LASIK
|
|
The LASIK surgeon should also find this site interesting because we have also included a news component which is updated daily. Our news component consists of news from the realm of LASIK such as new developments and breakthroughs, news about eye health, current eye research, optometry, and ophthalmology. We believe that the information provided here will serve both the LASIK surgeon and the LASIK candidate well.
Here you will also find our chat room about LASIK and related topics. Our chat room can be used by anyone who has an interest in LASIK. Our chat room allows for an unlimited number of users. All we ask is that the conversations stay within the realm of LASIK and related topics.
Here we also provide a book store. Our book store consists of a large collection of books about LASIK, general eye health, and alternative forms of vision correction. So if you want to learn more about these interesting topics, we invite you to browse our book store. Anyone who is considering LASIK for vision correction should purchase at least one book on the subject. Knowledge is the key in terms of making the right decision with regards to whether LASIK is right for you.
Our goal here is to not sell you on LASIK, but to simply provide you with the information you need so that you can make an informed decision. This is why on this page you will see ads for LASIK and for natural vision correction. We provide the information, and let you follow the path you feel you should take in terms of vision correction without glasses.
LASIK - Discussion
Our discussion here is made up of the following components. In order to understand what LASIK surgery is all about, first we will examine basic eye physiology. To understand LASIK , you need to have a basic understanding of how the eye works. We will then examine the causative factors for decrease visual acuity. We will look at how LASIK provides for vision correction, and we will look at the basic procedure for LASIK . Finally, we will look at the potential risks involved with LASIK, followed by today’s LASIK news.
Normal and Atypical Eye Anatomy
Image courtesy of Lahey Clinic Foundation
The four most important components of the human eye are the cornea, lens, retina, and photoreceptor cells. Each of these has a specific function. The cornea’s job is to simply focus the light rays coming from the image to the back of the retina where the photoreceptor cells are located. The lens focuses the image further, the same way the lens of a camera focuses the image onto film. In the case of the eye, the image is focused inverted. The photoreceptor cells are made up of cells called rods and cones. Once the image is focused onto the photoreceptor cells, electrical impulses traverse along the optic nerve to the optical region of the brain where the image is placed right side up. Obviously this is a simplified version of how the eye produces an image, but for the LASIK candidate, providing physiological details beyond what is discussed here would serve no purpose.
Atypical eye physiology results in a decrease in visual acuity and therefore the need for glasses or contacts? The three most common eye problems are nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. In all these cases, the cornea has a shape which is atypical, and the light is not focused onto the retina. In the case of nearsightedness, the image becomes focused in front of the retina. In farsightedness, the opposite occurs where the image is focused behind the retina. In astigmatism, the cornea has such a shape that the image is focused at two points on the retina instead of the usual one point.
How does LASIK surgery correct for these problems. When laser energy is applied to the cornea, changes occur at the molecular level which results in a change in the shape of the cornea. The alterations which are occurring at the molecular level are outside the purview of this website, but it is suffice to say that these changes result in correcting the shape of the cornea so that the image will be focused on the retina. So this is how LASIK surgery works, and it works very well most of the time.
The laser that is used for LASIK surgery is called an excimer laser. An excimer laser is called a “cool” laser in that it does not produce heat. It is the energy from this laser which results in changes occurring at the molecular level within the cornea. Actually, there are a number of laser types which have been approved by the FDA for LASIK which are all “cool” lasers which can be found at LASIK Eye Surgery. Lets now take a look at the procedure employed for LASIK surgery.
LASIK - Procedure
Image courtesy of Medical Research Foundation
1) In the first step, a layer of epithelium tissue must be cut and pulled back in order to expose the cornea for laser application. This flap is created using a motorized blade.
2) Once the cornea is exposed, the excimer laser energy can be applied to the cornea. This results in the cornea going back to a normal shape and therefore vision correction is achieved. The time needed for the actual laser application is very short.
3) After the laser energy application, the flap that was created in step one is pulled back to it’s original position over the cornea.
4) Sutures are not required for the flap to stay in position and the flap serves as band aid during the healing process.
Difference Between LASIK and LASEK
LASIK and LASEK are actually slightly different procedures, but the basic procedural steps are the same. In the case of LASIK, the thickness of the tissue which needs to be cut, is thicker compared to LASEK. In LASEK, an ultra-thin layer of tissue is cut. In both cases, this cut is needed in order to produce a flap which can be pulled back to expose the cornea. So really the procedures are identical except for this one difference. Typically, LASEK is used for individuals who have a very thin layer of tissue on top of the cornea.
What Are the Risks For LASIK and LASEK
Image courtesy of Dr John Hill
LASIK and LASEK surgery is not without risks. It is important that you discuss the possible risks associated with LASIK/LASEK surgery with your surgeon. You have a right to know the specific track record of the LASIK/LASEK surgeon you choose. What his/her success rate. What percentage of his/her patients develop complications. You obviously have a right to know this information since you are entrusting the viability of your eyes in his/her hands. Statistically, in the late 1990’s, there was a mean percentage of complications at around 5%. LASIK surgeons are currently reporting complications in 1% of patients. Some current studies are reporting complications in 3% to 6% of patients. The reported figures for safety and efficacy are open to interpretation. So what are some of the complications that can develop.
1) Increased sensitivity to light.
2) Various halos or glare. These conditions occur if light enters the eye around the edge of the treatment area. They can usually be corrected with an additional treatment.
3) Over correcting or under correcting.
4) A type of astigmatism can develop due to the cornea healing in a wavy configuration.
5) Regression
6) Increased contrast sensitivity
So if complications from LASIK do occur, your complication will most likely be one of the above. It should be noted that when complications do occur, many times they are due to cutting edge irregularities when the flap is produced. A new company called IntraLase has basically eliminated these irregularities by producing a laser which can cut the epithelial tissue on top of the cornea, instead of a motorized blade. The use of the IntraLace laser has resulted a reduction in the number of complications. The draw back to the use of this laser is that it makes the procedure more expensive. Most of the time the LASIK/LASEK candidate is pleased with the results. But as in all surgeries, risks do exist.
LASIK - Conclusion
To conclude, today LASIK/LASEK is considered a viable method for the obtainment of visual acuity. Many people from all walks of life have had the procedure completed and most are happy with the results. The United States military currently is providing free LASIK/LASEK surgery for soldiers. Many professional athletes and movie stars have had the procedure completed and by and large they are happy with the results. The procedure is not without risks, but for those individuals who can not or for cosmetic reasons will not wear glasses, LASIK/LASEK provides a viable alternative for achieving visual acuity. Talk to several LASIK/LASEK surgeons, read about the procedure, verify the statistics, and you will then know if LASIK/LASEK is right for you.
LASIK - Videos About LASIK Surgery
What is Lasik and is Lasik Safe? A Diversity of Perspectives
Directory of LASIK/LASEK Surgeons Who Practice Within the Chicago Area
| Mitchell A. Jackson, MD | (847) 356-0700 (888) 356-0700 Lake Villa, Illinois |
| Herman D. Sloane, MD | 877 24 LASIK (5 2745) Oak Brook, Illinois |
| Robert L. Epstein, MD | 800-I-CAN-SEE (800-422-6733) McHenry, Illinois and Niles, Illinois |
| William M. Reiff, MD | (847) 844-8866 Elgin, Illinois |
| Gerald Horn, MD William Fagman, MD David Aymond, MD | (877) 350-3937 Naperville, Illinois Oak Brook, Illinois Schaumburg, Illinois |
If you are a LASIK/LASEK surgeon and you practice within the Chicago area, and you are not listed here, please email me at Thomas Sullivan and I will include you on this list.
Additional Links
Consumer Guide to LASIK Eye Surgery
Additional Source for Finding a LASIK Surgeon
For information about how to maintain healthy eyes go to 10 Steps to Healthy Eyes.
Today’s News About LASIK/LASEK, Eye Health, Optometry, and Ophthalmology
MedicineNet Eyesight General
Copyright 1995-2009 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved.
MedicineNet Eyesight General
Sjogren's Syndrome
Title: Sjogren's Syndrome
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 12/31/1997
Last Editorial Review: 7/19/2010
Health Tip: Drive Safely in the Dark
Title: Health Tip: Drive Safely in the Dark
Category: Health News
Created: 7/19/2010 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/19/2010
Health Tip: Why Are My Eyes Red?
Title: Health Tip: Why Are My Eyes Red?
Category: Health News
Created: 7/19/2010 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 7/19/2010
Lady Gaga-Inspired Lens Fad Draws Warning From Eye Docs
Title: Lady Gaga-Inspired Lens Fad Draws Warning From Eye Docs
Category: Health News
Created: 7/7/2010 12:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 7/8/2010
Eye Condition May Alter Corneal Transplant Results
Title: Eye Condition May Alter Corneal Transplant Results
Category: Health News
Created: 7/1/2010 12:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 7/2/2010
Pink Eye
Title: Pink Eye
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 12/31/1997
Last Editorial Review: 6/18/2010
IVF Babies and Major Birth Defects
Title: IVF Babies and Major Birth Defects
Category: Health News
Created: 6/14/2010 12:59:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 6/14/2010 12:59:44 PM
Homeless Americans Unlikely to Receive Basic Health Care
Title: Homeless Americans Unlikely to Receive Basic Health Care
Category: Health News
Created: 5/24/2010 2:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 5/25/2010
Health Tip: Why Are My Eyes Watering?
Title: Health Tip: Why Are My Eyes Watering?
Category: Health News
Created: 5/18/2010 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/18/2010
Three Genes Linked to Variations in Eye Color
Title: Three Genes Linked to Variations in Eye Color
Category: Health News
Created: 5/7/2010 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/7/2010
Eye Disease Rates High Among Latino Americans
Title: Eye Disease Rates High Among Latino Americans
Category: Health News
Created: 5/1/2010 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/3/2010
Eye Strain
Title: Eye Strain
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 4/7/2010 3:52:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 4/7/2010 3:52:37 PM
Eye Health / Blindness News From Medical News Today
Copyright 2010 Medical News Today
Latest Health News and Medical News posted throughout the day, every day.
American Academy Of Ophthalmology Wins Award Of Excellence For Haiti Relief Efforts
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) is one of only 21 organizations nationally to receive an Award of Excellence for its Task Force on Haiti Recovery work from the ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership as part of their Associations Advance America (AAA) program...
Face Recognition Study May Lead To Improved Computer Face Recognition Algorithms
A specific area in our brains is responsible for processing information about human and animal faces, both how we recognize them and how we interpret facial expressions. Now, Tel Aviv University research is exploring what makes this highly specialized part of the brain unique, a first step to finding practical applications for that information. In her "Face Lab" at Tel Aviv University, Dr...
When Is It Time For Cataract Surgery?
Almost everyone who lives a long life will develop cataracts at some point. As more Americans live into their 70s and beyond, we all need to know a few cataract basics: risks and symptoms, tips that may delay onset, and how to decide when it is time for surgery, so good vision can be restored...
Back-To-School Checklist Should Include Trip To Eye Doctor
Parents and students throughout the country are crossing items off their back-to-school checklists, but most are missing an important task to ensure learning success - a visit to the eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam. According to an American Optometric Association (AOA) survey of K-12 teachers, 81 percent believe vision and learning are interdependent...
Can We Trust What A Model Predicts?
When advanced modeling methods are used to investigate the health economics of complex treatments, efforts must be made to make sure that the model outcomes are reliable. Researchers at the University Eye Clinic in Maastricht developed a model that simulates the lives of glaucoma patients...
NEI/FDA To Hold One-Day Glaucoma Endpoints Meeting
The National Eye Institute (NEI) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are sponsoring a Glaucoma Endpoints conference on September 24, 2010, to develop definitions and standards for describing structural changes in the glaucomatous optic nerve and functional changes in vision, as criteria for approval of new glaucoma therapeutics in clinical trials...
Omeros Enrolls First Patient In Phase 2b Clinical Trial Evaluating OMS302 In Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery
Omeros Corporation (Nasdaq: OMER), a biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing products focused on inflammation and disorders of the central nervous system, today announced that it has enrolled the first patient in its Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating OMS302 in patients undergoing cataract surgery...
Contact Lens Injury Leading Cause Of Medical Device Emergency Visits Among US Children
A government report says that contact lens injury is the leading cause of over 70,000 emergency department (ED) visits every year for medical device-associated injury among US children and that more public health initiatives are needed to prevent such easily averted injuries in children, which are often due to wearing lenses for too long and not cleaning them properly...
iCo Therapeutics Inc. Receives Health Canada Clearance To Conduct Phase II DME Trial With iCo-007
iCo Therapeutics Inc. (TSX VENTURE:ICO) is pleased to announce that the Therapeutic Products Directorate, a division of Health Canada, has issued a No Objection Letter response to the Company regarding its iCo-007 Phase II Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) Clinical Trial Application (CTA)...
Two Therapies Slow Diabetic Eye Disease Progression
In high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes, researchers have found that two therapies may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age Americans...
Ampio Pharmaceuticals Announces Initiation Of Phase II Clinical Trial Of Optina™
Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AMPE) announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial of Optina™ for the treatment of diabetic macular edema, an early stage of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic macular edema is responsible for most vision loss in patients with diabetes mellitus...
Vision Loss Halted By Valproic Acid In Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) believe they may have found a new treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a severe neurodegenerative disease of the retina that ultimately results in blindness. One of the more common retinal degenerative diseases, RP is caused by the death of photoreceptor cells and affects 1 in 4,000 people in the United States...
Hope & Protection Against Blinding Disease Delivered To Millions
This month marks the 150 millionth treatment against river blindness by international development NGO Sightsavers. Since 1987 when pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., Inc...
When You Feel Blue, Why Does Everything Look Gray ?
Regardless of culture, language, era, or individual artist, the arts consistently depict depression using darkness. Scientific findings now lend empirical support to this representation of depression that everything looks gray when you feel blue...
Warning: Beach Umbrellas Do Not Block Out All Solar Radiation
A team of researchers from the University of Valencia (UV) has proven that 34% of ultraviolet radiation filters through under beach umbrellas. According to what is published in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology, umbrellas intercept the full direct flow that comes from the Sun, but not the diffused radiation that penetrates through from the sides...
Two Therapies Slows Progression Of Diabetic Eye Disease
The VA Maryland Health Care System participated in a landmark national study of more than 10,251 high-risk diabetic adults across the nation, testing if three complementary treatment strategies can reduce the high rate of heart disease and stroke associated with type 2 diabetes and if these treatment strategies can also slow the progression of eye disease associated with diabet...
Vitamin A Deficiency In New York City
In high-income countries, diseases related to vitamin deficiencies are not as frequent as in poorer settings but are nonetheless regular occurrences. In a Clinical Picture published Online First and in next week's Lancet, the case of a 24-year-old pregnant woman suffering vitamin A deficiency is reported...
Vitamin Deficiency After Weight Loss Surgery Can Cause Vision Loss In Newborns
Biliopancreatic diversion surgery for morbid obesity is known to cause multiple vitamin deficiencies that may worsen during pregnancy...
Research To Prevent Blindness Organization Awards $60,000 To Lu
Qingxian Lu, PhD, assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, has received the $60,000 William and Mary Greve Special Scholar Award from the Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) organization...
ThromboGenics Announces Publication Of Positive Microplasmin Phase II Data In The Journal Retina
ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for eye disease, vascular disease and cancer, announces that positive microplasmin Phase II trial results, evaluating the product for the nonsurgical treatment of vitreomacular adhesion, have been published in the July/August issue of the journal Retina...
R-Tech Ueno Completes Phase II Clinical Study On Ophthalmic Solution UF-021 (Product Name Ocuseva (TM)) On Retinitis Pigmentosa
R-Tech Ueno, Ltd. announced on July 15 the completion of the Phase II clinical study on the ophthalmic solution UF-021 (product name Ocuseva (TM)) under development as a therapeutic drug for retinitis pigmentosa (Note 1). Below is a summary of the detailed results of the study...
Blind Mice Can 'See' Thanks To Special Retinal Cells
It would make the perfect question for the popular television show "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader:" What parts of the eye allow us to see? The conventional wisdom: rods and cones. The human retina contains about 120 million rods, which detect light and darkness, shape and movement, and about 7 million cones, which in addition detect color...
Shao Wins Grant From Research To Prevent Blindness Organization For Dry Eye Research
Hui Shao, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, has received a $60,000 Lew R. Wasserman Merit Award from the Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) organization...
ThromboGenics To Present Results Of Second Phase III Trial Of Microplasmin At The 28th Annual Meeting Of The American Society Of Retina Specialists
ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for eye disease, announces that data from the second Phase III trial of microplasmin (TG-MV-007) for the non-surgical treatment of vitreomacular adhesion (VMA), are to be presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Retina S...
American Academy Of Ophthalmology's Medical Director Of Health Policy Tapped For Role With National Quality Forum
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) is proud to announce the appointment of William L. Rich III, M.D., Medical Director of Health Policy, to the National Quality Forum's (NQF) efficiency resource use project steering committee. The NQF was established in May 1999 as a unique public-private collaborative venture...
The LASIK Directory News
The LASIK Directory Rss feed provides up to the minute news on LASIK and laser eye surgery and sugeries.
LASIK: Revolutionising correction of refractive errors
LASIK, an unprecedented advancement in eye care, offers people a safe and simple opportunity to see the world clearly, minus the inconvenience or discomfort of scratched or lost contact lenses, or the blocked side vision of spectacles. In simple term LASIK is a revolutionary laser technique for correction of refractive errors.
LASIK surgery works wonders for Packers' Ferguson
Ferguson said he went to three doctors seeking a panacea for the headaches. One suggested that LASIK surgery probably would solve his eye problem and just might curb the headaches.
New, Improved LASIK Surgery
Just how much better this new “wavefront-guided LASIK” works isn't proven yet, but it's causing excitement among eye surgeons who say the three-dimensional maps let them customize treatment in a way never before possible.
Opening Your Eyes To LASIK
More and more people are going under the laser to shed their glasses and contact lenses. So the Eye Surgery Education Council has issued new guidelines to help patients determine whether they could be candidates for laser eye surgery.
BLADE-FREE LASIK SURGERY
Are you near-sighted? Far-sighted? LASIK eye surgery could rid you of your glasses. But if fear of going under the blade is stopping you -- stop worrying. Now, a new blade-free approach.
Low-Cost LASIK Surgery
This year, it's estimated that more than 1½ million people will have corrective laser eye surgery and the price of that surgery can vary tremendously, but cheaper is not always better.
Research warns against sleeping in contact lenses
Sleeping in contact lenses can lead to an increased risk of severe eye infection, new research suggests. But new generation contact lenses, the investigation reveals, perform better in this regard than their predecessors. The University of Manchester study found that wearers who failed to remove their lenses before bedtime had an increased risk of developing keratitis than those who routinely took out their lenses before going to sleep
Corneal Perforation With Secondary Congenital Aphakia in Peters Anomaly -
To describe two cases of secondary congenital aphakia in association with Peters anomaly...Conclusions: Secondary congenital aphakia from corneal perforation should be considered in the presentation of severe Peters anomaly.
Bacterial Populations on Silicone Hydrogel and Hydrogel Contact Lenses after Swimming in a Chlorinated Pool
Conclusion: It appears that wearing a hydrophilic lens while swimming allows accumulation of microbial organisms on or in the lens, regardless of lens material. Swimmers should be advised to wear tight-fitting goggles if lenses are worn while swimming, and thorough disinfection of the lenses before overnight wear seems prudent...
Powered by FirstRSS Plugin
