Revisiting S.C.P.A. 17-A: Guardianship for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This is a report of the Mental Health Law Committee and the Disability Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. This report was researched and written by Karen Andreasian, Natalie Chin, Kristin Booth Glen, Beth Haroules, Katheine I. Hermann, Maria Kuns, Aditi Shah, and Naomi Weinstein on behalf of the New York City Bar Association. It has been reviewed and approved by the New York City Bar Association and is being published by the City University of New York Law Review in accordance with the Association’s protocols in the interest of bringing to publication an important contribution to the discussion on how the law should respond to people with intellectual disabilities

Results of the Prospective Evaluation of Radial Keratotomy (PERK) Study One Year After Surgery

The Prospective Evaluation of Radial Keratotomy (PERK) study is a nine-center, self-controlled clinical trial of a standardized technique of radial keratotomy in 435 patients who had physiologic myopia with a preoperative refraction between −2.00 and −8.00 diopters. The surgical technique consisted of eight incisions using a diamond micrometer knife with blade length determined by intraoperative ultrasonic pachymetry and the diameter of central clear zone determined by preoperative refraction. At one year after surgery, myopia was reduced in all eyes; 60% were within ±1.00 diopter of emmetropia; 30% were undercorrected and 10% were overcorrected by more than 1.00 diopter (range of refraction, −4.25 to +3.38 D). Uncorrected visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 78% of eyes. The operation was most effective in eyes with a refraction between −2.00 and −4.25 diopters. Thirteen percent of patients lost one or two Snellen lines of best corrected visual acuity. However, all but three eyes could be corrected to 20/20. Ten percent of patients increased astigmatism more than 1.00 diopter. Disabling glare was not detected with a clinical glare tester, but three patients reduced their driving at night because of glare. Between six months and one year, the refraction changed by >0.50 diopters in 19% of eyes