Lasik Eye Surgery for Amblyopia - Too Good to be True?

Can Lasik eye surgery help amblyopia (loss of vision) for lazy eye?

When a newborn baby comes into the world and opens their eyes for the first time, they begin their journey to learn to use their 2 eyes together. This is a learned skill and no small task. No one is born with the ability to focus both of their eyes together. Interesting, most newborns are farsighted at birth and cannot focus on close objects. Light stimulation is critical to the development of sight in a baby. Why? Without this stimulation, the normal neurological connections fail to develop. Your eyes need this early stimulation of a clear image to develop the retinal cells and send impulses to your brain. Loss of vision can also occur if you would fail to use one (or both) of your eyes for an extended period of time.

What can cause amblyopia?

Amblyopia is usually caused by not using one of your eyes. Your brain suppresses the vision of the eye that is weaker or the eye that isn’t being used. If you only use one of your eyes, over time the eye that isn’t being used may loose its ability to see. For most of us, our eyes work together in unison. But if the muscles that control the eye, aren’t working together, focusing the eyes together is a problem. In addition, strabismus, a muscle weakness that causes the eye to be ‘out of alignment’, can cause a child’s brain to ignore the image from the weaker eye. Eventually this can lead to loss of vision in the weaker eye. Also, if a child has a severe farsightedness, nearsightedness or astigmatism in just one eye and that eye goes untreated, the brain ‘turns off’ the weaker eye. After the age of 7, the unused eye will probably never be normal. This is why early detection and treatment is so critical in very young children.

How often does amblyopia occur?

Four people out of every 100 have amblyopia. If diagnosed and treated in very early childhood, this condition can often be treated.

Can Lasik eye surgery help ‘lazy eye’?

For patients suffering from amblyopia, Lasik eye surgery may help some adults see better but it cannot ‘cure’ the brain’s inability to see. Lasik eye surgery cannot repair the way that the retinal cells send images to your brain. Lasik eye surgery cannot go back and correct the normal neurological connections that failed to develop in an infant due to lack of light stimulation. What Lasik eye surgery can do is help to reduce nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism which helps to insure that the image is in the correct position on the retina. But this does not guarantee better vision at any price. Be sure to have a frank talk with your doctor prior to Lasik eye surgery to see if he or she feels that you will have vision improvement. Don’t be afraid to get a second and third opinion from different Lasik eye surgeons to see if they feel that Lasik eye surgery is a valid option for treating amblyopia. It’s easy to find someone who will be willing to take your hard earned money. Make sure that you feel that they’ve earned your trust and that they truly feel that Lasik eye surgery will improve your vision.

Beth Gabriel is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Lasik-Solutions.com. She provides more Lasik Surgery information and Lasik Eye Surgery reviews that you can read on her website from the comfort of your home at 2:00 am!

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The Eyes Have It With Wavefront Lasik

Most people around the world today are familiar with the term Lasik (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) and know that it is some kind of vision correction surgery. However, many people don't know that this specialized method of correcting vision with the use of a laser light uses different methods to achieve those goals.

For example, there is a method called Lasik, Epi-Lasik and Wavefront Lasik. While they all employ the use of the laser light beam to correct curvature of the cornea to improve eyesight, many people don't understand the difference. Wavefront Lasik is also known as custom Lasik. It utilizes the use of three-dimensional measurements that show doctors how your individual eye processes images. Those measurements are imported into a computer system that guides the laser to reshape the front of your eye, or cornea.

The Wavefront Lasik method uses the three-dimensional map that is created to seek out and find every little nuance that makes your eyesight what it is. While you may be farsighted, another person who is farsighted may have different degrees of the condition than you, as well as accompanying factors. Wavefront Lasik enables each individual to receive specialized surgery to correct unique vision problems that are independent of everyone else's.

This surgical method offers an increase in not only how much a person can see, but how well you can see, taking into consideration depth, peripheral vision and contrast sensitivity and contrast details as well. This surgery reduces the effect of post-operative halos and sensitivity to glare as well as increasing night vision acuity.

Wavefront is a new method of Lasik surgery that allows surgeons to provide extremely precise improvements to the shape of the cornea, which allows your eyes to better adjust and see near and far objects as well as improving depth and clarity. Such beneficial outcomes are not possible with the traditional use of eyeglasses or contact lenses, nor original forms of Lasik eye surgery.
Wavefront Lasik is recommended for people with astigmatism, myopia and hyperopia in degrees ranging from mild to moderate. While traditional vision correction methods such as eyeglasses and contact lenses can correct some problems, additional irregularities sometimes prevent optimal vision correction by these methods. Wavefront Lasik is able to not only perform the basic corrections, but also to enhance visual acuity, without cutting into the surface of the eye or requiring lengthy recovery time.

If you're looking for a Lasik procedure, wait until you visit your eye doctor to discuss which method of Lasik he or she suggests for your vision correction problems. While Wavefront is capable of treating multiple vision issues, since the surgery is so individualized, you may have one or even several options open to you. Any kind of Lasik eye surgery is expensive, so make sure you get more than one professional consultation if possible to determine which course of treatment is best for your situation. Plan on spending at least $1,500 per eye for any kind of Lasik treatment, and ask if your vision insurance plan will help pick up a portion of the tab.

Wavefront Lasik is capable of increasing and improving eyesight in most candidates for the surgery, but always remember that your eyes are irreplaceable and care and caution must be practiced to ensure that you find the best Lasik method to suit your needs.

Is Wavefront Lasik the right solution for you? Find out more at http://LasikRevealed.com .
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Bad Laser Eye Surgery: How Can You Avoid It

Considering LASIK eye surgery? The LASIK Vision Institute claims that they have done over half a million procedures to date, and almost everyone knows someone who has had the laser eye surgery. The surgery can especially help if you have astigmatism and cannot wear contacts, or have to have custom eyeglasses. However, being optimistic about the results does not make the possible complications disappear. As with any surgery--especially new surgeries with no long-term data--there are complications.

Reliable Information Source

Before making the decision to go through a LASIK eye surgery, you should research and understand the problems that can occur and the procedure. There are many ways to do this, including going on-line or calling your doctor. Records of bad LASIK eye surgery and studies of surgical vision correction are easily available and may help you to make the decision.

Additional information sources, such as brochures or websites, may provide very different stories and they are not so reliable. The comments in promotional material are chosen to be very positive and the negative comments may be chosen in order to keep somebody from thinking about the procedure.

If you really want some un-biased, complete information (as well as have an idea of which doctor to go to--or not go to), ask around and speak with friends, co-workers, or family that have had the surgery. Just going to the doctor may result in information about the procedure, but it may not be enough. Doctors may downplay the complications because they are interested in the money (or other perks) they receive. If your doctor downplays the complications, and doesn't explain the procedure and possible risks to your satisfaction, GET A NEW DOCTOR!

What Can Go Wrong?

The consequences of a bad LASIK eye surgery can be very serious, devastating, and difficult to live with. One of the most serious consequences is the complete loss of eye sight. One wrong move made by the doctor and or faulty equipment can leave you with worse vision than when you arrived at the doctor's office. Also, infection or other post-operative complications can lead to loss of eye sight.

One of the most important phrases in our consumer culture is “Let the Buyer beware!”. No where is this more important than in medical procedures. Informing yourself, reliable sources such as health organization, family, friends, and doctors, about the safety of the procedure before making the decision is a smart idea.

Just doing a little research--even just asking how many procedures done by the doctor, how many of those procedures were successful and how many had complications---may keep you from turning something that is just inconvenient (such as wearing glasses or contacts) to something that is life-long. While most complications associated with LASIK eye surgery are just minor annoyances, becoming permanently disabled may be more than a simple minor annoyance.

If you want to escape the hype around laser eye surgery and find all the lasik eye surgery information you need to make a decision about your lasik eye surgery including details on likely costs, benefits and potential complications visit the Lasik Eye Surgery Information Portal: www.best-buy-laser-eye-surgery.com

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Understanding LASIK Costs

It is a normal occurrence, in the business world, for the price of a new product or service to drop as it becomes more widely available. But LASIK surgery has most definitely been an exception to this rule. The only logical explanation for this anomaly is that LASIK surgery has not remained the same, but has grown to include a wide variety of surgical procedures.

