Thursday, February 22, 2018

What is Myopia and What are the Correction Options?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common refractive error of the eye a situation where the eye does not refract light or bend properly to a single focus to view images clearly. In this case, close or near objects look clear while there is poor distance vision which causes distant objects to appear blurry. However, myopia is not an eye disease, but an eye focusing disorder.

Although myopia has a genetic link, its effect is usually more driven by environmental stress associated with near work such as computer use, reading, hand games, and a lack of quality outdoor time. In fact, an increasing cause of myopia is because of the adaptation of the eyes to prolonged periods of near work. Therefore, myopia is referred to as a “nearsighted” disorder one that impacts between 25-40 percent of the total U.S. population today.

Myopia – Correction Options

Myopia is a major health concern today with increasing prevalence over time. The main correction or treatment options include the use of glasses, contact lenses, and LASIK surgery.

Glasses

The use of glasses is the most common correction option for myopia especially with children. Correction glasses correct the angle through which light hits the retina. An eye doctor, ophthalmologist or optometrist, is best placed to examine your eye, testing your vision with the use of focus exercises and eye charts to arrive at the exact prescription for the disorder.

Contact Lenses

Eye examinations and vision tests are also used to determine the exact lens prescription for a patient just as they do for glasses. The mechanism of operation of contact lenses is like that of glasses they change the direction through which light enters the eye. However, contact lenses are immensely thinner than glasses due to their proximity to the cornea. There are two different types of contact lenses, soft lenses, and rigid gas-permeable lenses.

Soft Lenses

Soft lenses are designed with flexible soft plastic that allows it to adhere to the eye surface easily. Soft lenses cover a large portion of the eye including the iris, pupil, and even extending to the white. While some soft contact lenses are designed to be worn for a specified period before they are disposed, others can be taken out after use, cleaned, and stored properly overnight for use again.
Rigid gas-permeable Contact Lenses
In comparison to soft lenses, rigid lenses are a lot smaller covering the pupil and slightly extending into the iris. Rigid lenses are made of a thin rigid plastic and they float on the eye tears like soft lenses, while oxygen passes through the lens to the eye surface. It may become necessary to clean the lenses when an eyelash or dust particle gets between the eye and the contact lens.
LASIK (Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) Surgery
Although contact lenses and eye glasses are myopia correction options, they are only temporary. Distant objects would still appear blurry if you are not using them. Laser surgery on the other hand, is a permanent myopia correction option which does not require any daily cleaning or corrections. It is the most common refractive error treatment option which adjusts the shape of the cornea to allow passage of light through it, while light hits the retina just at the right angle.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment. 

Friday, February 16, 2018

Is LASIK Safe For Seniors?

If you have some or a combination of the most common eye annoyances such as blurry vision, spots or night glares, then it is worth seeing an eye doctor or an optometrist who will examine your eyes for both vision and health problems. In some cases, eye doctors may provide low vision care or vision therapy, or correct refractive errors by prescribing contact lenses and or eyeglasses.
An ophthalmologist, on the other hand also specializes in vision care and will also perform eye exams, diagnose and treat disease, prescribe medications and perform eye surgery. An optician will use prescriptions authorized by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist to fit and sell your eyeglasses.

Understanding LASIK

So, when is LASIK vision correction necessary, who performs the procedure, what vision problems can the surgery treat, and most importantly, is it safe especially for seniors? Short for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileuses, LASIK is an FDA approved procedure that has proven to be a very safe and effective way to treat and correct common vision problems such as astigmatism, near and farsightedness.

While LASIK may not be suitable for people with strong lens prescriptions, such as a high degree of short-sightedness, however, the eye laser surgery can also be used to correct an aging effect that makes it hard for an individual to focus on things up-close using a technique known as monovision LASIK.

What To Expect During LASIK Procedure

The most important goal of eye laser surgery is to alter the shape of the cornea, so it does a better job of focusing images onto the retina for sharper vision. An eye surgeon performs LASIK using a cool, non-thermal beam of light that is computer controlled. The procedure doesn’t hurt because the surgeon places anesthetic eye drops in your eye first, then proceeds to cut across the cornea of the eye, raises a flap of tissue and carries out reshaping to correct your vision. While the entire procedure takes approximately 15 minutes per eye, the laser treatment only takes less than a minute.
People who qualify for eye laser surgery report an immediate improvement in their vision with no complications or side effects and because there’s usually no stitches or bandages required after eye laser surgery, recovery is also very quick. Therefore, anyone over 18 years and meets the requirements can benefit from LASIK procedure, this includes seniors too.

Are You Eligible For LASIK?

An eye care specialist can help you determine your eligibility for LASIK, but the general guidelines are:
  • You must be 21 years and older and have healthy eyes, which means your eyes must not have any conditions that will affect postoperative healing, including eye infections, severe dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, a degenerative or autoimmune disease
  • Your vision must also be stable for at least a year before surgery
  • Pregnant or nursing women are not eligible as hormonal levels can affect the shape of the eye
Therefore, consider eye laser surgery if you are tired of fumbling with contact lenses or eyeglasses and you meet the above requirements. 
If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment. 

Friday, February 9, 2018

What is Hyperopia and What Are the Correction Options?

Having the ability to see well is one of the essential requirements of living but few people actually have 20/20 vision. One of the most common problems is Hyperopia. Hyperopia is basically farsightedness. It’s one of the most common eye problems. It can not only affect your vision but also your overall well being and your quality of life, as your daily efficiency is decreased. Basically, you’ll be able to see objects well in the distance, while your vision will be blurrier closer up. This is also a problem that develops as you get older.

It may be time to visit an eye doctor to see how this problem can be corrected. Eye doctors will diagnose your Hyperopia. This condition can develop when the distance between your cornea and retina is too short. This basically displaces light rays instead of the image settling onto your retina; it will place it behind it. This creates vision problems. This condition can also be hereditary, so if your parents have farsightedness, most likely you do too. Usually people get this condition in their childhood.

Hyperopia Symptoms

If you are having any of the following issues, a trip to the eye doctors may be in order. Do you have a hard time reading books? Perhaps you have trouble when doing sewing, crafting, or cooking. You can have severe headaches and nausea when trying to complete these tasks. Yet you may still be able to see mountains in the distance. You may have no trouble driving, as you can see street signs, lights, and other vehicles easily.

Choosing LASIK

Eye doctors will test your eyes to diagnose your condition. You may be prescribed eye glasses or contact lenses for vision correction. One other solution, which is more permanent, is to have eye laser surgery. LASIK surgery is one option that can be done at the eye doctors’ clinic. It can not only correct Hyperopia but myopia and astigmatism too. Basically all of these conditions are caused by the shape of the eyes.

One thing that eye laser surgery still isn’t good at correcting is Presbyopia, which is caused by the hardening and thickening of the eye’s lenses.  Perhaps one of the best reasons for vision correction by eye laser surgery is so that you can read again without using glasses or contact lenses. You’ll also discover how your headaches and nausea will go away.

Modern LASIK surgery will correct reading problems. Some people have different vision problems in each eye, so each will be carefully evaluated. One eye may require different treatment than the other. Your eye doctors will advise you on the best course of treatment so you can regain your 20/20 vision.

Looking for the Right Solution

If you are suffering from Hyperopia and tired of not being able to see up close without reading glasses, or you are always feeling unwell, please book an appointment at our eye doctors today. Eye laser surgery will correct your vision so you can now focus on the world both sharply and clearly.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment.