How Effective is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery is one of the fastest, easiest and most successful surgeries performed today.  Over the years, laser eye surgery has benefited from advanced technology and techniques that continue to improve the patient experience.

Patients who request laser eye surgery and are realistic about the results they expect are typically very satisfied with their laser eye surgery.  How effective is laser eye surgery?  LASIK is excellent at providing correction of blurry distance vision.  However, as we age it is normal to expect problems with reading and of seeing objects up-close.  Reading glasses, or other corrections, may still be needed after LASIK, depending on indicators like age, medical condition, vision history, and other factors.

Our experts will provide a no-pressure LASIK consultation to help determine whether or not you are a candidate for LASIK.  Not everyone is.  People with health problems, pregnant women, anyone under 18, and people with unusual vision correction needs that cannot be corrected with LASIK are all people who would not be treated with LASIK.

For more information about LASIK, and to find out your options for laser eye surgery, please call Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston for a consultation.

Why is Some LASIK Cheap?

We’ve all heard the expression “you get what you pay for.”  While bargain hunting may be a great idea for some purchases, when it comes to healthcare, it may not necessarily pay off. 

Your eyes are a most precious gift.  While LASIK is not inexpensive, it is a good value when the results are considered.  Good vision is something some people take for granted; however, those of us who wear glasses or contact lenses know how fortunate those folks are who were born with 20/20 vision.

If you’ve heard about low cost LASIK, or discount, bargain basement, hard to believe the price LASIK, it’s probably too good to be true.  Here are some reasons to avoid cheap LASIK:

1.      The provider may not be using the latest technology.  LASIK involves the use of several pieces of expensive technology and those costs are passed to the patient.  A provider who uses those pieces of technology cannot avoid this expenses.  Someone offering cheap LASIK is likely not using today’s technology.

2.      The provider may not be highly qualified.  Usually the lower the price, the lower the qualifications of the person performing the procedure.  He or she may be new to the procedure.

3.      It’s not really the price.  If you read the fine print, it may say that the price is for patients with certain prescription levels.  Once you arrive for your consultation, you find out that “your prescription” doesn’t qualify.  It’s a classic bait and switch technique.

If you have any questions regarding LASIK in Charleston, please contact the staff at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.comhttp://www.charlestoncornea.com/.

LASIK for Farsightedness

Are you farsighted (see better at a distance) and wondering if LASIK will help?  The answer is yes, in most cases.  LASIK is approved by FDA for treatment for farsightedness. 

LASIK is a form of eye surgery that changes the curvature of the cornea with the use of lasers.  By changing the curvature of the eye, you change the way light enters the eye and changes the way your eye focuses.

There is a limit to the actual amount of farsightedness that can be treated by LASIK. The curvature and thickness of your eyes are some of the variables that determine whether or not your vision can be treated with LASIK.

A consultation and pre-operative eye exam with the expert staff at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston can help you decide whether LASIK is the right treatment for you.  For more information on LASIK for farsightedness, please call our office.

LASIK and Tax Refunds

Tax refund time is one of the best times of the year for many people.  The extra money often finds its way to purchases for new home furnishings, clothing and….LASIK?   Yes, LASIK.  Why not?

If you have a tax refund coming, LASIK might be a great way to utilize it.  Although financing is typically available for medical and vision correction procedures, cash is even better.  LASIK has become more affordable in recent years but is still a major investment. 

To schedule a LASIK consultation or to talk to one of our experts, call Charleston Cornea & Refractiver Surgery in Charleston to schedule an appointment.

Different Types of Vision Correction Methods

Vision correction methods seem to expand every year.  More and better options become available as technology improves.  Here are some of the options in vision correction:

Laser eye surgery continues to top the list of vision correction methods.  There are a variety of forms of laser eye surgery with LASIK topping the list in popularity.  Laser eye surgery is a safe, successful form of vision correction for most people.  Laser technology continues to improve and even patients with difficult to treat eye problems are now being treated with LASIK, PRK, LASEK or some other form of laser eye treatment.

Contact lenses also continue in refinement and are now able to treat more difficult degrees of astigmatism and other problems with vision.  Beyond the standard soft versus hard contact lenses, there are spherical, toric, monovision, multifocal, hydrogel, silicone hydrogel and other.  Contact lenses are available for both daily and monthly use. 

Prescription eye glasses have been around for hundreds of years (think Ben Franklin) and continue to please the majority of Americans.  Designer frames, bi-focal and tri-focal lenses are some of the options available to today’s modern consumer.

Regardless of what type of eye problem you may have, we have a treatment option that will work for you. At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston, we work hard to ensure that each client is happy with their choice in vision correction method.  For a consultation, contact us today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com.

What Causes Cataracts?

Cataracts are the cause of half of all blindness and 33% of visual impairment worldwide. 

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye leading to a decrease in vision. Cataracts can impact just one eye or both eyes and can develop slowly over time.  Although some children are born with cataracts, it is most commonly seen in older adults (and older animals). 

Symptoms of cataracts include blurry vision, halos around lights, problems with seeing or driving at night, seeing colors in muted or faded tones and problems with bright lighting.

Possible causes or risk factors of cataracts include:

• ·         Diabetes
• ·         Trauma
• ·         Aging
• ·         Obesity
• ·         High blood pressure
• ·         Complications from other eye diseases, such as glaucoma
• ·         Poisoning
• ·         Steroid use
• ·         Smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol
• ·         Exposure to sunlight
• ·         Family history of cataracts

If you notice problems with your vision or think you may be developing cataracts, please contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com for an appointment.  Bring along a list of any medications you may taking.

Wearing Contacts before a LASIK Consultation

What’s the hardest part of having LASIK surgery?  It’s not necessarily the recovery.  A lot of our patients say going without contacts is often the hardest part of LASIK. 

Before having a consultation for LASIK surgery, you must not wear your contacts from anywhere between 10 days to a month before surgery, depending on the type of lenses you wear and how long you have been wearing them.  Contact lenses work by changing the shape of your cornea.  Your eyes need time to adjust back to their natural shape prior to a LASIK consultation to ensure the best surgical result possible.

Before scheduling a LASIK consultation, you’ll want to let the staff at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston know what contact lenses you wear.  They will let you know how long you need to go contact-free before you have your procedure.

For more information, please contact us at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com.