The predominating factors in LASIK cost are the type of procedure and the equipment needed to perform it. The difference in LASIK cost when a scalpel is used as opposed to a microkeratome can be significant; and the difference in LASIK cost when a laser is used instead of a microkeratome can be equally significant. Then we get into the type of laser used, because the LASIK costs will also vary depending on that.

The Newer The Pricier If you have visited an ophthalmologist to talk about a laser procedure, you may have heard about the different lasers available. The newly FDA-approved Allegro Wave laser, becaude it is so new, is at the high end; the excimer laser which is really a group of lasers with varying laser beams; and the IntraLase. With the addition of every new laser into LASIK procedures, the procedures themselves become more expensive, because the ophthalmologists are passing the cost of the technology on to their patients.

But the appearance of new lasers has another, often overlooked consequence; the new lasers mean that pre-existing lasers, even those which are in prime condition, are now worth less. They may still be highly sophisticated medical instruments, but they aren’t the newest highly sophisticated medical instruments. Those still available in the marketplace will cost less, and should mean lower LASIK costs for those patients whose doctors buy them. But that’s in a logical world.

Any laser which is not seen as state-of-the-art may soon fall from customer favor, simply because no matter how many features it has, it lacks at least some of the features of the latest lasers. The newer lasers may cause less post-operative discomfort, and everyone is willing to pay a little more for the opportunity to suffer a little less. And as the previous laser models fall from favor, they will disappear from the marketplace.

Do Some Comparison Shopping Regardless of the dynamics of the marketplace, a savvy consumer still has the opportunity to comparison shop for the lowest LASIK costs. The Internet, and industry periodicals are all great sources for finding the best prices available on various lasers, and knowing what they are will give you an idea of the LASIK costs you can expect for your individual procedure, depending on the laser involved.

No LASIK procedure, of course, will occur until you first have an eye exam from a qualified eye specialist. There is no generic LASIK procedure which works for everyone; each pair of eyes has its own defects to be corrected. A professionally done optical exam will pinpoint exactly which LASIK procedures, with which lasers, are appropriate for a patient.

LASIK costs, while they are certainly important, should never be the only criteria on which you base your decision regarding eye surgery. Far more important is the expertise of the medical personnel who are doing your eye exam and performing the procedures. If the doctor with whom you feel more comfortable charges more for his or her services, and you can afford the extra LASIK costs without straining your budget, treat yourself and go with your gut.

You can also find more info on Lasik Eye Surgery Price and Lasik Eye Surgery Risks. 2020lasikeyesurgery.com is a comprehensive resource to get information about LASIK eye surgery.

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Lasik Surgery In New York - What's In It For You?

Most people who are in the market for Lasik eye surgery prefer to find Lasik vision care centers in larger cities, hoping to find an eye surgeon who's experienced and yet won't charge and arm and a leg for Lasik eye correction surgery. While that endeavor might be easier said than done, the city of New York does offer a wealth of gifted and experienced doctors that will be able to provide you with the eye correction services that you need.

Thousands of eye doctors are listed in various directories in New York City, but that doesn't mean that they're all licensed to perform laser vision correction. When searching for a doctor who can perform such surgery, check not only local listings, but listings with surgeons as well as medical certification boards to ensure that the person you'll be dealing with is trained and experienced in various Lasik procedures.

The Lasik website often lists New York surgeons in its database for the convenience of patients, but looking around and getting a second opinion is always a wise choice when it comes to any type of surgery. After finding out that Lasik surgery can take as little as ten minutes per eye and that the procedure can be done on an outpatient basis, people often think that the procedure isn't a surgery after all when it is. Lasik surgery procedures and methods have constantly evolved and improved over the past decade, though there are always risks when performing any kind of surgery, laser directed or not. Many Lasik eye surgeons concentrate of the field of eye refractory and utilize the most advanced laser technology at their disposal. Because of this, Lasik eye correction is extremely expensive, despite its short procedures. However, finding a location that will work with you on payments is becoming easier and more convenient for those searching for just the right doctor. Since most vision insurance companies don't cover the costs of Lasik eye surgery, because they feel it's an elective process, it's easy for some people to hunt for bargains.

Bargain hunting when it comes to your eyesight is not such a good idea. Remember, this is surgery on an irreplaceable body part, and care and common sense should prevail when searching for a doctor to perform the delicate procedure. Saving a few bucks is not conducive to going cheap. Most Lasik eye surgeries cost around $2,000 or more an eye. Finding special deals and offers for less may seem tempting, but keep in mind that that's just a very basic cost for minimal work. In addition, costs will be added to that base, so always ask ahead of time what is included in the cost quoted to you.

New York is one of the most common locations for people obtaining Lasik eye surgery, followed by Los Angeles. While many people don't want to travel that far to obtain the procedure, balance the cost of travel with the level of experience you'll be receiving from doctors who have performed thousands of surgeries over one who has only performed dozens. In addition, competition helps to lower prices, so it is increasingly possible to find doctors who offer Lasik procedures at reasonable rates. Just make sure that when you're shopping around to not focus so much on cost as you do on expertise, experience, and if possible, feedback provided from other patients who have undergone the procedure.

For the latest information on Lasik New York options, visit http://LasikRevealed.com.

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Research A Laser Eye Center Before A Procedure

Technological and medical advancements have made many things possible in the modern world; not the least of which has been the ability to acquire superior sight when no such sight existed previously. Corrective laser eye surgery has become a popular procedure for many people struggling with their vision.

Its affordability and effectiveness have attracted patients far and wide who want to be rid of the price and inconvenience associated with glasses and contact lenses. But, as with any surgical procedure, it is imperative to ensure that you are in reputable and experienced hands. When it comes having Lasik surgery - laser eye surgery for vision correction – it is essential to determine what laser eye center will work best for your needs.

The word Lasik stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis - a form of refractive laser eye surgery. The Lasik procedure involves the patient lying on their back at which time each eye is corrected separately. The surgery begins with the eye being immobilized by a corneal suction ring. Once the eye is held steady, a laser is used to make a small incision in the corneal tissue in order to create a flap.

The flap is folded back so that the surgeon can access the second layer of the cornea – the stroma. It is here that laser technology is used to resurface the cornea by removing damaged areas of the stroma. The flap is then returned over the cornea and the healing process begins. Lasik is generally effective, painless, and boasts a short recovery time.

The laser eye center that you choose should be exceptionally experienced in performing such procedures. Lasik is one of the most widely performed procedures in the world today. A reputable laser eye center should be well-versed in the Lasik procedure and perform it on a daily basis. No patient should ever enter into a surgery without fully investigating the surgical center. And when it comes to our precious eyesight, thorough research is even more imperative.
First and foremost, proper research of a laser eye center should include investigation of the center itself. Check with the Better Business Bureau to ensure that the center has had no complaints lodged against it; visit the laser eye center to gage its cleanliness, organization, and efficiency; and research the history of the center including how many Lasik procedures they perform on a yearly basis.

Secondly, it is important to know the surgeons with whom you will be working. Take the time to investigate the surgeon’s pedigree – including education, experience, and reputation. And never embark upon a procedure with a surgeon if you have never met him/her personally. You should feel comfortable and that all of your questions and concerns are being respectfully addressed.
Also, never underestimate the power of the supporting staff in a laser eye center. The surgeon is only one of the professionals with whom you will be dealing when it comes to your procedure; you will have just as much contact with the front office staff and medical support staff so be sure that you feel comfortable and welcomed by everyone involved.

Finally, seek out other patients who have had procedures done by the laser eye center that you are considering. A good referral can mean all the difference for someone who is making such a big decision so talk to a cross-section of people to gage what their overall experience was so that you know what to expect.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik Vision Institute
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Blade Versus Bladeless LASIK Eye Surgery: What Is The Difference?

Patients considering LASIK eye surgery may come across medical jargon, such as "blade" and "bladeless" LASIK. To a layman, such terms might appear overwhelming. However, as a patient you must know the difference between the two surgery types, and the rewards and risks associated with each.

