LASIK & Dry Eye

Dry eye can be a fairly common side effect of LASIK vision correction due to the potential for reduced sensitivity of the corneal nerves, leading to a reduction in tear production. Tears are necessary to lubricate and protect the eyes and if there is not adequate tear production, the eyes can become irritated.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

• Excessive eye watering

• Itching and burning

• Redness

• Sensitivity to light

• Feeling of sand or grit in the eyes

• Pain

• Blurred vision

Dry eye after LASIK is typically temporary, but some patients can experience the symptoms of dry eye for months or years after LASIK. Lubricating eye drops can help minimize discomfort.

Some patients who have pre-existing dry eye may not be good candidates for LASIK in Charleston because the procedure might exacerbate the condition. Any existing symptoms of dry eye should be discussed with your ophthalmologist prior to having LASIK so your condition can be fully examined. Your eyes may be better suited for alternative laser vision correction procedures. Certain procedures may actually help improve pre-existing dry eye in Charleston.

Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery will discuss all of the risks of LASIK, including dry eye, as well as the benefits of LASIK,during a free LASIK Consultation. He will perform a comprehensive exam to ensure that your eyes are right for the procedure. To schedule your no-obligation appointment, call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com. 

Serious Eye Conditions Growing in Young People

According to Medical News Today, a recent survey of optometrists has shown that the number of young people being diagnosed with serious eye conditions such as dry eye and blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) is growing. Many of these doctors were also concerned that certain sight-stealing vision conditions may be developing at a younger age:

• Glaucoma
• Cataracts
• Age-related macular degeneration

This phenomenon of deteriorating eye health may be due to any number of reasons, including:

• Diabetes
• Poor nutrition
• Increased usage of computer, tablet or smart phone screens
• Smoking
• Lack of sunglasses
• Improper contact lens usage

It’s important to note that even if you have your vision corrected through a procedure such as LASIK in Charleston, and even if you achieve 20/20 vision after the procedure, it is still possible to develop serious eye conditions. Regular eye exams are vital to the overall health of your eyes because they can detect any“silent” problems that are developing so treatment options can be explored.

If you are experiencing any changes in your vision or would like to learn more about ways to protect and preserve your eyesight, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule an eye exam. Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery also offers free LASIK Consultations to help patients reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. 

Spring into Allergy Eye Relief

Beautiful springtime weather inevitably brings scratchyeyes, swollen eyes and itchy eyes in Charleston, South Carolina. If you wear contact lenses, it’s virtually impossible to keep them in your eyes when you are constantly rubbing them.

Here are a couple of tips to help you through the allergy season:

• If you’re using eye drops to relieve the discomfort, make sure you take your lenses out first and leave them out for at least ten minutes or you’ll just aggravate the condition.
• If you’re taking antihistamine that can cause dry eye you should check with your ophthalmologist who may advise switching back to glasses for the duration.

If wearing your glasses for the entire springtime season doesn't sound appealing, another option is to have LASIK vision correction. While LASIK won’t prevent you from having eye irritation during the spring, it may allow you to enjoy this season without the need for corrective lenses.

At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, our advanced LASIK lasers may help to alter the shape of your cornea to correct your nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. Many patients can even achieve 20/20 vision after LASIK, allowing them to live life without glasses or contacts.

The only way to know for sure if you are a good candidate for LASIK is by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation in Charleston. Contact us today to schedule your consultation at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com. 

Protect Your Eyesight - Vodka Eyeballing

Whether you have glasses, contacts, or 20/20 vision after LASIK, it’s very important to protect your eyes. The University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Ophthalmology reports an estimate of “… 1.1 to 2.4 million eye injuries occur each year, and about 42,000 of these injuries require hospitalization.”

While accidents are common for eye injuries, some younger people intentionally put their eyes at risk in a new drinking game called Vodka Eyeballing.

Yes, you read that right.

People are actually drinking through their eyes, in an attempt to get drunk faster. With Vodka Eyeballing, a person will take a bottle of vodka and put the opening up to their eye and pour the vodka directly onto the eye. The idea is that the alcohol will be absorbed through the eye and into the bloodstream faster than drinking it. However, there are no actual facts that prove this is the case.

The eye can only absorb a very limited amount of alcohol. The actual alcohol can do more damage and harm to your eyesight – burning through your cornea and causing permanent damage. Repeated often enough, the alcohol may even cause permanent blindness.

While not all eye-related injuries can be avoided, this is one instance where it can be.

LASIK and Dry Eyes

Perhaps the most common side effect to LASIK is dry eyes after the procedure. Most of our patients experience a little dry eye after the procedure. This temporary issue can be relieved with eye drops and it will correct itself within a couple of weeks.

According to FDA trials, 20% of LASIK patients still experience dry eye even six months after LASIK. While this side effect may be annoying, it can be treated with punctual plugs or medications.

At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, most all of our patients are free of this irritation after one year. This is why the post-LASIK follow-up appointments are absolutely necessary. We take your vision very seriously and we want to make sure you can see clearly for years to come.

LASIK works by correcting the cornea of your eye. LASIK can have you seeing clearly for many, many years, depending upon what age you receive treatment. If you are not a good candidate for LASIK, there are other procedures that can be performed to correct your vision. Learn more about laser vision correction with Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery.