:16:20,466.91716667 --> 00:16:27,326.91616667 And I read that you create safe spaces for people of color to deepen their meditation practice. 191 00:16:27,656.91616667 --> 00:16:28,946.91716667 I'd love to learn more about that. 192 00:16:29,46.91716667 --> 00:16:30,406.91716667 Oh, awesome. 193 00:16:30,416.91716667 --> 00:16:31,46.91716667 Yes. 194 00:16:31,536.91716667 --> 00:16:35,256.91716667 So I used to work at Calm, which is the sleep and meditation app. 195 00:16:35,821.91716667 --> 00:16:40,691.9171667 I was the head of social there and I absolutely love this work. 196 00:16:40,701.9171667 --> 00:16:44,601.9171667 When I left entertainment news, I really wanted to do work. 197 00:16:44,641.9171667 --> 00:16:45,471.9171667 That was a lot. 198 00:16:46,46.9171667 --> 00:17:10,786.9171667 More connected to where like my personal life was it's funny the connection here, but my meditation practice actually got really deep during seasons of my keratoconus being bad because I couldn't see, I couldn't see, so I couldn't watch television and in the days when I couldn't work, I would just, and abrasion before, but they're very painful. 199 00:17:11,711.9171667 --> 00:17:15,281.9171667 I probably should explain what it is, it's a scar on your cornea. 200 00:17:16,471.9171667 --> 00:17:22,11.9171667 And if you get them really deep, it's even too painful to move your eyeball. 201 00:17:22,61.9171667 --> 00:17:25,461.9161667 And so our eyes move in synchronicity together. 202 00:17:25,461.9171667 --> 00:17:28,771.9171667 So if I move this eye, this eye is going to move and it's extremely painful. 203 00:17:29,271.9171667 --> 00:17:35,241.9171667 And so I remember I got an abrasion really bad and I couldn't watch TV. 204 00:17:35,241.9171667 --> 00:17:35,891.9171667 I couldn't work. 205 00:17:35,891.9171667 --> 00:17:36,651.9171667 I couldn't do anything. 206 00:17:36,651.9171667 --> 00:17:47,611.9171667 So I was just laying in bed and I would start listening to podcasts and then I would just start listening to meditation music on YouTube because I needed something to help me sleep. 207 00:17:47,941.9161667 --> 00:17:50,271.9171667 And that's actually how my meditation practice started. 208 00:17:50,701.9171667 --> 00:17:50,991.9171667 Wow. 209 00:17:51,441.9171667 --> 00:17:51,791.9171667 Yes. 210 00:17:52,131.9161667 --> 00:18:00,641.9171667 And so it started to become this thing that I needed to do every day that helped me deal with my mental health, my anxiety. 211 00:18:00,881.9171667 --> 00:18:05,681.9171667 overwhelm, burnout, stress, and it just kind of got deeper and deeper. 212 00:18:06,21.9171667 --> 00:18:16,831.9171667 And from there, I really realized I wanted to start teaching or at least creating spaces for people of color to start to explore, just the healing benefits of mindfulness and meditation. 213 00:18:17,721.9171667 --> 00:18:28,251.9176667 Yes, so now I travel, I have a group and we just got back from Baltimore this past weekend and we host meditation experiences to teach people how to tap in. 214 00:18:29,486.9176667 --> 00:18:30,926.9176667 Oh, how wonderful. 215 00:18:32,416.9176667 --> 00:18:46,816.9166667 Do you travel all over? Can I go? Yes! Can I invite myself to your meditation room? Yes! So our meditations, it includes a sound bath, it's breath work, and a guided meditation, and yes, we travel. 216 00:18:46,826.9176667 --> 00:18:50,366.9166667 Our main hubs currently, it's Los Angeles, Baltimore, D. 217 00:18:50,366.9166667 --> 00:18:50,936.9166667 C., 218 00:18:50,966.9166667 --> 00:18:52,106.9166667 and then Atlanta. 219 00:18:53,16.9176667 --> 00:19:11,386.9176667 It's really a gift that I get to share with people that it's something that came out of my character Kona's experience that I would have never thought of, but it's been the biggest gift for me really to know how to just kind of slow down and embrace whatever life is giving to you. 220 00:19:11,526.9176667 --> 00:19:15,356.9176667 Whatever cards life is handing to you, there's something that. 221 00:19:15,941.9176667 --> 00:19:18,971.9176667 Life wants to teach you at that particular moment. 222 00:19:19,341.9176667 --> 00:19:29,881.9176667 And it's our job to figure out what is the lesson in this? How can I transmute this energy? Whether I'm feeling excited or negative or angry or frustrated. 223 00:19:30,141.9166667 --> 00:19:35,716.9176667 How do I let this work for my higher good? And that's really what meditation has done for me. 224 00:19:35,716.9176667 --> 00:19:43,996.9176667 It's like, sit still and what is the lesson that life has tried to teach me at this exact moment? And the quicker I learned the lesson, the quicker it'll pass. 225 00:19:46,296.9166667 --> 00:19:47,396.9176667 Oh, that's wonderful. 226 00:19:47,426.9176667 --> 00:19:50,796.9156667 Well, I'm not too far from LA, so I'll meet up with you there. 227 00:19:50,826.9166667 --> 00:19:51,436.9166667 Yes. 228 00:19:52,106.9166667 --> 00:19:52,196.9166667 Okay. 229 00:19:53,961.9166667 --> 00:20:03,361.9166667 Maisha, thank you so much for sharing all of the tips and tricks and hacks to simplify your life with keratoconus on the Clearly KC podcast. 230 00:20:03,781.9166667 --> 00:20:07,851.9166667 For all of our listeners, thank you so much for joining us on Clearly KC. 231 00:20:08,211.9166667 --> 00:20:16,151.9166667 Please listen to all the episodes of our podcast on Podbean or your favorite podcast app to subscribe and get future episodes. 232 00:20:16,531.9166667 --> 00:20:17,741.9166667 For now, I'm Dr. 233 00:20:17,741.9166667 --> 00:20:18,571.9166667 Melissa Barnett. 234 00:20:19,71.9166667 --> 00:20:21,851.9166667 Please join us next time on Clearly KC. 235 00:20:22,161.9166667 --> 00:20:22,851.9156667 Thank you. 236 00:20:23,701.9166667 --> 00:20:24,501.9156667 Thank you.
Welcome to episode 22 of the Clearly KC podcast, featuring information about life with Keratoconus.
Today, we're going to talk about tips, tricks, and hacks to simplify your life with KC.
I'm your host, Dr.
Melissa Barnett.
We are joined by Maisha Essex, a leading voice in the wellness community.
She's a purpose coach, wellness advocate, journalist, and digital marketing specialist.
(00:31):
She currently serves as a communications manager for Black Women for Wellness and is the founder of Essex Media Group.
I am so excited for this episode and I can't wait to learn from you.
Welcome.
Thank you, Dr.
Barnett.
.999I'm excited to be here.
Well, I am thrilled to have you.
So let's start.
(00:52):
Please share a little bit about your journey with Casey.
Yes.
I was diagnosed with keratoconus when I was 22. 18 00:01:01,144.999 --> 00:01:03,555 I was in graduate school at the time.
.999I went to Columbia so I was in New York, so I was far away from family. 20 00:01:08,14.999 --> 00:01:11,225 And I wore glasses for a few years.
But as my condition started to progress, my glasses needed to change really often.
(01:16):
I was in graduate school, I was busy, but then I would have to go to the eye doctor like every month because my glasses wouldn't work anymore.
And finally, I went to see an ophthalmologist because the optometrist said, I think you need to see someone who's a specialist.
.999And because I was in New York and I didn't have my regular doctor there.
(01:38):
I just walked into the doctor's office and I was like, I don't know if you guys take my student insurance, but something's happening with my eyes and I really would love if you would see me and I'm so grateful that the ophthalmologist just let me walk in and saw me and that's how I was diagnosed with keratoconus.
Oh, well, that's great.
How you just walked in and just was seen right away.
(02:00):
That's wonderful.
.002So then what happened after the diagnosis? Did you try other sorts of things? After the diagnosis, I just had to get new, prescriptions of glasses. 30 00:02:11,591.66766667 --> 00:02:16,101.66766667 And so I did that until after I graduated and I moved back to California. 31 00:02:16,696.66766667 --> 00:02:24,126.66766667 And I just graduated, I didn't have a job yet, so I didn't have the insurance to cover the type of care that I needed. 32 00:02:24,896.66766667 --> 00:02:29,286.66766667 One thing I can say about my Care to Cone ish journey is I've always been an advocate for myself. 33 00:02:29,716.66766667 --> 00:02:31,536.66716667 Even the way that you and I met Dr. 34 00:02:31,536.66716667 --> 00:02:37,916.66766667 Barnett, I'm that girl who's gonna DM, I'm gonna email, I'm gonna find the doctor, find the new treatments. 35 00:02:38,316.66766667 --> 00:02:40,886.66766667 I always try to stay as proactive as I can. 36 00:02:41,336.66766667 --> 00:02:51,631.66766667 So once I landed my first job in journalism, I was working at a studio, one of the side effects of my keratoconus, obviously, is extreme light sensitivity. 37 00:02:51,761.66766667 --> 00:02:55,711.66716667 And I was on studio sets all the time, and I just couldn't function. 38 00:02:56,171.66716667 --> 00:03:04,331.66716667 When I went to the eye doctor, I told them, and so we realized that I needed to start wearing lenses because the glasses were no longer correcting it. 39 00:03:04,361.66716667 --> 00:03:08,791.66716667 I started with hybrid lenses, which worked for me for a few years. 40 00:03:09,946.66716667 --> 00:03:14,366.76716667 Hybrid lenses were not my favorite out of all the care, those are not my favorite at all. 41 00:03:14,906.76716667 --> 00:03:19,326.76716667 But I did those for probably the first five years that I started wearing lenses. 42 00:03:20,696.76716667 --> 00:03:24,421.76716667 And then did you move on to a different type of lens? Yes. 43 00:03:24,451.76716667 --> 00:03:32,911.76716667 Are you wearing scleral lenses or corneal gas permeable lenses at this time? I currently wear scleral lenses, which are my favorite lenses out of all of them. 44 00:03:33,351.76716667 --> 00:03:39,371.76616667 One of the main things with my keratoconus I can say is I experience corneal abrasions very often. 45 00:03:39,911.76716667 --> 00:04:04,951.76816667 My eye doctor told me more often than his regular patients it's multiple reasons of why that happens for me mainly because I work in media So I'm used to working very very long hours on sets and in front of computer screens and my eyes get tired really quickly and when my eyes get weak then I'll experience an abrasion or obviously if I take them out wrong. 46 00:04:05,201.76816667 --> 00:04:06,441.76816667 It's just so many different things. 47 00:04:06,791.76816667 --> 00:04:11,11.76816667 But I wear squirrel lenses now and I'm a complete fan of squirrel lenses. 48 00:04:11,711.76816667 --> 00:04:21,76.76816667 I think one of my favorite parts about it is that I also experience dry eyes and with my squirrel lens it's a kind of Kills two birds with one stone. 49 00:04:22,966.76816667 --> 00:04:24,146.76816667 That's a good way to put it. 50 00:04:24,146.86816667 --> 00:04:26,376.76816667 That's exactly right. 51 00:04:26,376.76816667 --> 00:04:31,476.76816667 Because the post lens fluid reservoir of a scleral lens bays the ocular surface. 52 00:04:31,486.76816667 --> 00:04:33,106.76766667 So it is a treatment for dry eye. 53 00:04:33,106.76766667 --> 00:04:34,466.76816667 Even severe dry eye. 54 00:04:35,6.76816667 --> 00:04:39,236.76816667 And I find many of my patients with keratoconus also have severe dry eye too. 55 00:04:39,921.76816667 --> 00:04:45,591.76816667 And scleral lenses are wonderful because they're stable and they don't fall off the eye or anything like that. 56 00:04:46,411.76816667 --> 00:04:50,171.76816667 You mentioned that you made a career shift due to your eyes. 57 00:04:50,811.76816667 --> 00:05:11,71.76816667 So what are you doing now? Yeah, so I still work in media, but my eye doctor and I, we actually came up with a solution together I would call him all the time because I would have a cornea abrasion and I wouldn't be able to drive because I can't drive without my lenses and my eyes would be so irritated that I couldn't wear my lenses. 58 00:05:11,886.76816667 --> 00:05:17,206.76816667 So I would email him and I was like, I need a doctor's note because I can't work this week, I just have to rest. 59 00:05:17,696.76816667 --> 00:05:20,436.76816667 And that started to get excessive. 