Traditional LASIK makes use of a microkeratome to cut a thin hinged flap in the cornea. The flap is then folded back to reveal the stroma – the middle layer of the cornea. A high precision laser, called the excimer laser, is used to reshape the corneal surface so as to correct any refractive error. The flap is then repositioned to act as a natural bandage. Since the microkeratome used to create a flap is in fact a surgical blade, the procedure is also known as blade LASIK.

A more recent innovation, introduced in 1999, makes use of a high energy laser (IntraLase or femtosecond laser) to create a flap during surgery. As opposed to traditional LASIK, IntraLase does not employ a surgical blade, and hence the procedure is often marketed as "bladeless" or "all laser" LASIK. The term itself has raged a debate among eye surgeons, as to whether it should be used in IntraLase advertisements or not. Several surgeons assert that the term "bladeless" implies that traditional LASIK, which makes use of a surgical blade (microkeratome), is a scarier proposition, when in fact it’s not.

The creation of the flap is an important part of the laser eye surgery procedure. It’s true that flap predictability is better with a laser flap, that is, with bladeless LASIK. Moreover, there is a reduced possibility of flap complications, such as partial flaps, flap dislocation, free flaps etc. However, an expert surgeon wielding a contemporary microkeratome can very well match the finesse of bladeless LASIK. Although the chances are rare, there is an issue of transient light sensitivity as well – a unique risk associated with bladeless LASIK. Moreover, the bladeless LASIK procedure costs an extra $300 per eye, when compared with traditional LASIK.

All said and done, LASIK itself is one of the safest refractive surgery procedure. Whether it’s blade or bladeless, it largely depends on the eye surgeon of your choice. If the surgeon has loads of experience carrying out microkeratome procedures, it’s better to have it that way. If otherwise, you may go in for the relatively new bladeless LASIK surgery.

Finding a LASIK surgery that you are confident about will be able to give you more information about blade and bladeless LASIK.

The LASIK Surgeons Directory - find a LASIK doctor. Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news and views about blade and bladeless LASIK at Your Lasik Information.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Your-LASIK.info

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Adjust Your High Expectations of Lasik

Lasik surgery ads often promote cleared and improved vision. A lot of people go into Lasik thinking they will never have a need for eyeglasses or contacts again. While most people do experience an improvement in eyesight after having the Lasik procedure, some do not. It is not unusual for Lasik patients to still need eyeglasses or contacts after Lasik. Some with a bad out come, actually have worse vision than before the surgery. Before you head to the Lasik surgery center, you should adjust you high expectations of Lasik.

Adjust your High Expectations of Lasik

Lasik surgery ads often promote cleared and improved vision. A lot of people go into Lasik thinking they will never have a need for eyeglasses or contacts again. While most people do experience an improvement in eyesight after having the Lasik procedure, some do not. It is not unusual for Lasik patients to still need eyeglasses or contacts after Lasik. Some with a bad out come, actually have worse vision than before the surgery. Before you head to the Lasik surgery center, you should adjust you high expectations of Lasik.

Lasik surgery can help many people. Most of the time, patients who undergo Lasik surgery enjoy an improved vision of at least 20/40. This is not however, always the case. Before having a Lasik procedure, it is important that you thoroughly research Lasik, ask lots of questions and have realistic expectations.

There are good statistics about Lasik surgery

results. One study reports that 94 percent of all Lasik patients are satisfied with their results and have at least 20/20 vision following surgery. Of those who have Lasik, the study shows that nearly all Lasik patients would recommend the surgery to a friend. Also, it was found that about 25 percent of the patients, who experienced problems with the surgery, could have been resolved with more patient education prior to the operation. One report of dissatisfaction with the surgery is that Lasik does not correct far or near sightedness in people over the age of forty. Twenty five percent of those who reported dissatisfaction with the surgery reported problems with night vision, but this often resolves itself in a few months.

While Lasik is a relatively easy surgery and is performed on many people, there are some immediate expectations you should realize before having surgery. Often, Lasik patients go into surgery thinking that recovery time is only a couple of hours. The healing time with Lasik is fast, however, you will not be ready to drive in a couple of hours. Expect your doctor to inform you that driving is forbidden for at least a week after surgery. Also, expect to be out of work following surgery for about four days. While Lasik is generally a pain-free procedure, some patients do report a scratchy feeling on the eye for a couple of days after the surgery.
In addition, Lasik surgery does require that you take good care of yourself post-operatively. That means that you must make and keep your appointments with your eye care professional for post-operative care and evaluation. If you are given any medications to take after surgery, such as eye drops, it is important that these are taken on a regular basis to get the best possible outcome after surgery. You can also expect your doctor to give you specific instructions regarding the use of make up, which may be limited for a couple of days, and returning to vigorous activities such as sports. These may also be off-limits for several days following the

Lasik procedure.
It is recommended that if you do not completely understand the risks or have adequate expectations of Lasik surgery, you should not have the procedure. Also, when thinking about Lasik, carefully consider whether or not Lasik is right for you. Many people who have poor outcomes are not good candidates for the surgery in the first place. It is crucial to give your eye care professional detailed information about your health and eye history. This could make the difference in having a good Lasik outcome and having a poor experience.

There are reasons why some people should not consider having the Lasik procedure. There are several pre-existing conditions that would give you a poor outcome with Lasik surgery. For example, women who are pregnant or nursing when the surgery is performed can be at an increased risk for a poor outcome. There are many hormone fluctuations during pregnancy and nursing that can affect the eye. Lasik surgery should never be performed under these circumstances. Also, if you have certain health issues, such as diabetes or hepatitis, it is usually not recommended that you have Lasik.

Many people can benefit from the Lasik eye correction surgery. As with any surgery or procedures, it is very important to have realistic expectations before surgery. It is not a miracle surgery to correct all vision problems. Lasik is designed to help improve poor vision. If you are considering Lasik, you should consult your eye care professional to see if you are a good candidate for the surgery.

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Overcoming an Eye Phobia before Lasik Surgery

If you are tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses then lasik surgery may be your choice to correct your vision. Lasik is used for correcting wide ranges of imperfections in the cornea of the eye. It is a precise and controlled surgery through which the imperfections of the cornea are removed by reshaping it. The surgery negates the need for spectacles and contact lenses.
However, to let someone shine a laser in your eye is more than anything you can handle. It is scary enough, but with educating yourself on lasik you will be able to overcome the eye phobia before the surgery.

Another way that you can try to overcome your having lasik eye surgery is to watch it being done to someone else. Most doctors will allow you to watch it being done. They usually have it on video tape, and if they don’t most will allow you to sit in on a surgery at the patients consent. Once you see how simple, painless and quick the procedure is, most get over their fear. If you get to sit in on one of the surgeries, you can ask the patient what it felt like, how they are feeling now and any other question or concern that you have.

Watching a surgery can also put your mind at ease about what happens. Your eyes are open the whole time, but you can’t see what’s going on around you because your head and eyes are kept in a stationary position. This can scare many people. Watching a surgery can alleviate many of those concerns.

One step further, If watching a surgery is not what it takes to get over your fear, is to seek a counseling with a clinical psychologist. They will be able to cure most phobias with methods such as hypnosis and visual aids to help one overcome such fears.

More importantly, you should develop peace of mind before the lasik surgery takes place. Any type of meditation that can set the mind at ease will help you a lot to put away wrongful thoughts and fear of doing something you are not familiar with.

Once you overcome those fears and finally have the surgery, you will be glad you did. The benefits of not having to wear glasses or contacts will be well worth the work you put forth to get over that fear. Please keep in mind that if you never get over your fear, you may be stuck wearing glasses forever. That thought should be the motivation you need to get over your fear.

Check out this link for laser eye treatment near you. With simple research you can find affordable laser eye surgery here. Also discover how much does laser eye surgery cost you?
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The Rise Of Lasik Eye Surgery

The days in which eyeglasses and contact lenses were the only option to those with impaired vision came to an end in 1991 when Lasik eye surgery was first performed in the United States. Today, with more than a million patients having undergone the procedure, Lasik has become commonplace among eye patients who wish to minimize the long term expense and inconvenience associated with eye care. Lasik is something of a miracle for those who have struggled with compromised vision. And while it may be something that is relatively new to us, it utilizes technology that has actually existed for quite some time.

