How Do You Handle Visual Information Overload?

Have you ever experienced information overload…on your eyes? There is a real condition called Load-Induced Blindness that occurs when you have too much visual information coming at you. A new study showed that when you are faced with a lot of visual data at once, your ability to see critical information is reduced – similar to what happens when there are lower light levels on an image you need to detect.

The study included volunteers with normal vision who completed a sensory memory task involving colors, positions and line orientations on rapidly flashing squares. In high load situations (lots of visual data), participants were only able to accurately spot line orientation in 64% of the images; in low load situations, that percentage went up to 95%. In the high load situations, participants needed 50% more light contrast to increase accuracy.

The bottom line is that too much visual information at one time may cause you to miss important things. Add into the mix that your vision is impaired with nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism and you may have an even more difficult time at distinguishing important images during attention-demanding situations (although this was not specifically included in the study).

Having LASIK in Charleston to correct vision problems will not change how your brain processes high loads of visual information, but it may allow you to see without the need for corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses)…removing one more barrier to seeing clearly. LASIK has changed the lives of many of our patients at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, allowing them to work, play and parent with visual freedom.

To learn more about LASIK technology in Charleston and find out how much LASIK costs, contact Dr. O'Day to schedule a free LASIK Consultation. Call 843-856-5275 or visit our website at charlestoncornea.com today. 

Enjoy March Madness Even More

March Madness begins March 18! Whether you plan to root for your college alma mater in the NCAA tournament or just love any kind of college basketball, you are bound to see exciting wins and devastating upsets. The question is, will you be watching the action through a corrective lens?

If you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, you probably have to wear glasses or contacts to see clearly. And, let’s face it; glasses and contacts can get in the way of your celebrations. Wouldn’t it be much better to watch your favorite teams with your own lens-free eyes?

Charleston LASIK vision correction just might be the ticket to visual freedom. Of course, not everyone will see with 20/20 vision after LASIK, but when you choose an eye doctor in Charleston who has a great track record of success, uses advanced LASIK technology and performs a thorough LASIK screening process to ensure you’re a good candidate, the odds are definitely in your favor. Dr. O'Day is that surgeon and he’s ready to help you take those first steps.

Make a fast break to improve your vision. Call Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation in Charleston. 

Olympic Medalist Bode Miller Regrets Not Having LASIK

The 2014 Olympics are over, but many of the athletes are still feeling the pain of disappointing losses. One such athlete is alpine ski racer, Bode Miller. After failing to reach all of his goals in Sochi, he revealed to the media that he would have changed the skis he used for one of the races, would have changed his skiing style and would have had LASIK vision correction surgery before the Olympics as he had planned.

"I was supposed to get an eye surgery earlier this year," Miller said. "We just never found a time to do it because the race schedule was so tight. We were pretty [upset] looking back that we hadn't found a time to do that. For me, my vision is critical. When the light's perfect, I can ski with any of the best guys in the world. When it goes out, my particular style suffers more than the guys who are more stable and don't do as much in the middle of the turn."

Miller’s comments drive home the fact that waiting for the ‘perfect’ time to have LASIK simply doesn't pay. So many people fret over the idea for years before having a LASIK evaluation…only to find out that they were never a good candidate for LASIK in the first place because of their eye condition or health condition.

At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, many of the patients we perform successful LASIK procedures on remark that they “Wish they had done it sooner” because of the level of visual freedom they experience after LASIK in Charleston, South Carolina.

Even if you’re not an Olympic athlete, having better vision can not only improve your game…it can improve your life. Don’t regret not having LASIK. With the amazing LASIK technology available today, the perfect time to have LASIK is right now. Contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. 

Take Steps to Achieve Your (Vision) Dreams

What are your dreams? Most of us have one or more personal aspirations. The Dream Come True Foundation has designated January 13, 2014 as National Make Your Dream Come True Day. So, rather than listing nebulous New Year’s resolutions this year, use January 13 to actually take steps to make those dreams a reality.

Improving vision is often a dream for individuals who have to wear glasses or contacts. When you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, seeing the world clearly without the aid of vision correction devices may seem like an unobtainable goal.

However, at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery, we have helped thousands of people achieve their dream of 20/20 vision and visual freedom through LASIK vision correction. The problem is that many people leave LASIK in the “dream” category, without ever truly investigating if they can afford LASIK and if the procedure will work for their eyes.

January 13 is the perfect day to schedule a free LASIK Consultation and really take that first step. Dr. O'Day offers free LASIK Consultations to determine your LASIK candidacy, discuss LASIK financing options and answer all of your questions about LASIK.

Contact us today to make your vision dream a reality! Call 843-856-5275 or visit charlestoncornea.com.