(PDF 240 KB)

The other day, I was bemoaning the deteriorating state of grammar and spelling among our young people. With computers at the ready to correct misspellings and even fix common grammatical errors, there is no incentive for our youth to learn the rudiments of the English language. And now, with the advent of text messaging, with its limitation of 160 characters. and Twitter, with only 140 characters allowed, abbreviations and acronyms have sprung up like dandelions in the spring.

But, being a glass-half-full sort of guy, I tried to find some benefit amongst the brevity of 21st-century communications. My thoughts turned immediately to EyeNet. If we could pack the same amount of information in one-third the space, it wouldn’t cost so much to print and mail. (Never mind that reading a whole magazine that way would be tedious at first, but in time we’d all adapt, kind of like getting used to a multifocal IOL.) Best of all, my Opinion could be so short that it would leave room for a larger picture of moi. So I’m trying it on for size this month. See what you think.

OMG. @TEOTD, my .02 will b 2G2BT. Ophthalmologists have 2 mny ltrs in r name. We need a gd abbrev. L8LY, I’ve hrd ODs r callng us OMDs. AAO is 4 EyeMDs, but is 2 lng, S2S. May b IMD? But whr duz that lv ODOs? OTL. But w/o abbrev, we r 4ever 2 long.

W/ a gd abbrev, med studs wdnt need 2 spl ophthalmology kerectly on their apps. On r PSAs bout ODs & MDs, we cld get by w 15 sec spot instd of 30 sec. It wld be cheep 2 make dept signs & ltrhd. VM msgs cld be shtr 2 lv mor time 4 mor numbrs 2 chuz frm. Gst spkrs wdnt 4get how 2 say ophthalmology.

ATSL, we hv 2 mny h’s & l’s in ophthalmology. TTLY 2 mny, UN4TUN8LY. W/o h’s & l’s, w’d dx optamopegia & tyroid optamopaty, & use 4optrs & optamoscopes. Optamics cld be 4mul8ed so the name cld fit on the lbl big enuf to c w/o mgnfiers. R jrnls wld B shrtr.

IRMC. Seem 2ez? NE1 hv a btr eyedea? TTLY AWESO! Tweet me f so. LOL!