What Should I Expect at My LASIK Consultation?

When you seek a consultation from a surgeon specializing in LASIK it is to determine if you are a candidate for laser vision corrections surgery. If it is determined that you are a candidate, the surgeon will begin discussing the most appropriate surgical option to correct your unique vision issue. During the consultation you will be educated on the benefits and risks of LASIK surgery. It is important to remember that a consultation with a LASIK surgeon does not obligate you to have the procedure nor does it mean that you are no longer able to ask questions and gather more information. A consultation is the starting point into the process of determining if surgery is the vision correction route best suited for you.

Candidates must meet a certain set of criteria before they are considered for LASIK which includes:

Age:

LASIK candidates must be eighteen years or older.

Health:

In order to be a candidate for LASIK, patients must be generally healthy. They should be free of health problems such as diabetes, vascular disease, autoimmune disease, or on medication that interferes with the immune response.

Eye Health/Problems:

Candidates should also be free of eye disease including: glaucoma, cataracts, corneal diseases, retinal and optic nerve disease, or keratoconus. They should also not have eye conditions such as herpes zoster and simplex. Surgeons will do an eye exam before surgery however, it is important that candidates inform them of issues such as lazy eye, eye muscle imbalance, and other eye conditions that can affect healing. Candidates should also inform eye surgeons of other health issues such as mental health or issues with health. Obviously, the eye should also be free of any injury or infection. Dry eye should also not affect candidates.

Pregnancy/Nursing:

If you are pregnant or nursing you will not be eligible for LASIK. In fact, LASIK candidates must have had at least three menstrual cycles after they are done nursing and not expecting in order to be eligible for laser surgery. Pregnancy hormones may affect the effectiveness of your prescription which also makes them ineligible for LASIK.

Stable Vision:

LASIK vision candidates need to have had stable vision for at least one year before they are considered for laser vision surgery procedures.

Contacts:

In order for patients to have LASIK they must stop wearing their contacts for at least two weeks prior to the surgery. This helps to stabilize the cornea and will give surgeons an accurate valuation of your prescription prior to the procedure.

LASIK is a viable option in the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms. The goal of LASIK is to reduce the dependency of glasses and contacts with the end goal of 20/20 vision, although this is not guaranteed.

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to suit your lifestyle and visual needs. As a leader in laser vision correction and cataract surgery, our goal is to help you achieve the best vision possible without glasses or contact lenses. More information can be found online at https://michiganlasik.com.

December 21, 2018April 3, 2019

A Comprehensive Look at Refractive and Laser Eye Surgery

Refractive and laser eye surgery, known also as vision correction surgery, is implied to surgical procedures that repair problems with vision. In the last decade there have been huge developments in the process of vision correction using lasers. Both refractive and laser eye surgery allow patients to see better than they previously.

Many laser eye vision correction surgeries are done by reshaping the eyes cornea. The cornea is the front part of the eye that lets light pass through it and focus it on the retina, which is the back of the eye. Other surgical procedures are done by replacing the natural lens of the eye.

LASIK, otherwise known as laser in-situ keratomileusis, is a surgery that assists in nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms. The surgeon will reshape the tissues found underneath the cornea, so the light can focus properly. A flap is made in the outer layer of the cornea in order to access the tissues that lay underneath. This flap is what differentiates LASIK from other surgical vision procedures. During LASIK surgeons may also use wavefront technology. This technology creates a detailed picture of the cornea to use as a guide during surgery.

During Epi-LASIK, a surgeon separates the thin layers of tissue from the cornea and then reshape them using a laser. The area is protected by using a soft contact lens to hold the flap in place while the tissues are healing.

PRK, otherwise known as photorefractive keratectomy, is a surgery that assists in the correction of mild to moderate nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms. Similar to LASIK a laser is used in PRK to reshape the cornea. In PRK the laser is only used on the cornea and not the tissues underneath. Similar to LASIK, wavefront technology is used in PRK to obtain a picture of the cornea.

LASEK, otherwise known as laser epithelial keratomileusis, is a surgery that is very similar to PRK that assists in nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms. Surgeons create a flap and use an alcohol solution that loosens the tissue and the laser is then used to reshape the cornea. Once this part of the procedure is complete the surgeon will put a soft contact in place to hold the flap while it heals.

During Epi-LASEK, a surgeon cuts a small flap within the cornea while using an alcohol solution to separate the thin layer of tissue for the cornea, reshapes it with the laser, and is protected by a soft contact lens holding the flap in place for healing.

RLE, refractive lens exchange is known by a few different common names including PRELEX, CLE, and RLR. This is the same surgery that is done for cataracts. Surgeons make a small cut at the edge of the cornea. They then remove the eyes natural lens and replace it with a plastic or silicone lens. This surgery is used to correct severe farsightedness and nearsightedness. The surgery works for patients with dry eye, thin corneas, and minor issues with their corneas.

Surgical laser vision correction is safe and effective. Similar to any surgery there are known side effects that can include: infection, a delay in healing, under or over correction, worse vision, corneal haze, halo effect, regression, and/or flap damage. All of which are rare but can occur. It is important to always talk in depth with your laser vision correction surgeon before the procedure about any questions or concerns you may have.

November 30, 2018

LASIK: A Popular Laser Eye Surgery Method

LASIK is a widely practiced method of laser eye surgery. Vision is improved using laser vision correction techniques like LASIK through a reshaping of the tissue underneath the top later of the eye.

It is often hard to really describe what LASIK is and what is involved without using a lot of technical mumbo jumbo. The jest of it boils down to the fact that when vision needs correcting and a surgical option is sought, whether we are correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatisms, a procedure using a refractive laser is performed to restore proper vision in the eye. LASIK is the most popular and most widely accepted surgical method used in treating refractive errors and is done by reshaping the cornea in a manner that allows light to focus properly.

LASIK surgeons create a flap near the front of the eye that exposes the inner layers of tissue on the cornea to allow the laser to shape the cornea. This is done by removing exposed tissue that is preventing the light to focus as need be. The surgery is completed when the surgeon seals up the eye by closing the flap. The eye is given time to heal and vision often returns to near perfect within a matter of twenty-four hours.

Benefits of LASIK

Experience: LASIK is a form of laser vision correction that has been in place form more than twenty years. Surgeons have been performing this procedure for many years and are very experienced correcting several defects within the cornea of the eye.
Recovery: The recovery process is unlike any other. Your vision starts to become clearer within just a couple hours of surgery. What other surgical procedure of this nature do you see drastic results like this?
Obtainability: LASIK is a very popular procedure and performed across the state of Michigan. Rohr Eye & Laser Center sees patients from all around the area. It is safe to say that almost every office offering laser vision correction offers LASIK as an available procedure.

Possible Side Effects

All surgeries have the potential for side effects and LASIK is no different, although highly rare. Possible side effects can include:

Flap Complications: In order to reach the cornea a flap is made in the outer layer of the eye. Side effects to the flap specifically can include infection, inflammation, and dislocation. The flap is intended to adhere back into location right after surgery however is it doesn’t seal back together with the corneal tissue, issues can arise. The flap rests on the eye so there is opportunity present for it to dislodge during healing. Therefore, it is recommended to lay low and avoid any contact sports or intense activities during the healing process.
Dry Eye: Dry eyes can occur after laser vision correction surgery. Nerves in the eye are cut during the procedure which can reduce the sensation to blink. When a person doesn’t blink often enough it will not stay as lubricated as it needs to. Although uncomfortable, dry eyes will often improve quickly.

LASIK is one of many laser vision correction methods performed at Rohr Eye and Laser Center. For a detailed, FREE consultation call the office to schedule a time to meet with our dedicated team.

November 16, 2018

The Increasing Popularity Of LASIK Surgery

There are a number of benefits that come from corrective eye surgery such as LASIK. Having perfect or close to perfect vision without the hassle of glasses and contacts. There is a great deal of annoyance that comes along with wearing glasses or contacts. When you are engaging in physical activity, enjoying some time in the water, or what not you always worry about your glasses being in a safe place or if you will get sand in a contact. There is a lot of agitation that comes along with making sure the device you use to see properly doesn’t break or get something in it.

Living An Active Lifestyle

Laser corrective eye surgery makes athletics of all types simpler. Many an athlete has come into the office complaining about the inconvenience of wearing glasses and contacts in contact sports. LASIK is an attractive option for athletes. It is important however, that they give themselves enough time off in between surgery and heading into action to allow their eyes to heal. Even if you are not a professional athlete, if you have a particularly active life style LASIK is beneficial as well. Simple outdoor activities like jogging, hiking, camping, and more are all made simpler without having to worry about carrying contact solution with you or be concerned if you break a lens while out on the trail. Laser eye surgery can elevate your active lifestyle.

Traveling Made Simpler

Vacations are made easier with laser vision surgery as well. Anyone who has ever taken a trip knows how difficult it is to pack and prepare for a trip. Now factor in the supplies you need to see along with spares in case you lose a contact or miss placing your glasses without having a suitable solution. Your trip could easily become a disaster. Imagine spending the entire vacation looking for a suitable replacement for your glasses or contacts rather than enjoying your time away.

