How Do We Treat Astigmatism?

Astigmatism is an optical or focusing problem caused when one or more parts of the eye are shaped like a football instead of a basketball. This causes a situation where TWO points of focus are created inside the eye, and sometimes neither of those points is focused right on the retina (the part of the eye that "sees"). This makes your vision blurry.

We can correct astigmatism in several different ways. Let's introduce them today. Of course, the easiest way to correct astigmatism is to wear a pair of glasses. Your prescription will not only correct for SPHERE (nearsightedness or farsightedness), but also for CYLINDER (your astigmatism). For all but the most extreme cases of astigmatism a pair of glasses might be all you need.

There are two types on contact lenes that will correct your astigmatism, both soft (toric) and hard (gas permeable). Soft Toric contact lenses from companies like Bausch & Lomb and Acuvue are much better now than in years past, giving good vision and lots of comfort. Many people still see better with glasses but strongly prefer their contacts because of the freedom they have with the contacts.

We can also treat your astigmatism with Laser Vision Corrections like LASIK where we literally put the correction right on the surface of your eye. There are also new implants called Toric IOL's that can correct astigmatism if you have cataracts. We'll talk about these two things in detail another time.

So if you live in the Cleveland area and you have ASTIGMATISM, call Skyvision Centers in Westlake so that you can see how you can See What's Next(R)!!

AN INDEPENDENT LASIK INFORMATION RESOURCE - ARSC

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? 

                                                             

 Have you been thinking about LASIK? 

We found a new, independent resource that provides very high quality information about LASIK and some other eye surgeries.  The American Refractive Surgery Counsel (www.americanrefractivesurgerycounsel.org) provides a website with good, solid, independent information about LASIK. 

The ARSC website does not promote any individual LASIK surgeon or practice.  There is a refractive surgery checklist which you can use to evaluate your options.  In addition, there is a blog that posts updates about interesting stories about LASIK.

We think the American Refractive Surgery Counsel website is a very nice resource for those people thinking about LASIK surgery.  We encourage you to give it a look!

LASIK: What Matters Most?

Does technology matter in LASIK and other forms of Laser Vision Correction? Of course it does. After all, the technology underlying modern vision correction using lasers is nothing short of fantastic. Every year there are evolutionary changes in how doctors perform LASIK and PRK. Unlike in the earliest days of the makers of laser equipment leapfrogged each other with every new development we are now in the phase of tiny incremental improvements. Which laser is used is not really a predictor for your success.

How about making the LASIK flap? Doesn't the technology matter there? Most flaps are now being made with a different type of laser called a Femto-Second Laser for so-called "All-Laser LASIK". In the earlier days of LASIK mechanical keratomes using ultra-sharp blades were used to create the LASIK flaps. At the same time that laser flaps were being developed these mechanical flap-makers were also undergoing continuous improvement. A landmark study was published in December 2011 comparing LASIK results using Femto-Second lasers and mechanical flap makers. There was NO DIFFERENCE in visual outcomes and NO DIFFERENCE in complication rates for either. How your flap is made is not really a predictor for you success.

So what matters when it comes to your LASIK success? If the particular laser doesn't make a difference, and whether your flap is made with a laser or a keratome doesn't affect your outcome, what is it that makes a difference?

YOUR SURGEON!

The technology for laser vision correction and the creation of the LASIK flap is now relatively uniform across platforms and between companies. The most important variable is your surgeon. Experience counts. Quality counts. The track record counts. Dr. Darrell White is the dean of laser refractive surgeons in Cleveland. He has the longest continuous track record dating back to the very first lasers in town in 1994, and he has been achieving class-leading results all along!

What matters most in LASIK is your surgeon.

No-Flap LASIK

We're always looking for the next big thing in eye care and this might be it: No-Flap LASIK surgery for myopia and astigmatism.

For several years Refractive Surgeons like our Dr. Darrell White have been using a Femto-Second laser to make the LASIK flap. This flap is then lifted up and the actual laser re-shaping of the cornea, the window of the eye, is then done with another laser called an Excimer Laser. After the prescription has been molded onto the cornea the flap is then replaced and heals.

This new development is very cool! A femto-second laser made by Zeiss creates a space in the cornea, kind of like a flap, but the opening is not completed all the way around like a true flap. A small opening is made on one side of this space. A second pass of the laser then cuts a "lenticule", a small thin layer of the internal cornea. This cut is individualized to the patient's prescription. The lenticule is then removed from the small opening on the side of the original laser incision leaving only about 4mm that needs to heal!

Voila! A no-flap LASIK!!

At the moment this procedure is only approved for use in Europe, but Zeiss has applied  for it to be used here in the U.S. You can be sure that Dr. White and Skyvision Centers will be on the cutting edge once it gets to Cleveland!

Over 40? Things to Remember for LASIK

LASIK is becoming more and more popular for people who are over the age of 40! There are some very important things to be thinking about before surgery, though. When a person starts to get into their 40's the near vision focusing begins to decline, a process called "Presbyopia". This can be a set-up for an unpleasant surprise after surgery if you don't think about it prior to your LASIK.

"Many people who are near-sighted don't realize how frequently they are removing their distance glasses to see things up close," said the SkyVision Centers surgeon Dr. Darrell White. "If they are around 45 or so we will sometimes put a contact lens on them and give them a chance to see what their reading vision will be like right after LASIK. This way there's no surprise when they can't read the newspaper the next day!"

Just like with contact lenses a patient can choose to do Mono-vision with LASIK. One eye is set for distance vision as usual, and one eye is slightly undercorrected leaving it near-sighted enough to be able to read. We will typically target a prescription that lets our patients read a menu and see their computer screens without wearing reading glasses.

It's almost never too late to think about LASIK! Even if you are over 40 it can still be a ton of fun to have great distance vision without wearing glasses or contact lenses. Dr. White always says the "LASIK is still one of the nicest things I've ever done for myself, even though I wear reading glasses a lot now." At SkyVision we will make sure you know what to expect after your LASIK!