Archive for November, 2006

The latest in Lasik vision correction technology benefits both the patient and the doctor. Doctors have the benefit of perform the surgery as personalized and accurate as possible. Patients in return have the best possible outcome with the newest technology.
Lasik is fast becoming a popular method for improving vision. The surgery is quick-usually under two minutes per eye and relatively painless. Patients are able to walk out of the recovery room and recovery time is minimal. Within a week, most patients are able to perform all of their regular activities. For those who rely on glasses and contacts, having the Lasik vision correction procedure drastically improves their quality of life.
In the past, the only way Lasik was performed was by using a hand held blade to cut open the cornea. This method did not always have the desire affect and relied on the doctor to be extremely experience while making the cut. While no Lasik procedure can promise to completely eliminate the need for contacts or glasses, new technology in Lasik is making that more of a reality. There are several new Lasik techniques that now offer more accuracy and better vision results.
When having the Lasik procedure, the surgeon uses a tiny laser called an excimer to cut a flap in the cornea. After the flap is pulled out of the way, tiny bits of corneal tissue is removed. Often more patients fear the creation of the flap more than any other part of the Lasik procedure. One new technique used in Lasik is called the Intralase. This is a laser that is safer than any other type of laser used in Lasik. When Intralase is used, the computer-guided laser assists the Lasik surgeon in creating the corneal flap with a beam of light. The use of this laser ensures that the flap has the exact corneal centration, thickness and diameter. Because of this innovation, more exact results are achieved. As opposed to the old hand-held microkeratome blade, this is often the most preferred.
Another popular form of Lasik technology is the Custom Lasik procedure. This procedure used the wavefront-guided method and is set to exactly match the needs of the patient. With Custom Lasik, the laser maps out three-dimensional scans of the eye. The scan shows all vision impairments so the exact amount of corneal tissue is removed. This gives the surgeon more accurate results. This often does away with the possibility of needing a second “enhancement” surgery to remove more corneal tissue. Custom Lasik can help correct and improve vision problems such as hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism. It can also correct worse vision problems that affect a patient’s vision. These can include starbursts or seeing halos around objects at night, sensitivity, and complications from traditional Lasik surgery. Many Lasik surgeons offer this method of Lasik surgery. Often, doctors recommend this method to help patients achieve a safer, more accurate vision correction surgery.
Another popular Lasik procedure that utilizes the latest technology is called Wavefront Guided Technology. When a doctor uses Wavefront, it can give the most accurate results. Wavefront technology uses micro sensors and wave light that is directed from a laser mean through the eye to the retina. When the light is reflected back to the eye, it allows corneal irregularities to be measured. It serves as a virtual blueprint to the patient’s eye. These irregularities can be mapped out on a three dimensional map. The problems with the eyes are recorded and transferred to the actual laser that is used to reshape the cornea during the Lasik procedure. This method is often chosen to give extremely accurate results and for patients that experience more severe vision problems.
There are many forms of Lasik surgery. Each one essentially uses a laser to map out the eye, target vision problems and reshape the cornea. Each surgery is designed to help doctors give patients the most accurate results possible. When the latest technology is used, patients often experience a better outcome with their Lasik vision correction surgery. Your eye care professional will be able to tell you through a thorough eye exam which Lasik surgery most fits your needs. As with any medical procedure, questions regarding these new forms of Lasik technology should be directed towards your Lasik surgeon.

Many people depend on wearing glasses or contacts everyday. Glasses and contacts can be a hassle though, especially for active people on the go. With Lasik vision correction surgery, losing contact lenses or forgetting where you put your eyeglasses can be a thing of the past. For most people who have Lasik surgery, vision is greatly improved reducing or completely eliminating the need for corrective lenses.
There is always new technology with Lasik procedures. There are several types of Lasik procedures that can successfully be used on a patient. The type of procedure that you will have will depend on what your Lasik doctor prefers and what works best for your eyes. WAVEFRONT Lasik is the most commonly used Lasik procedure. There are also procedures called diagnostic workstation and Orbscan technology.
In general, Lasik is performed to restore vision and the results are immediate. A surgical instrument called a microkreatome is used during the procedure to create a thin, circular flap in the cornea. This flap can also be created using a laser, which is usually more precise and has a higher success rate.
After the flap on the cornea has been cut, the doctor folds the flap out of the way and removes some of the corneal tissue. This is done using what is called an eximer laser. This laser uses cool ultraviolet light beams to remove very small pieces of the tissue. After the tissue is removed, the cornea is reshaped causing it to work better focusing light into the eye and onto the retina. This results in the patient immediately having better, clearer vision that before the procedure. The flap is put back in place to cover the area where the tissue was removed.
The Lasik surgery is both a quick and relatively painless procedure for most patients. During the surgery, patients remain awake and are able to walk out after the procedure. The procedure is also painless because the surgeon will give the patient eye drops that anesthetize the eye before the surgery begins. Some patients who are uncomfortable about the procedure can be given a mild sedative before the procedure begins. Before the procedure begins, the patient will lie down and the doctor will place a special device to keep the eyelids open during the surgery. Also, this device has a suction ring on it to keep the eye pressurized. Once the surgery begins, it only takes about one minute for the whole procedure to take place.
If your doctor uses a laser during your procedure, the computer is adjusted so that the laser can remove the right amount of corneal tissue. While the procedure is painless and quick, you might hear the clicking sound of the laser and be able to smell a slightly acidic order. This is caused by the tissue removal. The surgeon has complete control of the laser and it can be stopped at any time during the procedure. If you choose to have both eyes done, the doctor might choose to wait for a little while before operating on the next eye. Some patients prefer to have the second eye done a week or more after the initial procedure.
WAVEFRONT is generally considered the most trusted procedure and is though to produce the best results. This procedure is popular because as a general rule, WAVEFRONT can be customized to treat your eyes. This gives much better results to the patient. Also, with this technique, some patients have better vision, sometimes 20/15 after having WAVEFRONT Lasik. In a study comparing WAVEFRONT to the conventional Lasik procedure, 90 to 94 percent of all patients had 20/20 vision or better after the procedure. This is compared to 80 percent of patients that achieve 20/20 vision with the conventional method. Also, many doctors prefer the WAVEFRONT procedure. This is because this procedure decreases the risk of complications such as haloes or night glare
The diagnostic workstation technology has advantages because it can cover a much larger area since the pupil can dilate up to twice the normal size. The Orbscan technology also has its advantages. It can determine without a doubt if you are a good candidate for this procedure. The Orbscan has the ability to be more accurate diagnosis and treatment of vision problems.

A Lasik procedure IS surgery and with any type of surgery complications are possible. It’s normally the best practice to allow the surgeon who performed your surgery to treat any complications. If for any reason, you have lost confidence in your doctor’s treatment, or you just feel that there might be a better solution, you should definitely seek a second opinion. There is no reason to feel uncomfortable about asking your doctor for a referral, it’s a common practice; optionally, you can select another Lasik specialist for a second opinion and then inform your doctor.
Fewer Complications Today! Lasik surgery has become the most commonly requested of all the elective surgeries. Over six-million people worldwide have received Lasik and an estimated 99% of them have reported no serious complications past the normal healing period. That number used to be a bit higher. In the earlier days of Lasik, up to 5% of people who underwent the procedure reported some type of post-Lasik problem. Three factors have reduced that number to where it is today, two of these are fairly predictable. Over time there were improvements in the equipment used to perform Lasik and Lasik surgeon’s have increased their skills as they became more comfortable with the equipment and with the procedure. Lasik surgeons have also increased their skills in one other area, identifying suitable patients for the Lasik procedure.
The best candidates for Lasik. The best candidates for Lasik are young (less than 44-years old) and healthy with common vision problems. Short sightedness (Myopia), the inability to see things at a distance; long sightedness (Hyperopia), problems reading or seeing things up close; and astigmatism, distorted vision caused by an abnormally shaped cornea are all problems that are correctable with Lasik, with very minor, usually short-term complications.
Not everyone is suitable. Not everyone who desires Lasik surgery is a good candidate for Lasik.
You are probably NOT a good candidate for refractive surgery if:
” you are not comfortable with the risks of Lasik, as explained by your Lasik surgeon. Certain complications are unavoidable in a percentage of patients.
” the possible complications of Lasik will jeopardize your employment. Some employers do not allow their employees to undergo certain refractive surgeries.
” the cost of Lasik will be a problem. Lasik is less expensive now than in the past but it is still not inexpensive and most medical insurance will not pay for refractive surgery — they consider it elective surgery.
” you actively participate in contact sports; especially sports where your head might be subject to injury.
” you are not an adult. No laser surgery techniques are FDA approved for persons under the age of 18.
” your vision changed enough in the last year to require a change in your eyeglass or contact lens prescription. This is called “refractive instability” and it may be caused by: unstable hormone levels, certain illnesses or diseases, or side-effects of medications you are using to treat other medical conditions.
Some of the diseases and conditions that may make you unsuitable for Lasik surgery are:
” Herpes simplex or ’shingles’ that involve the eye area
” Glaucoma or ocular hypertension
” eye diseases such as uveitis/iritis (inflammations of the eye)
” eye injuries or previous eye surgeries
” Keratoconus
” Blepharitis (an inflammation of the eyelids)
” large pupils
” thin corneas
” Dry eye
When complications occur. When post-LASIK complications do occur, they can often be resolved with medication, laser re-treatments or enhancements of the eye. Permanent vision loss is a slight possibility as is degradation of vision from its pre-surgery condition.
The normal healing period for Lasik surgery is six months. Most complications should resolve themselves within this six month period but, in the case of a serious or particularly troublesome complication, six months may be (or at least may seem to be) far too long. A second opinion from another qualified Lasik surgeon, no matter how it is obtained, may turn out to be the key for resolving troublesome complications or it may result in an endorsement of your current course of treatment; whatever the result it should provide you with increased peace-of-mind.
There is an organization that has come into existence specifically to address the needs of patients with LASIK complications and to provide doctors with an additional source for information on Lasik complications. The organization is the CRSQA (Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance) and their online information page, ComplicatedEyes.org can be found at: http://www.complicatedeyes.org/