Tips for your LASIK

LASIK eye surgery is practiced by people who make use of glasses or contact lenses for nearsightedness (myopia). The FDA, in collaboration with the American Academy of Ophthalmology has developed some recommendations and some indications in the choice of the candidate more ideoneo for lasik eye surgery

* Minimum age: 18 years. The sight of people under age 18 usually continues to change.
* Not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding stage because these conditions could alter the extent of refraction of the eye.
* Not recommended if you are taking certain prescription medications, such as Accutane or oral prednisone.
* In case of myopia surgery should be postponed until the LASIK refractive has been stabilized. Myopia may continue to rise until age 20.
* Not recommended for patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, glaucoma, herpetic infections of the eye or cataracts.
* It is possible that a person who feels comfortable using glasses or contact lenses is not willing to undergo this surgery. For this must weigh the risks and benefits.
* It should consider the personal expectations about the surgery and determine whether they are realistic.
* In case of presbyopia, LASIK does not solve corrections to the same eye to see both far and near.

The FDA has approved the excimer laser is to correct a myopia of up to -12.00 D * -4.00 D of astigmatism, farsightedness (Hyperopia) and from 1.00 to 6, 00 with 1.00 D of astigmatism.

written by Gazpachor

LASIK is now the vision correction procedure more popular in the United States. 90% of the eye surgery was made through LASIK. But that may soon be talk of a new procedure called SBK which is similar to LASIK and may be even better.

SBK (or “sub-Bowman’s keratomileusis”) is similar to LASIK, and generally is a procedure that largely reduces the problem of dry eyes (in addition to other problems).

Limitations of LASIK
Despite his high popularity and the success rate, LASIK has one constant: the persistent dry eye in some patients. In addition, in rare cases, after an operation LASIK, you can develop a serious complication called corneal ectasia, is a protrusion of the cornea forward, which in future would require a corneal transplant as a treatment.

Limitations of PRK
With PRK there is less risk of dry eye and ectasia. However, there are two factors that have always limited the popularity of PRK: discomfort after PRK surgery and recovery time (it may take a week or two before retrieving a vision acceptable to drive).

THE SBK
Some ophthalmologists and refractive surgeons (Stephen Slade, MD and Daniel Durri) have been the pioneers of a new refractive surgery procedure that is best features of LASIK and PRK. The new procedure, known as “outsourcing Bowman’s keratomileusis” or “SBK,” uses a femtosecond laser to create a corneal flap of the thinnest of what is obtained from a normal operation LASIK. SBK flaps are approximately 110 microns thick, whereas LASIK flaps are usually 120 to 160 microns thick.

The term “sub-Bowman’s” is used to describe the procedure itself, because the depth of the flap includes the bulk of the membrane of Bowman.

written by Gazpachor

After 10 years of lasik eye surgery has proven effective, safe and accurate.
10 years ago that interventions started the first LASIK refractive surgery to correct large myopia. After analyzing their evolution a study confirms the safety and effectiveness of the technique.
In the January issue of American Journal of Ophthalmology, Medical Journal announced the results of a study that concluded the long-term safety of refractive surgery).

The queratotomía rectify Photoreagent is used to the mild to moderate myopia, while the Lasik is used for large myopias. In the Spanish trial have been reviewed 196 eyes with high myopia of 118 patients who had to correct at least ten diopters to achieve a vision of 20/20. Faults in the correction of visual acuity were 77 per cent of the best corrected vision before surgery.
This vision improved in a line. Only 5 percent of the eyes lost two lines in the best corrected vision before surgery and 40 percent avoided the use of glasses. 61 per cent of the cases, 119 eyes were between ± 2 diopters to ten years. Only two eyes, 1 per cent, developed corneal ectasia. The retreatment rate was 27 percent.

Data predictable
We evaluated the follow-up to ten years after surgery. According to Jorge Alió, a professor at the University Miguel Hernandez, Alicante, the results are encouraging, as the refractive correction implies a ceiling for applying this technique.

“The study has enabled us to demonstrate that, despite the limitations of the technique Lasik, the results were predictable on the efficacy and safety for patients with large myopias long term.”
The limit optimal prediction technique is about ten diopters of myopia. This study can become a reference, “because it has enabled us to meet the safety, precision and limits on the use of Lasik eye with large myopias.” The data were reported at the last meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, where he received the prize for best presentation.

written by Gazpachor

There are many people in New York City (New Jersey) (and in whole world) who, tired of switching life depending on a device so uncomfortable and outdated as are the glasses, are thinking about to turn around his life and finally rid of that burden. Therefore, I assume that many of you are thinking about using laser eye surgery. The most advanced technology in this field is Lasik.

The LASIK technique was made possible by the Colombia-based Spanish ophthalmologist Jose Barraquer, who, around 1950 in his clinic in Bogota, Colombia, developed the first microkeratome, used to cut thin flaps in the cornea and alter its shape, in a procedure called keratomileusis. Stephan Schaller assisted. Barraquer also provided the knowledge about how much of the cornea had to be left unaltered to provide stable long-term results. Since that time to our days, you can imagine how lasik eye surgery technique has been improved, getting awesome safe and accurate results.

Maybe Lasik is a bit expensive, but it is really worth. That´s why if you are thinking on doing in New York City (where some of the best LASIK eye surgeons are ), you should, first of all, make sure about who is surgeon you should call. In this site, for example, you can compare details, credentials, prices, experience, … There is a list with the (it´s supposed) best New York City LASIK Surgeons.
Source: www.allaboutvision.com

//Tags: Lasik eye surgeons, lasik eye surgery, lasik eye surgery in new jersey, lasik eye surgeons in new york city, laser eye surgery

written by Gazpachor

LASIK is a more complex procedure than PRK. It is performed for all degrees of nearsightedness. The surgeon uses a knife called a microkeratome to cut a flap of corneal tissue, removes the targeted tissue beneath it with the laser, and then replaces the flap.

“With LASIK, the skill of the surgeon is important because he’ll be making an incision,” says Stephen Crawford, O.D., an optometrist practicing in Virginia, “compared to the PRK method where the machine does more of the work.” Crawford urges people to find qualified, experienced doctors to perform this surgery. “You’ll want someone who’s done a number of LASIK procedures since this is a surgeon-dependent operation,” he said.

According to Ken Taylor, O.D., vice president of Arthur D. Little, Inc., a technology and management consultant firm in Cambridge, Mass., “Last year, across the country, 40 to 45 percent of refractive surgeries performed by physicians were LASIK, which equates to approximately 80,000 procedures.” Doctors not participating in clinical trials may choose to use the approved laser to perform LASIK procedures at their discretion, says Morris Waxler, Ph.D., chief of FDA’s diagnostic and surgical devices section. But most uses are considered “off label” and are not regulated by FDA.

Advantages of LASIK

Some doctors believe that LASIK is a suitable procedure for correcting the most severe refractive errors. They also say that there is generally a faster recovery time after LASIK than after PRK. In addition, LASIK patients can see well enough to drive immediately and have good vision within a week.

After studying the options, Goldstein first decided on the LASIK procedure, but was surprised to learn that her doctor advised against it.

“Initially, I wanted the quick recovery that LASIK offers,” Goldstein says, “but the bottom line was, which surgery will give me the best results, and after considering everything, eventually we agreed on PRK.”

James Salz is currently involved in an FDA-sanctioned clinical trial at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, which is now studying the laser system specifically for farsightedness (hyperopia) with astigmatism. Although routinely performing laser eye surgery, he still encourages a small percentage of his low to moderately nearsighted patients to undergo radial keratotomy, or RK, an earlier refractive correction procedure that does not require the excimer laser.

Is Laser Surgery for You?

For some, like Goldstein, laser surgery has been the ultimate freedom from the everyday hassles of contact lenses, and a second chance at having normal eyesight. But can everyone expect such dramatic results?

“The answer is no,” says Rosenthal. “It’s not a foolproof procedure and people need to know that some can end up with worse eyesight than before they went in.”

Mary Ann Duke, M.D., a general ophthalmologist practicing in Potomac, Md., adds that there are other reasons why the expectations for laser surgery vary from person to person.

“People who are slow healers or who have ongoing medical conditions [such as glaucoma or diabetes] are not good candidates for laser surgery,” she says. “That’s why it’s so important for patients to undergo a thorough examination with their doctor.”

Poor candidates for this surgery also include those with uncontrolled vascular disease, autoimmune disease, or people with certain eye diseases involving the cornea or retina. Pregnant women should not have refractive surgery of any kind because the refraction of the eye may change during pregnancy.

Looking Ahead

At present, a number of other lasers for eye surgery are currently being tested in FDA-sanctioned studies to determine their safety and effectiveness. Investigational Device Exemptions (IDEs) filed with FDA allow for clinical studies involving the excimer laser and the correction of farsightedness. The IDE process is designed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a device, or a new procedure with an already approved device, either to obtain information for publication or to generate the data needed to obtain marketing approval from FDA.

“If the refractive surgery center says the laser is approved by FDA, it probably is,” Waxler concludes. “Still, it is wise for consumers to check that the device being used for their surgery is FDA-approved,” he says, or that they make sure they are being treated with a laser that is under study in an FDA-sanctioned clinical trial.

During the first few weeks immediately following laser surgery, Goldstein says, “Every week I kept thinking, ‘this is as good as it gets’?” Then, she discovered by the sixth week, as predicted by her surgeon, that her eyesight was noticeably better and eventually stabilized.

“I would tell others to be patient about their expected outcome,” she advises. “Even though with LASIK you can expect quicker results, I’m happy with the choice of PRK.”

Source: www.fda.gov

//Tags: Lasik new york city, advantages lasik, is lasik worth

written by Gazpachor