After considering if you are the right candidate for LASIK you should then begin shopping for a LASIK surgeon. Even though the risks of LASIK are quite a bit less than normal surgeries, you should still take researching a LASIK surgeon seriously. Take the normal precautions of comparing, setting criteria, doing your homework, and understanding what will happen in the surgery.
Compare what each LASIK surgeon relies on as their procedure of choice. Do they rely on the traditional LASIK that uses a blade to make the incision or do they use “bladeless” InterLase lasers to make all of the cuts. Ask what they believe is most reliable and what they do the most.
Set forth a base of criteria that you will hold each LASIK surgeon to. Don’t base it solely on cost or on the doctor’s experience, but see if they perform what you feel most comfortable with. This decision will affect YOU for the rest of YOUR life, not the surgeon’s.
Do your homework to avoid scams related to the “20/20 vision or guaranteed money back”. Make sure you check these doctors against the consumer affairs office or better business bureau to ensure that they do good practice. Understand what your rights are when it comes to having surgery and LASIK in general.
Understand what can happen during the surgery and ask your potential LASIK surgeon how they handle a situation that could potentially end a procedure. There is a chance a mistake could lead to permanent damage to your eye without even a chance to have corrective surgery.
Ask the same questions of your LASIK surgeon in relation to how he deals with situations after surgery. Question your LASIK surgeon about how they handle migration of the flap, inflammation or infection, intensive eye drop treatments, or additional procedures after the initial surgery.
LASIK surgeons are also held to an FDA standard regarding the type of laser used during the surgery. Make sure you find out what laser your potential LASIK surgeon uses and double-check it against the FDA’s approved list.
Read more...
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Bladeless LASIK
While LASIK is a relatively low risk surgery, bladeless LASIK eliminates the one area where most complications arise, the metal blade. Aside from the fear it strikes into the heart of those who fear traditional surgery, it still has a very human error rate in a very difficult low-percentage situation.
While many people who are rejected for LASIK are rejected for thin corneas, bladeless LASIK offers these people a second chance. IntraLase lasers offer a more controlled environment in the bladeless LASIK surgery. Instead of cutting through with a blade, the laser is guided by computer technology.
The IntraLase laser allows for more curvature during the bladeless LASIK surgery, reducing the margin for error. The fact that it is a laser and not a blade also lends to the idea of avoiding infections or contaminations. Bladeless LASIK prevents long-term recovery that accompanies most surgeries.
Prior to LASIK a lot of people had unsafe or imperfect surgeries to correct vision that eliminated them from the opportunity to try LASIK. With bladeless LASIK, these potential customers get a second chance because of the near 100% success rate of the procedure.
Some patients follow traditional LASIK with follow-ups to make other corneal flaps or reduce eye-irritation. Bladeless LASIK with InterLase appear to have reduced the possibility of this happening.
The natural reaction to the thought of bladeless LASIK is that it eliminates the need for a practiced and season doctor to perform the surgery. While it may be true to a point, the fact is that bladeless LASIK requires a good deal of knowledge in physics and engineering.
While surgeons may have only been required to have knowledge of medicine and anatomy in the past, they now must be computer savvy. The advantages of bladeless LASIK seem to boil down to two basic ideas, a higher success rate and less chance of follow-up procedures.
Read more...
While many people who are rejected for LASIK are rejected for thin corneas, bladeless LASIK offers these people a second chance. IntraLase lasers offer a more controlled environment in the bladeless LASIK surgery. Instead of cutting through with a blade, the laser is guided by computer technology.
The IntraLase laser allows for more curvature during the bladeless LASIK surgery, reducing the margin for error. The fact that it is a laser and not a blade also lends to the idea of avoiding infections or contaminations. Bladeless LASIK prevents long-term recovery that accompanies most surgeries.
Prior to LASIK a lot of people had unsafe or imperfect surgeries to correct vision that eliminated them from the opportunity to try LASIK. With bladeless LASIK, these potential customers get a second chance because of the near 100% success rate of the procedure.
Some patients follow traditional LASIK with follow-ups to make other corneal flaps or reduce eye-irritation. Bladeless LASIK with InterLase appear to have reduced the possibility of this happening.
The natural reaction to the thought of bladeless LASIK is that it eliminates the need for a practiced and season doctor to perform the surgery. While it may be true to a point, the fact is that bladeless LASIK requires a good deal of knowledge in physics and engineering.
