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LASER VISION
CORRECTION: LASIK and PRK (LASEK)
Laser vision correction may be the right choice for you if you are tired of
your glasses and contact lenses. Many people no longer want to be as
dependent on contact lenses and glasses to see well. In fact many people,
including professional athletes, have undergone laser vision correction so
that they are free to be more active.
Laser vision correction techniques use the "cold light" from an excimer laser
to reshape the cornea. The excimer laser was found to be ideal for
refractive surgery because it created no thermal damage and has accuracy up
to 0.25 microns. The beam of the excimer light is so fine, it would take
over 200 pulses to etch through a strand of human hair. The laser uses
ultraviolet light and high energy pulses lasting only a billionth of a
second. It is now being used to treat refractive errors in every advanced
country around the world. The excimer laser has been in use for over ten
years and has been found to be safe and effective.
Excimer laser vision correction treatment can be done in two ways. One
technique is photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK or LASEK) that treats the
surface of the cornea and another technique is called laser assisted in-situ
keratomileusis (LASIK). The LASIK technique combines the computer controlled
precision of the excimer laser with the benefits of another refractive
surgery technique called lamellar keratoplasty. During LASIK, an instrument
called a microkeratome makes a flap in the outer layer of the cornea and
then the excimer laser sculpts the internal corneal tissue. After the
treatment, the corneal flap is placed back in its original position, and
because of the cornea's natural bonding qualities stitches are usually not
required.
In general, people who seek laser vision treatment are unhappy with their
dependence on glasses or contact lenses. Some find contacts to be
inconvenient or uncomfortable. Others find that glasses interfere with their
active athletic lifestyle. Dependence on corrective lenses may limit career
opportunities. Fear of lost or broken eyewear can make individuals feel less
secure or even vulnerable. Laser vision treatment has passed extensive
scrutiny from public health agencies and medical professionals. Recently,
higher levels of nearsightedness (myopia) and astigmatism as well as
farsightedness (hyperopia) treatment has been approved by the FDA for
treatment.
Laser vision correction with the excimer laser is a safe and effective
surgery that normally results in clear and natural vision in most patients.
I fact, over 90 percent of patients see better than 20/40 without any
correction after treatment.
A detailed screening process is used to determine whether laser vision
treatment is suited to the condition of your eyes, your overall medical
situation and lifestyle. An important part of your evaluation includes a
corneal topography to determine the shape of the cornea. These measurements
may be distorted by contact lens wear. For this reason, your surgeon will
usually recommend that you discontinue your contact lens wear for two weeks
before your evaluation. Rigid contact lens wearers may require over a month
before there eyes are stable enough to get consistent readings to be used
for the laser. These measurements are very important for a successful
treatment.
Some experienced refractive surgeons believe that the optimum excimer laser
results are obtained using a fixed non-mobile (i.e. no 'roll-on roll-off")
laser with eye-tracking capabilities placed in a specially designed surgical
suite that is devoted to excimer laser vision correction only. Excimer
lasers can be very sensitive to changes in humidity and climate. Ideally,
the laser suite should have a special back-up power supply, a separate
air-conditioning, a de-humidifier and an air exhaust /filtration system.
Although many ophthalmologists offer laser vision correction, not all of
them have all these safety features in place.
Like all surgery laser vision correction surgery can have risks. Laser
vision treatment has passed extensive scrutiny from public health agencies
and medical professionals. Complications are less common in the hands of an
experienced corneal refractive surgeon. This is especially important with
the LASIK procedure, which could cause real harm in inexperienced hands.
If laser vision treatment interests you, perhaps it's time to take a look at
the cost of your options. Costs may vary, but lower costs may reflect the
use of a mobile laser in a facility that is not devoted and equipped for
laser vision correction at all times or follow-up care from a someone other
than your surgeon. In this case, your safety and care should be the first
consideration.
Your cost usually includes your initial consultation, thorough examination
and preparation, treatment and standard follow-up care. When comparing the
one time cost of laser vision correction to the ongoing cost of eyewear
dependence over a 20-year period, laser vision correction is projected to be
the less expensive option. In fact, the cost of wearing soft contact lenses
on average is well over $10,000 during this period of time!
Financing may allow you to pay less than three dollars a day per eye with
nothing down. In some cases, your health insurance plan may cover the cost
of laser vision treatment.
Home equity loans are another means of financing that can also offer some
tax advantages. An Employer Flexible Benefit Plan allows beneficiaries to
receive tax-free reimbursements for eligible health care expenses. Under
this plan, you pay for your laser vision treatment with pretax dollars,
which can reflect a considerable savings to you. (e.g. A $30,000 gross
salary with a $4000 treatment equals a tax savings of $1,196, which reduces
the effective cost to only $2,804). You can also contribute your laser
vision treatment costs to a federal tax deduction if you itemize your
medical and dental expenses.
Dr. David Cano is a Board certified ophthalmologist who is an expert on the
latest Laser Vision Correction technology and has unique experience and
training in PRK, LASEK and LASIK. Dr. Cano is a highly skilled surgeon who
has a combination of experience and formal fellowship training in corneal
and refractive surgery which makes him uniquely qualified to be a Laser
Vision Correction Specialist. Dr. Cano has had experience with the excimer
laser since 1994. He has published many excimer laser articles presented
many scientific lectures both nationally and internationally on this
subject.
Dr. Cano grew up in the Palm Beaches and is dedicated to quality eye care.
Dr. Cano, Dr. Manning and our office staff offer individual and personalized
ophthalmic care that is refreshing in today's health care environment. We
have the latest in corneal diagnostic equipment for your evaluation and only
use state-of-the-art excimer laser facilities with highly trained staff and
a non-mobile laser with eye tracking capabilities as well as built-in
safety/backup equipment with the capabilities of treating both
nearsightedness (myopia), astigmatism and farsightedness (hyperopia) in a
specially designed excimer laser center devoted only to laser vision
correction.
To learn more about Laser Vision Correction from one of the most experienced
excimer laser refractive surgeons in our area, call our knowledgeable staff
for more details about Dr. Cano and the laser technology that may make a
dearly visible difference in your life. You also may wish to schedule a free
Laser Vision Correction evaluation to learn if you are a candidate. If you
have questions or would like more information, please contact our office at
(561) 684-4773 or e-mail us
info@canovision.com or visit our website:
www.CanoVision.com.
Of course, laser vision correction is not an option for everyone. Other
problems with your eyes may be the cause of poor vision including cataracts,
glaucoma, diabetic eye problems, macular degeneration, dry eyes and corneal
disease. We can help you with obtaining new glasses or contact lenses if
refractive surgery is not an option for you. Our office provides
comprehensive ophthalmic care including treatment and surgery for many eye
diseases.
We now offer disposable bifocal contact lenses as an option for some as well
as the option of multi-focal intra-ocular lens implants through a procedure
called PRELEX. This is an elective surgery were the natural lens is replaced
with a multi-focal implant. This is an option for patients over 40 years of
age that have difficulty reading without reading glasses or bifocals. It is
also a great option for those patients that may not be a candidate for Laser
Vision Correction because of a high correction beyond the safe capabilities
of the excimer laser or have signs of cataract formation preventing the use
of the laser as an option for their treatment. Please feel free to ask our
staff regarding any of these surgical or non-surgical options to help you
see better.
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