Archive for June, 2006

Is Lasik In Drive Through Next?

Thursday, June 29th, 2006

$299.00, Financing available, Limited time offer etc etc. LASIK eye surgery is rapidly becoming just another commodity like shoes or cars. Every where we look there are LASIK ads with discounts, specials and financing offered by “doctors” that are vying for a percentage of the 3 million Americans rushing to have LASIK every year. Don’t be surprised if one day you can visit your local Wal-Mart and leave an hour later having had LASIK by a “professional who has done millions” We may even start seeing signs akin to McDonald’s 3,456,000 served!! There doesn’t seem much difference between the ads and techniques used to sell LASIK and those used to sell used cars.

What has happened to the great American medical standards and ethics touted for years? It is amazing to read that eye surgeons in the United States are still offering regular LASIK and for only $1,000 more “you too can have wavefront Technology.” For those who aren’t LASIK savvy, wavefront is a better diagnostic tool that maps your cornea. In South America, where eye surgery technology has always been at the forefront, surgeons will only use wavefront. There is no option because it is just better for the patient period!! American eye surgeons are also still performing PRK on those patients who don’t qualify for LASIK rather than using multifocal Intraocular Lens which was only approved 1 year ago in the States but has been used for over ten years by South American surgeons.

So if you are considering having LASIK remember this is a surgery on the cornea of your eye so be sure to educate yourself about all the possible risks and complications. Find the best possible doctor you can, not just the least expensive and make sure you are really a good candidate for the surgery and not just another number on the billboard and finally if cost is an issue you may need to resolve yourself to wearing glasses or do what thousands of people do and go to South America and have it done by some of the best eye surgeons in the world, spend half and have a vacation.

Robert Strong writes about medical tourism and runs the popular medical tourism web site http://www.surgicalservicesinternational.com

Article Courtesey of Lasik Eye Surgery

Lasik - Simple Procedure or Serious Surgery?

Friday, June 23rd, 2006

Are you considering lasik laser eye surgery to improve your vision? Then you owe it to yourself to find out exactly what happens during lasik surgery before you commit yourself to the procedure. Lasik eye surgery is a relatively simple and fast procedure. The entire surgery takes about 30 minutes, during which you will be lying on your back in the room containing the laser system. The laser system is a machine with a computer screen and a microscope attached to it.

Whether you have shortsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism the cause is the same - your cornea is not a perfect shape. The goal of the lasik laser eye surgery is to reshape (polish) your cornea so the light going through it focuses better on your retina. The surgeon can’t use a general anesthetic because you have to remain conscious, throughout, and be able to look directly at the laser. However, anesthetic drops are used for your eyes, so you will not feel any pain - only some pressure and a little discomfort. You will be able to see during the entire procedure, although your vision might blur or flicker, for a few moments.

Lasik Laser Eye Surgery can be separated into 6 steps

1.First of all the surgeon will drop a few numbing drops into your eye and clean the area around it. Then your eyelids will be propped open.
2.Before the laser can start its work, the surgeon will need to cut a flap in your cornea. This could be done with either a laser or with microkeratome - a special cutting instrument. It might sound scary, but don’t worry: you won’t feel the cutting.
3.After that, the laser will be positioned over your eye and you will have to look directly at it for about 60 seconds. The reshaping has not started yet, but your eye needs to get used to being focused on the light.
4. When your eye is in the perfect position, the laser will start its work. The laser is controlled by a computer, which is preprogrammed by the surgeon to remove a specific amount of corneal tissue.
5. After your cornea is reshaped, the flap is put back on it place.
6. Stitches won’t be used to keep the flap in place; instead, doctors use a special protective shield to hold it. The shield will protect your eye from being touched accidentally.

That’s it! Usually you can go home straight after the procedure, but you will have to organize a lift for yourself because you might feel a bit dizzy and your vision will be blurred, at first; obviously you shouldn’t drive, under these conditions. The improvement in vision is usually noticeable the same day, or by the following morning, at the latest.

Straight after lasik surgery you might feel some discomfort, like there is something in your eye. The most difficult thing is to resist the urge to rub your eyes, but you mustn’t touch them until the flap is healed.

There are also several restrictions, after the surgery. You shouldn’t use any eye make-up for two weeks, play any sports for four weeks, or swim or take a hot bath for two months. Also you will have to come in for a follow up visit within 48 hours after the surgery, plus a few more visits during the following six months.

Tanya Turner is an eye health and vision expert. She provides consumer information, tips and advice about lasik surgery and healthy contact lenses
Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery and Lasik Eye Surgery

See Your Way To Lasik Laser Eye Surgery

Tuesday, June 13th, 2006

Electing to have corrective surgery on your eyes can be a great way to free yourself from the daily grind of constantly cleaning off and adjusting your glasses or cleaning contact lenses. This type of corrective surgery is quite common these days and considered safe. Before you decide to have this procedure, you should do some research on both the type of surgery and the doctor who you want to perform it.
Types Of Laser Eye Surgery

Before you pick your Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Newark location, you should look at the different types of procedures. Three type of surgery you may want to consider include:

• LASIK or Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis is the most well known. This surgery cuts a flap in the cornea and reshapes it by removing tissue. It is a fast procedure with healing in a day or 2 and immediate improvement in eyesight.

• PRK or Photo Refractive Keratectomy is the procedure that has been around the longest. Cells are removed from the cornea to reshape it and improve vision. It has a healing time of a month and vision improvement is not immediate but gradual over time.

• CK or Conductive Keratoplasty is a fairly new procedure. Uses radio frequency energy applied with a hair thin device to reshape the cornea. It is an extremely quick procedure with very quick healing.

Risks

Although most people are good candidates for corrective eye surgery, some should not undergo the treatment or it may seriously impair their vision. For this reason, you should discuss having the surgery at length with your doctor who should advise you of any risks and evaluate your situation to insure the surgery is safe for you. In rare cases your vision could become severely impaired, so it is important to get a thorough evaluation and disclose all health issues to your doctor. Other risks include fuzzy vision, irritation of dry eye syndrome and loss of clearness of vision.

Benefits

Being about to see without the aid of contacts or glasses is wonderful! Imagine waking up and being able to see beyond the end of your bed? There are many everyday benefits to having your vision restored. Without having glasses or contacts in the way, it is much easier to be active and play sports. Plus you’ll never have to worry about breaking or misplacing your glasses or contacts or incur the yearly expense for new prescriptions.

Obviously, you should take any procedure involving your eyes very seriously. Make sure you put a lot of consideration into the procedure and doctor you want to restore your vision.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.eye-care-online.com where you can find information on laser eye surgery and contact lenses.

Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery and Lasik Eye Surgery

LASIK Procedures Explained - Can It Help Your Blurred Vision?

Wednesday, June 7th, 2006

 

LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure and stands for Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. Owing much to the technological advances, several new refractive surgery procedures have been developed. However, the procedure is still the most potent and prevalent treatment of all surgical interventions for the eye.

The prevalence of LASIK has also ensured that it is very much accessible to nearly everyone who desires to undergo the surgery. Therefore, finding an efficient eye surgeon in your vicinity won’t be difficult at all. LASIK procedure can surely eliminate your vision problems and offer you crystal clear vision - something that every living soul desires.

In essence, the procedure makes use of a high-precision laser called the excimer laser, which is an ultraviolet chemical laser. The procedure involves cutting a flap in the cornea. The flap is folded back to make room for making incisions in the corneal tissue. Highly sophisticated computer-controlled equipment is used to perform the surgery. For instance, a sensor is used to measure the eye position around 4000 times per second. The laser is redirected to make precise incisions in order to reshape the cornea so as to ensure accurate refraction. This results in enhanced visual acuity.

LASIK is a reliable and rather safe procedure relative to other refractive surgery procedures. It is not that time-consuming either. Patients witness speedy recovery after the procedure. Most patients have a significant improvement in vision just after the procedure. Some patients may experience blurred vision, but this condition is alleviated within a week or two when the cornea is completely healed.

Another reason why this procedure is the preferred refractive surgery is because it has a minimal complication rate of 5%. Such a meager complication rate speaks volumes for the efficacy of LASIK. When you choose LASIK, you choose the best that technology has to offer. Therefore, you can easily rely on LASIK and need not be anxious about it.

 

 

Nicola Kennedy publishes articles, news, views and information about LASIK procedures at Your Lasik Information. The LASIK Surgeons Directory will help you find a LASIK doctor.

Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery  and Lasik Eye Surgery

Improve Your Vision With Lasik & Lasik Surgery

Wednesday, June 7th, 2006

 

With the active lifestyles we lead today, people want to rid themselves of their glasses and contact lenses so many are turning to lasik surgery. Lasik is considered a surgical procedure with the objective of reducing your need for those glasses or contacts. Lasik actually stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure using an excimer laser to change the shape of your eye’s cornea, which is the clear covering in front. Basically, the surgery consists of cutting a flap in the cornea making sure to leave one end connected. With the use of a computer controlled, highly precise laser, a portion of the stroma is vaporized. The flap is put back in place for quick and relatively painless healing to occur.

