If you are considering LASIK eye surgery, it means you are living with nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, and probably currently wear glasses or contact lenses.  LASIK is a great way to reduce your dependence on, or completely free yourself from, corrective lenses.  It may be especially appealing because of your profession or lifestyle.  It could be that you cannot wear contact lenses and dislike the appearance of glasses, or you may just want to reduce the expense and hassle of glasses and contacts.

However, LASIK is not appropriate for everyone.  There are several factors which determine the best candidate, including age, medical history, individual eye anatomy, and expectations.  Each person is a unique case requiring individual evaluation.

No website can tell you for sure if you are a good candidate for LASIK.  The only way to find out is to schedule a LASIK eligibility exam.  Be prepared to talk about your medical history, and any current diseases or medications.  You will also discuss instructions and expectations for the procedure, recovery, and results.  You will be given a comprehensive eye examination, including some tests especially tailored to evaluate whether your eyes are appropriate for the corrective surgery.  From the results of this exam, the doctor can work with you to decide if LASIK is the right choice for you.

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It is important to realize that, like any surgery, LASIK is not without risk.  However, major complications are extremely rare.  Minor complications occasionally occur, such as dry eye, and halos or glare around lights at night.  However, such problems are uncommon, are often treatable, and will usually reduce or disappear within months of the surgery.

Many people achieve 20/20 vision, or better, after undergoing LASIK eye surgery.  Although patients experience an improvement in their vision, some may still need to wear corrective lenses for certain tasks, though the necessary power of correction will be much smaller than before.

The result of the LASIK procedure is also influenced by the amount of correction needed.  Patients within a few diopters of 20/20 vision most often achieve sufficient results after undergoing LASIK that they no longer require corrective lenses.  Patients with a wider error, especially those who are extremely nearsighted, sometimes will still require corrective lenses after the surgery, though their prescription will be greatly reduced.

There is no pain associated with the LASIK procedure.  Local anesthesia is used on the cornea, which is administered through eye drops.  Some patients may experience mild discomfort or pressure.  After the procedure, patients may experience minor irritation in the eye.  This should fade within a day or two.

Many serious eye diseases often have little or no symptoms until they are well developed.  The only way to diagnose a problem early in such a case is to schedule periodic eye exams.  This is the best way to preserve the clearest vision possible for life.

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Any abnormal phenomena or changes in your vision can indicate a variety of possible problems.  The key to preserving vision in the face of most eye diseases is early treatment.  Thus it is important to consult an ophthalmologist if you notice anything unusual or any change in your vision.  It could be a serious problem, or it could be inconsequential, but the peace of mind and the possibility of catching a serious problem early are certainly worth it.

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Eye exams are recommended periodically, with the interval differing for various age groups.  In the first three years of infancy, a child should have vision checked along with normal pediatric checkups.  Between the ages of three and six (the most crucial period of eye development) an eye exam should be scheduled every year or two.  After that period, until adulthood, exams should be scheduled as necessary.  During the twenties one should have at least one exam.  During the thirties one should have at least two exams.  In the forties, fifties, and early sixties, one should schedule an exam every two to four years.  For seniors, an exam every year or two is recommended.

In addition to these basic guidelines, people with a family history of eye problems, those monitoring a diagnosed eye disease, or those with certain high risk diseases such as diabetes, it is recommended that exams should be performed at least once a year.  Regular eye exams are the best way to keep you seeing your world clearly.

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LASIK surgery is known for having a particularly quick recovery, partly because the flap acts as a natural bandage for the cornea.  Patients can usually return to work in a day or two, although it is best to take a few days off and take it easy to allow proper healing.  One should wait a week or two before recommencing strenuous activities, and at least a month or more before contact sports.  Vision improves vastly over the first one to three days, and generally reaches its final state within three to six months.

Throughout childhood and the teens, a person’s vision often does not remain stable.  The body is constantly developing and changing.  LASIK is a permanent procedure.  For this reason, LASIK may not be performed on minors.  Once your child is 18 or older, and his or her glasses or contacts prescription has been stable for at least a year or two, he or she may wish to consider LASIK corrective eye surgery.

Both LASIK and ASA utilize an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. The laser is so precise that it takes several pulses of light to remove a single cell. In ASA, the laser is used on the surface of the eye, which requires a slightly longer healing time, with most patients able to drive in 24-48 hours. LASIK involves creating a thin flap of tissue, retracting the flap, and applying the laser underneath the flap. The flap is then replaced, and it adheres very quickly on its own. Discomfort with both procedures is typically mild. 

For additonal info on Intralase LASIK: www.intralasefacts.com 

LASIK and Advanced Surface Ablation patients generally see well enough to pass the driver’s license examination on the first day after the surgery. Many are 20/20 only hours after their surgery, while others take a little longer to achieve that result. ASA patients typically recover a bit more slowly, although patients can usually drive in 24-48 hours. Some patients, particularly those who are older, will heal a bit more slowly.

All LASIK patients will experience some degree of temporary night glare for about 6 weeks post-op. This is due to microscopic swelling in the flap which goes away. Many describe it as comparable to their vision at night with a soft contact lens. PRK patients can experience similar temporary glare as the surface of their eye heals. With Dr. Casey’s technique of measuring the pupil size in near total darkness using an automated infrared pupillometer, adjusting the excimer beam size to suit the pupil, and using sophisticated eye tracking technology, night vision complaints are very unusual. Many of our patients tell us that their night vision is superior after to surgery to anything they had prior to surgery.

The FDA has approved the treatment of farsightedness, both with and without astigmatism.

Dr. Casey typically treats both eyes on the same day. Some patients elect to have their eyes treated on separate days for financial or other reasons.

Yes. Typically, we only treat patients with monovision (one eye for near, and one eye for distance) who have previously successfully worn monovision contact lenses. If appropriate, we will discuss this option with you at the time of your consultation.

Laser vision correction is possible because of tremendous advances in medical technology; however the role of the surgeon is more critical than ever. While complication rates with laser vision correction are very low, Dr. Casey spends a good deal of his time providing second opinions for patients who have experienced complications related to laser surgery performed elsewhere. Very often it is possible to correct these problems, but these complex cases underscore the importance of selecting the right surgeon the first time.

Dr. Casey of Nevada Eye Care offers a variety of financing plans, and we will work with you to develop a plan to meet your needs. All financial arrangements must be completed prior to the day of surgery.

Apply online right now with Care Credit at:

www.carecredit.com/patients/apply.htm

Generally, health insurance does not cover laser vision correction; however, a few health plans provide a small contribution to the total cost of the procedure. We are happy to investigate this possibility for you. Many corporate cafeteria plans allow pre-tax dollars to be used toward laser vision correction.

YES. A new ruling from the IRS allows many patients to deduct the cost of laser vision correction.

Although significant, permanent change is rare, a woman's eyes can change during pregnancy. Dr. Casey recommends women who are pregnant or nursing, wait a minimum of three months after childbirth and/or the end of the nursing period before pursuing laser vision correction.

Candidates for the Visian ICL are between 21 and 45 years of age, suffer from myopia (nearsightedness) and want to experience superior vision correction. The ideal Visian ICL candidate has not undergone any ophthalmic surgery and does not have a history of eye disease such as iritis, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy.

Nearly anyone seeking clearer vision may be a Visian ICL candidate, including those with special or extreme vision correction needs. Consumers should contact us for more information, including an assessment of their candidacy.

Women who are pregnant or nursing should wait to have the Visian ICL implanted. Lastly, those without a large enough anterior chamber depth or endothelial cell density may not be a good Visian ICL candidate.

One advantage of the Visian ICL is that it offers treatment flexibility. If your vision changes dramatically after receiving the implant, your doctor can remove and replace it. If necessary, another procedure can be performed at any time.

Patients can wear glasses or contact lenses as needed following treatment with the Visian ICL. The implant does not treat presbyopia (difficulty with reading in people 40 and older), but you can use reading glasses as needed after receiving the Visian ICL.

The surgical procedure to implant the Visian ICL is simple and nearly painless.

As a Visian ICL candidate, Dr. Casey will prepare your eyes one to two weeks prior to surgery by using a laser to create a small opening between the lens and the front chamber of your eye. This allows fluid to pass between the two areas, thereby avoiding the buildup of intraocular pressure following the surgery.

The implantation procedure itself takes about 15 minutes and is performed on an outpatient basis, though you will have to make arrangements for someone to drive you to and from the procedure.

You can expect to experience very little discomfort during the Visian ICL implantation. You will undergo treatment while under a light topical or local anesthetic, perhaps with the addition of a mild sedative. Following surgery, you may use prescription eye drops or oral medication. The day after surgery, you will return to your doctor for a follow-up visit. You will also have follow-up visits one month and six months following the procedure.

Although the Visian ICL requires no special maintenance, you are encouraged to visit your eye doctor annually for check-ups following the Visian ICL procedure.

• Are over age 40
• Have great distance vision
• Require reading glasses to compensate for fading near vision

This is not a complete list of indications and contraindications. Contact us if you would like to schedule an eye examination to determine if NearVision CK is right for you.