Can you keep a secret? And should you always keep them?
If you have taken the Hippocratic Oath, the answer to the first question should undoubtedly be yes—at least in your professional life. Translated from the Greek of the original, the second-to-last sentence reads:
And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets.
As it reads, this sentence then also provides the answer to the second question. Yes, you should keep a secret if it is something told to you in confidence, something that is not meant to be shared with the public. But what if it is something that could be helpful to others? Would it not be better to let those others in on the secret, too?
Take, for instance, a recent conversation that I had with a fellow triathlete. Ashley, who is in the same age group as I am, is one of my big competitors locally. She and I often race against each other for podium positions, as was the case in October 2016, when we competed in Ironman Maryland.
That day, both Ashley and I qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in October of this year. This will be her first time racing on the Big Island and my second. She reached out to me after Ironman Maryland, asking if I would train with her this year in preparation for the championship race. She is especially interested in riding with me, as I am a strong cyclist. On one hand, I could decline, keeping my training tactics close to my sleeve in an attempt to have a “leg up,” so to speak. On the other hand, however, I could help her and feel good about sharing some of my secrets with her. I have chosen the latter, and Ashley and I have already made loose plans to ride together this spring once we are in the full swing of Ironman training.
Like others in the sport of triathlon, Ashley and I have a friendly rivalry. She and I are both fierce competitors, racing against each other, but we still trade smiles and encouraging words on the course, motivating each other to push harder. Yes, we both want to win, but we also want the other to do well.
Luckily, you and your colleagues share similar values, choosing to help each other rather than keep the leg up for yourself. When you have found a new technology, treatment, or innovation that has made a big impact on your practice, you are willing to share the secret with your colleagues. That is the aim of this cover focus, too: to share the best kept secrets in IOLs. In the following 12 articles, your colleagues divulge valuable information on some of the lesser-known IOLs and impart words of wisdom for success with these technologies.
—Laura Straub, Editor-in-Chief
