October 25, 2007
Contact Lenses or LASIK Eye Surgery
After years of daily maintenance and spending hundreds on cleaning solutions, replacement lenses and annual eye examinations, those familiar with daily wear contact lenses are ready for change. And the timing couldn't be better. Thirty-day continuous wear contact lenses and LASIK eye surgery are viable alternatives. Which one is right for you? Consider the following:
Benefits of 30-day continuous wear contact lenses
Results are both immediate and guaranteed. The moment you insert the contact lenses, vision is better and if it's not or if the contact lenses feel uncomfortable, then you've somehow ended up with an incorrect prescription, something that's easy to remedy.
Costing less than what you pay for your coffee or other daily habit, these contact lenses are an option that's affordable. Plus, most 30-day contact lens brands are disposable so at the end of the wear cycle, you throw the pair away and put in a new pair. Doing so eliminates the need to constantly spend money replenishing cleaning solutions and other lens maintenance products. You should keep a bottle of cleanser handy but it will last quite a while.
Newer technology is another benefit. Silicone hydrogel contact lenses are more efficient at letting oxygen into the eye, and that keeps eyes healthy and free of irritation.
Should an eye examination reveal the need for a different prescription, such as bifocal lenses, updating to the new prescription is easy.
Cons of 30-day continuous wear contact lenses
Even with the new technology, many people find it difficult to sleep with their contact lenses on. That for many is the determining factor for or against 30-day contact lenses.
The chances of developing an infection increase when contacts remain in place while sleeping.
Annual eye examinations are still required to keep the prescription valid.
Pros of LASIK eye surgery
Technology, training and experience have improved the success rates of LASIK eye surgery so those who undergo the procedure generally end up with eyesight that's even better than 20/20 with long-lasting results.
Customized LASIK surgery, which involves creating a multi-dimensional map of the cornea and then feeding the customized data into the laser, offers even higher rates of success.
Results are immediate with LASIK eye surgery and most patients see well enough to drive home from the procedure.
Cons of LASIK eye surgery
Cost is a big factor. With rates running approximately $2,000 per eye, LASIK eye surgery is a huge investment that's unaffordable for many, even though many surgeons offer financing.
Another consideration with LASIK eye surgery is that the outcome cannot be guaranteed. Any type of surgical procedure has risks and eye surgery is no different. There have been instances in which vision is not improved after surgery. Potential side effects include nighttime dry eyes, glare, seeing spots and the appearance of halos surrounding objects.
Some people are not good candidates for LASIK eye surgery. Eyes must be healthy and individuals should be in good overall health.
Eyeglasses may still be needed later in life, when presbyopia becomes an issue.
Regular eye examinations are still needed.
Posted by Vision at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)
September 01, 2006
Lasik Eye Surgery
Are you near sighted? Or maybe you have trouble reading the book right in front of your face. Sure, you can reach for those glasses and all will come into focus. However, you're back to square one when you take them off. This is no solution. It's more like a temporary fix. Some individuals are just getting sick and tired of reaching for those glasses every time they need to look at something. Fortunately these days there are other options.
Have you ever heard of lasik eye surgery? This is a procedure gaining popularity as time moves on. Many of us want the vision dilemma fixed permanently, and this is what lasik eye surgery offers. Have you ever had 20/20? Well, these days you can achieve that perfect vision, and do it without the burden of eyeglasses.
Do you wear contact lenses? Boy, were these all the rage in the 80's. Everyone wanted to ditch there prescription eyewear and conform to a more attractive solution to vision impairment. The contact lense not only allowed users to see clearly, but it also granted peripheral vision, which was not possible with old-school glasses. Now, the only downside was having these darn things sitting in your eyes all day.
Have you tried contact lenses? They are not as comfortable as advertised. Big surprise! In addition, they are a redundant maintenance. Each morning and night you have to take them out, clean them with saline, and then store them in a container. It's time to ditch this hassle and look into lasik eye surgery. This new-age procedure is done for a reasonable price. You can acquire that 20/20 vision we all dream of. And the best part is it's permanent. There's no fumbling with contact lenses every morning or worrying about your glasses. With lasik eye surgery comes an actual solution to your vision affliction.
To learn more about lasik eye surgery, and the going rates in your area, you can hop on the World-Wide-Web. Read testimonials from others who've received lasik eye surgery and love the results. Virtually anything you wish to know regarding this innovative procedure can be found online for free. So stop wasting your time with the old-school temporary fixes, and get with the program. Hey, if my 82 year old grandmother can have 20/20 vision, then so can you.
Contact Lenses - lowest prices - Guaranteed!
Posted by Vision at 04:35 PM | Comments (0)
June 13, 2006
Is LASIK Surgery Right for You? - Part II
Many patients are very satisfied with the improved quality of life that they experience after LASIK Surgery. Read on to decide whether LASIK Surgery is right for you.
The different types of LASIK Surgery
Standard LASIK
Prior to the scheduled procedure date, the eye surgeon meets with patient to re-test for certain eye problems and diseases. When it's confirmed that the patient meets the requirements, a procedure date is set.
On the day of the procedure, the eye doctor may perform another corneal topography to confirm that nothing has changed that would require changing the procedure. Three types of eye drops are then administered. The drops anesthetize the eye, protect the eye from post-operative inflammation and protect the eye from infection.
Next, the patient reclines and the laser is positioned overhead with the eye surgeon above it. To remove the flap, the patient's eye must first be stabilized. The eye is kept from blinking by placing it into a restrainer. Suction is administered to the eyeball and the microkeratome makes one swift slice across the top of the cornea. The resulting flap (which should still be hinged to the eye) is pulled away with tiny tweezers.
The laser then emits a pre-determined number of laser pulses to remove the excess tissue, a process which takes literally seconds. The flap is pulled back into place and saline solution clears the eye of any debris. The eye is covered and the procedure is finished unless the other eye is receiving a LASIK Surgery treatment.
Custom LASIK Surgery
In standard LASIK, the computer inside the laser determines the number and location of laser pulses based solely on the patient's prescription. With custom LASIK, the eye surgeon creates a three-dimensional image of the eye. The image results are then fed into the laser's computer and the patient receives a laser treatment that is truly customized to that eye.
Risks and complications
As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with LASIK Surgery. The procedure may under- or over-treat the eye. Under-treatments can be corrected with additional surgery however over treatment generally results in the patient needing to continue wearing corrective lenses. Loss of vision or compromised vision, especially at night, are other risks. Dry eye syndrome can develop. And vision that has been surgically corrected may decline over time. Another serious risk involves using an inexperienced ophthalmologist.
Tips on selecting a LASIK Surgery surgeon
Get referrals from people you trust and then make arrangements to interview several candidates.
Make the most of the pre-procedure consultation. Prepare a list of questions to ask each surgeon and record the answers. It's important to understand what care the ophthalmologist intends to provide during all stages of surgery: before, during and afterwards as well as all costs.
Contact Lenses - lowest prices - Guaranteed!
Remember that low cost doesn't mean top quality. Your eyesight is far too valuable to allow cost to be the determining factor.
Posted by Vision at 09:33 PM | Comments (0)
June 12, 2006
Is LASIK Surgery Right for You? - Part I
Advertisements for LASIK surgery are everywhere. Anyone who wears contact lenses and eye glasses can relate well to the feeling of finally being free of the maintenance and bother involved in wearing either. As tempting as the advertisements are, LASIK Surgery may not be right for everyone.
Understanding LASIK Surgery
Reshaping the cornea generally is a simple matter of removing excess tissue from beneath the cornea. In order to get at this tissue, a tiny flap must be pulled back from the cornea's surface. The laser can create this flap, and so can a tool called a microkeratome blade.
Laser pulses zap as much excess tissue as the ophthalmologist determines after reviewing a very detailed image of the cornea called a corneal topography. In literally a matter of minutes and often without feeling any pain, the shape of the cornea is corrected and vision restored. In fact, vision is usually restored so quickly that a patient can drive him or herself home from the procedure.
Deciding on LASIK Surgery
One of the biggest decisions a person interested in LASIK Surgery needs to make is whether this type of eye surgery is affordable. It is categorized as a cosmetic type of surgery and therefore many health insurance plans won't provide coverage.
The costs for this surgery vary considerably, but generally the costs of using a reliable and knowledgeable ophthalmologist will run several thousand dollars – per eye! So cost is definitely one big consideration.
If it's decided that the costs are justifiable, there are some individuals for whom this type of surgery may not be effective. Only healthy eyes and eyes that have stopped changing can be operated on. There also are certain prescription limitations which automatically disqualify a patient from this type of surgery.
A comprehensive review of a prospective patient's medical history is undertaken prior to LASIK Surgery. A number of tests are also performed at an initial consultation for the purpose of detecting eye problems and/or diseases which could affect the surgery. Due to hormonal considerations, LASIK Surgery cannot take place when a woman is pregnant or when either a man or a woman has a compromised immune system as this condition could jeopardize the eye's recovery.
To summarize, if such a procedure is affordable and the eyes meet the procedure requirements, LASIK Surgery may be a good option to pursue. The surgery itself has a very high success rate and combined with the fact that it's practically painless, it probably makes sense to give it a try.
Contact Lenses - lowest prices - Guaranteed!
The next section will review the different types of LASIK Surgery that are available and the risks and possible complications of each.
Posted by Vision at 09:31 PM | Comments (0)