Lasik eye surgery focuses on the reshaping of the eye’s cornea – the transparent tissue that covers the iris (the colored segment of the eye) and the lens (the part that rests behind the iris). The lens is the part of the eye that bends or refracts light to the retina – cells that exist in the lining of the back of the eye. The retina’s job is to then take that light and convert it to messages that can be received by the optic nerve in the brain.

When the eye experiences refractive difficulties – such as what is experienced in nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and a host of other issues – the light that our eye receives is not refracted properly and the message that our brain receives is that of a blurry image. Traditionally, eyeglasses and contact lenses have been utilized to correct how light is refracted by our eye. But modern times have seen the rise in popularity of Lasik eye surgery – that makes such corrections with the aid of a laser.

Experimentation with surgically correcting the cornea first began in the late 1940s when a Columbian ophthalmologist was able to successfully treat patients by removing over half of their cornea, freezing it, resurfacing it once it was frozen, and then replacing it in the patient’s eye. In the 1960s, an ophthalmologist in Russia was able to elevate the technology by making adjustments to the cornea while it remained in the patient’s eye; such adjustments were made using a scalpel.

In 1990, Lucio Buratto and Ioannis Pallikaris developed Lasik eye surgery; the first of which was performed in the United States in 1991. Lasik stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and makes correction to the cornea to improve light refraction. During Lasik eye surgery, the patient is first given numbing drops to anesthetize the eye. The patient lies down and the eye is held open with a speculum and immobilized with a cornea suction ring. The surgeon then cuts a thin flap into the top layer of the cornea. The flap is folded back to reveal the underlayer of the cornea – the stroma. Using low-powered laser technology, the surgeon then resurfaces the stroma to improve light refraction. When the procedure is completed – normally in less than 10 minutes – the flap is replaced over the cornea and allowed to heal naturally.

Most patients report virtually no pain during Lasik eye surgery and only mild and infrequent discomfort. Recovery time is short; patients can generally resume normal activities – with a few safety guidelines – the day following the procedure.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik eye surgery

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LASIK Questions You Need To Ask Your Doctor

Before deciding whether or not to undergo LASIK eye surgery there are a few questions you should probably ask any doctor you are considering performing your vision correction surgery. After all, your eyes are important and if you’re going to have someone operating on them in order to improve your eye sight you should make sure you have the right LASIK specialist doing the job. Even though LASIK is a simple procedure that is generally quick (as fast as 2 minutes) and painless it still requires a special skill that only a specialized doctor can possess. The good news is that the number of people seeking laser eye surgery is growing on a daily basis and the new techniques have many people noticing a huge improvement in their vision within 24 hours after having LASIK surgery.

Choosing your LASIK doctor can be the biggest decision you will ever have to make. You must make sure to educate yourself prior to undergoing laser eye surgery. Your doctor will appreciate this since a knowledgeable patient who is well informed and knows what to expect following vision correction surgery generally makes a better patient. Even though LASIK is becoming a more common surgery there are still some risks associated with the surgery. Most patients experience a positive benefit associated with their surgery but there are a few that do suffer from minor eye infections and a reduced day and night vision capability following the eye correction surgery.

This brings us to some questions you should be prepared to ask your LASIK surgeon or doctor. The answers to these questions certainly aren’t required for successful LASIK surgery but they do allow you to become a more informed patient and ultimately can lead to a more positive experience with your eye surgery.

The first question that needs to be asked involves whether or not you’re a viable candidate for LASIK surgery. Make sure your doctor performs a thorough analysis and diagnosis of your eyes prior to performing any portion of the laser vision correction surgery. If you are classified as a poor candidate then you may want to reconsider whether or not to have the surgery performed. It has been proven that folks with vision problems that are not right for LASIK surgery usually suffer from complications afterwards.

As quick as the LASIK procedure is there is still an amount of recovery time that is involved for everyone undergoing the surgery. That time factor for recovery is dependant on several factors so it would be wise to discuss this important issue with your doctor prior to having LASIK performed.

Let’s be honest as easy as LASIK sounds and as good as the results are there is one drawback and it’s the cost for having vision correction surgery performed. Even though prices have fallen they still can be in the range of several thousand dollars. With that said it’s important that you find out exactly how much LASIK will cost and what is actually included for the price (don’t let a hidden cost prevent you from having the surgery). As a precaution you should probably estimate on spending upwards of $4000 - $5000 for surgery on both eyes and perhaps $2000 for vision correction in one eye. With prices in that range you may want to inquiry about any type of payment plans that may be offered by the doctor performing the surgery.

As LASIK as grown more popular the treatments and procedures used have also become more evolved. Not all doctors perform the same techniques when they perform laser eye surgery. Your doctor may specialize in one technique or favor a certain type of procedure over others. Find out what procedure your doctor is skilled in and what they will do when performing your LASIK surgery. Additional questions may revolve around what will take place during the actual operating procedure. With the advent of eye numbing drops most surgeries are performed while the patient is awake.

Finally you should discuss what will happen after your LASIK surgery, any post operative instructions your doctor may have and most importantly the risks and complications that are associated with LASIK. The answers to these and the other questions presented in this short article will allow you to have a more positive experience as you undergo laser eye surgery in order to improve your vision.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com. He provides more LASIK advice, information and LASIK questions you need to ask your doctor that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Gorman

What Are The Eye Conditions That Lasik Helps To Correct?

There are four general eye conditions that are treatable with the Lasik procedure. Some people mistakenly believe that Lasik can be used to treat all forms of vision problems and all degrees of short sightedness or far sightedness and this is not true. Even the conditions which are treatable with Lasik must fall within a certain range to qualify for the laser treatment.

Lasik was primarily designed to help those patients with mild to moderate vision problems. Patients with severe vision problems may be helped with Lasix but their eyesight may still remain poor enough to require glasses. Although most patients who undergo Lasik never need to wear glasses or contacts again, this isn’t the case for everyone.

Lasik is mainly used to treat the eye conditions of myopia which is also known as nearsightedness, hyperopia which is also known as farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia if you choose to use the monovision method of correction.

Myopia

Myopia is also called nearsightedness, and is a condition where you can see objects close up much clearer than objects at a distance. This is generally caused by a eye that is longer than normal and the light rays therefore focus in front of the retina rather than on it.

Hyperopia

Hyperopia is called farsightedness and is the opposite of myopia. Objects that are at a distance are clearer than objects that are up close and this is because light rays focus behind the retina instead of on it.

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common condition which results in blurry vision which results from an unusual shaped eyeball. Instead of being round, the eye is more of an oval shape and this causes the light rays to focus on two points instead of one. In addition, those with the condition of astigmatism often have myopia or hyperopia as well. When Lasik is used in a case like this, both conditions can be treated at once.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a common eye condition that normally occurs with aging and strikes people in between the age of forty to fifty. It is the result of the eye lens losing its elasticity. This causes objects to become blurry the closer they become. This condition is usually corrected with reading glasses. Lasik cannot correct presbyopia in itself but Lasik can compensate for the condition through a procedure know as monovision. One eye is corrected to see far away and the other is corrected to see up close so the brain is tricked into seeing clearly.

Lasik has helped many people with the above conditions to be able to give up wearing glasses and contact lenses and restore clear vision. Only your eye doctor will be able to determine if Lasik is appropriate for your situation.

About The Author

Peter Rankin is a staff writer at http://www.visiondigest.com and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including http://www.fitness-digest.com.

Why Eye Lasik Is Necessary For Athletes

Most people would have the misconception that eye lasik is a cure to short-sighted or long-sighted problems. The fact is eye lasik surgery is designed to improve the vision of the person under-going the surgery. It is not intended to give you super sharp vision or extreme clear focus. The expectation need to be correct. Many athletes with minor short-sighted eye problem would opt for eye lasik surgery. Now you might ask, why do they do so?

The number one reason is improve on their current performance with the sport they are in. Take for example Tiger Woods, the professional golfer, with severe shor-sightedness and need to wear contacts lens for each of his game. He is always concern about the weather condition like windy or rainy day which can affects his judgement.After his lasik eye surgery, he claim to experience an improvement in viewing the holes on the green. And until now he is still happy with his vision. Many golfers would agree to opt for this eye cosmetic treatment which ultimately can potentially helps in their overall scoring.

Another great benefit to the sportsman is that they not longer need to wear their contact lenses or vision aid device during their training. This would mean one less worry for them. Especially for swimmers, they no longer need to wear degree fitted googel,specticle or sunglasses. The cost in saving can be alot over a period of a few years.

An interesting finding shows that footballers, golfers, basketball players and hockey players are among the top group of people who opt to have an eye lasik surgery. This is followed by divers and swimmers.

With the in-born talent and training, athletes should be able to excel in the sports that they love. Althletes should not be put down by the problem of poor eye sight which hinder the growth of their career as a sportsman. Perhaps the biggest obsticle to the althlete is the risk involved. However, with the advancement of technology in eye lasik surgery operation, the risk factors would no longer be of concern.

About The Author

Adwin Ang is a freelance publisher based in Singapore. He publishes articles in various ezines and free downloadable eye lasik related reports and provides information on Lasik eye surgery at http://www.AboutEyeLasik.com.

Complications with LASIK

LASIK, surgery to reduce or eliminate the need for eye glasses, has become very popular over the past 5-10 years. While most cases proceed quite well, the potential for complications does exist, and is often not discussed prior to surgery. It should be noted that all but one of the complications is NOT due to surgeon error. Most potential problems are simply physiological, and have nothing to do with how well the surgeon performed the procedure.

The first is infection. While topical antibiotics are employed prior to, and after the surgery, there is always the possibility of infection if the individual is exposed to an infectious agent. The cure is simple; proper follow up and more antibiotics. There is minimal risk of further issues.

The second, is movement of the flap. This will occur if the individual rubs his/her eye before the flap has had proper time to reattach itself to the underlying tissue. The patient will experience pain, blurry vision and redness if this occurs. It is an emergency, and does require being brought back into surgery to move the flap back into position. Once this is done, the individual should heal normally without further complications. This flap movement tends to occur more frequently when Intralase (laser is used to lift the flap) is performed. While the incision is more precise, it results in a very thin flap which tends to move easier post surgically. Once the flap heals though, the incision area is barely noticeable.

The third complication is epithelial (outside) cell growth under the flap. This may occur days to months after surgery. These cells grow around the edge of the flap, and move inward causing haziness under the flap. When this occurs, the flap must me lifted up and these epithelial cells washed away. No further problems will occur after this procedure is done.

The fourth issue is striae, or wrinkles in or under the flap. This is corrected by lifting the flap and flattening it out. No long term issues after this point.

Issue five is extreme swelling often called ” Sands of the Sahara”, because it looks like a sand dune to the examining eye doctor. This may occur more frequently, but is dealt with higher doses of steroid eye drops to reduce the inflammation. As with the other complications, the results are most often successful.

The final and most serious of the potential complication is ectasia. This occurs when the inner most layer of the cornea, the endothelium, has irregularities in it. If this issue is not detected prior to surgery the final results after LASIK may be terrible. The patient may have poor, distorted and irregular vision that is NOT surgically correctable, nor corrected with glasses. Most often the individual will either have to wear hard contact lenses, and may even require a cornea transplant to improve his/her vision. This complication is the only one that could be surgeon related. A test called the Orbscan MUST be performed prior to surgery, and the potential for ectasia can be easily detected. NO INDIVIDUAL SHOULD EVER consider LASIK with out having an Orbscan done. Any office that does not have an Orbscan should not perform LASIK.

As with all surgical procedures, patients must be comfortable with the surgeon and the office they choose, and understand all the potential complications prior to surgery.

Dr. Jay B Stockman is an individual contributor to New York Vision Associates

Dr. Jay B Stockman

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Stockman

LasikPlus Offers Superior Patient Care And Optimum Results

Lasik surgery has become one of the most popular elective surgeries in the United States. With more than a million procedures performed in the United States alone, Lasik has grown in popularity as technology has become more streamlined and the procedure has been perfected by skilled surgeons who perform it on a daily basis.

As the demand for Lasik grows, more and more centers devoted to Lasik open throughout the country. LasikPlus – one of the leaders in Lasik technology – has reputable centers that are located throughout the country and are committed to providing their patients with a superior level of care regardless of the center that they visit.

LasikPlus has been able to provide patients with such superior care and affordable prices because of the manner in which they conduct their business. A LasikPlus Vision Center –regardless of where it is located – performs a similar level of care. Each center is a template of the LasikPlus philosophy.

Currently, there are fifty centers throughout the country each dedicated to providing a standard of care that includes skilled and experienced surgeons who are top in the field, comprehensive patient care that extends to pre-operative visits and complete aftercare, advanced technology that represents the most state-of-the-art equipment on the market today, professional and respectful office and medical support staff that work together to ensure a positive experience for the patient, and affordable treatment through a variety of financing options.

Lasik surgery works to correct refractive difficulties experienced by patients and that is manifested in nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Such refractive disorders change the way that light is refracted through the lens to the retina. When the retina receives refracted light it then converts the signal it receives to a message that can be assimilated by the optic nerve in the brain; the optic nerve translates the message that it receives into a visual image. When light is not refracted properly, ultimately the message that is received by the retina is one of a blurry image.

Through the Lasik procedure, a thin incision is created in the top layer of the cornea in order to create a flap. When the flap is folded back, the surgeon is able to access the underlayer of the cornea, known as the stroma. Once the stroma is revealed the surgeon is able to resurface the area with the use of a laser; after which the flap is replaced on the eye and natural healing is allowed to begin.

While this may be a quick procedure it is still a surgical procedure that must be completed with enormous skill and precision. The surgeons of LasikPlus are committed to offering their patients the benefits of their ongoing training. Each procedure is approached independently and begins with a thorough pre-examination to determine the candidacy of the patient and the manner of procedure that will achieve the greatest success.

LasikPlus prides itself on treating its patients with the utmost respect; each patient is given personal service and the opportunity to ask questions of their surgeon prior to the procedure. In addition, the aftercare provided by the center is well-known in the industry and focuses on comprehensive follow-up and ultimate success.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik plus.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Kay

Finding A Lasik Center That Works For Your Needs

Lasik is a procedure performed thousands of times a day all over the world. Just as contact lenses slowly replaced eyeglasses as the vision correction of choice, Lasik has become the new way in which to correct vision and avoid the cost and inconvenience associated with glasses and contacts.

Of course, deciding on Lasik means weighing the advantages and disadvantages, as well as consulting with your physician and eye doctor to ensure that you are both an appropriate candidate for Lasik and in good enough health to undergo a procedure of this kind. And, finally, you must choose the Lasik center that will meet your needs effectively and affordably.

As with any sort of surgical procedure there is much to consider before embarking on the journey. Not only do you want to consider those centers that are close to home and logistically convenient, but you want to find a Lasik center that has a vast amount of experience under its belt when it comes to performing Lasik and can answer your questions and concerns in an informative, respectful, and professional manner.

First and foremost, think of the pre-procedure process as an interview of sorts. Visit the Lasik center in which you are interested and get a feel for its policies and procedures. It is important to ensure that you are dealing with a center that is committed to patient care, as well as being clean, organized, secure, and professionally staffed.

Speaking of staff – it is important to get to know the people with whom you will be working through this process. Thoroughly research the surgeons who will be performing the procedure; find out where they were educated, how much experience they have, and their reputation in the industry. But don’t stop there when it comes to getting to know the staff; the front office staff and medical support staff are just as important as you will be dealing with them for billing and follow-up. You are looking for organization, helpfulness, and professionalism.

The next best resource for research purposes is the Internet - allowing you to quickly and easily find exactly what you are looking for, thus narrowing and speeding your search significantly. Conduct a specific search for a Lasik center nearest your home and began your research from there.

Finally, ask for references. A Lasik center should have a comprehensive list at their disposal of patients who are willing to speak on their behalf. Or ask around to family and friends; no one is in a better position to tell you about the experience of Lasik – and a particular Lasik center – than someone who has recently had the procedure performed.

This process may seem long and a bit frustrating, but remember that the effort is well worth it. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that you are in the best hands possible and that your comfort and results are paramount. In this way, you can ensure that your procedure is successful – not just for now but for a lifetime.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik plus.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Xavier

Lasik Surgery Does Not Guarantee Freedom From Glasses

Is LASIK right for you?