So why is changing the shape of the cornea so important? The cornea is the part of the eye that helps create an image on the retina by focusing light. It basically works the same way as a camera lens. When vision is blurred or distorted, it often means that the shape of your cornea and your eye are not perfect and therefore when the light is refracted onto the retina, images come across as blurry. Lasik surgery is also referred to as refractive surgery with the goal of reshaping the cornea so that its focusing ability is improved to a point where glasses and contact lenses may no longer be required. Lasik results may not get rid of glasses or contacts completely, but there is a strong likelihood that your prescription will be significantly reduced moving you closer to 20/20 vision.

Surprisingly enough, not everyone is an ideal candidate for lasik or other refractive eye surgery. Because there is no long term data recorded regarding the long term affects of this surgery, if you are not fully confident in the procedure, this is likely not for you. You need to trust your surgeon and the techniques they use at all times. Although the cost of lasik surgery continues to go down, it is still not cheap and not covered by most health plans. You may have to do some budgeting before you go ahead with it. If you have had a new prescription is the past year, it is an indication that your eyes are unstable and therefore should wait before going ahead with any form of refractive surgery. If you suffer from autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, have diabetes or are on certain mediations, proper healing from the surgery may not be possible.

 

 

Amy-Jo Strutt is a successful writer and regular contributor to cosmetic-surgery-laser.com - An online resource to help you find the very best information on all forms of cosmetic surgery. http://www.cosmetic-surgery-laser.com/lasik.html

Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery  and Lasik Eye Surgery

Vision Correction Surgery - Throw Away Those Eyeglasses and Enjoy Life to the Fullest

Wednesday, June 7th, 2006

 

LASIK is the one of the most prevalent corrective eye surgery procedures, chosen by many to alleviate their vision troubles. It’s rightly said that the eyes are the most precious of the five senses, and it’s imperative that we keep them in good health. However, no matter how hard you strive to keep your eyes healthy, vision defects may creep up all the same. Thankfully, LASIK is an efficient procedure to cure all your vision problems.

LASIK is a superlative eye corrective surgery that has state of the art technology and equipment at its disposal. It employs a high-precision laser to achieve precise and much expected results. LASIK vision correction is a simple procedure where the corneal tissue is carved to accomplish desired refraction and improved vision acuity. LASIK vision correction is a mere 20-30 minute chore. A single surgery is normally enough to restore clear vision. Though rare, some patients might have to go through surgical enhancements.

In general, LASIK provides clear vision almost instantly. Many patients experience a significant improvement right after the surgery. However, a few patients may have blurry vision for a day or two, which certainly wears off as soon as the cornea is completely healed. Patients might have to take a few precautions as prescribed by the eye surgeon. This certainly aids in a speedy recovery.

It is recommended that you carry out a basic research when choosing an eye surgeon to perform LASIK vision correction for you. Any type of vision defect should not be ignored. It is essential that you do the needful to correct your vision anomaly. Do bear in mind that LASIK is a superlative option for the same. It is just a matter of making an informed decision and carrying it out.

LASIK vision correction once used to be a procedure that could be accessed by a select few people. However, owing to a lot many finance options, LASIK is now accessible to almost everyone. Therefore, it’s time to throw away those eyeglasses and enjoy life to the fullest through LASIK vision correction.

 

 

Nicola Kennedy publishes articles, news, views and information about LASIK vision correction at Your Lasik Information. The LASIK Surgeons Directory will help you find a LASIKsurgeon.

Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery  and Lasik Eye Surgery

Factors That May Keep You From Lasik Laser Eye Surgery

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

Laser eye surgery has increased in popularity as the technology has improved. Many people long for the day they do not have to rely on eyeglasses or contacts to see clearly. While laser eye surgery has come a long way since first being introduced to the market, it still has some issues. There are still people who should not get the surgery and roadblocks that stand in the way.

Lasik Laser eye surgery requires the use of a laser to correct the shape of the cornea. The cornea is the clear lens in the eye. Most medical insurance companies still do not provide coverage for this type of surgery. In addition there are some patients that can not receive the surgery. People whose vision changes often are not good candidate, this group includes pregnant women and people under the age of 20.

Other people who suffer hormonal changes often like breastfeeding mothers or diabetics also are not recommended to get the surgery. Medication can also effect the eyes and so if you are taking medication this should be discuss with your eye doctor also. Anyone who has problems with wounds healing or people who suffer from any disease of the eye should also discuss if laser eye surgery is for them with their doctor. The best way to find out if you are a good candidate is to talk with your eye doctor.

In general, if you are seeking laser eye surgery you need healthy eyes without any changes in vision for one year. According to legal regulations you must also be over 18 years of age.

Kimberly Stone writes for
www.laser-sight-surgery.com

Article Courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery and Lasik Eye Surgery

7 Things You Need to Know About LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

Tuesday, June 6th, 2006

Are you one of the millions of people that are contemplating having LASIK eye surgery to correct a vision problem? If so, then you need to be sure that you know how to pick the right Lasik eye surgeon for you and what to expect during your Lasik eye surgery. Knowing what lies ahead of you will make the journey to better eyesight a much smoother road to take.


1- Before you even get to the operating room, you will undergo some tests with an optometrist. These tests are designed to let the Lasik eye surgeon know how much work the cornea needs to have done. These tests will serve two purposes; they will of course assess your eyes and eyesight to see if your particular situation can be fixed.

2- It is important to stop wearing your contacts several weeks before these tests are performed. Contact lenses can temporarily change the shape of the cornea; the doctor will need to see them in their natural state. This will help the doctor to get an accurate measurement of the cornea, therefore an accurate measurement as to how much needs to be removed for the best vision possible.

3- The second reason for the first couple of visits to the doctor is to assess your personal health history, to see if you are a viable candidate for the procedure. The doctor will be looking for things such as a change in eyewear prescriptions with in the past year, a history of Glaucoma, thin corneas and previous eye injuries. These are a few of the possible issues that will keep you from becoming a good candidate for the operation.

4- After you have interviewed possible surgeons and settled on the doctor that you feel the most comfortable with, gone through all of the tests and are deemed as a suitable candidate, it is time for the surgery. When you enter the room for the surgery, you will be instructed to sit in a recliner type chair. This will put you into the correct position for the surgery.

5- The surgeon will be using a large machine that is attached to a microscope, a computer and the laser. You will be given an eye drop that has a numbing agent in it and your eye will be cleaned. After the cleaning your eyelid will be held open by a specialized speculum, this will prevent blinking. A ring will be placed over the cornea, this will be applied using high pressure to lift the cornea off the eye, this may feel slightly painful.

6- When the cornea is in place, the surgeon then cuts the cornea to permit the laser access to the eye. Now it is time for the laser to do its job, the exact measurements of how much needs to be removed to correctly reshape the eye was programmed into the computer from the tests that were done in the office.

7- The computer stops the laser at the exact time that the right amount of tissue has been removed. That’s it; the LASIK eye surgery is complete. The doctor will then put a patch over the eye to protect the cornea during the healing process. Most people are back to work and normal routines with in a couple of days to a week, but your doctor will be able advise you regarding your personal situation.

John Mancini has been writing about Eye Surgery online and offline for a long time. Visit http://laser-eye-surgery-center.com  to read more about matters like laser eye surgery and lasik surgery.

Article Courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery and Lasik Eye Surgery

LASIK Eye Surgery Demystified

Friday, June 2nd, 2006


Have you thought about having LASIK laser eye surgery? May be you know someone who has gotten it done and they have told you what to expect. Are you still nervous about making the decision to have your eyes permanently reshaped? Knowing what will happen during the surgery will help to alleviate these fears that you have.

The second reason for the first couple of visits to the doctor is to assess your personal health history, to see if you are a viable candidate for the procedure. The doctor will be looking for things such as a change in eyewear prescriptions with in the past year, a history of Glaucoma, thin corneas and previous eye injuries. These are a few of the possible issues that will keep you from becoming a good candidate for the operation.

The surgeon will be using a large machine that is attached to a microscope, a computer and the laser. You will be given an eye drop that has a numbing agent in it and your eye will be cleaned. After the cleaning your eyelid will be held open by a specialized speculum, this will prevent blinking. A ring will be placed over the cornea, this will be an applied using high pressure to lift the cornea off the eye, this may feel slightly painful.

It is important to stop wearing your contacts several weeks before these tests are performed. Contact lenses can temporarily change the shape of the cornea; the doctor will need to see them in their natural state. This will help the doctor to get an accurate measurement of the cornea, therefore an accurate measurement as to how much needs to be removed for the best vision possible.

When the cornea is in place, the surgeon then cuts the cornea to permit the laser access to the eye. Now it is time for the laser to do its job, the exact measurements of how much needs to be removed to correctly reshape the eye was programmed into the computer from the tests that were done in the office.

Before you even get to the operating room, you will undergo some tests with an optometrist. These tests are designed to let the surgeon know how much work the cornea needs to have done. These tests will serve two purposes; they will of course assess your eyes and eyesight to see if your particular situation can be fixed.

