Michigan Lasik - Rohr Eye & Laser Center: 2021

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Blurry Vision after Eating

If you have ever stood up after eating and realized your vision is slightly blurry, you might have experienced a brief blood sugar level spike. If this happens to you more often than not, you may want to schedule a visit with your eye care professional to see whether you have an underlying condition (such as diabetes), which causes these spikes.

Excessively high blood sugar levels generally cause people to be diagnosed with diabetes. When food is digested more rapidly, blood sugar levels can spike. Fluid can build up in the eyes, resulting in blurry vision.

In the eye, the cornea and natural crystalline lens work together to focus light into the retina, resulting in clear vision. To accommodate focusing on objects near or far, the lens changes its shape. In some instances, high blood sugar can cause the eye to swell and cause the focus to be off.

Some foods high in sugar and likely to spike blood sugar include white rice, pasta, cereals, potatoes, pop, fruit juices, candy, and baked goods.

Blurry vision doesn’t always signify diabetes. Other conditions include:

- Carotid stenosis

- Migraines

- Medications

- Eyestrain

- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

- Keratitis

- Glaucoma

- Macular degeneration

Symptoms other than blurry vision typically accompany these conditions.

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help you. Call us at 877-579-0202 or visit https://www.michiganlasik.com/ to schedule an appointment today.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

New Changes in FSA Make LASIK More Affordable

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is tax-exempt money you can set aside from your paycheck to pay out-of-pocket expenses. Throughout the year, the level you contribute is consistent and even. The maximum amount you can contribute in 2021 is $2,750.

If you have been considering getting LASIK, your FSA could be used to cover the cost. Recent legislation has made it possible for employers to extend the deadline for all 2021 FSA spending. Thanks to this new extension, employees can use their FSA to pay for LASIK.

There are a few limitations when it comes to FSAs, including:

- Pretax funds can only be spent on qualified health and medical expenses

- The current limit that can be used in an FSA account is $2,750

- Any remaining cash in the FSA after December 31 is forfeited – all funds must be used within the calendar year

- Grace periods and the ability to carry over a portion of the funds do exist

FSA was limited due to the global coronavirus pandemic, making spending a challenge. The 2021 FSA deadlines were extended to compensate for this pause in healthcare. Now, the entire amount of FSA can be carried through December 31, 2022.

To use your FSA to pay for LASIK, contact your employer’s HR department to determine whether they have opted to implement the flexible deadlines. Check your balance to calculate how much money you will have available. Schedule a consultation ASAP, and soon enough, you can sigh in relief…no more glasses or contacts after LASIK!

Thinking about LASIK? There’s no better time to achieve your dreams! Contact Rohr Eye & Laser Center today to get started.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

New Nerve Cell Discovered in Retina

A new type of neuron, or nerve cell, has been discovered in the retina by scientists at the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah.

A complex group of neurons communicate with each other in the central nervous system, relaying sensory and motor information. These interneurons are an essential aspect of communication. This finding marks a breakthrough for scientists who are working toward a better understanding of the central nervous system. By identifying and classifying all neurons, researchers can more easily distinguish between different aspects.

A research team led by Ning Tian, Ph.D., identified the interneuron in the mammalian retina. Tian said, "Based on its morphology, physiology, and genetic properties, this cell doesn't fit into the five classes of retinal neurons first identified more than 100 years ago. We propose they might belong to a new retinal neuron class by themselves."

The new neuron is dubbed Campana after a handbell, resembling its shape. Campana cells are able to transmit visual signals in the retina, but the exact function is yet to be determined.

Tian said, "In the brain, persistent firing cells are believed to be involved in memory and learning. Since Campana cells have a similar behavior, we theorize they could play a role in prompting a temporal 'memory' of a recent situation."

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Better Verbal Communication for Superior Glaucoma Treatment

Patient-physician discussions are vital for treatment and education, but a new study shows that better communication may also be a valuable tool for determining the severity of glaucoma disease.

“One specific challenge in communicating about glaucoma is that the treating physician doesn’t fully grasp what the patient sees and the words they might use to describe these visual symptoms,” the researchers said. Better communication helps physicians understand the patient’s vision concerns.

One hundred seventy adults diagnosed with glaucoma were analyzed. Questionnaires rated visual symptoms, and the most notable cases were identified. Eye damage was reported in patients who experienced blurry vision, sensitivity to light, glare, cloudy vision, and poor peripheral vision. Those who exhibited the most significant variance in vision (43 percent) were people who complained of little peripheral vision.

Researchers noted there was a 62 percent variance in eye damage. Symptoms described by patients coincided with glaucoma. The information can help judge glaucoma in clinical settings.

“These symptoms suggest specific terms that are likely to reflect glaucoma damage, which can be used when communicating with patients,” said researchers.

“Missing patches can point to glaucomatous scotomas, cloudy vision can be understood as the manifestation of contrast deficits which underlie glaucoma, and worsening vision may reflect eyesight severity because of a greater rate of worsening in severe disease. Reporting worsening vision may also reflect the clinically-observed tendency of subjective vision to fluctuate more in advanced glaucoma, resulting in days of worsening, though some corresponding days of improvement would also be present,” said researchers.

Good communication can help physicians understand patient symptoms, strengthen relationships between the two, and enable patients to understand the impact of eyesight diseases on their life.

The researchers said, “Understanding what symptoms patients with severe glaucoma experience is uniquely important, as they may feel frustrated completing visual testing or lose faith in treatment due to their limited vision. If physicians demonstrate an understanding of what specific symptoms are related to severe glaucoma and the impact on a patient’s vision, they may be able to better develop therapeutic alliances with patients.”

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Blind Woman Sees Shapes Thanks to Scientists

A team of researchers from the University Miguel Hernandez (Spain), the Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience (Netherlands), and the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah (USA) recently published details about how they were able to successfully restore vision in a woman using a brain implant.

The scientists oversaw a series of tests with the blind volunteer to eventually recreate her vision. First, a neurosurgeon implanted a microelectrode array into her visual cortex, which was composed of 100 microneedles intended to stimulate neurons near the electrodes. The woman wore eyeglasses outfitted with a mini video camera which translated the data collected and sent to the brains electrodes. Finally, the brain simulated the image by surrounding neurons to produce white areas of light known as “phosphenes.”

A former science teacher, the woman had been blind for 16 years. No complications were seen post-op, and scientists concluded the implant did not affect brain function.

Lines, shapes, and letters were visible to the blind woman. The researchers developed a game to help her strengthen and recognize the different phosphene shapes. Because of her extensive involvement and unique insight, the woman became a co-author of the study.

Professor Eduardo Fernandez said, “These results are very exciting because they demonstrate both safety and efficacy and could help to achieve a long-held dream of many scientists, which is the transfer information from the outside world directly to the visual cortex of blind individuals, thereby restoring a rudimentary form of sight. Although these preliminary results are very encouraging, we should be aware that there are still a number of important unanswered questions and that many problems have to be solved before a cortical visual prosthesis can be considered a viable clinical therapy.”

Professor R. A. Normann, a study co-author, said, “It could allow them to identify a person, doorways, or cars. It could increase independence and safety. That’s what we’re working toward.”

Professor P. Roelfsema, a co-author in the study, said, “This new study provides proof-of-principle and demonstrates that our previous findings in monkey experiments can be translated to humans. This work is likely to become a milestone for the development of new technologies that could transform the treatment of blindness.”

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Research Proves LASIK Adverse Events are Rare

Ophthalmology is a scientific field that is continuously performing research and studies based on the human eye. LASIK eye surgery is an imperative aspect of ophthalmology that presents patients with more benefits than risks.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology outlined researchers’ data analysis from roughly 37,000 laser vision correction patients who underwent either LASIK (31,921) or PRK (5,016) between July 2014 and June 2016. Data analyzed included eye examinations prior to the surgery, procedure reports, and follow-up exams.

Data on adverse events were also recorded, such as those that negatively impacted patients’ visual outcomes. Out of 37,000 patients, 34 experienced adverse side effects; 70 percent were characterized as severe. With less than one percent of patients experiencing a significant unfavorable result, each procedure showed:

- LASIK (31,921 patients): 0.4 percent of patients experienced unfavorable results

- PRK (5,016 patients): 0.7 percent of patients experienced unfavorable results

Of those with serious adverse effects, roughly 80 percent still achieved 20/20 (or higher) vision without glasses or contacts.

With over 20 million procedures performed throughout the United States over 20 years, research papers number greater than 7,000. Experts study vision correction effects in-depth to ensure they are safe and effective for patients. Based on the large number of patients country-wide, LASIK and PRK are excellent, viable options to improve vision for suitable candidates.

To improve your vision through LASIK, contact the ophthalmology experts at Rohr Eye & Laser Center today.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.