Care Free Living

LASIK allows patients to go glasses free and still see without the discomfort that is often experienced with the use of contact lens. This typically comes into play when preparing for a special event like your wedding day. Brides are often disinterested in wearing their glasses on their wedding day however still want to be able to see, without the irritation of contact lenses. LASIK gives patients the opportunity to just get up and go without a care in the world. Imagine waking up and not having to consider the means at which you will see.

Cost Saving Solution

Another benefit of LASIK surgery comes from the money that is saved. It is estimated that Americans spend upwards of 30 billion dollars a year on eye care solutions each year. On average LASIK costs about $2,000 per eye which may seem costly however when you add the cost of yearly eye exams, contacts, glasses and the products to care for them properly you are spending upwards of $500 a year. Considering you will need these products for the rest of your life and LASIK is a one-time expense, the savings is seen relatively quickly.

Laser vision correction is becoming an incredibly popular surgical option to improve vision for a number of reasons. LASIK is convenient and allows people to pursue a comfortable and confident lifestyle. The many benefits that come from living a life without the addition of glasses and contacts allow us to see why laser vision surgery has become such a popular option to provide high quality vision.

November 12, 2018

Recovery After Lasik: What to Expect

LASIK is a common surgical procedure that is performed everyday throughout the United States. The biggest concern that most patients have surrounds recovery. It is important to note that although the surgery last only a few minutes per eye, the long-term recovery process, complete healing, can take upwards of six months. Here are some common side effects and how you can relieve them.

Overall Discomfort and Minor Pain

Most LASIK patients describe a certain level of discomfort during and after laser vision surgery. The most common sensations are light sensitivity, burning, or ripping. Some patients say they barely notice these symptoms while others find them to be quite bothersome. Symptoms can vary a great deal between what LASIK procedures and technique was used. This minor pain and overall discomfort should dissipate in about two to four hours after the surgery.

Redness

Redness is a normal side effect of laser vision surgery and recovery. Some patients experience dark red spots in the whites of their eyes for a couple of days after their surgery. These spots are very similar to bruising and can take weeks to completely disappear.

Dry Eyes

One of the most common symptoms after LASIK is dry eyes. More than fifty percent of patients express their need for eye drops after surgery. Surgeons will recommend you purchase eye drops before the surgery in addition to the prescription eye drops that are prescribed to prevent infection and inflammation.

After the procedure you will be required to meet with your surgeon the next day for a post-operative appointment. During this appointment you will have your vision checked and the ophthalmologist will check to make sure that your corneas are healing. This is the time to address any symptoms you are experiencing with your doctor. You will have several appointments throughout the healing process to verify that they process is occurring properly. The intervals for these appointments will be one month, three months, and six months. At the sixth month visit your eyes should be completely healed and your vision stabilized.

After surgery, to avoid complications, there are a number of activities that should be avoided including from wearing make-up to avoiding strenuous activities. It is also important to avoid getting soap and water in your eye and you should avoid swimming or any activity in which you submerse your head in water. Computer use should also be avoided or used cautiously.

October 25, 2018

Recovering from Cataract Surgery

Recovering from cataract surgery should be relatively short and unexciting especially when your health is good and there aren’t any other major issues with your eyes. Based on statistics, once a cataract has been removed your chances of an excellent outcome and sharper vision.

Cataract surgeries without complications most often takes under ten minutes from start to finish. Right after surgery patients will rest in a recovery room until the affects of sedation and anesthesia wear off. Recovery usually lasts anywhere between a half hour to an hour. You will not be able to see clearly right away so it is important to have someone available to drive you home after cataract surgery. Patients are given a pair of sunglasses for the ride home to protect their eyes from the sunshine and light glare.

Once patients are at home they are advised to take it easy for the rest of the day. Your surgeon will tell when you can take off the protective shield that has been placed over your eye. This is usually possible after several hours however, it is important to follow the instructions that you are given for your unique situation. Remember that you will need to use the protective shield when you are sleeping for protection while your eye is recovering from surgery. This will need to be done for several days.

Recovery Time

Your vision will appear cloudy and distorted for awhile once you have removed the shield from your eye. Your vision can take some time to adjust after the removal of a cataract. Once your eye adapts to the intraocular lens that has replaced your natural lens the cloudiness in your eye will disappear. However, during this process some patients mention that their vision is a bit wavy and distorted. If you experience this, it is important to note that it should last only about an hour.

After cataract surgery you may notice that your eyes are redder and bloodshot. This is temporary because of damage to the blood vessels on the surface of the white part of your eye that can occur during surgery. As your eye heals from cataract surgery this redness will disappear.

Many cataract patients report that their vision is clear within hours after surgery. This however, varies from patient to patient. Each person heals at a different speed. It is crucial that you do not rush your recovery. Even though some patients see clearly within hours of surgery some take as long as a week or two before they see sharp images.

Cataract patients will most often see their surgeon the day after their surgery to look for signs of complications. After this period, it will be up to each patient individually to contact their surgeon if they have concerns or don’t feel the improvement in their vision is occurring how they thought it would.

Some people report dry, scratchy eyes right after cataract surgery however, as your eye begins to heal this will slowly fade. About a month after cataract surgery patients are considered recovered and their eyes should be completely healed.

October 22, 2018

An Overview on Cataracts

What is a cataract?

Cloudiness over the natural lens of the eye, which sites in back of the iris and pupil is an eye disease known as CATARACTS.

Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss for people over forty. In fact, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness throughout the world. More cases of cataracts are diagnosed worldwide than diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and glaucoma put together. There are currently more than twenty-two million Americans over forty with cataracts which is expected to grow to over thirty million by the year 2020.

The Three Types of Cataracts

Subcapsular Cataracts: Subcapsular cataracts often affect people with diabetes or those taking high doses of steroid medication. This type of cataract occurs at the back of the lens.

Nuclear Cataracts: Nuclear cataracts are most often associated with aging and are located deep within the central zone, nucleus, of the lens.

Cortical Cataracts: Cortical cataracts start in the periphery of the lens and work toward the middle like the spoke of a wheel. This type of cataract occurs in the lens cortex. The lens cortex is the part of the lens that surrounds the center nucleus.

The Signs and Symptoms of Cataracts

At first a cataract has very little effect on your vision as it starts out small. Your vision may appear a bit hazy or blurred at first, as if you are looking at life through a cloud. If you start to notice you are seeing things a bit blurrier than you once did it may be time to have your eyes tested to see if your vision issues are caused by cataracts.

When you have a cataract light of all kinds, natural and artificial, may appear intense. When you are driving at night the headlight may glare more vividly than they previously had been seen. Depending on the type of cataracts that you have could determine the symptoms you have and when they will start to appear. When the most common cataract, nuclear, first begins to develop a temporary improvement in your close-up vision may occur. This is often referred to as “second site.” This vision improvement only occurs for a short period of time and disappears as the cataract continues to develop. Subcapsular cataracts, on the other hand, may not produce symptoms until it has developed completely.

To diagnosis cataracts you must schedule an appointment to meet with your ophthalmologist. Once they have completed a thorough eye exam they can suggest a treatment option, surgical or not.

October 12, 2018

Common Eyesight Problems That Are Solved with Laser Eye Surgery

Lasik surgery is not the cure all for every eye sight issue. Not every issue that you have with your vision will be solved with the same surgery; just like every ailment with your body can’t be solved by undergoing the same surgical procedure. In the article below we will educate patients on the most common eye issues that laser eye surgery, LASIK, can possibly remedy.

The three most common problems that patients are bothered by that can be treated with LASIK include: nearsightedness, farsightedness, and blurred vision. When you meet with your ophthalmologist they will measure your vision. Vision is measured using units known as diopter. If you are nearsighted this final number is expressed as a negative number whereas farsightedness is represented with a positive number.

Myopia – Nearsightedness

Many patients that are plagued by nearsightedness can find their vision corrected with LASIK surgery. LASIK eye surgery provides successful results to most patients suffering from Myopia however, severe cases may be told that laser surgery is not right for them. A consultation will be done to see where your vision lays on the spectrum to determine if LASIK is an option for you.

Hyperopia – Farsightedness

Although LASIK surgery is available to patients with farsightedness the consultation is a bit more in depth than it is for nearsightedness. The evaluation of patients goes into greater depths as it is important to determine the degree at which the cornea is flattened. With a flat cornea the eye is shorter than normal and causes object that are in the distance to focus behind the retina.

Astigmatism – Blurred Vision

Patients with blurred vision in one or both of their eyes most likely have a condition known as astigmatism. This occurs because of an uneven steepening of the cornea. Often this ailment can be corrected through LASIK surgery.

As previously stated, the first step in determining if the problem you are experiencing with your eyesight makes you a candidate for LASIK is to schedule a consultation to meet with the surgeon. Even if laser surgery is not an optimal treatment of your condition it is important for you to understand that you have other options, both surgical and non-surgical.

The professionals at Rohr Eye & Laser Center focus your treatment plan around achieving the best possible results for the candidate. If LASIK isn’t going to give you the result you are looking to achieve we will explore both surgical and non-surgical solutions that provide you with the vision of your dreams.

