Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Is LASIK Safe?

safe lasik
More than 14 million Americans have had LASIK vision correction since the mid-1990s. While LASIK is usually considered a safe medical procedure, it is important to remember that it is still surgery...and the decision to have LASIK should not be taken lightly.

You can increase your chances for an excellent visual outcome (20/20 vision or better) through LASIK by choosing your LASIK center and doctor carefully. Here are some tips to help you make the best decision:
  • Demand a thorough preoperative exam to ensure your eye health, corneal thickness and medical condition meet the standards for the procedure.
  • Make sure the board certified surgeon has specific LASIK training and experience performing successful LASIK procedures. Don’t be afraid to ask the doctors questions about their success rates.
  • Fully understand what type of LASIK technology will be used during the procedure. Most reputable doctors today offer advanced, blade-free LASIK technology on-site in a controlled environment to ensure patient safety and the best possible vision outcomes.
  • Don’t base your decision only on cost. If the cost of a certain doctor’s LASIK sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You don’t want to take risks with your vision just to save a buck.
  • First impressions count. If you don’t feel comfortable with any aspect of the LASIK center you are researching, even if that center was recommended by a friend or family member, keep looking.
Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery performs advanced blade-free LASIK in Charleston. He offers a free LASIK Consultation to help potential patients learn about their unique eye characteristics and determine whether LASIK is a viable option for clear vision. Most importantly, he uses the Consultation to help patients learn everything about LASIK and encourages them to ask questions about the procedure, the potential risks and his experience.

No medical procedure can ever be called 100% safe. However, by doing your diligent research and choosing an experienced LASIK doctor in Charleston, you will increase your odds for a successful outcome.

Call 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery

Friday, January 23, 2015

Are You a Good Candidate for LASIK?

i want lasik

If you wear glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision, you may be wondering if LASIK in Charleston could provide you with the clear vison you’ve always wanted.

The truth is, only an experienced ophthalmologist can determine if your eyes are healthy enough for this procedure. Even if you have the same vision prescription as a friend, your eye anatomy may not be suitable for LASIK. Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery offers free, no-obligation, no-risk LASIK Consultations to identify all-laser LASIK candidates in Charleston.

General Guidelines for Good LASIK Candidates
  • You have been diagnosed with myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) or astigmatism
  • You are age 18 or older
  • Your corneas are thick enough
  • You do not have eye disease or eye problems
  • Your vision prescription has been stable for at least one year
  • You are not pregnant or breastfeeding
  • You are overall healthy
  • You do not have uncontrolled dry eye syndrome
  • You understand the risks of LASIK
  • You have realistic expectations for the outcome of surgery
  • You want to reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts
At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery we also offer a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation to help people take the first step toward LASIK.

With our free services, there is never any pressure to have the procedure: the Consultation and Self-Evaluation are simply resources to provide you with solid information about your own eye health so you can make your own informed decision about LASIK.

Sometimes candidates who aren’t good candidates for LASIK can benefit from LASIK alternatives in Charleston, such as photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Different methods can produce the same end result as LASIK but be safer for certain patients.

To find out if LASIK is right for you, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com

Thursday, January 15, 2015

9 Tricks to Keep Your Glasses from Fogging Up this Winter



Cold weather mixed with moist body heat is a recipe for fogged glasses. 

Here are 9 tricks to keep your glasses from fogging up this winter. (We advise checking with your optometrist before using any of these tricks on your prescription glasses.) Not every tip will work for every person; you may need to experiment with different options to find the one that works for you. 


  • Use anti-fog wipes
  • Clean your glasses with a small dab of shaving foam
  • Rub a small amount of pure white bar soap on your lenses, then buff off
  • Apply anti-fog paste or spray
  • Use rain repellent on glasses
  • Clean them with your saliva
  • Choose glasses that sit away from your face to circulate air
  • Wear contact lenses instead of glasses
  • Get LASIK vision correction in Charleston

When you wear prescription glasses, moving from warm to cold environments (and vice versa) can be quite annoying. Not only will you have to continually wipe off the fog each time you remove your glasses, your vision will be impacted. 

At Charleston Cornea we feel the 9th trick gives nearsighted, farsighted and astigmatic patients in Charleston the best chance for foggy-lens reduction. We say “reduction” because even if you have a successful LASIK procedure and achieve 20/20 or better vision, you still need to wear protective sunglasses all year. Yes, you may still experience the fogging problem, but you have more opportunity to try out different types of sunglasses and goggles to reduce the annoyance. 

So whether you reside in a cold climate or just enjoy winter trips to the mountains, reduce the fog from your life. Schedule a free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea today by calling 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com. 

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Carrots and Eyesight

good eyesight
Ehh…what’s up doc? Are carrots good for your eyes or not?

Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, a form of vitamin A, which is a healthy nutrient for good vision. However, simply eating Bugs Bunny’s favorite snack will not actually improve your vision.

That said, if you do not consume the proper amounts of vitamin A, through carrots or other sources*, as well as other essential vitamins such as C and E, over time your vision may deteriorate. Consuming a healthy diet may reduce the incidence of certain eye diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration in Charleston.

One way to improve your vision, if you have a refractive error such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, is to have LASIK vision correction in Charleston. Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery offers free LASIK Consultations to confirm that people are good candidates for this popular procedure, which has been proven to produce 20/20 vision for many patients.

Consume carrots and all types of food in moderation: too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

Schedule an eye exam at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery today (even Bugs Bunny had an eye exam!) to learn more about your eye health and find out if Location LASIK might help you see as well as Bugs. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com today.

*If you don’t care for carrots, you can also get vitamin A from milk. Celebrate Milk Day on January 11, 2015!