While surgeons may have only been required to have knowledge of medicine and anatomy in the past, they now must be computer savvy. The advantages of bladeless LASIK seem to boil down to two basic ideas, a higher success rate and less chance of follow-up procedures.
Read more...
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Cost of LASIK
The cost of LASIK surgery is generally considered to be high because of the idea of using lasers and other high tech equipment. However, the cost of LASIK continues to come down due to improvements being made to the overall process. Don’t simply go to the lowest cost when choosing a surgeon; consider the following that may increase cost.
Leasing or purchasing of the laser as well as maintenance of the blades or lasers can increase LASIK cost.
Per eye fee to the developer or manufacturer of the laser to pay for the cost of the machine.
Gowns, masks, gloves, medications, or surgical solutions to keep the operating room sterile and safe.
Advertising and insurance for the office.
The cost of LASIK can be reduced if the surgeon is part of the staff, eliminating his fee.
When you are considering different LASIK surgery opportunities you should question your surgeon on what is included in the cost of the LASIK surgery.
What is and isn’t included in the LASIK cost?
What will I be charged for if complications occur or enhancements are needed?
What is the cost for LASIK medications such as anti-inflammatory or painkillers?
What is the cost for temporary contact lenses if they are needed after LASIK?
What is the cost of the follow-up visits related to LASIK?
Finally, you should get in contact with your insurance company to determine if they will cover the cost of the LASIK surgery. Some insurance companies don’t cover LASIK cost because they consider the surgery to be cosmetic. If financing is not a problem you should strongly consider using the LASIK surgeon who best suits your needs and concerns.
The FDA considers the average cost of LASIK surgery to be $1,344 in 2005, a significant decrease from the original numbers listed in 2002 of nearly $1,600. Many consider this LASIK cost to be marginal in relation to the comfort created by newly improved vision.
Read more...
Leasing or purchasing of the laser as well as maintenance of the blades or lasers can increase LASIK cost.
Per eye fee to the developer or manufacturer of the laser to pay for the cost of the machine.
Gowns, masks, gloves, medications, or surgical solutions to keep the operating room sterile and safe.
Advertising and insurance for the office.
The cost of LASIK can be reduced if the surgeon is part of the staff, eliminating his fee.
When you are considering different LASIK surgery opportunities you should question your surgeon on what is included in the cost of the LASIK surgery.
What is and isn’t included in the LASIK cost?
What will I be charged for if complications occur or enhancements are needed?
What is the cost for LASIK medications such as anti-inflammatory or painkillers?
What is the cost for temporary contact lenses if they are needed after LASIK?
What is the cost of the follow-up visits related to LASIK?
Finally, you should get in contact with your insurance company to determine if they will cover the cost of the LASIK surgery. Some insurance companies don’t cover LASIK cost because they consider the surgery to be cosmetic. If financing is not a problem you should strongly consider using the LASIK surgeon who best suits your needs and concerns.
The FDA considers the average cost of LASIK surgery to be $1,344 in 2005, a significant decrease from the original numbers listed in 2002 of nearly $1,600. Many consider this LASIK cost to be marginal in relation to the comfort created by newly improved vision.
Read more...
Friday, July 3, 2009
Custom LASIK
What if you went in for brain surgery and the doctor told you they weren’t going to do what was best for you, but what seemed to work best for MOST people? Would you be concerned? Do you think this type of surgery would be safe for your future or the doctor’s career? I didn’t think so, now there is something to correct this problem, a new procedure called custom LASIK.
Custom LASIK uses three dimensional images of your eyes and how they accept light to determine the best route for your surgery. This procedure called custom LASIK using wave-front technology is more precise than any pair of glasses, contacts, or even other LASIK procedures.
By using a few simple computer-generated tests to analyze the way your eye refracts light, the computer determines the best course of action. The fact that this custom LASIK uses the three dimensional image particular to the patient, the chance for an uneven or poorly constructed flap over the cornea is reduced.
There are more hoops for you to jump through if you are going to be a patient in custom LASIK surgery:
You must be qualified by the FDA based on your eye condition before receiving custom LASIK.
Your doctor will present your choices regarding extra costs for your custom LASIK.
Your doctor will determine if your eye’s condition is such that custom LASIK presents the best result.
What are the advantages of custom LASIK?
Better chance of 20/20 vision or better.
Reduced chance of night vision disturbances or glaring.
Reduced chance of losing visual quality or contrast sensitivity.
Studies show that despite the cost of custom LASIK, more people are opting for this procedure than regular LASIK. However, it is important to discuss with your doctor what is correctable before the surgery. Even though custom LASIK is the most efficient form of LASIK it does not correct any type of eye problem at this time.
Read more...
Custom LASIK uses three dimensional images of your eyes and how they accept light to determine the best route for your surgery. This procedure called custom LASIK using wave-front technology is more precise than any pair of glasses, contacts, or even other LASIK procedures.
By using a few simple computer-generated tests to analyze the way your eye refracts light, the computer determines the best course of action. The fact that this custom LASIK uses the three dimensional image particular to the patient, the chance for an uneven or poorly constructed flap over the cornea is reduced.
There are more hoops for you to jump through if you are going to be a patient in custom LASIK surgery:
You must be qualified by the FDA based on your eye condition before receiving custom LASIK.
Your doctor will present your choices regarding extra costs for your custom LASIK.
Your doctor will determine if your eye’s condition is such that custom LASIK presents the best result.
What are the advantages of custom LASIK?
Better chance of 20/20 vision or better.
Reduced chance of night vision disturbances or glaring.
Reduced chance of losing visual quality or contrast sensitivity.
Studies show that despite the cost of custom LASIK, more people are opting for this procedure than regular LASIK. However, it is important to discuss with your doctor what is correctable before the surgery. Even though custom LASIK is the most efficient form of LASIK it does not correct any type of eye problem at this time.
Read more...
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Who Qualifies for LASIK Surgery?
The possibility of complications or imperfect vision after LASIK vision correction can be greatly reduced if you simply find out if you are a good prospect for the surgery. Not everyone who wants LASIK vision correction is necessarily a good candidate to have the surgery. You should consider a few things before you settle on LASIK:
If you don’t like to take a chance every now and then, you probably shouldn’t have LASIK vision correction. There are possibilities of complications as a result of LASIK that you should research before having the procedure done.
If having LASIK vision correction could affect your career or is not covered by your insurance you should think of another alternative. The cost of LASIK is getting cheaper, but is still quite expensive and you’ll want to make sure it isn’t prohibited by your employer.
You must be an adult with refractive stability to be accepted for LASIK vision correction. Refractive instability is determined by patients who are 20 or younger with fluctuating hormones due to such things as diabetes or someone who is pregnant or breastfeeding or taking medications that cause fluctuation in vision.
If you regularly engage in contact sports or suffer from a condition or disease may affect wound healing you should consider an alternative to LASIK vision correction.
There are a number of other situations you should discuss with your doctor prior to LASIK vision correction. If you have herpes or shingles involving the eye area you should disclose that information. Also, any glaucoma, ocular hypertension, eye diseases, eye injuries, previous eye surgeries, or keratoconus should be discussed.
You should also ask your doctor to screen you for the following conditions prior to LASIK vision correction:
Blepharitis
Large pupils
Thin corneas
Previous refractive surgeries
Dry eyes
Once you have researched all of these conditions or discussed them with a LASIK surgeon you can determine if you are a candidate for LASIK vision correction.
Read more...
If you don’t like to take a chance every now and then, you probably shouldn’t have LASIK vision correction. There are possibilities of complications as a result of LASIK that you should research before having the procedure done.
If having LASIK vision correction could affect your career or is not covered by your insurance you should think of another alternative. The cost of LASIK is getting cheaper, but is still quite expensive and you’ll want to make sure it isn’t prohibited by your employer.
You must be an adult with refractive stability to be accepted for LASIK vision correction. Refractive instability is determined by patients who are 20 or younger with fluctuating hormones due to such things as diabetes or someone who is pregnant or breastfeeding or taking medications that cause fluctuation in vision.
If you regularly engage in contact sports or suffer from a condition or disease may affect wound healing you should consider an alternative to LASIK vision correction.
There are a number of other situations you should discuss with your doctor prior to LASIK vision correction. If you have herpes or shingles involving the eye area you should disclose that information. Also, any glaucoma, ocular hypertension, eye diseases, eye injuries, previous eye surgeries, or keratoconus should be discussed.
You should also ask your doctor to screen you for the following conditions prior to LASIK vision correction:
Blepharitis
Large pupils
Thin corneas
Previous refractive surgeries
Dry eyes
Once you have researched all of these conditions or discussed them with a LASIK surgeon you can determine if you are a candidate for LASIK vision correction.
Read more...
