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You may have heard the term LASIK surgery for years. You may know people who have had it done and no longer wear glasses or contacts. Still, you may have questions. If you are nervous, as most of us are, about having anything called “surgery” done to your eyes, having questions is a great thing. Here are some of the more common LASIK questions and answers to help dispel your fears or concerns.

Is LASIK safe?

There are inherent risks associated with any surgical procedure. Having said that, be sure you select a highly skilled and experienced LASIK surgeon who will determine whether or not you are a good candidate. The success rate for LASIK surgery performed by experienced eye surgeons is around 95%.

Are there any side effects with LASIK surgery?

There are a few common side effects. They include seeing a starburst effect, a problem with glare or driving at night, and feeling as though something is in your eye. Most of these side effects disappear within a few days or weeks of the initial surgery. One to two percent of LASIK patients may have side effects that are permanent.

Does LASIK surgery hurt?

Most patients report an initial bit of discomfort but basically no pain. This is mostly because so little tissue is affected during the short procedure. Any mild discomfort is easily treated with a standard pain reliever.

What kind of results can I expect after the LASIK procedure?

That question is best left to your LASIK surgeon to answer. He or she will give you a complete and detailed eye exam prior to scheduling your LASIK procedure. Based on your current vision, overall health and post-procedure expectations, they should be able to give you a realistic idea. However, over 50% of LASIK patients have reported 20/20 vision and more than 90% reporting at least 20/40. Keep in mind that, as you age, your eyes will continue to change naturally so you may find yourself needing reading glasses down the road.

How much does LASIK surgery cost?

There is as wide a range in costs as there are in skill levels when it comes to LASIK surgeons around the country. In the Denver, Colorado area, the most respected and highly qualified LASIK surgeons are very reasonable in their pricing and most offer payment plans to help in your budgeting. This is your eyesight we’re talking about. You don’t really think skimping on price for this type of surgery is a good idea, do you?

When you go into surgery for lasik eye, how long does it take to see after words with out being blurry? Hours, Days?

Refractive Eye Surgery & LASIK Surgery – Definition & Overview

Refractive eye surgery is any eye surgery used to improve the refractive state of the eye and decrease or eliminate dependency on glasses or contact lenses. This can include various methods of surgical remodeling of the cornea or cataract surgery. The most common methods today use excimer lasers to reshape curvature of the cornea. Successful refractive eye surgery can reduce or cure common vision disorders such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.

LASIK is an abbreviation for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis and laser eye surgery is designed to change the shape of the cornea to eliminate or reduce the need for glasses and contact lenses in cases of severe myopia or nearsightedness.

LASIK procedures are conducted in an ophthalmology office or clinic. Initially, numbing eye drops are used and then eyelids are held open to prevent any interference with the laser. The LASIK surgeon then creates an ultrathin flap on the front of the eye with a precise automated instrument. This flap is then lifted and the preprogrammed laser then reshapes the inner cornea to refocus the eye. The flap is repositioned and holds itself in place, healing naturally without the need for any stitches. The laser pulses last on the average between 30 and 60 seconds. LASIK procedures take about 20 minutes to be performed in both eyes. This procedure doesn’t involve much pain and recovery is considerably fast.

Some people do experience mild discomfort and watering of the eyes post LASIK surgery. The extent of discomfort is different in different patients and commonly associated with the sensation of using contact lenses for extended periods. The risks associated with LASIK include a small risk of an infection in the eye, and some patients have reported problems with night driving and ‘halo’ effects. There is no requirement to wear eye patches following LASIK surgery.

LASIK is now used to treat hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism.

According to surveys of members of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, approximately 948,266 refractive surgery procedures were performed in the United States during 2004 and 928,737 in 2005.

Selecting an appropriate refractive eye surgery or LASIK surgery treatment plan

There are various refractive surgery treatment plans that one could choose from depending upon your requirement. SmartHealthbuyer.com is an extensive business directory aimed at providing customers in-depth information regarding various refractive surgery treatment plans being conducted by optical surgeons in over 300 cities across the United States. 

SmartHealthbuyer.com has details regarding refractive surgery treatments like custom wavefront LASIK, standard LASIK with blade or bladeless LASIK with intralase laser.

In the first option, custom-wavefront LASIK with blade, a blade is used for the purposes of creating a flap on the cornea prior to the laser treatment.  The second option does not involve using a blade but uses something called intralase-laser to create the flap. The second option will involve an additional cost.  Hence depending upon the various treatment options and the costs involved you can choose the treatment plan that works best for you.  http://www.SmartHealthbuyer.com will provide you access to all the LASIK and refractive surgery treatment plans available in over 300 cities located across the United States. You can go through all information available and understand the various options that exist.  By providing details of your city, state, and zip code, you an narrow your search down considerably and look at the details of refractive surgery treatment plans available in your area.

