Vision correction using eye surgery has become quite common in the past few years with more and more people opting to undergo the procedure in order to reduce or eliminate the need for wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Others may require eye surgery for other problems  including cataracts and glaucoma.

Refractive Surgical Procedures

Refractive surgical procedures are available which correct certain eye problems by changing the focus of the eye.

LASIK Surgery

Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis or LASIK surgery is a procedure that is used to permanently change the shape of the cornea of the eye. It is one of the more popular methods available today. Read more>>>

Epi-LASIK

Epithelial Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (Epi-LASIK) is a procedure that separates the thin top layer of the cornea. It has an advantage over LASIK surgery in that there are no sharp blades involved. Read more>>>

ALK

Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK) is a procedure used to correct myopia.

PRK

Photorefractive Keractectomy (PRK) is a procedure which involves removing tissue from the eyes using an beam of light.

Cataract

Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens from the eye. The procedure involves a micro incision and the insertion of an intraocular lens implant. Read more>>>

Glaucoma

The surgical treatment for glaucoma can involve laser or regular surgical techniques which involves making a cut in the eye to relieve the intraocular pressure. Read more>>>

Glaucoma is a very serious condition that is actually a bunch of diseases working together that cause damage to the optic nerve.  The problem with this condition is that there may not be any symptoms and damage may be done before it is diagnosed.

Doctors usually start with treatments that are related to medications as well as physical therapy, but if these things are not successful glaucoma surgery is called for.  Most doctors will put off surgery for as long as possible, because though it has become a relatively routine procedure, most doctors are hesitant to perform surgery on the eyes unless all other therapies have failed or there is an emergency that requires the surgery.

There are two types of glaucoma eye surgery, one that uses a laser and one that requires traditional surgery:

1. The laser glaucoma surgery is performed by aiming a laser light at the eye’s trabecular meshwork to open up the blockages in this meshwork to increase the flow of aqueous fluid from the eye.

2. The traditional surgery is commonly called filtering microsurgery.  This requires that a hole be made to allow excess fluids to drain from the eye.  Draining the fluid from the eye will reduce the pressure in the eye, which is the purpose of the surgery.

Laser surgery is becoming more common than the traditional incision type eye surgery

There are actually four types of laser surgeries known as:

• SLT – is the acronym for selective laser tubeculoplasty and is used to reduce the pressure by enhancing drainage of excess fluid.  This type of treatment can be repeated to treat specific cells in the meshwork.
• ALT – is short for argon laser trabeculoplasty and reduces pressure in the eye by opening the drainage canals of the eye.
• LPI – is used for narrow angle glaucoma and relieves pressure by making a hole in the iris of the eye so that the iris can move back from the cornea to allow more aqueous flow.
• Laser cyclophotocoagulation – is a procedure that produces aqueous flow by treating the ciliary body.

Traditional surgery is still used for patients, but laser is preferred as patients typically respond and heal better to it.  Traditional surgeries will be used when medication and laser procedures have failed.

There are risks associated with glaucoma surgery, but they are not greater than the risk of leaving the eye untreated.  Glaucoma affects the optic nerve, eventually causing blindness if treatment is not sought.  Glaucoma surgery has become much easier and more effective over the last several years, making it a viable option for more and more people.

For people who wear corrective lenses, Lasik surgery seems like a dream come true, allowing them to exchange uncomfortable and expensive eyeglasses or contact lenses for perfect, unaided vision.  However, with the wrong surgeon, Lasik surgery can quickly become a nightmare.  Your vision can be permanently damaged without the hope of correction, or even lost altogether.  We’ll show you how to choose a Lasik surgeon to ensure that your operation is a success.

Step One:  Collect Recommendations

Ask friends, family members, and acquaintances whether they have had Lasik surgery themselves, or if they know anyone who has.  Find out where they had the surgery done, and how pleased they were with the experience.  Personal recommendations are a far better starting point than the Yellow Pages!

Step Two:  Check Experience

Once you have a list of potential doctors from your acquaintances, research them thoroughly to narrow down your list.  You want a surgeon who has performed a large number of successful Lasik operations – a thousand or more is a good place to start.  You should also check your surgeon’s education, how long he or she has been in practice, and whether Lasik surgery is a prime focus of that practice.  Do a Google search to find out if any warnings or glowing recommendations have been posted online.

Step Three:  Meet with the Doctor

Your gut instinct tells you a lot about a person.  Meeting with your short list of doctors will help you find one that makes you comfortable and who seems professional and capable.  Make sure that the surgeon you pick answers all of your questions and does not make you feel pressured or dismissed.  Also ensure that the surgeon you meet is the one who will actually perform your operation from beginning to end.

It is much more important to find a competent, proactive, and experienced Lasik surgeon than to find one that is close to your home or has the lowest rates.  By following these three simple steps, you can vastly improve your chances of having a successful, problem-free operation and do away with your glasses or contact lenses forever.

Cataract surgery was something that people tended to avoid if possible, 20 years ago, but today it is such a common procedure that people no longer stress about it all that much.

More than 2.7 million Americans had this type of surgery just last year and 95% of those people have experienced remarkably improved vision.  These numbers are quite outstanding and show that surgery is an effective way to save your vision if you suffer from the condition.  Cataract surgery is safe and effective and because this surgery has become so common it is generally done on an outpatient basis, meaning patients get to go home within hours of the procedure.

Cataract eye surgery is performed by making microscopic incisions that is facilitated by advanced ultrasonic equipment that can fragment cataracts into tiny pieces.  It is something that is typically done while the patient is awake though mild sedation is often used.  The patient will simply lie still and will be asked to look toward the light of the scope, a patient must notify the doctor if they need to cough, sneeze, or otherwise move, but other than that the patient is required to lie still for the duration of the procedure.  The whole surgery generally takes 20 or 30 minutes and the patient will be monitored for a short period of time before being released.  Many patients are released from the hospital or surgical center within an hour after the procedure being completed.

Cataract eye surgery is now able to improve vision dramatically regardless of how advanced or severe the cataracts are.  Many patients are actually surprised at how well they can see after the procedure is completed and the eye heals.  Thankfully, the procedure can be repeated should the cataracts come back in the future, and there is little risk of damage to the eye in repeat surgeries.

Many times a doctor will prescribe eye drops to help prevent pain, inflammation and infection, but generally the procedure is quite comfortable and complication free.  Drops may be applied both before the surgery and in the days after the surgery.  This medical procedure is one  that really makes one marvel at the advances in medical science.  The fact that doctors can restore vision in just a matter of moments without pain or discomfort is remarkable.  With so many millions of people suffering from cataracts, this surgery is no doubt a lifesaver for many.

Although the term LASIK eye surgery is becoming more commonplace many people aren’t aware of what the surgery actually entails.  The LASIK acronym stands for Laser assisted in-Situ Keratomileusis and is sometimes referred to as “flap and zap” becauses the surgeon makes a small flap in the cornea and removes some of the tissue exposed by the flap. The laser removes tissue from the cornea very accurately without damaging nearby tissues. This type of eye surgery is used for correcting nearsightedness (myopia) and astigmatism.

The procedure should be performed by a certified LASIK ophthalmologist. The LASIK eye surgery is a replacement for a somewhat outdated eye surgery known as PPK.  LASIK is preferred to the PPK because it allow for a much faster recovery time and the patient does not experience nearly as much pain as they did with the PPK.  Though the LASIK procedure is relatively new, having been introduced in 1990, it is immensely popular and more and more patients are seeking the treatment as it becomes more affordable.

Prior to surgery a patient will need to meet with their eye doctor to discuss whether or not they are a candidate for the surgery through an examination with a computer controlled scanner that determines what the current shape of the cornea. This examination will also allow the doctor to obtain information in relation to irregularities in the eye, whether the patient is near sighted, far sighted, or has astigmatism.   If the doctor believes the patient is a candidate he or she will instruct the patient to stop wearing their contact lenses 7-10 days before the procedure.  Most doctors will also prescribe an antibiotic to help avoid infection after the surgery.

The actual LASIK procedure takes place when the patient is awake but sedated with a mild sedative such as Valium as well as anesthetic eye drops.  A highly sophisticated computer system will then track the position of the eye about 4,000 times per second so that the surgeon can make precise incisions.

A flap will be cut into the cornea with a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser with a hinge left on one end of the flap.  This flap is then folded back to expose the stroma, which is the middle section of the cornea. Once the stroma is revealed a laser will reshape the stroma to provide better vision.

Recovery time is just a couple of days and there will be very little pain or discomfort associated with the procedure.  Most do not experience any complications, but those that do occur are usually very benign in nature, making LASIK a relatively safe and the most effective corneal surgery available today.

The awesome Epi-Lasik surgery procedure

Epi-LASIK is short for epithelial laser in-situ keratomileusis, which is a very advanced form of corneal surgery and a variation of LASIK surgery.  It is used to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism.  This type of  procedure brings together some of the best features from LASIK, PPK, as well as LASEK.  Epi-LASIK is an outstanding surgery that can improve the vision with very little pain.

The Epi-LASIK surgery  involves creating a very thin flap in the cornea with a microkeratome that is able to lift the epithelium from the under layers without actually cutting the surface as one must do in common LASEK procedures.  Epi-LASIK is gentler and because it doesn’t require cutting, even those with very thin corneas are able to take advantage of the surgery where they may not be able to in LASIK procedures.  Once the epithelial layer is removed from the cornea a laser remodels the cornea to provide better vision for the patient.  Once the reshaping has taken place the epithelial flap is folded back down to its original position.

Many patients opt for the this type of eye surgery because it has proven to have far less complications than the common LASIK procedures because of the way the flap is cut.  Patients having this procedure also experience a faster rate of recovery.  Most see a return of normal or better vision in just three days as opposed to 5-7 days that most patients report with PPK, LASEK, or LASIK procedures.  The Epi-LASIK procedure is also not painful, so patients do not deal with more pain for a faster healing time.  Most patients report that there is very little or no pain, whereas there is moderate pain associated with the PPK procedure.

After the surgery a soft contact lens is usually worn to help the eye heal as well as to minimize any discomfort.  Epi-LASIK surgery is an excellent choice for a good portion of the population, though the only people qualified to determine what type of advanced corneal ablation surgery you need is your eye doctor.  If you believe you are a candidate for this type of eye surgery, discuss your options and the pros and cons of each procedure in relation to your specific eye conditions, with a qualified eye doctor.