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We have developed this web site to reflect our personal approach to the conditions correctable by
refractive surgery. We hope our commitment to your individualized care is realized through this site.
This frustrating visual defect is a result of an irregular curvature of the cornea, which prevents
light rays from converging on the retina. Some rays focus on the retina, while others focus in front
of or behind it, resulting in blurred vision - and an unnecessarily poor quality of life.
Astigmatism is congenital or can be caused by disease, injury, or after Cataract Surgery. It may be alleviated with corrective
lenses in many cases, however, more permanent results can be achieved through refractive procedures
such as LASIK or RK-AK which are described in detail elsewhere in this web site.
Poor vision from cataracts affects sixty percent of all adults over age 60. A cataract is the
development of opacity and the clouding of the lens of the eye, resulting in glare, hazy vision,
and loss of contrast. Although generally considered a symptom of aging, cataracts can affect all
ages - often occurring as a result of injury, heredity, or medications.
The remedy is to remove the diseased part of the lens and replace it with an artificial lens called
an intraocular lens.
This procedure can be performed at any time a person has symptoms that affect his or her lifestyle.
Recent advances that allow microincisions and placement of foldable intraocular lenses have made
cataract surgery a highly controlled procedure with a great level of safety.
The lens implant alone can achieve good vision without glasses. However, RK, AK, or Lasik can further
enhance vision if needed. To fine-tune the eyes for both good reading and distance vision, one eye
is selected, usually the dominant eye, for distance the other for near. This is called monovision,
and can provide excellent results for a properly selected candidate. However, for patients who require
even more "precise" vision correction, we can implant a multifocal lens called an Array Lens.
Cataract surgery is most often performed under local or topical anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
Recent developments such as no-stitch surgery, topical anesthesia, surgical correction of astigmatism,
and new lens designs have contributed to an overall success rate of 98 percent, which translates to
an improved quality of life for millions of Americans who are now enjoying independence through
improved vision and the ability to drive, work, watch TV, and walk safely.
Farsightedness (hyperopia) can keep you further away from the world around you, literally! If you suffer from farsightedness, you know how frustrating it can be to get too close to things, especially when your "reading glasses" aren't within reach!
Our practice has had great success treating farsightedness with LASIK, which is described in detail
elsewhere in this web site. This procedure uses a fine laser beam to flatten the peripheral cornea,
causing a secondary steepening in the central cornea. The results are highly significant.
Although there is no approved laser correction to equal bifocal vision at the present time, we have
found that implant surgery is highly effective for properly selected candidates. We use an implant
called an array lens, the only approved multifocal implant for this procedure. There are multiple lens
designs being developed for the future.
For other patients we have done monovision corrections, using one eye for reading and the dominant eye for distance. This is done routinely with contact lenses and is successful many times. All patients are tested with contacts prior to laser.
It can affect you on the highway, in a classroom, or at a show. Nearsightedness can not only be frustrating, but it can be dangerous as well.
Nearsightedness (myopia) occurs when the focus of light falls short of the retina. Glasses or contacts can provide relief by bending light to focus on the retina, making images clearer - and Refractive Surgery can accomplish this by actually reshaping the cornea.
Our procedure of choice to correct nearsightedness is LASIK, which is described in detail elsewhere in this web site. Lasik uses a fine laser to precisely reshape the cornea, layer by layer. The results are almost instantaneous and have been absolutely remarkable.
Patients with minor myopia, as well as patients who are older or desire a less costly alternative to Lasik, may opt to undergo Radial Keratotomy (RK), an in-office procedure that has achieved results comparable to LASIK in many cases.
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