Are You a Good Candidate for 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. 

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 9^th 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. 

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. 

Eyeglasses for Eyestrain

If you work long hours at a computer, you are probably no stranger to eye strain in Charleston. This is an actual condition called computer vision syndrome (CVS) that can cause blurry vision, eye irritation, headaches neck pain and back pain.

Causes of Computer Vision Syndrome

CVS is like a repetitive stress injury that can worsen over time.

•     Looking down at the keyboard and then back up to the monitor strains the eye muscles due to the constant shift of focus.
• If you choose not to wear your prescription lenses as you work (to correct nearsightedness or astigmatism), you will be forced to strain to see the monitor clearly.
• If you do not keep your lens prescription up-to-date, you may be adding to the eye strain.
• The onset of presbyopia (the need for reading glasses) beginning around age 40 can make it more difficult to focus on the computer monitor.  
• Workstations that are not ergonomically-designed may cause you to crane your neck, slouch or arrange your body in an awkward position to compensate.

Look cool in your cubical!

Special computer glasses featuring lens coatings and tints that reduce glare can help to reduce the symptoms of CVS. These glasses can be purchased in non-prescription versions or in versions that support your specific refractive error. Before you invest in these glasses, be sure to read reviews online so you can make the best decision; these glasses don’t work for everyone.

Not surprisingly, prescription computer glasses cost more than non-prescription glasses. And if your prescription changes frequently, you will need to invest in new glasses regularly.

One way to combat the ongoing expense of glasses, contact lenses and cleaning solutions is by investing in the one-time cost of LASIK vision correction in Charleston. Dr.O'Day at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery can determine if your eyes are right for LASIK during a free LASIK Consultation. 

Other Ways to Control Eyestrain

•  Every 20 minutes on the computer look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This is known as the 20-20-20 rule.
•  Set a timer to remind yourself to take breaks from your screen (it’s easy to lose track of time when you are focused!)
•  Identify and implement the right ergonomics for your computer workstation by visiting the OSHA website.
• Adjust the brightness and contrast of your computer monitor and reduce the glare on your screen from lights or windows.

20/20 doesn’t mean an end to 20-20-20

Even if you have a successful LASIK procedure at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery and achieve 20/20 vision, it’s still important to practice the 20-20-20 rule! CVS can affect anyone who sits in front of a computer for long periods of time.

To learn more about blade-free LASIK in Charleston and find out about 0% LASIK financing, contact us today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation. 

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.