Can Fido Get LASIK?

Dog owners go to some extraordinary lengths to pamper their pooches, and some owners may wonder: “Can dogs get LASIK?” 

It has been reported that some dog breeds have a tendency to be nearsighted, others farsighted – just like people. But we have not heard of any actual LASIK procedures performed on dogs to correct these refractive errors. There is a diuretic drug for dogs called “Lasix” that is sometimes confused with “LASIK.” Lasix is used to treat congestive heart failure and edema, or fluid build-up.    

Dogs can also develop eye problems like cataracts and glaucoma and there have been reported cases of dogs receiving laser eye surgeries to provide improved canine vision for these conditions. This type of laser surgery is not the same as LASIK vision correction.

At Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery, we do not treat animal eye problems. We do, however, provide technologically advanced LASIK vision correction in Charleston for humans. In fact, the 20/20 vision results we provide for most of our patients allows them to enjoy life with their “best friends” without the hassles of:

•  Fogged up glasses when playing outside in the snow
• Dirt under contact lenses when at the dog park 
• Glasses that slide down their noses during walks in the summertime

If you would like to improve your vision, contact Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery today to schedule a free LASIK Consultation and find out if your eyes are right for Charleston LASIK. We also provide treatment for cataracts and glaucoma in Charleston…but only for humans. Call 843-856-5275 or visit www.charlestoncornea.com to learn more. 

Ski Season is Here: Are Your Eyes Ready?

Whether you hit the slopes every weekend or just make it to the mountains once a year, having the right ski or snowboard equipment can be the difference between an epic run and constantly stopping to adjust your gear.

We’re not just talking boots and bindings…we’re talking eyewear. If you have to wear glasses or contact lenses to see clearly, you know how lenses can interfere with your fun on and off the slopes:

• Contacts can dry out your eyes, especially during dry winter months at higher altitudes
• Glasses fog up making it impossible to see
• Ski goggles are cumbersome when trying to fit them over glasses

The solution for improved slope performance may be LASIK vision correction in Charleston Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea has performed thousands of blade-free LASIK procedures, helping many patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. While not all of these patients were snow enthusiasts, they still enjoy visual freedom from the daily hassles of lenses to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

If you are planning LASIK before a big ski trip, make sure you schedule a free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery well in advance. Dr. O'Day can tell you if your eyes are right for the procedure and how long you should wait before engaging in outdoor activity. You don’t want to jeopardize the healing of your eyes by skiing too soon after surgery.

Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com to schedule your LASIK Consultation where you can also learn about LASIK financing options in Charleston and other ways to make LASIK fit your budget. 

Shaded Lens Technology Heading Toward “On Demand”

If you wear prescription glasses, you may have tried transitional lenses. These specialty lenses change the tint of the lens in response to the intensity of light. However, there are limitations with these lenses:

• The transition time from clear to shaded (or vice versa) can take too long
• The shaded adaptation may not be effective in blocking out harsh lighting situations
• The lenses may not change in certain situations, such as when wearing a hat or driving

Scientists to the Rescue with New Lenses

Scientists, led by John Reynolds, Georgia Institute of Technology professor of chemistry & biochemistry and materials science & engineering, along with BASF, are currently developing an electrochromic polymer lens material that can change to and from clear-to-shaded in seconds. The change would be driven by a user-controlled electrical charge (like a switch) to allow for “on demand” changes. 

These revolutionary lenses may change the game for prescription eyeglass wearers – time will tell.

Even with advances in lens technology, the fact remains that wearing prescription lenses can be cumbersome and aggravating. If you are tired of the hassles of corrective lenses, find out if Charleston blade-free LASIK is right for you. Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery can assess your vision and eye characteristics to determine if your eyes are right for this popular procedure. You may even achieve 20/20 vision to reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contacts.

To learn more about LASIK in Charleston, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. 

Enjoy Library Lovers’ Month with Clear Vision

February is Library Lovers’ Month…a great time to celebrate how libraries of all types benefit our communities. It’s also a great time to pick up a book and rekindle your love of reading.

