Wednesday, March 9, 2022

How Safe is LASIK Eye Surgery?

 

Over ten million Americans have had LASIK eye surgery since its FDA approval in 1999. With 96% of patients achieving their ideal vision through LASIK, it's no surprise that the procedure has started gaining even more traction. Unfortunately, our increased screen time puts extra strain on the muscles that allow our eyes to focus, a side effect of the digital age.

There's always a slight risk of complications, including LASIK, as with all surgeries. However, the incident rate is less than 1%. The FDA's maximum complication rate for approval is 5% which positions LASIK as one of the safest elective surgeries available.

Working with a board-certified surgeon for LASIK procedures is the key to a successful surgery. They'll be able to answer questions you may have about the procedure, possible side effects, and if any pre-existing conditions could interfere.

Once the surgery is complete, you'll be given a custom aftercare routine to follow to achieve maximum benefits and promote a quick recovery. LASIK's common temporary side effects include dry eyes, double vision, glares, and halos from solid light.

These side effects will resolve in 3 to 12 months, with the severity lessening along the way. Their impact is similar to the glare on regular glasses when driving under street lights.

LASIK's long-term complications make up less than 1% of patients who weren't satisfied with the outcome. In these cases, patients typically reported an over or under correction of their vision, requiring an additional visit to correct. More corneal tissue will be removed for under corrections, or enhancements can be used to fix overcorrections.

To learn more about LASIK Eye Surgery, call Rohr Eye & Laser Center today. Board-certified Dr. Jeffrey Rohr has over twenty years experience in laser vision correction and cataract surgery.

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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, February 24, 2022

United States Military Tests Wavefront-Guided PRK

 

With more than 30,000 to 40,000 members of the United States military choosing laser vision correction procedures to improve their vision each year, there is an emphasis on clinical research to examine the efficacy and safety of various procedures available.

A somewhat novel laser vision correction technique, called wavefront-guided PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy), was recently studied by the United States Navy.

Wavefront-guided PRK implements the newest computer-generated mapping technology to generate a digital image of the patient’s eye. Once the eye is mapped out, the laser applied to the cornea’s surface is guided by the three-dimensional model to improve the eye’s focus based on the unique visual characteristics of the patient’s eye. Even the tiniest structure issues affecting eyesight are revealed through Wavefront-Guided PRK.

The development of wavefront vision mapping allows visual disorders to be measured, which otherwise could not be identified in the past. Laser diagnostic systems are setting a new standard by providing an exact level of measurement and correction. This feat was impossible with earlier systems.

Led by the U.S. Naval Medical Center, 167 patients enrolled had vision prescriptions of up to -8D of nearsightedness and up to -4D of astigmatism. The patients underwent wavefront-guided PRK. Research findings showed:

-          Patient satisfaction was very high, with 98.8 percent reporting entirely or very satisfied with their vision

-          99.4 percent of patients tested at 20/20 or better vision six months following the procedures

-          91.9 percent of patients tested 20/16 vision six months after the procedure

-          Fewer than four percent of patients reported night vision symptoms six months post-op

-          Less than one percent experienced adverse reactions

This novel research shows a massive body of evidence supporting laser vision correction procedures proving safety and effectiveness. 

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, February 10, 2022

Retinal Transplants Ready for Human Trial

 

A major cause of hereditary human blindness, Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), has been resolved in rat trials by researchers at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan. Degenerated rat retinas received transplants and removal of grafted cells, which resulted in improved connections to host retinas and better light-responsiveness.

Study leader Michiko Mandai said, "We have previously reported work using mouse embryonic- and induced pluripotent stem cell – (iPES)-derived retinas in a mouse model of retinal degeneration."

However, the deputy project leader in the Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration at RIKEN BDR said, "As far as we know, this is the first report of the timed removal of particular grafted cells being shown to improve retinal function in an animal model using tissue from human stem cells."

Since the retinal sheets were created from human stem cells, the novel feat can now be tested in human clinical trials, according to the study authors in the January 21, 2022 edition of iScience.

"Since retinal ganglion cells form optic nerves to send the signal to the brain, a higher light responsiveness could theoretically lead to improved sensitivity to light or better resolution in visual function. Genetic modification in human stem cell-derived retinas showed a substantial functional improvement [in light responsiveness], compared with wild-type graft retinas. Depending on the retinal network of the transplanted area, light responsiveness of retinal ganglion cells may be correlated with increased signaling to the brain, so could lead to an increased light sensitivity or better resolution. Additionally, we were able to observe detailed host-graft synapse formation in the absence of graft bipolar cells, which previously was difficult. A frequently asked question in retinal cell therapies concerns whether retinal ganglion cell responses are really originated from the graft photoreceptors. The presence of multiple synaptic markers at the host-graft cell contact site suggests formation of some synapses between these cells and indicates that graft photoreceptor light responses may well be transmitted to host retinal cells. We can now move forward to applying this strategy in clinical studies, which we expect to improve clinical outcomes and be generally useful in stem cell-based therapies targeting retinal degeneration. If the clinical grade ISL1-deleted stem cell-derived retinas can first pass extensive safety testing, including for tumorgenicity, we estimate that this may take 4-5 years. While we are currently targeting end-stage disease eyes with stem cell based therapy, we think this strategy could also be applied to those with remaining central vision, to help increase the pericentral visual field or delay disease progression," Mandai said.

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, January 27, 2022

Dried Goji Berries Can Prevent Age-Related Vision Loss

 

A small, randomized trial by the University of California, Davis, found that people who regularly eat a small serving of dried goji berries might see prevention or delay of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in healthy, middle-aged people.

Affecting over 170 people globally and roughly 11 million throughout the United States, AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in elderly people.

Glenn Yiu, a co-author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, said, "AMD affects your central field of vision and can affect your ability to read or recognize faces."

Research concluded that 13 study participants ages 45 to 65 increased the density of protective eye pigments after eating 28 grams (a handful) of goji berries five times per week for 90 days. Eating goji berries increased eye pigments lutein and zeaxanthin, which filter out harmful blue light, provide support through antioxidant protection, and protect aging eyes.

Lead author Xiang Li, a doctoral candidate in the Nutritional Biology Program, said, "Lutein and zeaxanthin are like sunscreen for your eyes. The higher the lutein and zeaxanthin in your retina, the more protection you have. Our study found that even in normal healthy eyes, these optical pigments can be increased with a small daily serving of goji berries."

Goji berries are commonly used in Chinese medicine to "brighten" eyes through lutein and zeaxanthin. Dietary supplements containing Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc, copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin are used to treat intermediate stages of AMD.

"Our study shows goji berries, which are a natural food source, can improve macular pigments of healthy participants beyond taking high-dose nutritional supplements," said Yiu. "The next step for our research will be to examine goji berries in patients with early-stage AMD."

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.

 

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Declining Eyesight Improved with Red Light Therapy

 

A novel study by researchers at UCL found that three minutes of exposure to deep red light once a week can vastly improve deteriorating eyesight.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, outlines how using longwave deep red light in the morning activated mitochondria cells in the human retina, repairing declining vision. Previous studies focused on higher energy levels and different times of the day to perform the therapy.

Overall, researchers discovered an average of 17 percent improvement in color contrast vision when exposed to three minutes of deep red light in the morning, which lasted at least a week. The same test, performed in the afternoon, showed no vision improvement.

Researchers' findings exhibit a breakthrough for eye health which could lead to more affordable home-based therapies. Millions of people suffer worldwide from naturally declining vision, which could be improved with just three minutes of red light therapy every morning.

Professor Glen Jeffery, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, lead author, said, "We demonstrate that one single exposure to longwave deep red light in the morning can significantly improve declining vision, which is a major health and wellbeing issue, affecting millions of people globally. This simple intervention applied at the population level would significantly impact on quality of life as people age and would likely result in reduced social costs that arise from problems associated with reduced vision."

Working with Planet Lighting UK, Jeffery aims to produce 670nm infrared eyewear at an affordable price; other LED devices made specifically for the same purpose can cost more than $20,000.

Jeffery said, "The technology is simple and very safe; the energy delivered by 670nm long wave light is not that much greater than that found in natural environmental light. Given its simplicity, I am confident an easy-to-use device can be made available at an affordable cost to the general public. In the near future, a once a week three-minute exposure to deep red light could be done while making a coffee, or on the commute listening to a podcast, and such a simple addition could transform eye care and vision around the world."

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.