60 00:05:20,876.76816667 --> 00:05:22,586.76716667 We had to have a real conversation. 61 00:05:22,636.76816667 --> 00:05:25,496.76716667 At the time I was a senior editor at Entertainment Tonight. 62 00:05:25,856.76816667 --> 00:05:28,616.76816667 I was on set all day and I worked in news. 63 00:05:28,626.76816667 --> 00:05:32,666.76816667 So I was working crazy hours and we just had to have a real conversation. 64 00:05:32,666.76816667 --> 00:05:35,886.76816667 And he's like, you know, you only get one set of eyes. 65 00:05:36,331.76816667 --> 00:05:39,891.76816667 And unfortunately, you have a more severe case of keratoconus. 66 00:05:40,301.76816667 --> 00:05:49,281.76816667 We have to be realistic about the work you do in putting yourself in a situation that actually nourishes you and can benefit you for the long term. 67 00:05:49,851.76816667 --> 00:05:52,391.76816667 He suggested maybe I start my own company. 68 00:05:52,681.76916667 --> 00:06:00,551.76916667 And he's like, and if you do that, then you can outsource some of the work and also you can choose your hours and you can work when your eyes are healthy and well. 69 00:06:01,891.76916667 --> 00:06:03,501.76916667 And I was like, I think that's a good idea. 70 00:06:04,81.76916667 --> 00:06:04,541.76916667 Right. 71 00:06:04,561.76916667 --> 00:06:13,971.76916667 So I let go of my position, which was kind of hard because I was 31 at the time and I'd worked my whole career to get to this point. 72 00:06:13,971.76916667 --> 00:06:17,391.76916667 Like I had the salary, the corner office, the title. 73 00:06:17,891.76916667 --> 00:06:25,191.76916667 I always wanted to be this big time editor, journalist, and I finally made it by the time I got there, my eyes just couldn't handle. 74 00:06:25,821.76916667 --> 00:06:29,831.76916667 12 hour days like I could in my twenties, it just wasn't realistic for me. 75 00:06:30,661.76916667 --> 00:06:39,981.76916667 When I left, I started my own marketing agency and it's been the best decision ever because I'm able to give out assignments to my team. 76 00:06:40,1.76916667 --> 00:06:44,431.76816667 And I'm also able to take on the work when my eyes are in a healthier place. 77 00:06:45,556.76916667 --> 00:06:53,826.76916667 But one of the funny things that I learned from that is, is I actually experience less cornea abrasions now because my eyes aren't overworked. 78 00:06:53,876.86916667 --> 00:07:02,516.86966667 I started to think, I used to drive home really late at night and my eyes would be tired and it just wasn't a healthy situation for me anymore. 79 00:07:02,886.87066667 --> 00:07:06,546.87066667 But now I don't experience as many abrasions because I can wear my contacts. 80 00:07:06,911.87066667 --> 00:07:18,881.87066667 I try to take them out at the 7 hour mark if I can, but before I would wear them probably honestly like 12 hours a day and now I have a little bit more control over that. 81 00:07:20,431.87066667 --> 00:07:21,451.87066667 Wonderful. 82 00:07:21,601.87066667 --> 00:07:29,621.87066667 Well, tell us more about the Essex Media Group and I love your motto, which is living in purpose is the best self care. 83 00:07:30,371.87066667 --> 00:07:31,41.87066667 Yes. 84 00:07:31,441.87066667 --> 00:07:32,961.87066667 I actually made a transition. 85 00:07:32,961.87066667 --> 00:07:36,1.87066667 I started my career in entertainment journalism, as I told you. 86 00:07:36,341.86966667 --> 00:07:42,221.87066667 And when I started my agency, I really wanted to do work that felt empowering for me. 87 00:07:42,271.87066667 --> 00:07:57,996.87066667 When I walked away from journalism in the traditional sense, I kind of had this I don't know, come to self type of realization moment, because I had to realize who am I without being a journalist or an entertainment journalist in that way, because I had worked my whole career to get there. 88 00:07:58,506.87066667 --> 00:08:05,176.87016667 And so I just had a moment where I had to realize who am I without this career that I dedicated my whole life to. 89 00:08:05,786.87016667 --> 00:08:08,496.87016667 And I really went on this beautiful wellness journey. 90 00:08:09,141.87016667 --> 00:08:15,321.87016667 And through that I started meditating, I started pouring a lot into my self care. 91 00:08:15,741.87016667 --> 00:08:24,891.87016667 I saw a holistic wellness doctor and I started getting all of these tips that actually helped with my wellness as a whole. 92 00:08:25,251.87016667 --> 00:08:31,961.87016667 Once I started to learn those practices, I got really excited about teaching the same tools that I learned to my community. 93 00:08:32,491.87016667 --> 00:08:36,221.87016667 I think our purpose is a lot deeper than just what our job titles are. 94 00:08:36,691.87016667 --> 00:08:39,981.87016667 Our purpose is the gifts that we share with people. 95 00:08:40,441.87016667 --> 00:08:44,781.86916667 And when we go to sleep at night, what makes us feel fulfilled. 96 00:08:45,191.86916667 --> 00:08:51,401.86916667 For me, I had to realize my purpose was so much more than this career that I had to walk away from. 97 00:08:51,401.86916667 --> 00:08:53,871.86916667 It was more about what I had to contribute to the world. 98 00:08:53,901.86916667 --> 00:08:56,51.86916667 And I can do that in any lane that I want to. 99 00:08:57,731.86916667 --> 00:08:58,811.86916667 So beautiful. 100 00:08:59,551.86916667 --> 00:08:59,981.86916667 Thank you. 101 00:08:59,981.86916667 --> 00:09:11,321.86816667 One of the things that I learned from the holistic wellness doctor that I worked with was that my cornea abrasions, a lot of that had to do with when there's mineral deficiencies in my body. 102 00:09:12,81.86816667 --> 00:09:25,501.86916667 And I found out that I was vitamin D deficient and I don't know the exact connections with that and keratoconus, but I started to recognize every time I got sick, like I remember during 2020 when I had got COVID. 103 00:09:26,136.86916667 --> 00:09:29,286.86916667 My both of my cornea abrasions in both of my eyes. 104 00:09:29,746.86916667 --> 00:09:35,186.86916667 So when I had COVID, I lost my eyesight, I lost my nose, and I lost my smell. 105 00:09:35,786.86916667 --> 00:09:43,406.86916667 And then I realized after that every time I get sick, even if it's a common cold, I'll get abrasions in my eyes and I can't wear my contacts. 106 00:09:43,966.86816667 --> 00:09:53,506.86816667 The holistic doctor told me that it could be a mineral deficiency in my body and maybe my body is pulling from my eyes as like the first thing. 107 00:09:54,221.86816667 --> 00:09:58,881.86816667 And so I have to feed myself vitamins and nutrients on a regular basis. 108 00:09:59,891.86816667 --> 00:10:03,601.86816667 Now I take vitamin D pills and I make sea moss gel. 109 00:10:03,601.86816667 --> 00:10:05,201.86816667 I don't know if you're familiar with sea moss. 110 00:10:05,291.86816667 --> 00:10:06,931.86816667 Oh, tell me about sea moss gel. 111 00:10:07,121.86816667 --> 00:10:07,701.86816667 Yes. 112 00:10:07,801.86816667 --> 00:10:09,831.86916667 Sea moss, it comes from the sea. 113 00:10:10,461.86816667 --> 00:10:13,781.86866667 It's part of the seaweed family, but there's minerals in it. 114 00:10:13,881.86866667 --> 00:10:18,211.86966667 And I make sea moss gel and I eat sea moss every single day. 115 00:10:18,681.86966667 --> 00:10:28,531.86966667 And that helps put a lot of the nutrition's back into my body, and I've noticed the difference when I travel and I don't do my CMOS, then my eyes will get weak. 116 00:10:28,601.86866667 --> 00:10:35,931.86866667 But when I am do my CMOS every day and I do my herbs and I take my vitamins, my eyes are healthy and strong. 117 00:10:35,971.86966667 --> 00:10:39,101.87016667 That's a really big part of my self care regimen now. 118 00:10:39,656.87016667 --> 00:10:40,486.87016667 Interesting. 119 00:10:40,496.87016667 --> 00:10:48,146.87016667 I'm very familiar with a lot of studies on vitamin D and dry eye and vitamin D deficiency, but not CMOS. 120 00:10:48,146.87016667 --> 00:10:49,116.87016667 I'm going to have to look that up. 121 00:10:50,126.87016667 --> 00:10:56,766.86916667 Is vitamin D deficiency, do you think it's a direct cause of keratoconus? Not keratoconus, but dry eye. 122 00:10:57,66.87016667 --> 00:10:59,706.87016667 So there are lots of studies on dry eye. 123 00:11:00,226.87016667 --> 00:11:03,116.77016667 And that would make sense with the corneal abrasions. 124 00:11:03,116.87016667 --> 00:11:04,986.87016667 So I need to look more into CMOS. 125 00:11:05,86.87016667 --> 00:11:06,746.87016667 I really haven't heard about it. 126 00:11:06,881.97016667 --> 00:11:11,21.87016667 But share other tips for us. 127 00:11:11,21.87016667 --> 00:11:17,461.87016667 What else do you do? How do you help us to maintain your keratoconus? Yes. 128 00:11:17,471.87016667 --> 00:11:19,941.87016667 So CMOS is a really, really big one for me. 129 00:11:20,311.87016667 --> 00:11:23,441.87016667 Also, I never travel anywhere without my eye kit. 130 00:11:23,501.86916667 --> 00:11:25,321.86916667 That's the number one thing. 131 00:11:25,991.86916667 --> 00:11:29,991.87016667 And what's in your eye kit? So I have my plungers and I always have extra. 132 00:11:30,41.87016667 --> 00:11:32,371.87016667 So I have a small plunger and a big plunger. 133 00:11:33,171.87016667 --> 00:11:36,500.7475 I don't know if that's the proper name for them, but that's what I call it. 134 00:11:36,500.7475 --> 00:11:38,91.87016667 Yes, that's a good finding. 135 00:11:38,996.87016667 --> 00:11:47,466.87066667 And I have my eye solution, and I have an eye solution that's a gel solution, and then I have more of the regular solution base, water base. 136 00:11:47,811.87066667 --> 00:11:48,381.87066667 solution. 137 00:11:49,431.87066667 --> 00:11:57,21.87066667 And yes, and my eye drops and I use liquify eye drops for my red eyes, which I use almost daily. 138 00:11:58,371.87066667 --> 00:12:00,21.87066667 And so I keep that in my kit. 139 00:12:00,141.87066667 --> 00:12:14,331.86966667 And then I also keep two cases for my lenses, because I crack my lenses a lot I'm that Keratoconus patient who's always calling, they're like 400 when I get a new one, but I'm always calling for more. 140 00:12:14,331.86966667 --> 00:12:15,341.86966667 I try to get backup. 141 00:12:15,946.86966667 --> 00:12:20,756.86966667 And so I have two cases, one for my current lenses and then one for my backup lenses. 142 00:12:21,256.86966667 --> 00:12:27,986.86966667 And I also put Q tips in my kit because sometimes when I wear makeup, I'll get smudges on my lenses. 143 00:12:28,526.86966667 --> 00:12:36,286.86966667 And when I'm driving, especially at night because my eyes are extremely sensitive to light, I'll get smudges on my eyes and I can't see. 144 00:12:36,676.86966667 --> 00:12:41,576.86966667 So I have to pull over a lot and just use my solution and I'll use a Q tip to clean. 145 00:12:42,346.86966667 --> 00:12:50,206.86916667 But it's really important for me, and if I leave home and forget my eye kit, I'll get anxiety because it'll be that one time that I need it. 146 00:12:50,206.86916667 --> 00:12:52,346.86866667 Your lens will crack or break or something. 147 00:12:53,236.86966667 --> 00:13:00,846.86866667 Also when I fly on the airplane, I only wear one of my squirrel lenses, so I have, one of my eyes is significantly more severe than the other. 148 00:13:01,631.86966667 --> 00:13:05,231.86966667 And I don't sleep in my lenses, but I do like to sleep on the airplane. 149 00:13:05,771.86966667 --> 00:13:15,331.86966667 And so I only wear the lens in my stronger eye just because if I happen to get an abrasion, at least not in both eyes. 150 00:13:16,341.86966667 --> 00:13:18,571.86866667 So I'll only sleep in my left eye one. 151 00:13:18,591.86966667 --> 00:13:23,521.86966667 And then once I get off the plane, I'll always put my, the left lens in. 152 00:13:23,541.86966667 --> 00:13:28,191.86966667 So I kind of swapped them out when I travel just to give my eyes a break. 153 00:13:29,961.86966667 --> 00:13:32,71.86966667 Seems like you figured this out. 154 00:13:32,71.86966667 --> 00:13:39,406.91766667 This spare pair of scleral lenses has actually been a hot topic that is really significant. 155 00:13:39,646.91866667 --> 00:13:42,826.91866667 And so, yes, some people lose a lens or break a lens. 156 00:13:43,396.91766667 --> 00:13:46,996.91866667 It's a discussion that we've been having over the years. 157 00:13:47,46.91866667 --> 00:13:51,626.91866667 And I'm glad that you brought that up because it's important. 158 00:13:51,901.91866667 --> 00:13:59,811.91816667 Bringing that back to the manufacturers and the industry that this is actually something that is important to people is great. 159 00:13:59,811.91816667 --> 00:14:01,461.91816667 Thank you for bringing that up. 160 00:14:02,31.91716667 --> 00:14:12,981.91816667 That also really concerns me sometimes, too, because I know that there's some people who can't afford just 1, 200 for new lenses, or they crack or lose a lens. 161 00:14:13,41.91816667 --> 00:14:15,231.91816667 Not everyone just has 400 to get a new lens. 162 00:14:15,241.91816667 --> 00:14:16,961.91816667 That's the conversation we're having. 163 00:14:16,971.91816667 --> 00:14:17,1.91816667 Yes. 164 00:14:17,536.91816667 --> 00:14:32,216.91716667 And so that's why I know that I'm blessed at the fact that I can even afford to have an extra lens, but it really concerns me for people who don't have health insurance or who don't have that extra type of cash to just spend because it's literally a medical necessity. 165 00:14:32,216.91816667 --> 00:14:34,146.91816667 I'm legally blind without them. 166 00:14:34,186.91716667 --> 00:14:39,586.91816667 And so it just makes me nervous for other people who have keratoconus and have to live with just that one pair. 167 00:14:40,31.91816667 --> 00:15:04,716.91816667 Yeah, that's exactly the conversation we're having because we know that everyone cannot afford them and scleral lenses I believe really change people's lives and I have the opportunity which is amazing to go and teach other Doctors how to fit scleral lenses and it not only changes the lives of their patients I truly believe it changes the lives of communities It changes the doctor. 168 00:15:04,716.91816667 --> 00:15:05,696.91816667 It changes the patient. 169 00:15:05,696.91816667 --> 00:15:10,356.91816667 But communities when people can see and work and drive and do everything they want to do. 170 00:15:10,966.91816667 --> 00:15:15,496.91816667 So yes, I'm for that work you do because I'm serious. 171 00:15:15,506.91716667 --> 00:15:21,886.91716667 Finding a good doctor who can fit you well for lenses is not as common as you think. 172 00:15:21,966.91716667 --> 00:15:26,746.91816667 I've gone through multiple eye doctors over the years and my current eye doctor. 173 00:15:26,756.91816667 --> 00:15:28,296.91816667 Shout out to Dr Bali. 174 00:15:28,706.91816667 --> 00:15:29,646.91816667 He's amazing. 175 00:15:30,56.91716667 --> 00:15:31,776.91716667 But he's amazing. 176 00:15:32,266.91716667 --> 00:15:38,256.91716667 Such an expert in fitting my lenses, and I just know how long that process is. 177 00:15:38,626.91716667 --> 00:15:45,446.91716667 So thank you for doing that work to teach other doctors, because as a patient, it's just very emotional going through that whole process. 178 00:15:45,476.91716667 --> 00:15:46,56.91716667 It hurts. 179 00:15:46,176.91716667 --> 00:15:47,206.91716667 It's painful. 180 00:15:47,216.91716667 --> 00:15:48,666.91716667 You want a solution. 181 00:15:48,666.91716667 --> 00:15:50,226.91716667 So thank you for that. 182 00:15:50,606.91716667 --> 00:15:52,56.91716667 And you're welcome. 183 00:15:52,56.91716667 --> 00:16:02,586.91716667 And you're exactly right that it's a process and a great resource for patients and practitioners is the Scleral Lens Education Society, where you can find a practitioner. 184 00:16:02,666.91716667 --> 00:16:06,186.91716667 That's a practitioner who is specialized in scleral lens fitting. 185 00:16:07,116.91716667 --> 00:16:10,166.91716667 In our conversations, I don't know if we talked. 186 00:16:10,436.91716667 --> 00:16:12,546.91716667 about my meditation practice. 187 00:16:12,566.91716667 --> 00:16:14,336.91716667 I've been meditating for many years. 188 00:16:14,386.91716667 --> 00:16:16,406.91716667 I've been doing yoga for many, many years. 189 00:16:17,6.91716667 --> 00:16:19,796.91716667 I'm actually from close to where you live. 190 00:16:20,466.91716667 --> 00:16:27,326.91616667 And I read that you create safe spaces for people of color to deepen their meditation practice. 191 00:16:27,656.91616667 --> 00:16:28,946.91716667 I'd love to learn more about that. 192 00:16:29,46.91716667 --> 00:16:30,406.91716667 Oh, awesome. 193 00:16:30,416.91716667 --> 00:16:31,46.91716667 Yes. 194 00:16:31,536.91716667 --> 00:16:35,256.91716667 So I used to work at Calm, which is the sleep and meditation app. 195 00:16:35,821.91716667 --> 00:16:40,691.9171667 I was the head of social there and I absolutely love this work. 196 00:16:40,701.9171667 --> 00:16:44,601.9171667 When I left entertainment news, I really wanted to do work. 197 00:16:44,641.9171667 --> 00:16:45,471.9171667 That was a lot. 198 00:16:46,46.9171667 --> 00:17:10,786.9171667 More connected to where like my personal life was it's funny the connection here, but my meditation practice actually got really deep during seasons of my keratoconus being bad because I couldn't see, I couldn't see, so I couldn't watch television and in the days when I couldn't work, I would just, and abrasion before, but they're very painful. 199 00:17:11,711.9171667 --> 00:17:15,281.9171667 I probably should explain what it is, it's a scar on your cornea. 200 00:17:16,471.9171667 --> 00:17:22,11.9171667 And if you get them really deep, it's even too painful to move your eyeball. 