However, if you are farsighted and have trouble focusing on printed items close-up, you may become discouraged by the need to constantly locate your glasses in order to read. If farsightedness has plagued your eyesight for years, Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery may be able to help. Dr. O'Day has performed thousands of LASIK procedures in Charleston, helping many farsighted patients achieve 20/20 vision. Patients are often amazed at how clear their close-up vision is after LASIK.

If you are over age 40 and feel that you are just now experiencing farsightedness, you are most likely experiencing a completely different vision condition called presbyopia. Unlike a refractive error, presbyopia occurs to most people as they age and is caused when the eye lens begins to stiffen. People with presbyopia have trouble focusing on close-up objects, including menus and books, and require reading glasses to see more clearly.

Monovision LASIK is sometimes performed to help minimize the effects of presbyopia by correcting one eye for up-close vision and one eye for distance vision; however, traditional LASIK does not correct presbyopia.

To find out if you qualify for bladeless LASIK in Charleston, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation. Most patients report improved vision the day after their procedures; you might be able to enjoy Library Lovers’ Month with clear vision after LASIK!

Here are some other observations during February to complement Library Lovers’ Month:

• Saturday, Feb. 7: Take Your Child to the Library Day
• Saturday, Feb. 14: International Book Giving Day (share your love of reading on Valentine’s Day!)

Is LASIK Safe?

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. 

Carrots and 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! 

Teachers: This Winter Break...Make a Break from Glasses

Teachers: You do so much more than educate on various subjects!

• You mold young minds.
• You become role models.
• You inspire greatness.
• You change lives.

During most of the calendar year teachers spend time giving to others...often performing your daily tasks looking through corrective lenses. This winter break, Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery encourages you to take the time and do something that will make your job – and your life – easier:

Blade-free LASIK vision correction in Charleston

Imagine how 20/20 vision could improve your classroom activities:

• No searching for glasses left on filing cabinets, student desks or in the break room
• No teaching breaks to readjust shifted contact lenses
• No straining to see the clock on the wall (or those trouble-makers in the back of the room)
•  Less eye strain when grading papers

Of course, not every teacher will have the right vision characteristics for LASIK. And Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery cannot guarantee that every LASIK patient will achieve 20/20 vision in Charleston. The only way to find out for sure is by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation.

Winter break is the perfect time to have LASIK. The procedure takes just 10-15 minutes per eye and most patients can resume activities the next day. By the time school starts back up, you should be ready to tackle the next round of curriculum with gusto…possibly without the need for glasses at all!

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

5 Reasons Your Dog Wants You to Have LASIK

Your “best friend” wants you to have LASIK in Charleson.

If you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, here are the reasons why:

1. No waiting around to go on walks while you search for your glasses.
2. No tripping over him in the middle of the night because you can’t see without your glasses.
3. No dropping your contact lenses in his water dish.
4. No getting in trouble for chewing up your expensive prescription sunglasses.
5. No mistaking him for the cat because – well – they are the same size...

After a successful LASIK procedure, you might achieve 20/20 vision. That means vision without glasses to play, wrestle, cuddle and walk your dog...every day and every night.

Make your dog happy. Schedule a free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery today to find out if your eye anatomy and eye health is right for LASIK. If Dr. O'Day gives you the green light and you choose to proceed with the procedure, your pooch will be happier than a poodle in a peanut butter factory. 

LASIK: The Jelly Club Alternative

Your loved ones probably don’t want a “one year membership in the jelly-of-the-month club” this holiday…

And let’s face it: there are only so many bathrobes, coffee mugs, neckties and kitchen appliances a person needs. If you have a loved one who wears glasses or contacts, give the best gift ever this year: LASIK vision correction in Charleston. 

“Clark, that’s the gift that keeps on givin’ the whole year.” – Cousin Eddie from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Cousin Eddie was right! LASIK can reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contacts by slightly changing the shape of the cornea so light focuses properly on the retina (the back of the eye). Some people can even achieve 20/20 vision after LASIK, allowing them to…

• Work
• Play sports
• Watch movies
• Shop
• Read
• Wake up in the morning

…without the hassles of corrective lenses…all year long.  