September 21, 2018

These Bad Habits Can Harm Your Eyes

Our eyes are arguably the most important of our five senses. Even though we know this there are a few bad habits that all of us are guilty of that can severely damage our eye sight. There are some bad habits that don’t really seem to pose a major threat like biting your fingernails but there are others like not flossing or smoking that can literally cause our teeth to fall out. When it comes to these 4 bad habits that affect our eye sight it is crucial that we take the steps necessary to stop the impact they have on our vision.

Screen Time

It is hard in the world that we live in now to not spend a ton of time in front of a screen. Whether its for work or pleasure, a cell phone, computer, or television the amount of time we spend focused on the screen can harm our eyesight. Screens emit a blue light that has been known to be a contributor of eye strain. To avoid the strain that screens put on your eyes it is advised to take frequent breaks throughout the day. This will help your eyes rest and prevent the strain from causing permanent damage to your eyesight.

Eye Rubbing

There are several reasons that rubbing your eyes can be harmful to your vision. First off, our hands are constantly touching surfaces that are covered with germs. These germs are easily transferred from our hands into our eyes exposing them to god knows what we have picked up along the way.

Cornea damage is also possible from the constant motion of rubbing your eyes. Damage done to your eyes cornea often results in the loss of vision. If you are rubbing your eyes to rid them of debris, it is important to remember that your eyes will automatically produce tears if your eye needs to wash away foreign elements your eye is exposed. To properly care for your vision, try to keep your hands away from your eyes as much as possible. If you find this impossible keep your hands clean using soap and water or anti-bacteria hand wash.

Sleeping with Makeup On

It is inevitable that after a late night we accidentally fall asleep with a full face of makeup on. Not only is this terrible for your complexion it can be incredibly harmful to your eyes. It is important to make a habit out of removing all makeup from your face at the end of the day. Makeup collects a wide range of bacteria throughout the day that transfers to your pillow case if not washed off properly. This greatly reduces your risk of developing an eye infection.

Forgetting Sunglasses

We have all heard about how UV rays affect our skin but what about our eyes? Sunglasses are a popular accessory that really are a necessity in protecting your eyes not only from the damaging UV rays but also to exposure of direct sunlight as well as wind. Damage from exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration.

Play it safe and head these warnings from local ophthalmologists on the harmful effects of improperly caring for your eyes.

September 10, 2018

Understanding the Basics of Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery, LASIK, is one of the most common eye surgeries performed in the United States, with millions of procedures being done every year. The procedure is performed by a trained, board-certified ophthalmologist who knows how to do the surgery. Like with any elective surgery you might have done, it is very important that you know all the risks, rewards and understands that there are no guarantees of success.

LASIK – Laser Eye Surgery

Weigh the Risks and Rewards – Be sure that before you go out and have LASIK refractive eye surgery that you have thought through everything completely. You never want to have any type of surgery without weighing everything first and be confident in your decision.

Choosing the Right Eye Surgeon – There are several thousand board-certified ophthalmologists who can perform LASIK and most have already performed thousands of them, depending on how long they have been in practice. However, you need to be sure that you are comfortable with your surgeon before you should allow them to perform a procedure on your eyes. Check around, ask for recommendations from friends and family members.

Determine Myopic Level – Get to know how bad your refractive error is beforehand, so you know upfront about the likelihood that you will need refinements later down the line. As a rule, the more Myopic, nearsighted you are the higher the likelihood you will require additional refinement procedures.

Know What to Expect – LASIK is performed with you 100% awake and therefore you will want to know what to expect during the procedures. You do not want to be surprised by something when you are halfway through your LASIK.

Understand the Risks – Be sure that you understand that with all surgeries that there are several risks involved with LASIK Eye Surgery. Make sure to ask plenty of questions of the surgeon during all consultation visits before you schedule the procedures to be performed.

Know the Limitation of Surgery – There are known limitations to LASIK Refractive Surgery, it is only designed to correct nearsightedness and astigmatism. You could still end up needing to wear glasses depending on your other vision issues. Also, LASIK will not prevent you from ever needing reading glasses or “readers” later in life.

Take Care Post Surgery – After you have decided to have the surgery done and the procedures are completed, you will be given a list of post-surgery care instructions. Be sure to follow them exactly, they will help you to heal properly and lets you know what some of the possibilities to expect.

Alternative Options – Last but, certainly not least, LASIK is just one of many eye procedures that can be performed to correct several eyesight issues. Be sure to discuss all your options before going with LASIK.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/ to schedule an appointment.