Arriving at the best price available for the chosen refractive or LASIK surgery

After identifying a specific refractive or LASIK surgery treatment plan, you would most certainly be interested in finding out about the costs involved. The price of LASIK surgery varies depending upon the location and technique involved.  The general perception sometimes could be very misleading especially with regard to prices.  We often assume or even conclude expensive products are of superior quality, but this is not necessarily true; please remember price is not an indicator, measure, or hallmark of quality treatment and expertise.  Rather than focus on price, focus on the ability of the practitioner, the right refractive surgery for your eyes, reviews and the training and experience your practitioner brings to the table. In general beware of the headline pricing of “Lasik from $499 per eye”. This will typically be an older non-customized blade procedure, and may not include all the extra follow-up and care that you may need. Hence it pays, literally and otherwise to do a little research and find out more about various specialists and their expertise and experience before judging them by the price they charge.  Costs could vary depending upon the follow up options you choose. The total price involved for a treatment plan that includes lifetime follow up could be different fro the one which involves a six-month follow-up treatment plan.  Hence considering all available options is very important before arriving at the best available price. Please also factor in the cost of contact lenses or glasses that you won’t need to buy in the future, before taking your decision.

http://www.smarthealthbuyer.com/Optical/ can provide you with details regarding price lists and rates charged for all the available refractive surgery treatment plans offered by various surgeons listed in SmartHealthbuyer.com database.  SmartHealthbuyer.com will not only provide you access to information and rates but also help you determine the average cost per treatment.  SmartHealthbuyer.com price comparison engine has the facility to compare available costs and calculate average costs for specific refractive surgery treatment plans.  By providing details of your city, state, and zip code you can determine the average cost for treatment in your specific area.  By comparing costs and determining the average cost for refractive surgery plans available you will be at and advantage while finalizing your decision.

Locating the best refractive or LASIK surgeon

Entrusting your eyes to a surgeon for LASIK surgery is not an easy decision and you can’t settle for anything but the best.  It is therefore advisable that you first find out as many details as you can about various practicing surgeons.  SmartHealthbuyer.com has all the details that include but are not limited to educational background, qualifications, certifications, licenses, and customer feedback for refractive surgeons located over 300 cities in the United States.  You can further narrow your search by providing details of your city, state, and zip code at SmartHealthbuyer.com.   By doing this you will be accessing information and details for various surgeons in your chosen area.  You can then go through each and every detail including reviews, recommendations, references, feedback regarding the experience and expertise for particular refractive surgeons in your area.

SmartHealthbuyer.com database will help you go through credentials and other information for specific surgeons in your area and if you are interested in further information, you can also do your own research on the internet and confirm available details.

What to look for in a LASIK surgeon?

While it is important to check the credentials, experience, educational background and certification/license information, you must know how to verify this information.  An ophthalmologist who specializes in performing refractive surgeries such as LASIK is referred to as a refractive surgeon.

Surgical procedures require immense skill, expertise and experience and this hold good for LASIK surgeons as well.  Some key factors that one needs to bear in mind while selecting a LASIK surgeon are as stated below:

a)     Does refractive surgery or laser vision correction form the main part of his or her practice.

b)     Find out if he or she will counsel you prior to and post surgery explaining all the risks and benefits involving LASIK.

c)     Confirm his or her availability before and after LASIK surgery for the purposes of follow up. 

d)     Find out how many LASIK surgeries he has performed throughout his or her career.

e)     Find out if he is a member of the American Association of Ophthalmology and is part of any affiliated center and is aware of the latest technological advances in laser.

f)      Also, there is no harm in taking a second opinion.

http://www.smarthealthbuyer.com/Optical/ will provide you information regarding the educational qualifications and background, patient feedback, reviews, recommendations, references, and experience.  All this information is extremely important in verifying the credentials, licenses, certifications of various refractive surgeons available.  By providing details of your city, state, and zip code, you can start locating refractive surgeons located in your area and based on reviews and other details available, you can finalize your decision.

http://www.SmartHealthbuyer.com is an easier, faster, and efficient tool that will assist you in assessing treatment plans, costs involved, and in locating the best physicians in your area!

Links:  http://www.smarthealthbuyer.com/Optical/

You may be considering having your vision corrected through LASIKbut you may be worried about the risks with this surgery. Then you will be glad to know that complications from LASIK are rare, and permanent vision loss is virtually unheard of. For those minor complications that can occur, retreatment or eye enhancements can solve the problem. LASIK actually stands for Laser Assisted in situ Keratomileusis; LASIK reshapes the cornea to increase clarity of vision.

The most important step in undergoing LASIK is to choose a highly qualified eye surgeon. Your surgeon should have performed hundreds, if not thousands, of LASIK procedures before you commit. Competent eye surgeons will carry out proper screening before performing LASIK surgery to ensure the health of your eyes today and in the future.

LASIK Popularity

In the United States, LASIK is a popular procedure with a solid success rate that has been performed millions of times. Increasingly sophisticated technology provides very favorable outcomes for all patients. In fact, the U.S. military uses LASIK to help soldiers decrease dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses. Overall, serious rates of complication are below one percent. This is due in large part to experienced LASIK surgeons who carefully screen and select patients based on best suitability for specific refractive procedures. Some patients are not good candidates for LASIK due to health problems, eye problems, age, pregnancy and nursing. This highlights the importance of speaking frankly with your eye surgeon during your vision consultation.

LASIK Complications

Most rare LASIK complications are associated with the creation of the corneal flap, an integral part of LASIK eye surgery. The April 2006 issue of American Journal of Ophthalmology indicates flap complications occur in .3 percent to 5.7 percent of all LASIK procedures.

Still, no surgical procedure is risk free. LASIK complications may include:

Double vision
Dry eye
Glares or halos at night
A sandy feeling in the eye
Removal of too little or too much corneal tissue

Since LASIK was approved in the 1990’s, it has continually improved. Many people who could not have LASIK in the past are now good candidates as the procedure has evolved so much. The original LASIK procedure is now referred to as Traditional LASIK and has been supplanted in popularity by the more sophisticated Wavefront-Guided LASIK.

With the advancement in technology, this defect can completely be removed from the eyes and you can live to fulfill the desire. The technology is LASIK or Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. LASIK are performed by LASIK eye surgeon to remove vision defects hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism.

Selection of a proper LASIK eye institute is the first thing that the patient should consider before opting for a LASIK eye surgery. Patients, who chooses LASIK plus vision center for their LASIK surgery are always satisfied. LASIK plus vision center provides the latest technology and the most advanced equipments that help the patient to achieve the best vision. LASIK plus vision centers have the best surgeon with excellent expertise, proven skills and updated with leading laser eye technology.

LASIK plus vision center only allows people who are above the age of 18 having no infection in the corneal region of the eye to have LASIK surgery. LASIK Plus vision center uses excimer lasers that has almost no side effects and offers no pain while operating. The patients are given proper routine by the LASIK eye surgeon to follow during the post-LASIK treatment. LASIK Plus vision center do not ensure a 20/20 vision. However, the vision ability improves.

LASIK New Jersey provided by LASIK plus vision center in New Jersey rewards their patient with progressive LASIK technology along with proper care to the patient. LASIK surgery at LASIK plus vision center is affordable, competitive and can even be financed by private firms. Simultaneously, LASIK surgery saves the patient from having major expenditure in buying a new pair of fancy glasses or a pair of trendy lens.

However, pregnant women and kids below 18 years of age are not eligible for the Lasik treatment. And for the candidates going for the Lasik treatment, to ensure whether they will get successful results, an eye exam is conducted before the surgery. The candidates, wearing soft contact lenses, who opt for the Lasik treatment, are advised to stop wearing them for 10-15 days before the surgery and the ones with hard contact lenses, are asked to stop wearing them for a minimum of six weeks.

LASIK eye surgeons have performed more than 720,000 successful LASIK surgeries in LASIK Plus Vision Center around the nation. The effects of a successful LASIK Plus surgery stay for more than 15 years. After performing LASIK surgery, the patients receive a new look along with the new desire to achieve their goals.

Medical advancement has improved the precision and safety of traditional Lasik. It has also made room for other forms of Lasik. Patients who find they do not meet the ideal standards as a candidate for Lasik have other options. Lasik eye surgery can now accommodate a variety of needs for vision correction. Learn about how to improve your night vision with Lasik.

Traditional Lasik

Lasik is the preferred procedure for many Americans with nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. An outpatient procedure that usually takes about 15 minutes, Lasik is performed with a microkeratome blade. The laser eye surgeon creates a flap in the outermost corneal layer. An excimer laser reshapes the cornea, and the flap is then replaced as a natural bandage.

Low Order Aberrations Vs. High Order Aberrations

Lasik is a simple procedure, but many patients have vision correction needs that traditional Lasik is not designed to address. Traditional Lasik is most beneficial to patients with low-order aberrations. Refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism are low-order aberrations that can be corrected with traditional Lasik.

Improve Night Vision With Custom Lasik Surgery

Custom Lasik addresses not only low-order aberrations, but also more complex, difficult-to-detect aberrations. Patients with large pupils, low contrast sensitivity and thin corneas may be able to improve night vision through Custom Lasik. Low-contrast sensitivity is a high order aberration which makes it difficult to see an object against a low-contrast background. People with large pupils are not only prone to poor night vision, but traditional Lasik can also worsen the aberration.