Every potential patient must have a proper LASIK Consultation to confirm candidacy for this popular procedure (there is no other way to know for sure). Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery offers free LASIK Consultations in Charleston to help jump start this process. You can schedule an appointment for your loved one (or yourself) online at charlestoncornea.com or by calling 843-856-5275.

You may be thinking that LASIK is too extravagant a gift. But with 0% LASIK financing options available, this becomes a very affordable option. During the Consultation you will find out exactly how much the procedure will cost.

Imagine the look on your loved one’s eyes when they open the gift of better vision this holiday! Contact Dr. O'Day to mark one more shopping item off your “to do” list this holiday. 

Jellyfish Day, Jellyfish Eyes

Jellyfish Day is Nov. 3, 2014. It’s a rather odd observance for most people, but it got the staff at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery thinking about whether or not jellyfish have eyes. After some research, we learned that jellyfish do not have brains, hearts, ears, heads, feet, legs or bones…and most do not have eyes.

There are over 2,000 types of jellyfish and possibly hundreds of thousands more that are waiting to be discovered.

The highly venomous box jellyfish is the most dangerous. This type of jellyfish does have eyes…24 of them!

• They have four different types of eyes.
• One pair in each cluster contain a lens, retina, iris and cornea but only detect light and dark, rather than images, because they do not have a central nervous system.
• Two of the eyes can see color.
• Four of the upper lens eyes always point upward, even when they are upside-down, to allow them to navigate by looking out of the water.

The sting of these highly agile swimmers can be deadly for humans; if you happen to be scuba diving or snorkeling in tropical waters and see a jellyfish looking back at you, it’s best to keep your distance.

If you don’t have 20/20 vision while exploring under water, it may be more difficult to see this lurking gelatinous animal coming your way. Prescription goggles or wearing contact lenses are options to improve your vision under water, but having LASIK vision correction in Charleston can eliminate this hassle from your pre-swim preparations.

If you are an avid swimmer, scuba diver or snorkeler and would like to swim with visual freedom just like the box jellyfish, schedule a free LASIK Consultation today at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery. Dr. O'Day can’t promise you the same vision as what 24 eyes might provide, but he will determine whether or not your unique eye characteristics and eye health will support this popular procedure. To schedule your no-obligation appointment, call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com. 

Can Eye Exercises Improve Your Vision?

If you have to wear corrective lenses to see clearly, you may be tempted to purchase eye exercise kits or start on an eye exercise regimen in order to reduce your need for glasses or contacts. The truth is that there has been no scientific evidence that eye exercises can improve your vision if you have:

• Nearsightedness: good close-up vision but poor distance vision due to the shape of the cornea
• Farsightedness: good distance vision but poor close-up vision due to the shape of the cornea
• Astigmatism: blurry distance and close-up vision due to the shape of the cornea or lens
• Presbyopia (the need for reading glasses): blurry close-up vision due to the loss of elasticity in the eye lens

There is no scientific research that clearly proves that eye exercises will change the shape of your cornea, the shape of your eye or restore flexibility to the eye lens.

Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are caused by a refractive error that can be corrected through laser procedures such as LASIK in Charleston. This process uses a laser to alter the cornea’s shape so light is focused correctly on the back of the retina. Many patients can achieve 20/20 vision with this procedure.

LASIK, however, cannot fully correct presbyopia. Monovision LASIK is one alternative for presbyopia, which corrects one eye for distance vision and one eye for close-up vision.

Before you start an eye exercise program, consult with your eye doctor to make sure this is a safe alternative for vision improvement. If you are looking for a quicker and more effective method of vision correction, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery to schedule a free LASIK Consultation in Charleston to find out if your eyes are right for the procedure. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com to schedule an appointment online and take a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation. 

Celebrate Comic Book Day with Superhero Vision

September 25 is National Comic Book Day. There are many genres of comic books from which to choose, such as superhero, manga, humor, science fiction/fantasy, horror, comics and more. People of all ages love comics because they have interesting characters, exciting story lines and detailed graphics.

Today comics are available electronically on tablets, websites and smart phones. But if you prefer the “old school” way of reading printed comics, and you are farsighted (meaning you see distant objects clearly but close-up objects are blurry), you probably have to wear glasses or contacts to read their fine print.

If you’re a comic book fan over age 21, wouldn’t it be great to pick up any comic, any time, day or night, and be able to read it? LASIK vision correction in Charleston can correct farsightedness, allowing many patients to achieve 20/20 vision after the quick procedure. The LASIK process uses a laser to slightly alter the shape of the cornea with superb precision, allowing light to properly focus on the back of the eye (the retina). The actual procedure takes just a few minutes per eye, is virtually painless and most patients are back to work within a day or two.

The procedure is so effective that some of Dr. O'Day's happy LASIK patients at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery consider him a superhero! Find out if your eyes are ready for an “Adventure in Charleston LASIK.” Youwon’t have X-ray, night or freeze vision after LASIK, but you may still feel like you have super strength vision when you can wake up in the morning and see without glasses.

Visit charlestoncornea.com or call 843-856-5275 to schedule your free LASIK Consultation or take the free online LASIK Self-Evaluation as a first step.  

Pirates Don’t Wear Glasses

Blackbeard…Captain Kidd…Black Bart…Redbeard…even Jack Sparrow…

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a pirate who wore glasses (there were plenty of eye patches, though). Does that mean that all pirates had 20/20 vision? Probably not; but it’s safe to assume that pirates didn’t have access to good eye care.

Even if a pirate did manage to visit an eye doctor and find out his vision was less-than-perfect, the idea of wearing eye glasses wasn’t too appealing. (After all, a pirate had a reputation to uphold!) And LASIK vision correction wasn’t FDA-approved before the late 1990s, so all the gleamin’ booty in the world wouldn’t make that an option.  

Why are we talking about pirates? September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! It’s a day for you to connect with your inner pirate and toss about a few “Aarrs” and “Blimeys” with friends, family and co-workers. You may even want to don an eye patch for the occasion. But if you have to wear glasses to correct your nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, it will be almost impossible to look authentic with an eye patch over your glasses. 

Avast! If you want to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day by looking like a pirate (meaning, no glasses), find out if LASIK vision correction in Charleston is right for you. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery.

Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery won’t hornswaggle you with the cost of LASIK and they will even provide LASIK financing optionsto make better vision more affordable. 

Get LASIK Before Fall Allergy Season

Fall is a beautiful time of year. The temperatures get cooler, colors begin to change and football season gets into full swing. But it’s hard to enjoy fall when you have seasonal allergies caused by ragweed, dust mites, molds and other airborne irritants…especially if those allergens tend to attack your eyes.  

Annoyances and Dangers of Wearing Contacts with Allergies

Wearing contact lenses during allergy season can cause eye pain or irritation, and if your eyes become watery or itchy with allergies, contacts are almost impossible to keep in your eyes. Rubbing your eyes while wearing contacts can cause the lens to tear and scratch your eye or lead to an infection if a foreign object gets under the lens. Allergen particles also tend to stick to soft contacts, requiring you to clean them more often, use eye drops frequently or switch to daily-wear contacts.

Hate Your Glasses? Consider LASIK!

If you don’t like the idea of wearing your glasses to root on your favorite team, go on hayrides or even just for work every day, consider getting LASIK vision correction in Charleston before allergy season strikes. LASIK won’t prevent your seasonal allergies, but the procedure may help you achieve 20/20 vision so you can say goodbye to glasses and contacts and hello to clear vision.

The good news is that LASIK at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery takes only minutes per eye, and most patients are seeing with improved vision the day after the procedure. But, you have to be approved for Charleston LASIK before you can schedule the procedure, and that requires you have a free LASIK Consultation where Dr. O'Day will assess your eye health. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation and get some allergy relief with LASIK. 

Will School Make You Nearsighted?

Researchers in Germany have uncovered a possible link between spending more years in school and the prevalence and severity of nearsightedness. In the Gutenberg Health Study, they looked at 4,658 Germans ages 35-74 who had myopia (nearsightedness), which causes distant objects to appear blurry while close-up objects are clear. The study did not include participants with cataracts or anyone who had refractive surgery.

The Findings

• 53% of university graduates had myopia
• 39% of high school graduates had myopia
• 24% of participants without a high school education had myopia

The myopia became more severe with each additional year of school.

Don’t Sacrifice Education for Vision

We are not recommending that people drop out of school to possibly protect their vision. Instead, while you are pursuing your education, be aware of your environment and how it is affecting your eyesight. For example, take frequent breaks from your computer and give your eyes a rest.

Another Reason Why Recess is Important

If these findings are valid, it makes sense for students to increase their time outdoors…making recess an important part of the school day (regardless of your level of education).

Already Nearsighted? You Have Options

Of course, people can have myopia regardless of the amount of schooling – you can be born with this condition where your eye is too long or too steep, causing light rays to focus in front of your retina rather than on the surface. If you are already nearsighted, you have options to correct your vision, including LASIKvision correction in Charleston. This quick and virtually painless procedure uses a laser to microscopically reshape the cornea so light will focus on the retina (the back of the eye) and clear vision can be obtained.

To learn more about your own vision characteristics and find out if LASIK technology in Charleston may help you see with 20/20 vision, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery by scheduling your free LASIK Consultation at charlestoncornea.com or by calling 843-856-5275. 

Give Dad What He Really Wants

Father’s Day is June 15, 2014. Rather than the traditional neck tie or golf accessories, why not give Dad the chance at improved vision? If you know a Dad who wears glasses or contacts, think how much easier his life would be if he could work and play without those hassles. By arranging a free LASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, you just might set in motion one of the very best Father’s Day gifts ever.

Some people simply aren’t very proactive when it comes to scheduling health appointments for themselves. Your Dad may need a little extra push to schedule that LASIK Consultation. But you can assure him that this is a very simple and pain-free process that is only meant to provide him with information about:

• His overall eye health
• His vision characteristics
• His vision correction options (LASIK may not be right for him)
• His possibilities for 20/20 vision
• LASIK technologies
• LASIK costs
• LASIK financing

You can also assure him that the LASIK Consultation will not include any hard sales tactics. The ultimate decision to proceed with LASIK in Charleston is his choice and his choice alone.

By the way, it also happens to be Men’s Health Week June 9-15, so it’s the perfect time to get Dad thinking about his overall health and well-being. Encourage your Dad to get plenty of sleep, stop smoking, exercise, eat healthy, reduce stress and have preventative check-ups. Included in this wellness checklist may also be that LASIK Consultation mentioned earlier.

If you have a well-deserving Dad in your life that might benefit from improved vision, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation in Charleston for him. 

Driving After LASIK

LASIK vision correction in Charleston is a very quick procedure that is performed to correct a patient’s myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism with the ultimate goal of 20/20 vision without lenses. While most patients do not experience pain during the procedure, it is not uncommon for patients to feel anxious prior to surgery. Some patients may elect to take a mild sedative prior to surgery just to “take the edge off” and make it easier to fully relax.

Whether or not you take relaxation medication prior to surgery, you must arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery. Some patients are able to see more clearly immediately after surgery; however, your vision will not be completely stabilized and there can be sensitivity to light, glare or starbursts for the first few days after surgery. You may also still have the relaxation medication in your system.

Slight physical discomfort after LASIK may also make it difficult to drive home. These eye discomforts can include:

• Itching
• Tearing / watering
• Mild burning sensation
• Mild pain

It is important to refrain from rubbing your eyes after surgery, which is why you will be given an eye shield to wear for protection.

Each patient will heal at a different rate after LASIK. Some patients will be able to drive themselves to their post-operative appointment the next day while others may require help getting to and from the appointment. Pay attention to your own eyes and make smart decisions about driving after LASIK.

To learn more about what to expect after LASIK in Charleston, schedule a freeLASIK Consultation at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery. Our team will fully explain the LASIK process and perform tests to see if you are a good candidate for LASIK. Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com today.