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Getting to Know the Facts About LASIK Eye Surgery
When you have been dealing with imperfect vision or vision loss for a long period of time, you start to find the idea of wearing contacts or glasses frustrating. In the past, there might have been no other solution to your struggles other than to continue wearing corrective lenses.
Now, surgical options such as LASIK surgery have changed the eye care and vision care game. Before you jump right into a surgical procedure, though, get all of the facts about LASIK surgery and what you can expect. Then, you will be sure that you are making the right decision for you and your eye health.
What Exactly Is LASIK Surgery?
Many people have heard of LASIK surgery, though very few actually know what the term actually means or how the procedure works. LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. In essence, this indicates that it is a form of laser surgery on the cornea of the eye. LASIK is a procedure that involves cutting into the cornea and creating a flap. This flap is folded back and then corneal tissue is removed. The idea behind removing a portion of the cornea is that removing corneal tissue will allow the remaining tissue of the cornea to better reflect light and therefore improve a person’s vision.
Who Is a Good Fit for LASIK?
Not every person with eye troubles will be a good candidate for LASIK surgery. This is because LASIK surgery is meant to correct vision problems in people with otherwise healthy eyes.
As such, a person who has damaged tissue (such as scarring) in their cornea, or other eye diseases or conditions, would not be ideal candidates for LASIK eye surgery.
This is because the procedure could cause problems with those other conditions, or a person might not be able to enjoy the full vision benefits of the surgical procedure because of those conditions.
Will You Still Need to Wear Corrective Lenses?
Many people want to get LASIK surgery in order to avoid wearing their corrective lenses completely. While this is a possible result of the LASIK surgery procedure, it is not a guaranteed outcome.
LASIK surgery will improve a person’s vision (when the procedure is successful), and they will likely enjoy far better vision even without their glasses or contacts. They could, however, still find that they need those corrective lenses occasionally for certain activities. Another possibility is that they will still need corrective lenses as frequently as before, but with a lesser degree of correction.
Now that you know more about the LASIK eye surgery procedure, you can decide for yourself if this surgery is right for you. Once you make the decision, you can contact your eye surgeon and get the process started.
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LASIK Surgery Explained
LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a type of laser eye surgery used to improve an individual’s vision. It works by permanently changing the shape of the cornea, the clear covering on the front of the eye.
Impaired vision in an individual occurs when light rays aren’t focused clearly on the retina—owing to an imperfectly-shaped eyeball, cornea, or lens—resulting in blurry images and the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. LASIK corrects this impairment by using an ultraviolet laser to reshape the cornea for improved focusing.
What to Expect During LASIK Surgery
During the LASIK procedure, an ultra-fast femtosecond laser is used to create a thin flap in the cornea. This flap provides access for the laser to target the corneal tissue underneath, removing precisely enough tissue to achieve the desired results. Once the surgery is completed, the flap falls back over the eye and naturally grows back in its original position.
The procedure, which is performed on an outpatient basis, takes no longer than about 15 minutes for each eye. The surgery does come with risks, however, some of which include corneal infection, dry eyes, and light sensitivity. Nevertheless, the surgery has proved very popular since its introduction and surveys of LASIK find rates of patient satisfaction between 92 and 98 percent.
Anyone considering LASIK surgery will undergo an eye examination before the procedure to ensure that their eyes are healthy. Additional tests are carried out to measure the curve and thickness of the cornea, the size and position of the pupils, and the shape of the eyes. A patient needs to give consent to the procedure, fully acknowledging the risks and possible complications involved.
The patient is awake during the entire procedure. The only necessary anesthetic is a solution to numb the surface of the eye.
The surgeon uses a an ultra-fast femtosecond laser to create a flap, facilitating access to the underlying corneal tissue, which is then reshaped with a laser. The corneal tissue is not cut away completely, but left attached by a small “hinge” of tissue.
Once the surgery has been completed, the flap of corneal tissue falls back into place, protecting the eye until it has fully healed. Surgical stitches aren’t necessary to secure the flap.
What to Expect After the Procedure
Patients may feel a little discomfort immediately following the procedure. It’s important, however, that a patient refrains from rubbing his or her eyes to avoid dislodging the corneal flap. While a patient might experience blurriness immediately after the procedure, vision should start to improve the following day.
Who is Eligible for LASIK Surgery?
According to the US Food and Drug Administration’s guidelines, suitable candidates for LASIK surgery include healthy individuals who are at least 18 years of age and those with a stable eyesight prescription.
Patients with health conditions such as diabetes, lupus, and glaucoma may not be suitable for this type of eye surgery and should discuss the matter with their physician.
The pros and cons of LASIK eye surgery should always be weighed by anyone considering the procedure. Expectations should be questioned and patients should have a clear understanding of what is involved, not only in the procedure itself, but also in the likely results.
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5 Things NOT to Do After LASIK
LASIK surgery is a relatively painless and non-invasive procedure that can transform your life in a variety of positive ways. But like any surgery, there are some things you need to avoid after the procedure to prevent complications. This list contains five things you should not do after your LASIK surgery.
Don’t Get Your Eyes Wet
Your eyes will be very sensitive after surgery, so it’s important to make sure that water does not get near them. Water can damage your eye physically, and it can carry organisms that cause infection. You’ll want to avoid getting water in or near your eyes after surgery. If your eyes feel dry, make sure to only use drops prescribed by your doctor.
Don’t Wear Eye Makeup or Creams
For at least a week after your LASIK surgery, you should avoid wearing any eye makeup or putting on any of your normal creams. While you’ll want to go out with your new vision looking your best, makeup and creams can irritate your corneas.
You are best off just throwing partially used makeup products away as they can easily carry bacteria. Forget about getting your hair colored or permed as well.
Don’t Rub Your Eyes
This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times you rub your eyes during the day without noticing.
Not only can rubbing damage your sensitive cornea, but any germs that might be on your hands can get into your eye and cause an infection. The last thing you want to do is hurt your vision after LASIK just because you had a little itch.
Don’t Be Around Dust or Smoke
If you, a member of your family, or someone you spend a lot of time with smokes, taking a break for a few days after your surgery is a must.You’ll also want to avoid dusty areas, so make your LASIK procedure an excuse to get a professional cleaner into your home. You’ll also want to avoid visiting outdoor areas where dust and dirt are easily picked up by the wind.
Don’t Play Sports or Sweat
Whether you like to play softball or workout several days a week on the elliptical machine, avoiding activities where things can hit your eye or cause you to sweat is important for the first few days after surgery.Don’t worry about missing practice, because your new eyesight is likely to make you a whole lot better at your favorite sport.
While avoiding some of the items on this list might be inconvenient, you won’t have to follow these guidelines for long.
For most patients, recovering from LASIK surgery only takes a couple days. Contact your eye surgeon if you have any more questions about what you can and can’t do after your surgery.
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Does Insurance Cover LASIK Surgery?
LASIK surgery is a phenomenal procedure for many people, restoring life-long vision issues associated with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The procedure is known for being fast, virtually pain-free, outpatient, and with a fast recovery time in just as little as 24 hours.
These are the known parts of LASIK. Lesser known are the ins and outs of picking a doctor and, most of all, the overall cost that can be expected.
Insurance and LASIK Surgery
Unfortunately, most insurance policies consider LASIK to be “cosmetic” surgery. Vision problems are easily fixed with less expensive eyeglasses or contact lenses. Therefore, correction through surgery is considered purely cosmetic because the patient is (presumably) only interested for aesthetic purposes.
However, certain individuals may still have insured help with the procedure. Those whose jobs rely on vision, such as military personnel, athletes, or other entertainers whose careers rely on their ability to work without vision aids
.
This doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Some employers offer discounted LASIK through agreements with LASIK doctors.
Even if you are uninsured or your insurance doesn’t cover the costs at all, LASIK surgery centers usually offer reasonable payment plans to make the procedure affordable in the long run, rather than a one-time payment.
Surgeon Experience
The longer a surgeon has been practicing, the higher their prices will be. This does not always mean the surgeon with fewer years behind the scalpel is bad at the procedure. Many younger surgeons might have better experience with newer technologies. As a rule, however, the more experience a surgeon has, the higher their premium will be.
Type of LASIK Surgery
Even though LASIK is itself a new procedure in the history of sight correction, newer technologies are developed constantly. Older techniques use a traditional blade, while newer surgeries can use laser technology instead.
Both are equally effective, and one might be more suited to your specific needs than another. The more technologically advanced laser treatments, however, have a higher cost, which is passed along to the patient.
Bargain LASIK Surgery
Shopping around for prices will reveal multiple offers for “bargain” LASIK procedures. Beware these advertisements! The steep discounts offered are driven by low-quality or outdated medical technology, hidden fees, less patient care, or a combination of these.
Even though finding a reasonable price is an important step in picking a surgeon for your LASIK, the cheapest way is not usually the safest.
Traditional insurance may not cover the cost to get your eyes permanently corrected. A little research and taking advantage of every available option, subsidy, and offer, however, will ensure your LASIK is worth every penny spent.
LASIK Surgery in Houston
Eye Center of Texas is one of the first practices in Texas to offer bladeless cataract surgery and the best blade-free LASIK surgery Houston has to offer. Call today to schedule an appointment, or contact us online.
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July is Eye Injury Prevention Month
Eye injuries of all types occur at a rate of more than 2,000 per day. In particular, an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces alone. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that almost 70% of the eye injuries studied occur from falling or flying objects, or sparks striking the eye.
Given the importance of eyesight, eye protection should always be a top priority in any workplace. One thing to remember is that preventing eye injuries is not complicated.
- ASSESS your facility to identify hazardous areas and provide the proper eye safety equipment.
- PLAN for emergencies by making sure eyewash and first aid stations are easily accessible and identifiable.
- PROTECT your eyes with approved safety eye equipment for your specific job hazard.
- FIT eyewear to your face by consulting with an eye care professional.
- EDUCATE on hazards and proper safety practices by having proper training programs in place.
- REVIEW your facility’s accident prevention policies and procedures with employees on a regular basis.
- TEST your vision during routine physical exams to help prevent accidents due to uncorrected vision problems.
As the old saying goes: “Prevention is better than a cure.” This applies to eye injuries too. These are easy tips to remember and they can dramatically decrease eye injuries in your workplace.
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5 Ways to Naturally Take Care of Your Eyesight
Every day we spend hours looking at small images on televisions, computers, and phones, leading to eye fatigue and an increased risk of future vision problems. However, that doesn’t mean that weakened eyesight is inevitable. The tips below offer five all-natural strategies for keeping your eyes sharp and healthy.
Adjust Your Diet
Nutrition plays an important role in the health of your eyesight. Foods rich in beta-carotene, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, and berries are excellent choices, as are any foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids. Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of staying hydrated–drinking more water can provide relief for eyes that are dry, tired, or blurry.
Protect Your Eyes
If you spend large amounts of time outdoors, consider bringing along a hat or a pair of sunglasses with UV protection. The sun’s rays can dry out and damage your retinas, causing your eyesight to deteriorate over time. If you work or spend time in an environment where you might be exposed to sparks, splinters, dust, metal shavings, or projectiles, make sure to wear safety goggles that are rated to withstand any potential accidents.
Take Regular Breaks
Your eyes need rest to avoid drying out and becoming sore. When reading books, watching television, playing video games, or using a computer, take a 10-minute break each hour to close your eyes or look at something else. This gives your eyes time to adjust and recuperate, preventing excess strain that could lead to worsening vision.
Exercise Your Eyes
Just like other muscles, you can give your eyes a workout to improve your vision over time. One common eye exercise is to hold up a finger at arm’s length, focus on it for 10 seconds, and then focus on something behind it for another 10 seconds. Trying to focus on faraway objects is also a great way to train your eyes; the key is to give your eyes some variety in terms of size, shape, and distance, especially if your job or daily routine requires you to look at a screen for hours each day.
Avoid the Strain
In addition to taking breaks, there are a number of ways that you can reduce the strain you put on your eyes. Bright lights are one the biggest sources of eye stress, so avoid watching television or using a computer in a dark room whenever possible. You can also turn down the brightness on your computer screen during the day, though it’s important to avoid turning it down so low that it becomes difficult to read. Consider opening your blinds and using natural sunlight instead of lamps or artificial lights, which are harsher on your eyes.
Diminished eyesight is a natural part of the aging process, but the good news is that you can stay one step ahead by taking steps to strengthen and protect your vision. By following the tips above, you can ensure that your eyes get the rest and exercise necessary to stay in top shape.
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Understanding Farsightedness
Summary: Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is a common condition that affects the ability of the eye to focus at close range. Farsightedness is most commonly corrected with glasses or contacts. Laser surgery is an option, but with varying results.
Eye Health: Options for Treating Farsightedness
Affecting anywhere from 10-25% of the adult population, farsightedness is an eye condition that can cause headaches, severe eye strain, and fatigue when performing close-up work such as reading for long periods of time, writing, drawing, or working on the computer.
What is Farsightedness?
Also called hyperopia, farsightedness is characterized by the inability to focus on objects at close range. Like nearsightedness and astigmatism, farsightedness is caused by a refractive error. Instead of light rays hitting the retina directly like they are supposed to, incoming light rays incorrectly bend causing a convergence behind the retina instead of on the retina. This incorrect refraction of light is often caused by abnormally flat corneas or small eyeballs – both of which are inherited characteristics. Farsightedness can also develop with age as eye muscles lose the flexibility to focus at close range.
Common Remedies for Farsightedness
Fortunately, there are ways to correct farsightedness.
- For some, controlling high blood pressure. High blood pressure affects every area of the body including the eyes. Pressure can build in the eyes causing farsightedness as well as other eye conditions. Sometimes mild farsightedness can be corrected by simply lowering blood pressure.
- Eye glasses or contacts lenses. Corrective lenses are widely used to correct farsightedness. Many people only where their glasses when doing close-up work. Some hyperopes find that contacts offer them a better vision alternative than glasses by giving them a wider field of view.
Surgical Procedures
Correcting farsightedness with surgery is a little more complicated than correcting nearsightedness. In addition, although hyperopia surgery is generally considered successful, long-term results vary widely. Some common surgical procedures for hyperopia are as follows:
- PRK. Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a procedure that is performed using a laser to remove a thin layer of tissue from the cornea. This procedure refocuses the light entering the eye and hitting the retina. Because there are limits to how much corneal tissue can be removed safely, results from PRK surgery vary according to degree of farsightedness.
- Hyperopia LASIK. This surgical procedure removes tissue from the internal layers of the cornea. The outer layers of the cornea are cut and folded back to expose the inner layers. A laser beam is then utilized to remove the inner corneal tissue. Like PRK, the range of sight correction is dictated by the amount of corneal tissue that can be safely removed.
Farsightedness, also referred to as hyperopia, is a common eye condition that affects a large portion of the population. Many cases of farsightedness are due to inherited factors, but the risk of developing this condition increases with age as the eye muscles lose their flexibility which is essential for focusing on images at close range. In fact, about 50% of those people that are over 65 years of age have some degree of farsightedness. Most people who have hyperopia are fitted with corrective lenses or contacts. Other options include a number of procedures using various laser technologies.
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June is Cataract Awareness Month
Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in Americans 65 and older and the principal cause of blindness in the world. In fact, there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than there are of glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy combined.
Facts about Cataracts
- A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens of the eye, the same part of the eye responsible for focusing light and enabling you to see clear images.
- Aside from the normal aging process, additional causes for developing cataracts include: eye injury; systemic conditions such as diabetes; the use of certain medications; long-term unprotected sun exposure; smoking; and a family history of cataracts.
- Symptoms can include: blurry vision; sensitivity to light, glare; fading of colors; difficulty reading; double vision; and frequent changes in prescription of eyeglasses or contact lenses.
- Small cataracts may not cause any noticeable symptoms. As cataracts progress, they cause limitations in the activities of daily living such as reading, driving, and watching TV.
- The condition can be treated with surgery by removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial lens implant. This surgery is easily tolerated and performed at an outpatient setting.
- Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures in the United States, with more than three million surgeries performed each year.
Your decision on where to go for cataract surgery should not be made lightly because not all cataract procedures are the same. The practice you choose should offer world-class surgeons and state-of-the-art technology. At Eye Center of Texas our cataract surgeons, Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade have years of experience, offer the safest, most-advanced cataract surgical techniques and technology that allows us to personalize a procedure that will be just right for your eyes.
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Smoking is BAD for Your Vision
Smoking increases your risks for eye disease, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. And the more a person smokes, the higher the risks. The good news is that after people quit smoking, their risks for these eye diseases becomes almost as low as for people who never smoked.
Smoking also raises the risks for cardiovascular diseases that indirectly influence your eyes’ health. And tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke, is an irritant that worsens dry eye.
Smoking increases the risk of serious vision loss in people with other eye diseases. And when women smoke during pregnancy they are more likely to give birth prematurely, putting their babies at higher risk for a potentially blinding disease called retinopathy of prematurity as well as other health problems.
One of the safest things to do for your vision? Never start smoking at all.
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Stay in Shape to Protect Your Eyes
Diet and lifestyle choices can directly affect your eyes. May is Healthy Vision Month and the best way to take care of your eyes is to look after your overall health and get annual eye exams. Exercising, eating right and stop smoking are three of the best investments you can make in your vision.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology encourages you to find ways to be healthier, so your vision will last a lifetime. Making healthy choices and getting regular eye exams can help reduce the risk of getting some eye diseases and can reduce vision loss or slow down the disease if you do have age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
- Make Eye-Healthly Food Choices: A diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains benefits the entire body, including the eyes. Studies show that foods rich in vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin are good for eye health. These nutrients are linked to lower risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and dry eye later in life. Eye-healthy food choices include citrus fruits, vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables and cold water fish.
- Quit Smoking: Avoiding smoking and second hand smoke — or quitting, for current smokers — are some of the best investments everyone can make for long-term eye health. Smoking increases risk for eye diseases like cataract and age-related macular degeneration and raises the risks for cardiovascular diseases that indirectly influence eyes’ health. Tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke, also worsens dry eye.
- Maintain Normal Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Glucose Levels: High blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose (sugar) levels all increase the risk of vision loss from an eye disease. Keeping these under control will not only help one’s eyes but also overall health.
- Get Regular Physical Activity: Not only does 30 minutes of exercise a day benefit one’s heart, waistline and energy level, it can also do the eyes a world of good! Many eye diseases are linked to other health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels.
- Know the Symptoms of Vision Loss: Signs of vision loss may become apparent as reading, writing, shopping, watching television, driving a car and/or recognizing faces become more difficult. Vision loss that may be noticed by friends and family include missing, bumping into or knocking over objects, stepping hesitantly, and squinting or tilting the head when trying to focus.
- Get Regular Eye Exams: Adults age 65 and over should get a medical eye exam every one-to-two years. Regular eye exams are crucial in detecting changes in vision, which may be a symptom of a treatable eye disease or condition.
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