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Vision Correction
Due to advances in vision correction technology and the trend toward
outpatient surgery techniques, patients who are in need of vision
correction for
nearsightedness,
farsightedness,
astigmatism and focusing problems
such as presbyopia -which
requires the use of reading glasses, bifocals or trifocals-can now
choose from a number of vision correction options including excimer
laser eye surgery such as
LASIK,
Custom LASIK, and
PRK, limbal relaxing incisions, conductive keratoplasty,
as well as
ReZoom,
and
ReSTOR® Intraocular Lens Implants.
The decision to have an advanced vision correction procedure, such
as those listed above, is an intensely personal one and should be
made only after a thorough evaluation, examination and consultation
with a physician experienced in a wide range of treatment options.
The choice of a particular
surgeon should be based on your personal comfort with the physician and
their staff. You should be given enough information that you
have a clear understanding of your options, the benefits of those
options and what risks each option might have in your particular
case. Most important is that your questions are answered in a clear
and understandable manner. No matter what option you choose, our
practice is available to provide you with a complimentary consultation
in order to evaluate what vision correction options might be right
for you.
Multifocal
Implants--
If you have a strong
desire to not wear glasses, these lenses may
be right for you. Presbyopia is the eye's
inability to change focus from distance to
near—the age-related condition that usually
requires reading glasses or bifocals between
age 40 and 50. Several types of multifocal
lens implants offer the possibility of
seeing well at more than one distance
without reading glasses or bifocals. Our
surgeons generally prefer the ReZoom lens by
Advanced Medical Optics. Multifocal lens
implants cost significantly more than
standard lens implants and require
additional exams, tests and follow-up care.
Insurance companies do not usually pay the
extra costs of these services but financing
options are available.
Click here for
more information.
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Excimer Laser Procedures
These procedures utilize a laser to reshape the
contour of the ocular surface, the cornea. By altering the
shape of the eye's surface, light is focused differently within the
eye, resulting in vision correction.
Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileuisis (LASIK)
 LASIK
is a procedure in which a thin
circular flap of corneal tissue is created using a microkeratome or
laser (INTRALASE),
reflected back, and laser is applied under the flap to remove
corneal tissue, thereby reshaping the surface. The flap is
then folded back into place. LASIK corrects nearsightedness,
farsightedness and astigmatism.
Custom Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileuisis (LASIK)
 Custom
LASIK
is a
wavefront-guided laser procedure in which unique digital information
about the irregularities in the optical system of your eye is
obtained using a Wavescan device and interfaced with the laser, a
thin circular flap of corneal tissue is created using a
microkeratome, reflected back, and laser is applied under the flap
to remove corneal tissue, thereby reshaping the surface. The
flap is then folded back into place. LASIK corrects
nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. It is
interesting to note that, in the FDA
clinical trials, the post-operative visual results of the Wavefront
LASIK systems currently in the market varied considerably. For
example, the percent nearsighted of patients who achieved 20/20 or
better at six month post-op ranged from a low of 79.9% for Alcon
LADARVision CustomCornea to a high of 95.8% for the VISX S4
CustomVue. We use the VISX S4 Customvue system.
Photorefractive
Keratectomy (PRK)
 PRK is a procedure in which no flap is
cut. Laser is applied to the corneal surface to remove corneal
tissue, thereby reshaping the surface. PRK corrects
nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Limbal
Relaxing Incisions (LRI)
 Limbal Relaxing Incisions
are used to treat mild astigmatism. The surgeon cuts the cornea in
certain areas that are too bulgy, in order to flatten them to a more
regular curve. Many people undergo AK in addition to other
corrective eye surgery. However, AK is used less frequently now that
some excimer lasers are FDA-approved to correct astigmatism in
procedures such as LASIK and PRK. In one version of AK, known as
Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI), the surgeon cuts an area of the
eye's surface known as the
limbus
where the
white and colored areas of the eye meet well away from the center
part of the cornea. This allows the cornea to become more rounded
when it heals, rather than retaining the football shape that causes
astigmatism.
Conductive Keratoplasty
(CK)
Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) uses
mild heat from radio waves to shrink collagen in the periphery of
the cornea. This steepens the cornea overall to correct
farsightedness or presbyopia. The procedure takes about 5 minutes
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