201 00:17:22,61.9171667 --> 00:17:25,461.9161667 And so our eyes move in synchronicity together. 202 00:17:25,461.9171667 --> 00:17:28,771.9171667 So if I move this eye, this eye is going to move and it's extremely painful. 203 00:17:29,271.9171667 --> 00:17:35,241.9171667 And so I remember I got an abrasion really bad and I couldn't watch TV. 204 00:17:35,241.9171667 --> 00:17:35,891.9171667 I couldn't work. 205 00:17:35,891.9171667 --> 00:17:36,651.9171667 I couldn't do anything. 206 00:17:36,651.9171667 --> 00:17:47,611.9171667 So I was just laying in bed and I would start listening to podcasts and then I would just start listening to meditation music on YouTube because I needed something to help me sleep. 207 00:17:47,941.9161667 --> 00:17:50,271.9171667 And that's actually how my meditation practice started. 208 00:17:50,701.9171667 --> 00:17:50,991.9171667 Wow. 209 00:17:51,441.9171667 --> 00:17:51,791.9171667 Yes. 210 00:17:52,131.9161667 --> 00:18:00,641.9171667 And so it started to become this thing that I needed to do every day that helped me deal with my mental health, my anxiety. 211 00:18:00,881.9171667 --> 00:18:05,681.9171667 overwhelm, burnout, stress, and it just kind of got deeper and deeper. 212 00:18:06,21.9171667 --> 00:18:16,831.9171667 And from there, I really realized I wanted to start teaching or at least creating spaces for people of color to start to explore, just the healing benefits of mindfulness and meditation. 213 00:18:17,721.9171667 --> 00:18:28,251.9176667 Yes, so now I travel, I have a group and we just got back from Baltimore this past weekend and we host meditation experiences to teach people how to tap in. 214 00:18:29,486.9176667 --> 00:18:30,926.9176667 Oh, how wonderful. 215 00:18:32,416.9176667 --> 00:18:46,816.9166667 Do you travel all over? Can I go? Yes! Can I invite myself to your meditation room? Yes! So our meditations, it includes a sound bath, it's breath work, and a guided meditation, and yes, we travel. 216 00:18:46,826.9176667 --> 00:18:50,366.9166667 Our main hubs currently, it's Los Angeles, Baltimore, D. 217 00:18:50,366.9166667 --> 00:18:50,936.9166667 C., 218 00:18:50,966.9166667 --> 00:18:52,106.9166667 and then Atlanta. 219 00:18:53,16.9176667 --> 00:19:11,386.9176667 It's really a gift that I get to share with people that it's something that came out of my character Kona's experience that I would have never thought of, but it's been the biggest gift for me really to know how to just kind of slow down and embrace whatever life is giving to you. 220 00:19:11,526.9176667 --> 00:19:15,356.9176667 Whatever cards life is handing to you, there's something that. 221 00:19:15,941.9176667 --> 00:19:18,971.9176667 Life wants to teach you at that particular moment. 222 00:19:19,341.9176667 --> 00:19:29,881.9176667 And it's our job to figure out what is the lesson in this? How can I transmute this energy? Whether I'm feeling excited or negative or angry or frustrated. 223 00:19:30,141.9166667 --> 00:19:35,716.9176667 How do I let this work for my higher good? And that's really what meditation has done for me. 224 00:19:35,716.9176667 --> 00:19:43,996.9176667 It's like, sit still and what is the lesson that life has tried to teach me at this exact moment? And the quicker I learned the lesson, the quicker it'll pass. 225 00:19:46,296.9166667 --> 00:19:47,396.9176667 Oh, that's wonderful. 226 00:19:47,426.9176667 --> 00:19:50,796.9156667 Well, I'm not too far from LA, so I'll meet up with you there. 227 00:19:50,826.9166667 --> 00:19:51,436.9166667 Yes. 228 00:19:52,106.9166667 --> 00:19:52,196.9166667 Okay. 229 00:19:53,961.9166667 --> 00:20:03,361.9166667 Maisha, thank you so much for sharing all of the tips and tricks and hacks to simplify your life with keratoconus on the Clearly KC podcast. 230 00:20:03,781.9166667 --> 00:20:07,851.9166667 For all of our listeners, thank you so much for joining us on Clearly KC. 231 00:20:08,211.9166667 --> 00:20:16,151.9166667 Please listen to all the episodes of our podcast on Podbean or your favorite podcast app to subscribe and get future episodes. 232 00:20:16,531.9166667 --> 00:20:17,741.9166667 For now, I'm Dr. 233 00:20:17,741.9166667 --> 00:20:18,571.9166667 Melissa Barnett. 234 00:20:19,71.9166667 --> 00:20:21,851.9166667 Please join us next time on Clearly KC. 235 00:20:22,161.9166667 --> 00:20:22,851.9156667 Thank you. 236 00:20:23,701.9166667 --> 00:20:24,501.9156667 Thank you.
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