Do Starfish Have Eyes?

The next time you stumble across a starfish while swimming in the ocean, gaze into his arms to see if he notices you. That’s right…his arms!

Oddly enough, most starfish have primitive compound eyes on the tips of each of their arms. A recent study showed demonstrated that starfish use these eyes to process visual information, especially when there was a need to locate food sources. Two groups of starfish were studied: one group with eyes and one group without. The two groups were placed in a sandy area of the ocean and studied how they moved toward the coral reef, which was their food source. The group with eyes was able to navigate directly toward the reef, while the group without eyes wandered aimlessly.

Additional studies into starfish may help researchers learn more about eye evolution.

Researchers are also continually studying human eyes and devising new technologies to correct vision problems. For example, in the past if you were nearsighted, farsighted or had astigmatism, you were stuck wearing glasses or contact lenses for life. Today, people have options, such as LASIK laser vision correction, to potentially eliminate their need for corrective lenses.

That means swimming in the ocean (and checking out the starfish) with clear vision using just a regular snorkel/diving mask or goggles.

If seeing starfish and other sea creatures more clearly sounds attractive to you, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. Dr. O'Day isn't an expert on starfish, but he has extensive experience in helping qualified candidates improve their vision. 

In Music, the Eyes Have It

The eyes have been dubbed “the window to the soul.” Maybe that’s why so many eye make-up products are sold and why so many songwriters focus on this expressive facial feature in their music…songs like:

·         Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
·         Doctor My Eyes by Jackson Browne
·         Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol
·         Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue by Crystal Gayle
·         When You Close Your Eyes by Night Ranger
·         Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
·         Private Eyes by Hall and Oates
·         For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton
·         Angel Eyes by the Jeff Healey Band
·         Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson
·         Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain by Willie Nelson

If you’re tired of hiding your eyes behind corrective lenses, you should consider laser vision correction. LASIK eye surgery has allowed millions of Americans to showcase their “baby blues” (and other eye colors, of course) for the world to see.

LASIK eye surgery is performed on people who are nearsighted, farsighted and who have astigmatism. No LASIK surgeon can absolutely guarantee that LASIK will free you from corrective lenses forever, but this popular procedure is very effective for most patients…especially when they choose a surgeon who has extensive experience and a proven track record of success…a surgeon like Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery in Charleston.

If you can think of other “eye” songs, share them with us on our Facebook page. And be sure to contact us soon at 843-856-5275 or on charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. 

How Long Does LASIK Take?

One minute may not seem like a long time, but here are just a few things you can do in this short timeframe:  

• Get dressed
• Microwave a bag of popcorn
• Take a stretch break at your desk
• Heat a cup of tea
• Clean your computer monitor

·         Correct your vision with LASIK!

It may seem unbelievable, but it’s true that the actual laser vision correction aspect of LASIK only takes approximately one minute for most patients. That’s one minute to reshape your cornea to correct for imperfections that cause nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. That’s one minute toward the possibility of a lens-free life after LASIK.

The entire LASIK process (the amount of time patients are in the LASIK suite) typically takes about 15 minutes per eye. The surgeon uses this time to prepare the eyes for surgery, create the corneal flap, perform the vision correction and replace the flap back into position. Additional pre- and post-surgery time at the office is also suggested to help you relax before and after the surgery and allow the doctor to perform last minute tests, so you should schedule approximately 90 minutes for the entire process.   

Learn more about LASIK by contacting Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery at charlestoncornea.com or 843-856-5275. We’re ready to schedule your free LASIK Consultation in Charleston so you can get all of the details about how LASIK might work for you.

LASIK Joke of the Day

In honor of National Tell a Joke Day on August 16, here’s a “cornea” one for your enjoyment:

It’s been said ophthalmology is a “contact” sport.

There is a bit of truth in this! Ophthalmologists do deal with patients who wear contact lenses and glasses. In fact, at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery we are concerned with helping people reduce or eliminate their need for these corrective lenses through LASIK eye surgery.

If you’ve been considering laser vision correction, remember that choosing the right ophthalmologist for your LASIK eye surgery is no joke. You should never choose a LASIK surgeon based solely on someone else’s recommendation. You should feel 100% confident in each one of the factors listed below by doing your own research before you put your trust into any doctor. You’ll want to determine things like:

·         The doctor’s medical training, certifications and professional organization affiliations

·         The doctor’s real world experience with LASIK

·         The doctor’s demeanor (do you feel a good rapport with him?)

·         The doctor’s LASIK success rate

·         Your confidence in the LASIK technology being used

·         The doctor’s willingness to discuss the potential risks or complications of LASIK

·         The friendliness and proficiency of the office and support staff

·         The cleanliness and comfort of the office

You can learn all about Dr. O'Day by scheduling your free LASIK Consultation in Charleston. Not only will you find out if you are a good candidate for LASIK, you will also have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you want about Dr. O'Day's credentials. Contact us today at charlestoncornea.com or 843-856-5275.

Possible Cause for High-Grade Nearsightedness Discovered

A recent study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics has identified gene mutations associated with severe, high-grade myopia (nearsightedness). Researchers at Duke Medicine found these mutations in the SCO2 gene that metabolizes copper, which is important to regulate oxygen levels in eye tissue. When there is too much oxygen, the eye’s development can be altered.

"This is the first time a gene mutation for autosomal dominant nonsyndromic high-grade myopia in Caucasians has been discovered," said senior author Terri Young, M.D., MBA, professor of ophthalmology, pediatrics and medicine at the Duke Eye Center, Duke Center for Human Genetics and the Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS). "Our findings reflect the hard work and collaboration of our international research team."

"Our findings, plus information from the literature, suggest that copper deficiency could predispose people to develop myopia," Young said. "While this wasn't directly tested in this study, it's possible that our diets - which are deficient in a number of minerals and vitamins - play a role, and it may be something as easy as taking a supplement with copper that helps thwart the development of myopia."

Other factors besides gene mutations are likely responsible for myopia development. Additional myopia research will continue.

Nearsightedness is one vision condition that is often corrected through LASIK eye surgery. However, laser vision correction is not appropriate for all patients who have myopia, especially high-grade. The FDA has approved certain lasers to treat varying levels of myopia, even up to -.12 diopters; however, some doctors 

may recommend a different type of procedure for patients who don’t meet the right vision requirements.

If you have any degree of nearsightedness and would like to know if you are a good candidate for LASIK, contact Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery to schedule a LASIK Consultation: 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com.

LASIK at home?

Did you know that you can now have the benefits of LASIK without ever seeing a doctor?

Well, maybe not.

While this cartoon is meant to be a joke, having LASIK is not. LASIK is offered in many different ophthalmology practices. It has become a very common procedure for patients looking to improve their eyesight. The two most important things in choosing where to have LASIK are technology and experience.

The most advanced technology can mean the difference between excellent outcomes and something else. Newer technology can help to solve the issues of older technology, like night vision issues. Couple that with an experienced surgeon and you are assured the best outcomes possible.

To find out more about LASIK, please visit our website.

*There are always risks to LASIK. Please speak with an experienced surgeon before making the decision to have any surgery. The above cartoon is a joke. Please do not attempt LASIK or any other surgery by yourself. NEVER give your credit card out to a company claiming to provide you with an "At Home LASIK Kit".

The Cost of LASIK

Often one of the biggest reasons lens wearers hesitate to have their vision corrected is the cost. They aren’t sure how much it may cost them, if they will need to pay for multiple surgeries, if they will be able to really stop wearing lenses, and if continuing the on-going cost of lenses would just be easier.

We’d like to take a moment to educate you on a few of these points, but first, the most important decision you must make is to visit a reputable surgeon. In order to get the care and results you are expecting, you shouldn’t just trust your eyes to ANY LASIK surgeon. There are thorough surgeons and there are “other” surgeons. A thorough surgeon is an ophthalmologist that is reputable in the community, trusted by multiple patients and staff, will ensure you are an excellent candidate for LASIK (and offers other procedures if you are not), has performed at least 5,000 surgeries AND has a low enhancement rate (the rate at which a doctor needs to enhance the original results in order to get the patient to their visual expectations).  An excellent enhancement rate is less than 10%.

Multiple Surgeries

Often patients have the misconception that to have excellent eyesight, they will need multiple LASIK surgeries. This is not true.

Some surgeons perform multiple surgeries on one patient because they were not accurate the first time, they are new to performing eye surgery, or they didn’t take accurate measurements prior to performing surgery.

As we said before, an expert surgeon will have a less than 10% enhancement rate. There are very few cases where they may need to enhance the original results, but it is mostly due to patient error in after-care or an agreed-upon course of treatment prior to surgery. These enhancements should be covered in the original cost of surgery and should NOT be a whole new surgery charge.

Stop Paying For and Wearing Lenses

This is a concern for almost every patient. After all, why would anyone in their right mind agree to eye surgery if they have to continue wearing lenses?

If you are a good candidate for the procedure and you have chosen a reputable surgeon, then you should be able to have many, many years of lens-free vision. How many years depends on how old you are at the time of surgery. Our eyes age along with us and there will be age-related issues, like Presbyopia, that require glasses for reading. Presbyopia occurs in the lens of your eye and not in the cornea (where vision issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism occur). LASIK or other vision correction procedures correct the cornea and the younger you are when you have the procedure, the longer you have to enjoy lens-free vision.

Lenses or LASIK – Which is Easier?

Ultimately, this decision is going to be up to you. LASIK and other vision correction procedures are a one-time cost. We offer payment plans that will help you break down the cost of the surgery to an affordable range, and we may even be able to offer you no-interest or 0% for up to 24 months. If you chose that option, after 24 months (or two years), you will be free of the cost of lenses, contacts, or vision correction payments!

If you have a flexible spending account, it's even easier than that! Give us a call and we'll explain the details.

Or you can continue to make payments for lenses, replacement lenses, contacts, replacement contacts, cleaning solution, travel cases, travel solutions, etc. for the next 10, 15, 20, 25+ years.

The choice is yours.

Payment Plans

We are here to answer any questions you may have about payment plans and how to fit LASIK into your budget. Please feel free to give us a call at 843.856.5275 – there is no need to set up an appointment. We’ll answer any questions you may have and you can come in whenever you are ready.

How to Learn About LASIK Without Being "Sold"

LASIK is a medical procedure aimed to help you see clearly. With so much information on the internet, how do you find out about LASIK? Where do you go to research the procedure and how it works? How do you make yourself comfortable enough to finally contact a LASIK practice to being the process? ARSC, or the American Refractive Surgery Council, has a few pointers that may help you out. EYE ON HEALTH Going Online To Learn About LASIK

(NAPSI)-Social networks and blogs have taken the information-rich resources of the Internet and made them a part of everyday conversation: According to a recent Pew Internet study, 80 percent of Internet users, or 59 percent of U.S. adults, look online for health information. Networks like Facebook, review sites such as HealthGrades and Yelp, and comments and questions posted online are extremely useful tools for researching personal health matters. Popular topics of inquiry include learning about procedures, specific medical conditions, understanding treatment options and finding a doctor. When considering an elective procedure, such as vision correction with LASIK, having access to online resources can make becoming an informed patient much easier. The American Refractive Surgery Council offers these tips on using the Internet and social networking to research whether LASIK is right for you. • Use Facebook and other social networks to ask friends and followers about their LASIK experiences. Were they happy? What surgeon would they recommend? • If you're curious about exactly how the surgery is performed, you can check out surgery videos on YouTube or Vimeo. These videos of actual procedures can be very instructive (though be warned, they are graphic). Also, many surgeons post procedure videos on their sites. • Use forums, message boards and other online discussions to hear from other people firsthand. Literally thousands of communities have formed around common areas of interest where LASIK can make a difference-from parents to outdoor enthusiasts. This is a great avenue for finding people who share your interests and hearing about their experiences with the procedure. • You can find out about prices online; just remember, getting a great deal should not be the deciding factor for any surgical procedure. A consultation with a refractive surgeon should be balanced, detailed and personalized to you and your vision. It should never feel like a sales process. • Use authoritative medical websites such as WebMD or the Mayo Clinic to learn about the procedure. Research the risks as well as the benefits and understand what the procedure can and can't do. For example, LASIK can free you from glasses and contact lenses-or reduce your dependence on them. But it has limitations. In particular, LASIK can't stop the aging process. Your eyes will continue to age and you may need glasses for reading at some point in the future. Finally, some common sense about using the Internet: Because anyone can put anything on the Web, the source matters. Make sure the information you are relying on to make a medical decision comes from a credible source and that you verify the information with your surgeon or personal physician. Learn more at www.americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org. Information online and in social networks can help you make up your mind about LASIK.

It's Almost Back to School Time

We said it last year and we'll say it again: It's never too early for an eye exam!

School is back in session and kids are back to reading, writing, and math. If you want your children to succeed, you should make sure to have their eyes checked. If kids can’t see, their grades, behaviors, and learning abilities are severely affected. “They learn to compensate with their vision problems without fixing them, which can lead to more problems in school and later in life.” (Prevention Blindness America)

It’s not just children that should have their eyes checked. Even as an adult, if you have had 20/20 vision your whole life, there are age-related vision problems that occur with everyone. Presbyopia is just one of these vision impairments. After the age of 40, the lens of your eye begins to harden and lose its flexibility. You may not begin to notice it at first, but eventually you will have trouble reading things up close. You’ll start to notice you need to stretch your arms further and further away in order to read your cell phone or a restaurant menu.

The good news is that there is a solution to Presbyopia. Often people will start wearing bifocals. Bifocals allow someone with Presbyopia to see up close, but also to focus in the distance if they have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.

If you don’t want to wear lenses, you can also speak with an Ophthalmologist about your options. Many doctors can provide lens replacement surgery. The lens of your eye is removed and replaced by a synthetic lens that will never harden. Depending on the type of lens, you may also be able to correct your existing refractive error at the same time.

So don’t put up with bad vision any longer! Come in and see us at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery today!