Saturday, June 14, 2008

All About LASIK

By Ron Shelf

Eye laser surgery is a very popular procedure made in order to get rid of glasses and being able to see clearly without any visual assistance.
The LASIK surgery is not right for anyone and can be dangerous if not going to a specialist for observation and consultant.

Who can't have the eye laser cosmetic surgery?

There are actually many people who are not compatible for the procedure for many different reasons. Here are some examples for people who can't perform the eye laser surgery:

* People with severe nearsightedness or farsightedness.

* People who are older than 50 years old or younger than 20 years old.

* People with diabetes or arteriosclerosis.

* People who suffer from any problems or illnesses of the cornea.

* Pregnant women or nursing women.

* People with thin or cone shaped cornea.

* People who have active cancer or HIV.

* People who use steroids.

* People who suffer from dry eyes or usually suffer from eye infections.

* People with high eye cylinder.

* People who have unstable sightedness and had to change the prescription of their eyeglasses at the passing year.

There are many more reasons why a person is not a good candidate for the eye laser surgery, since there are so many reasons it is very important to check the compatibility at a specialist and even get a second opinion.

Before you think of having the eye laser surgery you need to check your options. A lot of people do just fine with glasses, there are so many shapes and deigns for glasses today so anyone can choose what they like and best for their appearance.

If you don't like glasses you can wear eye lenses, there are many kinds: hard, soft, daily, weekly, monthly, Ortho K which are worn at night, and more. If you can't handle eye contacts and you have low or mild sightedness problem, you can try exercising your eyes with special exercises.

If nothing works and you want to have the procedure, check compatibility at the best clinic you can find and get a second opinion even if you are compatible.
Ask about the risks and complications and how you can avoid them so you won't lose or hurt your eyesight.
Talk to people who had this procedure whether you know them or not, ask about their experience.

The surgery is made under local anesthesia and takes about thirty minutes.
The surgery is not painful but there might be some pressure felt during the surgery.
During the procedure the surgeon will resurface the cornea by using the eye laser.
The patient will be able to see better right after the surgery although his eyes will be sensitive, might tear, might hurt, or might sting. The eyesight will get better after a few days but will get stable only after a few months.
The patient will be able to get back to normal daily activities at the following day after the surgery but will have to be careful, stay away from the beach, pets, smoke, dust, make up, and more.

The author is the developer of Plastic Surgery Information.You can get more information about eye laser procedure on the website.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Tips For Fast Recovery After Lasik Eye Surgery

By Mike Selvon

In this day and age of high-tech solutions to just about every situation, it should be no surprise that there is a high-tech solution to vision problems through Lasik laser eye surgery. This procedure has become quite popular and for a number of good reasons.

There is a fast recovery time, the vision improvement is virtually immediate and the risk of complications is super low. But, to be sure that the best results are achieved and to further minimize potential problems, there are a few things patients need to do after Lasik eye surgery.

One of the first things that people want to know when they are considering corrective eye surgery is how long it will take, after the surgery, before they are able to return to their normal daily activities. The good news is that recovery from this type of laser eye surgery is quite rapid and within a couple days after the procedure, most people can get back to life as normal, except without the hassle of needing their eyeglasses or their contact lenses.

Immediately after Lasik eye surgery, it is strongly advised to carefully avoid any kind of activity that might result in something touching, rubbing or poking the eyes. For the first few hours after the laser eye surgery in the clinic, the patient is advised to rest and keep their eyes closed as much as possible.

Once these few hours have passed after surgery, the patient is then able to get back to their routine activities, either at home or at work. Still, rubbing the eyes should be avoided for a few days and if dryness or itchiness occurs, then the patient should used lubricating eye-drops to help alleviate the irritation and to sooth the eyes. Most Lasik eye center facilities will provide the patient with drops for their eyes for this very purpose.

After corrective eye surgery, it is also recommended that patients wear a soft protective eye-mask at night so that the affected eyes are buffered and protected from any inadvertent bumps, scraping or rubbing. This also helps to make sure that no foreign objects enter the eyes during this brief period of recovery from the Lasik vision surgery.

While there is historically very little occurrence of infections with laser eye surgery in general, some surgeons will prescribe antibiotics as a precaution. If antibiotics, or any other medications, have been prescribed, it is important to take these medications exactly as prescribed by the Lasik eye doctor. Also, most doctors will recommend that you drink plenty of water in order to be sure the eyes are properly hydrated during the healing process.

After Lasik eye surgery, it is also a good idea to avoid showering in order to keep soap and water out of the eyes. The patient can quickly return to normal reading, watching TV and working at the computer screen as long as they remember to keep their eyes well lubricated with artificial tears. With these few precautions, soon the patient will simply be enjoying better vision.

A free report awaits you at our laser eye surgery portal site, where you can enrich your knowldege further about recovery after lasik eye surgery. Your comment is much appreciated at our laser vision correction blog.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

LASIK Plus - Your Eye Doctor Goes Space Age

By Wade Robins

Have you ever wondered what the acronym LASIK stands for? Well, it stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomilesius, so now you know why the call it LASIK. And while most people associate LASIK with eye surgery, they are unaware that LASIK is not restricted to one particular optical procedure. There are many types of LASIK surgery.

And joining the family of LASIK procedures is LASIK Plus. Like LASIK, LASIK Plus is refractive surgery which corrects visiual defects, making eyeglasses and contacts unnecessary. And also like LASIK, LASIK Plus is available as radial keratotomy, corneal implantation, LASEK, and PRK.

So what, then, is the difference between LASIK and LASIK Plus? The “Plus” comes not at the end of the surgery, but before the surgical diagnosis is even made. LASIK Plus practitioners employ state-of-the-art machines in performing their optical examinations. Among these machines are those referred to as wavefront devices, and it is the wavefront device which elevates a LASIK procedure to the ranks of LASIK Plus.

NASA Technology

The wavefront devices originated with NASA, who developed the technology in order to correct defects in telescopic lenses. But there are far more human eyes than telescopes in the world, and with that market potential, it was inevitable that the wavefront technology would make its way into medical service.

The human eye has evolved in such a way that its cornea is subject to both upper and lower defects. LASIK diagnostic exams will locate defects of the lower cornea; but only LASIK Plus can locate the less easily found upper ones. How?

How LASIK Plus Works

The LASIK Plus procedure bounces flat light waves off the surface of the eye, so that the wavefront device can read them much in the same way that radar reads sound waves. The size of the optical defect will control the amount of light bouncing back to the wavefront machine, letting the optician know both the seriousness and type of the defect.

The information on each defect is processed through a computer diagramming program to quantify exactly what sort of optical difficulties a patient has. Because an “ideal” eye will produce a flat map, the undulations revealed by a wavefront map, and its range of colors, are indicative of an eye’s aberrations.

Thanks to LASIK Plus, many more patients are approaching their LASIK surgery with an extra boost of confidence. The pre-operative exam not only finds more defects; it can specify their nature with a high degree of accuracy. With this information, a doctor will be able to choose the best LASIK procedure for each patient, and the procedures themselves will go much more smoothly. And every aberration in an eye can be treated simultaneously, leading to a much more successful outcome.

This wonderful new LASIK Plus technology is, of course, not without its price. Eye surgeons will pass the cost of the wavefront machines along to their patients, but as the technology becomes more and more mainstream, and more patients demand it, the price of LASIK Plus surgery will drop.

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

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

LASIK Eye Surgery: A Definition

By Antoinette Boulay

The word LASIK means “Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.” In situ is latin and means to deal with a phenomenon in place where it occurs, as opposed to outside of it’s environment. Keratomileusis is a surgical improvement of the refractive state of the cornea. It is performed by lifting up the front surface of the eye by forming a thin hinged flap, under which the shape of the cornea is changed by using some type of surgical device.

Excimer Lasers

LASIK eye surgery is therefore surgery that is done in order that a person who wears glasses or contact lenses should no longer be completely reliant on them to see. It is a medical procedure undertaken by a qualified opthamologist. The aim is to modify the shape of the cornea (the clear covering of the front of the eye) through use of an excimer laser. An excimer laser is a type of ultraviolet chemical laser that is unusually well focussed and capable of highly delicate control. Instead of burning away or cutting materials, an excimer laser intrroduces sufficient energy to disrupt molecular bonds of surface tissues. Effectively the tissue disintegrates in a controlled fashion through ablation rather than burning. Excimer lasers can remove very thin layers of surface material with almost no heating or change to the material which is left behind.

Flap Creation

When LASIK surgery is performed, a knife known as a microkeratome is inserted into the cornea and cuts a flap of skin. A human cornea measures from around 500 to 600 micrometres in thickness; the microkeratome creates a 100 to 200 micrometre thick flap. At one side of the flap is left a small piece of skin known as a hinge. The flap of skin is then gently folded back to show the stroma (otherwise known as the middle area of the cornea).

There are two types of microkeratomes currently in use, mechanical and laser. Both are affixed to the eye by use of a 360 degree vacuum ring, flatten the cornea with a clear plate, then cut the cornea underneath the plate.

Mechanical microkeratomes use a sharp thin metal blade. Laser microkeratomes are used in the IntraLasik procedure. They employ amplified light energy to form thousands of minute bubbles at a predetermined depth. These bubbles of water and carbon dioxide connect with each other create an incision.

Reshaping the Stroma

A laser that is controlled by a computer is then used to disintegrate a part (but not all) of the stroma and after that is finished, the flap of the cornea is fixed up and put back into place. New and more advanced ways of performing LASIK surgery are being looked at all of the time.

The purpose of eyeglasses and contact lenses is to compensate for the weaknesses of the eyes and to allow for vision that is as clear as can be. LASIK is a form of refractive eye surgery that is geared towards improving the eye’s ability to focus and not just focus, but also focus well on any object. When it comes to LASIK surgery, a laser is used to remove part of the tissue of the cornea and then it is reshaped in order to improve its ability to focus.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Bad Laser Eye Surgery: How Can You Avoid It

By Jill Brennan

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: http://www.best-buy-laser-eye-surgery.com

Monday, June 9, 2008

Getting Started: Bifocal Contact Lenses

By Susan Dean

Maybe you didn’t know there were such things as bifocal contact lenses? If you thought that your condition was one that was going to cause you to wear nothing but those heavy, thick and hard to use eyeglasses for the rest of your life, you are mistaken. Many individuals who wear glasses for vision correction can use contacts but now, many who need to use bifocals can also use bifocal contact lenses. You don’t have to be left in the dark to suffer. You can reclaim your look and style by choosing these contacts.

Are They Right For Me?

The question that you need to talk to your eye doctor about is whether or not they are the right choice for your eyes. You will need a new prescription if you do go with them, so take some time to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor and ask just what ability you have to wear contacts. They are not for everyone, unfortunately, but for those who have typically healthy eyesight with a need for bifocals, there is a good possibility that they are right for you.

Your eye doctor will provide a number of tests. He is likely checking for your eye’s health. Then, he will take measurements of the eye itself to allow for a right fit. Once this is complete, the doctor will, most of the time, be able to provide you with a set of the correct type of lens for your eyes. At this point, they will also teach you how to put them in, how to wash them and how to handle them. And, he’ll tell you if they are disposable or find the right solution for your specific needs.

But, stop there….

What About Price?

There are few ways to spend your money that are better than taking care of your eyes. But, you don’t have to go broke doing it either. You can find excellent prices on the contacts that you need. To start, you’ll need that prescription the doctor gave you. While you may go ahead and purchase that first pair from them, you may want to hold off on making a larger purchase as it can be quite expensive. Instead, move to the web. You’ll find excellent options in product selection as well as great deals at the same time.

Any location that you do purchase from will require a valid prescription usually within one year of the eye exam. This is necessary as having something just a bit off can really through off the prescription and become quite painful for your eyes. Now, you’ll find websites that offer a wonderful selection and while you can switch from brand to brand, you should never go for a lens that is completely different in nature than what was prescribed. Also, you should request a free sample to insure the comfort of the lens.

Lastly, to get a great price on them, all you need to do is shop around. Shopping online will almost always guarantee you discount prices as well as convenience.

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of http://www.online-contact-lens-shop.com Visit her site for a huge range of discounted contact lenses.