The computer stops the laser at the exact time that the right amount of tissue has been removed. That’s it; the LASIK eye surgery is complete. The doctor will then put a patch over the eye to protect the cornea during the healing process. Most people are back to work and normal routines with in a couple of days to a week, but your doctor will be able advise you regarding your personal situation.


John Mancini has been writing about Eye Surgery online and offline for a long time. Visit http://find-laser-eye-surgery.info or http://ez-laser-eye-surgery.com to read more about matters like eye surgery and laser eye surgery.

Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery. For more information, please visit Lasik Eye Surgery

How Much Does Laser Eye Surgery Typically Cost?

Thursday, June 1st, 2006

 

The cost of laser eye surgery can vary greatly depending on the type of surgery to be performed, the patient's prescription, the equipment used, and the doctor or surgical provider in question. There are also notable regional differences in the cost of laser eye surgery, with some parts of the United States charging higher fees than other regions of the country. Nonetheless, there are several trends in the cost of laser eye surgery that appear to be consistent regardless of the type of surgery performed, the individual provider, and the location.

First, all laser eye surgery prices are quoted at a cost per eye. This is due to the fact that some patients do not require surgery in both eyes. Patients who are seeking surgery in both eyes must keep in mind that the price they are quoted will need to be doubled if the surgery is to cover both their left and right eyes.

Another trend shows that laser eye surgery prices have been on the rise for the past several years. Technological advances resulting in innovative new equipment and procedures have increased the success of laser eye surgery and reduced the incidence of side effects resulting from the procedure. However, these advances require surgical providers to purchase expensive new equipment and enroll in costly training courses that increase the provider's expenses. This cost increase is frequently passed along to the consumer, with the result being an increase in surgery prices. For example, LASIK procedures using IntraLase technology, a method in which the corneal flap is created with a laser instead of a microkeratome, generally increases the cost $250 to $500 per eye. Customized procedures which use wavefront technology to more effectively map the surface of the eye also increase costs.

In fact, studies have shown that the average national cost of laser eye surgery has been rising at a rate of about 15-20% each year for the past 3-4 years. Currently, the average cost for LASIK surgery is $1,800 to $2,000 per eye while LASEK surgery costs $1,700 - $2,000 per eye. A PRK procedure costs $1,200 - $1,800 per eye.

Laser eye surgery becomes more costly as the patient's prescription worsens. Individuals requiring minor corrections to their sight frequently only require a single brief procedure. Patients with strong prescriptions have a much higher risk of needing multiple procedures in order to get the desired results, as well having a greater risk of complications such as visual disturbances. For this reason, many laser eye surgery providers charge based on the prescription strength.

As briefly mentioned above, there are regional differences in the cost of laser eye surgery in the United States. Although the average cost of the procedures varied little from region to region, the differences between the minimum and maximum fees varied greatly depending on the location in which the surgery was performed.

A study performed by the national publication Review of Ophthalmology showed that the Southern and Northeastern U.S. averaged a slightly higher cost for LASIK and LASEK surgeries, at approximately $1,900 - $2,000 per eye, than procedures performed in the Midwest or West, at approximately $1,800 to $1,900 per eye. Yet the Northeast, Midwest, and West regions have large price ranges. The minimum price per eye in the Northeast was $1,250 while the maximum cost was twice the cost at $2,500. Prices in the Midwest ranged from a low of $1,300 per eye to $2,400 per eye. Most shocking though were laser eye surgeries in the West: the lowest cost provider charged just $900 per eye, while the most expensive provider charged a whopping $2,750 per eye - a difference of $1,850 per eye. There were little price variations in the Southern United States.

Individuals interested in pursuing laser eye surgery should pay close attention to what costs are included in their provider's quote. There is little standardization in the industry in regards to how procedures are priced, so patients may find that a lower cost provider advertises a nominal rate only to hit them up for extra fees later on. In the end, the final cost often works out to be the same, if not more expensive, than other all-inclusive providers.

When interviewing a provider, patients should inquire about the following charges:

  • Pre-operative testing
  • Initial exam charges
  • Supply fees (surgical gowns, masks, gloves, temporary contact lenses, etc.)
  • Doctor’s fees
  • Equipment rental fees (for doctors who rent or lease their equipment)
  • Medication costs
  • Follow-up visit costs
  • Charges for any necessary follow-up procedures or enhancements

Finally, keep in mind that many providers offer financing programs for individuals undergoing laser eye surgery. This may be a solution for some individuals, so patients should be sure to inquire about available options if paying for the procedure in a lump sum will cause financial hardship.

 

 

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for MyEyeSurgery.com. To learn more about the cost of lasik and laser eye surgery prices, visit us.

Article courtesy of Lasik Laser Eye Surgery  and Lasik Eye Surgery