Custom Lasik, Custom Results

Custom Lasik uses wavefront technology to pinpoint refractive errors that are undetectable through traditional Lasik. Wavefront technology creates three-dimensional chart of the cornea, measuring how your eye focuses light. Custom Lasik corrects visual acuity, as well as, visual quality. Lasers guided through wavefront technology are more precise and individualized for each patient.

Custom Lasik may also be the best option for patients with previous laser eye surgery. Custom Lasik can be the answer for correcting past laser eye surgery, with unsuccessful results. Patients who experience complications from traditional Lasik, such as light sensitivity, night glare and halos, may find relief through Custom Lasik.

Lasik Cost

The cost of Lasik surgery can range anywhere from $499 to $2,500. Cost is determined based on the type of Lasik surgery and the condition of your eyes. When making a decision about which type of laser eye surgery will work best with your needs and budget, keep in mind any conditions that may increase the risk of postoperative complications associated with traditional Lasik. Custom Lasik is the most expensive for of Lasik surgery, but may also prevent the need for additional surgeries. If you’re looking specifically to improve night vision, Custom Lasik may be the best route to take.

Because Lasik is considered an elective procedure, most insurance companies will not cover the cost. However, there are many financing options available. Your Lasik surgeon may provide a payment plan. He or she may also work with a few financial institutions. In this case, you may be able to take care of the application process directly at the doctor’s office.

I originally had the procedure performed in 1999, and a re correction about 2 years later on my left eye. Now my vision has reverted back to being almost as bad as it was before the surgery, and I wear glasses for nearsighted. Can I have the Lasik again?

Someone said to me, “if lasik surgery is so effective, then how come the doctors doing it still wear glasses? Why don’t they get it done too?” So now I am wondering the same thing.

Most people take their vision for granted, especially if they have never suffered from poor vision. For many, there is no other option except for eye surgery. Other people choose corrective surgery because they are tired of always having to use eyeglasses. As you start looking into your eye surgery options, you will find that there are many new techniques that are used in corrective vision surgery. How do you choose the right procedure? What are the differences between LASIK surgery and the new Epi-LASIK surgery?

The Difference between LASIK and Epi-LASIK Surgery

Epi-LASIK and LASIK surgery are different procedures for corrective eye surgery. These procedures reduce or eliminate a person’s need for glasses or contact lenses. Up until recently, the usual procedure for eye corrective surgery was LASIK surgery. LASIK surgery stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, and this procedure basically changes the shape of the eye’s cornea using a laser. During the procedure, a flap is cut in the cornea, and then this flap is folded back to reveal the middle section of the cornea. The laser then changes the shape of the cornea and the flap is then replaced.

Epi-LASIK surgery is also an eye corrective procedure that has evolved from LASIK surgery. It has combined the best elements of LASIK, LASEK and PRK procedures into one. It involves the separation of the epithelial from the top of the cornea, and this eliminates the need to cut into the cornea and create a hinged flap. As opposed to LASIK surgery, Epi-LASIK combines surface based procedures that do not need the flap procedure and the advantages of LASIK surgery, which produce less pain and faster recovery.

Epi-LASIK surgery is still similar to the LASIK technique because it still involves the use of a laser beam to reshape the cornea. It appears to be more effective with people who suffer from mild forms of farsightedness, astigmatism or nearsightedness. If a patient suffers from moderate to severe myopia, then LASIK surgery is still the best option.

Why is Epi-LASIK Surgery Better Than PRK and LASIK Surgery in Some Cases?

Epi-LASIK came about because of certain complications with PRK and LASIK techniques.

• PRK created a large abrasion when removing the epithelial cells and this would cause the patient discomfort. Plus, the procedure caused some haze in the cornea which created haloes around lights. These effects lessened after six months, but were still uncomfortable during that time period.

• LASIK creates a hinged flap, which is not really painful. However, it created other problems caused by the flap, problems such as dry eyes or scratchiness.

Epi-LASIK then tries to avoid the problems associated by both procedures by combining the advantages of surface based procedures that require no flap and the advantages of LASIK that provides less pain and a faster recovery. In essence, Epi-LASIK surgery gives you a shorter visual recovery time and reduces the risk of any complications.

Who does Epi-LASIK surgery benefit?

Studies have shown that people with thin corneas benefit more from this type of surgery, because LASIK surgery requires more corneal tissue in order to create the flap, and these patients don’t have enough corneal tissue.

It is also shown to benefit people who risk having the flap dislodged. These people risk being hit in the face or the eye for any number of reasons, people like athletes or people who work in violent fields, like the military or police fields.

Who Benefits More from LASIK Surgery Rather than Epi-LASIK Surgery?

Patients who have moderate to severe myopia tend to benefit more from LASIK surgery rather than Epi-LASIK. Epi-LASIK suits people who do not have such steep corneas.

On average, how much. Lasik Plus use to have a deal where you didn’t have to pay interest for a year or something.