With all the advertisements that suggest that LASIK eye surgery allows you to throw your glasses away, it is easy to think that once you have the procedure done, your eyes will be perfect forever. But this is not the case. There is more to it than meets the eye.

It is true that LASIK has allowed many people to see clearly without glasses, but it is also true that not everyone should have this surgery. Conditions such as thin corneas, dry eyes or astigmatism could exclude you from being a perfect candidate for the operation. Also, someone with a disease that hinders the healing process, such as diabetes, may be cause for elimination from consideration.

Even if a person is deemed a viable candidate, issues may still arise. Although less than 1% of patients experience severe vision problems, patients can experience other less critical concerns, such as halos or glare around lights. Most problems are resolved in the months after the surgery, but it is still important to be aware of the risks before undergoing the procedure.

Also, LASIK does not protect against age-related issues such as presbyopia. After the age of 40, the eye's lens loses flexibility, making it harder to focus on near images. Even if a person's sight is corrected to 20/20, chances are, he or she will still need reading glasses at some point. Newer surgical procedures have been introduced to treat this condition, but in general, most people can look forward to reading glasses even after they have laser eye surgery.

Vision correction has come a long way since the days that surgeons made spoke-like incisions, known as RK, in the eye to alter the shape of the cornea and thus, improve sight. Today, there are many different procedures being performed to help people see better. With all the choices available, it makes sense to consult with an experienced professional and learn about all of your options. Your eyesight is precious. Trust it to someone who will treat it as such.

Suzanne Hughes is a frame consultant for the online reading glasses boutique at http://www.readinstyle.com. Given the nature of refractive surgery, Suzanne is pleased to explain why even after LASIK, reading glasses are usually still a necessity of life for all of us age 40 or better.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Hughes

Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Demystified!

Over the last number of years the world has witnessed amazing advances in the field of medicine, especially with the advent of LASIK laser eye surgery. This revolutionary procedure has both given hope and excited those who experience problems with their eyesight.

But what exactly is LASIK eye surgery?

What happens during LASIK laser surgery is that the lasers correct refractive errors in the cornea. The laser perfectly controls the tearing of the corneal tissue, thereby reshaping the cornea and changing its focus. LASIK surgery follows a simple two step process:

1. A slight, thin flap of tissue is created on the outside layer of the eye or cornea. This flap encourages healing and provides comfort on the way to better vision.

2. The surgeon folds open the flap on the inner cornea to correct the eyesight. Once this is done, the flap is closed to its original position and sealed with stitches.

The word LASIK refers to Laser-Assisted In Sutu Keratomieusis, a process which is characterized by the reshaping of the cornea to refract light in the lens. While LASIK eye surgery is by no means perfect, it is a very viable and increasingly safe surgery.

Government regulations have led to improvements regarding the types of lasers to be used for LASIK laser surgery. If you or anyone you know are considering LASIK laser surgery I would advise you to carefully research the types of lasers used by your local doctors when performing LASIK.

New improvements coupled with the regulated costs of doctors mean that LASIK surgery has become more affordable, making it a possibility for some who could only dream of such improvement a few years back. Some surgeries are referred to as “bladeless” or “custom” LASIK, meaning they are more tailored towards the individual and are therefore more effective

Finally LASIK surgery is an exciting prospect to anyone who has suffered from vision problems in the past. However, just as when buying a car or house, you need to carefully consider all your options before embarking on LASIK.

About The Author

The author L Jimmy Roos writes widely, offering solutions on various topics that affect the human condition. For more information on Lasik laser eye surgery and how it can help you, please visit now http://www.lasikeyeadvice.com

Lasik - The Right Procedure For Your Eyes

When it comes to eye impairments, there are many concerns. The eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body, which means that even a little, tiny mistake may put total vision at risk . With so many doubts, worries and frustration, Lasik vision correction surgery appears to be the number one choice of thousands of people who have any sort of vision impairment. This is because of the safety involved in the procedure plus the benefits. What could please people more than combining safety with benefits?

This surgery is safe due to the unique type of laser used: the excimer. This special light was designed exclusively to be used in Lasik surgery, offering no risk to people who undergo the procedure.

Lasik surgery is declared to be the best and the highest technology procedure to correct vision impairments.

Lasik Procedure

The Lasik procedure is really simple. It's so simple that people who undergo this surgery are able to get back to work the next day. There is no need to stay at home and spend those boring days - as doctors like to say - recovering. The idea lies in the fact that all vision impairment has to do with irregularity around the cornea. Due to this, the procedure consists of cutting away the bad tissue surrounding the cornea and reshaping the cornea, which corrects your vision. The surgery is performed with the patient awake. However, the patient will be given some mild sedative in order to keep the body relaxed and anesthetic eye drops. The surgeon operates the laser and a computer system tracks 4000 times per second the patient's eye position and simply redirects the laser pulses for precise placement.

One day after undergoing the procedure, the person feels a significant improvement in the vision.

Lasik Complications

It's not common, but Lasik surgery can have some complications. Although it is the safest and most technological method to correct vision impairments, some complications are not overruled.

The most common situations are:

- dry eyes
- over/undercorrection
- visual acuity fluctuation
- light sensitivity
- double vision
- decentered ablation

There are some others, but when complications happen, these are the most frequent.

Lasik Benefits

People sometimes are afraid to undergo Lasik surgery in order to correct their vision because, most of the time, they are not aware of what exactly the benefits are. Here, it's important to make clear that although complications may occur, they are rare and the benefits are worth taking the risk. Besides, studies show that less than 5% of people who undergo this procedure experience complications.

The most interesting benefits are:

- elimination of the need for glasses
- the discomfort felt with the use of lenses will be gone
- the quality of vision will be increased
- people will be able to pass a driver's test without glasses.

------------------------------------------------------- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Lasik ------------------------------------------------------- Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Do You Need Contact Lenses

Are you about to venture into the world of wearing contacts? Many people in need of corrective lenses choose to wear contact lenses because of the comfort and an aversion to looking awful with glasses. Glasses slip down your nose, weight on your ears and nose, and have glare problems with light. You also have to have special lenses or an extra pair to keep the sun from blinding you when wearing glasses. A contact lens allows you to get rid of this paraphernalia and simply have corrected vision. Most individuals won’t even realize you are wearing a contact lens because they are virtually impossible to see in your eye.

Contact lenses have changed since the 50’s. A hard contact lens was the first lens to be made. This type of contact lens was made of a glass material making it very rigid and very uncomfortable for your eye. Most individuals felt glasses were the only way to go because of the uncomfortable material and expense. After all it was very easy to scratch your eye with a hard contact lens when trying to get it out because of the rigidity of the material. Soon glass material was replaced with a polymer based product making contact lenses a little more comfortable; however the restricted oxygen flow to the cornea was causing eye sight problems like blindness in individuals who wore contacts for several years.

We now have a silicon hydrogel contact. This is known as a soft contact lens. The material is like plastic and conforms to the eye easier than their counterparts. It is also thinner. This thinner material tends to tear easily, but gives more comfort to your eye. It is an almost weightless material so your eye will barely feel its presence.

With the introduction of the silicon hydrogel contact lens we also have the introduction of more color contact lenses available. You may have seen some one with violet, jade, yellow or red eyes. The color contact lenses are available to create whatever effect you wish to, however there are downsides. The color contact lens tends to restrict oxygen flow when you have these type of opaque lenses because the material is a little heavier to create the affect.

Your contact lens is created to fit your eye. An eye care specialist will measure your eye to get the correct lens ordered to fit your eye. This is why most individuals with higher prescriptions tend to wait a week or more for their contact lenses to arrive. You can also have corrective lenses for astigmatisms or bifocal contact lenses. The Toric lenses are weighted at the bottom to keep the contact on your eye and eliminate the blurriness created by the astigmatism. The bifocal contact lens is available for those who need an adjustment for near and farsightedness and don’t want glasses. Your eye care professional will make sure you have the right prescription for your contact lens.

You can also find more info on Bifocal Soft Contact Lens and Buy Contact Lenses Online.Onlinecontactlenseshelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about online contact lenses.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Faulkner

LasikPlus Offers Superior Patient Care And Optimum Results

Lasik surgery has become one of the most popular elective surgeries in the United States. With more than a million procedures performed in the United States alone, Lasik has grown in popularity as technology has become more streamlined and the procedure has been perfected by skilled surgeons who perform it on a daily basis.

As the demand for Lasik grows, more and more centers devoted to Lasik open throughout the country. LasikPlus – one of the leaders in Lasik technology – has reputable centers that are located throughout the country and are committed to providing their patients with a superior level of care regardless of the center that they visit.

LasikPlus has been able to provide patients with such superior care and affordable prices because of the manner in which they conduct their business. A LasikPlus Vision Center –regardless of where it is located – performs a similar level of care. Each center is a template of the LasikPlus philosophy.

Currently, there are fifty centers throughout the country each dedicated to providing a standard of care that includes skilled and experienced surgeons who are top in the field, comprehensive patient care that extends to pre-operative visits and complete aftercare, advanced technology that represents the most state-of-the-art equipment on the market today, professional and respectful office and medical support staff that work together to ensure a positive experience for the patient, and affordable treatment through a variety of financing options.

Lasik surgery works to correct refractive difficulties experienced by patients and that is manifested in nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Such refractive disorders change the way that light is refracted through the lens to the retina. When the retina receives refracted light it then converts the signal it receives to a message that can be assimilated by the optic nerve in the brain; the optic nerve translates the message that it receives into a visual image. When light is not refracted properly, ultimately the message that is received by the retina is one of a blurry image.

Through the Lasik procedure, a thin incision is created in the top layer of the cornea in order to create a flap. When the flap is folded back, the surgeon is able to access the underlayer of the cornea, known as the stroma. Once the stroma is revealed the surgeon is able to resurface the area with the use of a laser; after which the flap is replaced on the eye and natural healing is allowed to begin.

While this may be a quick procedure it is still a surgical procedure that must be completed with enormous skill and precision. The surgeons of LasikPlus are committed to offering their patients the benefits of their ongoing training. Each procedure is approached independently and begins with a thorough pre-examination to determine the candidacy of the patient and the manner of procedure that will achieve the greatest success.

LasikPlus prides itself on treating its patients with the utmost respect; each patient is given personal service and the opportunity to ask questions of their surgeon prior to the procedure. In addition, the aftercare provided by the center is well-known in the industry and focuses on comprehensive follow-up and ultimate success.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik plus.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Kay

Thinking About Lasik Eye Surgery?

If, like most of us, you wear glasses or contact lenses, the possibility of having good eyesight without them may seem remote. For years you have been stuck with only these two options—or a third, of not seeing very well.

Today, Lasik eye surgery is all you ever hear about and you probably know several people who have already been through the process. They just rave over how quick and easy the process was and that they do not have to be bothered wearing glasses or taking care of contact lenses. And, you are seriously considering doing the same thing. But, are you a good candidate for this surgery?

The best way to find out if you are a good candidate is to schedule an appointment with an eye surgeon and have an examination. There are certain standards that your eyes must meet in order to be considered for the surgery. They are:

* A correctly sized pupil,
* A cornea of the right thickness,
* A cornea that is structurally normal (not an unusual shape),
* Have a healthy pressure within the eye, and
* Have basically healthy eyes (with no diseases or injuries that might interfere with the surgery).

Okay, you are ready to go. You have received your eye examination and have been approved for the procedure by the eye surgeon. Now what? You schedule a date and show up at the appropriate time. You know that you will be awake for the procedure and everything has been carefully explained. Now, it is time to prep for the surgery.

You are finally in the laser suite where you will be positioned comfortable on your back under the excimer laser. Your surgeon will put anesthetic eye drops in your eyes to numb their surface. The eyelashes are taped out of the way and an eyelid speculum is placed between you eyelids to keep you from blinking.

Small reference marks are put on your cornea to serve as positional guides for replacing the corneal flap. A suction ring is placed on your eye to hold it is position and to maintain the pressure within. The corneal flap is now created and folded back. The next step is for the laser procedure to sculpture the cornea by vaporizing small amounts of tissue-this step can take anywhere from 20-90 seconds to complete. The eye is then flushed out to remove any debris and then the corneal flap is put back into its original position.

You will be asked to sit quietly with your eyes closed for about 30 minutes and then the eye surgeon will come back and check to make sure that everything is all right. You may have a sensation that there is something in your eye, but this will pass. When it is time to go home, you will be given antibiotic drops, anti-inflammatory drops, and lubricating eye drops along with a detailed set of instructions on what to do and when to do it. In addition, you will schedule several postoperative appointments to have your doctor check on your eyes.

Now, you know the basics. If you are considering lasik eye surgery, make sure that you do your research and find the best eye surgeon in the area. Once everything is completed, you will enjoy the freedom of not dealing with glasses and contact lenses.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik eye surgery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Kay

The Lasik Procedure

Lasik is basically a two-phase process. The first phase is the pre-operative phase, while the second phase is the procedure itself. The pre-operative phase of lasik varies for different patients. While some may be asked to stay without their contact lenses for a week, in some cases the timeline may extend to 10 days.

The pre-operative phase is vital to the success of the procedure in its entirety, as it helps the patient prepare for life without glasses or contact lenses, while enabling doctors to examine the shape of the patient’s cornea and determine the kinds of irregularities existing, if any. This helps the doctor know if the patient suffers from astigmatism, a distortion of the shape of the cornea that results in poor vision.

The examination of the cornea itself is a scientific process that involves using a scanner, controlled by a computer to create a map of the patient’s cornea by shooting low-power lasers at it. Once the corneal surface has been mapped, the surgeon works out the different parameters critical to the success of the surgery. These include the amount of tissue to be removed from the cornea, the location of the tissue, and other related parameters. During this phase, the doctor usually advises the patient to use a mild antibiotic. This step is taken to ensure that there are minimal chances of an infection after the actual procedure.

The operation itself is quite simple, and is performed using a local anesthetic. This is usually an eye drop, and the patient remains awake during the procedure. Depending on the requirements of the patient, and also his general physical condition, the surgeon may opt for general anesthesia. However, this is an exception, and is not done usually.

The surgeon first uses the microkeratome to make an incision into the cornea. Other choice of application may be a femtosecond laser. Afer making the incision, the surgeon next cuts out a flap of the cornea at the appropriate location which he has determined from his studies of the corneal surface during the pre-operative phase.

Cutting out the flap of the cornea exposes the mid-section of the cornea, the stroma. The third step in the process involves the surgeon realigning the stroma using an excimer laser. During this entire process, a computer continuously monitors the position of the eye itself. The computer operates at very high speeds; the computer tracks the eye movement up to 4,000 times per second.After realigning the stroma, the surgeon places back the flap of cornea.

As seen above, lasik offers numerous advantages to patients and surgeons. However, it is not totally without side effects. While the complications are not commonplace, they do exist. There are quite a few complications related to lasik, and while all of them are not seen in a patient, different patients may exhibit different symptoms, or a combination of symptoms.

A patient, during the post-operation phase, may sometimes experience starbursts when he is near a light source. The patient sees this kind of an illusion usually in the form of a halo. Other common side effects include double vision, a wrinkling of the corneal flap, induced astigmatism, which is basically secondary astigmatism (the patient may not have had astigmatism prior to the operation), sensitivity to light, under- or over-correction of the corneal defect, fluctuation in visual acuity, and also decentered ablation.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on the Lasik.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Jedediah

Fears About LASIK

Many people, and perhaps you are one of them, feel extremely anxious at the idea of having someone mess with their eyes. When you learn a little about LASIK, and discover that not only is a laser beam used to vaporize bits of your eye, but also a piece of surface tissue is cut, bent back to enable the laser to do its work, and then replaced, it can seem even more horrifying a prospect.

This is a healthy response! We all have self-protective mechanisms and reflexes which snap into operation before we consciously notice any threat. If a car careens around the corner to where you’re crossing the road, you’ll dash to safety so fast you’ll marvel at your own athletic ability! If a tennis ball jets right for your head, your eyes will snap shut and your head will duck faster than you thought you could move.

That’s all normal and healthy, and in an emergency could be life-saving. But sometimes, for certain desired events to happen, it must be ignored, de-activated, or somehow made unnecessary. Of all the desirable events in life, surely acquiring clear eyesight would be high on anybody’s list!

Ways to increase your knowledge

One way to gain more control over those protective impulses is to gain more knowledge about the events or circumstances which provoke them. If you think that the missile approaching your face at jet speed is a rock, your protective instincts will take over more mindlessly than if you know it’s a soft snowball.

In the same way, learning more about LASIK will help you feel more calm about the prospect of a highly trained and gentle eye doctor treating your eyes. Here are some ways to expand your familiarity with LASIK:

1. Read about it – in books, magazines, brochures, websites
2. Talk to people who have had it – their first-hand “survivor’s” knowledge will be reassuring
3. Schedule consultations with several LASIK surgeons as part of your procedure for choosing one. That will give you first-hand experience being in LASIK facilities and seeing equipment, staff, doctors, and other patients.
4. Watch videos about it – many websites have such videos, such as Griffin & Reed Eyecare in the Sacramento area, California. They have 27 short videos on their website (recorded during a free LASIK seminar they teach), which cover topics such as:
· How the eye works · How precise is the laser?
· The importance of education about LASIK
· What if I don’t look at the blinking red light during my treatment?
· Close-up view of a LASIK procedure narrated by Dr. Reed
· How the flap heals after LASIK
5. Learn more about how the eye works, how it’s structured, and how it heals itself. This will boost your confidence in your own healing ability and strengthen your conviction that you will indeed survive the LASIK procedure, and be far the better for it. There may be some ophthalmologists in your area who give free seminars about LASIK, eye care, how the eye works etc., and this could be a very enjoyable way to start expanding your knowledge.
6. Watch a LASIK procedure being done. Many surgeons will allow you to sit in on a procedure, and many have it videotaped for people to watch.
7. In a quiet moment, write down exactly what frightens you about a LASIK procedure. · Is it the prospect of having to keep motionless while the surgeon works? (Actually, you don’t, because the best LASIK surgeons now use tracking systems which lock on to your eye and in 1/50 of a second cease work until your eye is back where it needs to be.)
· Is it the idea of a sharp blade? (In some procedures, a laser is used instead of any blade.) · Is it the fear that damage will be done? (Talk to some LASIK doctors to learn about how well trained they are and what mind-bogglingly precise instruments they use.)
· Is it a horror of bright lights being shined into your eyes? (This is done no more than in a regular eye examination.)
· Is it fear of having your head held in a fixed position? (Watching a LASIK procedure will help here, when you learn what is happening around the patient.)

By pinpointing exactly what your fears are, you can move forward in overcoming them. Vagueness tends to increase fear, but precise knowledge tends to dissipate it.

When you learn how fast LASIK is, how easy, how safe, how precise, how well-planned it is for each individual patient, and how many safeguards there are, you’ll begin to feel more relaxed about the prospect. Imagine how validated and proud you’ll feel when you emerge from that doctor’s office with clear eyesight, and a stack of old fears discarded behind you!

To learn more about LASIK and other vision correction procedures, click here to contact an experienced LASIK surgeon.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tara_Pingle

Living More Freely with LASIK

If you need glasses or contact lenses to get through your daily activities, you know the downside of that. Whether it’s glasses or lenses:
· They get lost at times
· They can be damaged or broken
· They need to be cared for and cleaned
· You have to have them updated periodically, get your prescription checked

There have been many advances in vision correction, so you can choose from many types of glasses or contact lenses, but that doesn’t change the fact that you still depend on them every day.

If your vision limitations are caused by a refractive error, you could consider the alternative of LASIK surgery. Refraction refers to the bending of light rays as they enter your eyes.

Refractory error In a perfectly shaped cornea (the front surface of the eye) light rays bend at just the right angle to focus on your retina (the back inside surface where images are formed, as on a camera film). From the retina, the optic nerve picks up the image information and takes it to the brain, which interprets it, finds the right name for it, and tells you, “That’s a daffodil”.

Many of us have imperfectly shaped corneas. Maybe they’re too short, too long, too flat, too steep, or have tiny irregularities on them.

This causes the light rays to bend at the wrong angle. · They might bend too sharply, and focus in front of the retina. This creates nearsightedness (myopia) · They might bend too little, and come to a focus behind the retina. This creates farsightedness (hyperopia) · They might bend inconsistently because of small irregularities on the cornea, and focus inconsistently, creating blurry patches in your vision (astigmatism)

What LASIK does LASIK vision correction surgery corrects the shape of your corneas, so that the light rays will bend at the correct angle and focus sharply on the retina. It’s a short, safe, and painless procedure and gives permanent vision improvement.

To get the best outcome There’s something you can do to enhance your LASIK results.

Choose a quality eye surgeon In turn, the surgeon will choose you if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Good outcomes are not possible on poor candidates.

You might see advertisements for LASIK at “$399.99 per eye!” or some such amount. Those facilities may indeed offer a lower price, although you’ll probably incur extra expenses in the end (“hidden costs”). But they make up for the lower fees by cutting corners:
· Minimal pre-screening
· Cheaper equipment
· Older lasers
· Less staff
· Less surgeon time for you
· Little or no follow-up
· Pre-screening

There’s more to being a good candidate for LASIK surgery than having:
· Myopia
· Hyperopia, or
· Astigmatism

Some other conditions can disqualify you. If you’re:
· Diabetic
· Under 18
· Pregnant
· Are taking certain medications
· Have any of a variety of diseases
you will not be a good candidate for LASIK. However, you might be able to have another type of vision correction. Your eye surgeon can explain your other options when he talks to you about LASIK.

A quality eye surgeon will carefully select his LASIK patients, and give them as much time as necessary to ensure the best possible results. if you qualify, your outcome will be astonishing. You’ll notice the difference immediately! You’ll wonder why you didn’t get around to freeing yourself up sooner from those glasses or contact lenses.

For more information about LASIK, click here to contact a LASIK surgeon.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tara_Pingle

Realistic Expectations Of LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK surgery is correcting people's vision every day with very little complications. The common myth behind LASIK is the effects of the surgery. Many believe that after LASIK they will be free of glasses forever. This is just not the case unfortunately. Having the correct expectations of LASIK will help you not only decide if you want the operation done but also prevent any disappointments in the future.

The first thing to expect if you want this operation is going through the pre-screening process. You can even take the pre-screening questionnaire online to see if there is any chance that you would not qualify. This will prevent someone who is not a good candidate from undergoing the surgery and potentially having more serious complications than normal. Not everyone qualifies for LASIK, however, there still could be an alternative solution.

If you do qualify, understand how LASIK can benefit you before having the operation. LASIK does not 'cure' your vision for the rest of your life; it will however decrease your dependency on corrective lenses. How long the effects last is different for everyone. Many go on without glasses for many decades and other start wearing them again after ten or fifteen years. Since LASIK has only been around for that long, most people today are not wearing glasses but in ten more years, they could be.

Some expect immediate results after the operation. After surgery, many will not have clear vision for at least several hours. Normal recovery is several days before you head back to work or start driving again. While your eyes are healing, expect to go back and forth between clear and blurry vision for several weeks. Everyone's recovery is different, some go back to work the next day and others wait much longer depending on any complications. Do not expect fast results, you could have to return to get a slight adjustment.

Repeat treatment may be necessary, depending on how your eyes heal and the results after surgery. Some need to have an adjustment or re-treatment. Since LASIK costs a few thousand dollars, check to see if the office where you are having the surgery done offers free re-treatments. Most places offer it for a certain amount of time, somewhere between six months and five years. This could save you a lot of money depending on where you go.

Vision results differ between patients as well. The legal driving vision is 20/40 and 95% of all LASIK procedures produce better than 20/40 results. Most people experience between 20/30 and 20/10 vision. If you have less than seven diopters of myopia, you will have close to a 99% chance of better than legal driving vision. Of course, everyone's eye deteriorates over time and you can expect these numbers to get worse but if your eyesight before LASIK was 20/1500, there is an obvious difference.

LASIK is not for everyone and it could take several months before you can 'see' the difference clearly. Technology is getting better and major complications are rare but remember that LASIK is not a permanent solution, but in the short term, you can throw those glasses away and begin to leave free of corrective lenses.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Lasik Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell