Firmoo.com

Posts Tagged ‘LASIK’

The risk of a Laser vision correction

February 20th, 2010

There are many types of Laser vision correction surgery, including PRK, LASEK, RLE, LASIK vision correction surgery, and so on. Among which LASIK vision correction surgery is the most commonly used Laser vision correction surgery with the purpose of improving the visual acuity. With a successful LASIK vision correction patient will needn’t to ware eyeglasses or contact lenses. However, like other Laser vision correction surgery, LASIK vision correction surgery has risks in the long term effects. Some patients, although they may see better than that of before the LASIK vision correction surgery without glasses, will still need glasses or contact lenses for their best vision.

The risks of a Laser vision correction also include the following potential complications. The most common risk from Laser vision correction surgery is dry eyes, which if left untreated can compromise the visual outcome and result in regression of the effect of Laser vision correction surgery. Artificial tears, prescription tears and punctal occlusion are some of the successful treatments for dry eyes caused by Laser vision correction surgery. A subconjunctival hemorrhage is a common and minor post-LASIK vision correction surgery complication.

A patient with Laser vision correction surgery may also suffers from disturbing visual side effects, such as halos, double vision (ghost images), loss of contrast sensitivity (foggy vision), light sensitivity and glare. Other risks include overcorrection, undercorrection, wrinkles in flap, thin or buttonhole flap, floaters, and so on.

So it is important to take into account the risk potential of a patient before they carry out the Laser vision correction surgery.

No comments »

Posted in Lasik & Vision Surgery

Tags:

The cost of LASIK eye surgery

January 13th, 2010

Some national chains advertised LASIK eye surgery prices as low as $299 per eye, but the financial reports of those same chains showed that the average LASIK cost is about $1,350 per eye in 2002. New technology increases LASIK cost, such as laser flap technology and custom or wave front LASIK. Laser flap technology of a LASIK eye surgery is a procedure, in which the LASIK flap is created with a laser rather than a micro keratome, and the patient may has fewer flap complications and has a greater likelihood of achieving 20/20 acuity or better. So it typically costs more than traditional LASIK eye surgery. Custom or wave front LASIK eye surgery involving using wavefront technology to measure and map the aberrations and vision problems may used when the eye fails to focus light rays correctly, also increases LASIK cost.

After rising for several years, LASIK cost seemed to stabilize from 2006 to 2009. Industry sources report that the average LASIK eye surgery price in late 2006 was about $1,950. In 2007, LASIK eye surgery and laser-based procedures charged at a single price cost an average of $2,099. And at prices reported in 2008, the average of LASIK cost rose only slightly, to $2,105. The average LASIK cost reported in 2009 was $2,140.

Note that the price of LASIK eye surgery may varies from about $1,400 to $3,600 per eye based on many factors, including your individual prescription, where you live, and which surgeon you choose and which technology is used. Many eye surgeons don’t charge a separate fee for new technologies used in LASIK eye surgery, and instead quote their price as a single fee.

Other laser eye surgery average price in 2009 is listed below: CK: $1,500 to $2,900; PRK, Epi-LASIK and LASEK: about the same as LASIK; Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE): $2,500 to $4,500 per eye or more, depending on extra costs such as facility fees.

No comments »

Posted in Lasik & Vision Surgery

Tags:

Are you eligible for a Lasik surgery?

December 5th, 2009

In order to get clear vision, the eye’s cornea and lens must refract light properly so that images can be focused on the retina of the eye. If the cornea can’t work properly the images become blurry. In this refractive error condition people may need glasses or contact lens to correct vision or a laser surgery. Lasik surgery (short for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is an eye laser surgery that changes the shape of the cornea (the clear covering on the front of the eyeball) permanently by a laser in order to correct vision and eliminate the patient’s dependency on eye glasses or contact lenses. Laser surgery is extremely favored by fashion people who are myopia.

However Lasik surgery is not suitable for everybody, even those with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Comprehensive eye examinations, using a number of medical equipments will be taken and a few questions will be asked before you can undergo laser surgery. First you should be at least 18 years old for Lasik surgery(21 in some cases, depending on the type of laser surgery), since the vision of people younger than 18 continues to change. Your eyes must be healthy to have a laser surgery. The curve of the cornea, the size of the pupils and the thickness of the cornea is measured to determine if there is enough cornea tissue left for a Lasik surgery. Lasik surgery may not be recommended for patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, glaucoma, herpes infections of the eye, or cataracts. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding are not recommended for Lasik surgery. After the examinations, the laser surgery doctor will tell you the risks, benefits, possible complications and alternative options, such as PRK and LASEK. After all these, your eye doctor will do Lasik surgery for you.

No comments »

Posted in Lasik & Vision Surgery

Tags:

Cheap Lasik – Is it really cheap?

December 1st, 2009

Nowadays, the average cost of advanced Lasik eye surgeries, which includes the use of Custom Wavefront 3D mapping system and all laser IntraLase, is about $2000. And even the average cost of the cheaper type of Lasik is about $1000. However, it is easy for you to find advertisement on the internet or in the newspapers that some clinics charge Lasik eye surgery for only $699, $499, and even $299. How can it be so cheap? Does it really cheap as we have seen on the advertisement?

We may read carefully about the $299 Lasik eye surgery ads. So the first purpose of the ads achieved. The ridiculous low price is probably aimed to get your attention about the Lasik surgery provided in that clinic. Then go on reading the ads, you may find not this cheap Lasik eye surgery is not for everyone, but only a few meet their requirement, for example the vision of the patient must have -1.25 or better with no astigmatism, which is a minor vision problem that can be corrected with reading glasses from any eye clinics. The reading glasses usually only cost $5. What does that mean if you undergo the Lasik regardless of the truth of the ads? It means you pay $299 for things that $5 is enough.

So finally we understand it is just not a cheap Lasik surgery ads but something looks like cheap which will actually cost you more. The extremely low price is just there to attract your attention. Since eyes are very important to everybody, it is not the things that can be taken for granted. Therefore, it is very important to know more about the eye surgery, from the initial exam to the post care medication and follow up treatments and the process of the Lasik surgery itself, not only the price of it.

No comments »

Posted in Lasik & Vision Surgery

Tags:

Causes for the failure of LASIK surgery

November 26th, 2009

No one can deny the fact that eyes can sometime represent the inner personality of people. Thus a pair of clear and nice eyes is very essential. But sometimes there are some factors that can always cause harm on your vision, as for the sake of birth, genes or pressure. All these factors are proved to be the potential reasons for bad vision. If one has some vision problems, he is advised to see an eye doctor, but as for the matter of receiving surgery, it should depend on one’s physical conditions.

Reasons for such surgery

Before receiving such surgery, one should have an understanding of it. It is such a complicated process that requires high on every aspect. Such as, a well-experienced doctor is needed. Of course, the surgical methods and one’s physical conditions matter a lot too. All these factors play very important role on the success and recovery of the surgery.

An eye doctor is very important, for he might have diagnosis on your problems and provide you with the best way for solution. He will also have an understanding of the potential risks. Nowadays, the most welcomed method is laser eye surgery.

Why so many people choose laser eye surgery?

The reasons why laser eye surgery is so welcomed vary. For example, its procedure is not complicated as others; it will take little time to take on such surgery, which will cause no pain on patients. Of course, the foremost important reason is its high rate of success, much higher than other methods. Minor complications, however, as infections and long time for healing can not be avoided in such surgery. Fortunately, if the patients follow the advices of the doctor, such side effects can also be avoided.

What is the procedure?

Among all the eye surgery methods, laser surgery is the simplest one, which provides with the best results in many eye problems, myopia and astigmatism in particular. Before starting, some special drops will be put on the eyes, which can reduce the possible pains. Later, the laser will reshape the cornea very delicately, so as to assure a better vision. In no less than one day, one’s vision can be recovered, and he can dispose of glasses or lenses.

Who can not receive laser surgery?

As for the laser surgery, there are some prohibitions. People with eye infections or other medical disorder can not receive such surgery. Also, people with diabetics and pregnancy are not suggested either.

A responsible eye doctor should understand all the potential risks or who can not receive such surgery. And such information should also be informed to his patients. Such understanding is crucial for the patient’s health. Especially, it can help the patients decide whether to receive it or not.

No comments »

Posted in Lasik & Vision Surgery

Tags:

Differences between LASEK and LASIK

November 4th, 2009

LASEK is short for Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy, and it is a type of laser vision surgery procedures. Similar with LASIK, LASEK intended to correct a person’s vision, reducing their dependency on eyeglasses or contact lenses by reshaping the anterior centrol cornea by an excimer laser.

LASEK procedure is very similar with LASIK. The operation also involves three steps. In the first step, the LASEK surgeon keeps the patient’s eye wide open during the laser vision surgery using a small instrument to secure the eyelids and creates a hinged corneal flap with a microkeratome blade or laser. Then the surgeon remodels the cornea underneath the flap with a laser as calculated before the laser vision surgery. In the last step of the laser vision surgery the flap is repositioned.

The only difference between the two laser vision surgeries is in the first step. LASEK only cut the outer layer of the cornea as flap when in LASIK a permanent flap is created in the deeper layers of the cornea.

Because the outer layer of the cornea, or epithelium, is a soft and rapidly regrowing layer in contact with the tear film, the out layer will quickly replace from limbal stem cells within a few days by itself after the laser vision surgery and will cause no loss of clarity. However, when the deeper layer is reshaped during the laser vision surgery such as LASIK, it remains the way with only limited healing. The cost of these two types of laser vision surgery is also about the same. For these reason, LASEK achieves more and more attentions all over the world.

No comments »

Posted in Lasik & Vision Surgery

Tags: