In October 2006, Dr. Joseph Dello Russo shared the results from a vision safety study that for the first time indicated that LASIK is safer than contact lenses.

According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, October 2006 edition, researchers have confirmed that LASIK surgeries performed in 2006 were safer than contact lens use. Sight threatening infections from contact lens use occur in 1 in 2,000 contact lens wearers, whereas the study confirms that only one in 10,000 patients risk significant vision loss due to complications from LASIK, making LASIK the safest elective procedure being performed today.

Recently, a large study of more than 32,000 U.S. Armed forces members who had an eye laser surgery found no vision loss greater than two lines in 18,000 procedures performed over ten years.

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Did you already know that LASIK surgery was found to be safer than wearing contact lenses? Or is this statistic a surprise to you?

Story & image from www.HealthNewsDigest.com

A new study published this year in the American Journal of Ophthalmology compared patient outcomes achieved during LASIK surgery. The study sought to uncover the differences in results achieved by traditional LASIK (using the hand-held microkeratome blade to create the cornea flap) versus custom LASIK (which creates the cornea flap using computer-guided wavefront technology).

All participating patients who underwent either traditional or custom LASIK were able to achieve 20/20 vision or better as a result of their LASIK procedure. However, patients of custom LASIK were more likely to experience greater sensitivity to light and contrast differences.

Dr. Marc Werner, an ophthalmologist at Stahl Eye Center said, "Frequently in medicine, when you gain something such as safety, you can sacrifice results. Not in this case, where we get both improved safety and excellent results. In a sense, patients can have their cake and eat it, too."

The FDA approved the CustomVue Monovision device.

Daniel Schultz, M.D., director of FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health said, "The approval of the CustomVue Monovision LASIK expands permanent vision correction options for nearsighted adults who also have trouble focusing on objects close-up." He added, "Unlike traditional LASIK, Monovision LASIK may reduce the need for reading glasses in some people over 40."

The FDA is requiring to Advanced Medical Optics 500 patient who undergo the treatment to make sure the procedure causes no significant amount of cases vision problems.

Anyone who has had a bad experience with this procedure is urged by Consumer Affairs to report it.

Research performed at the University of Illinois at Chicago showed no significant difference in levels of safety experienced by patients whose ages ranged from 40 - 69 years old.

Dr. Dimitri Azar co-authored the study based on 710 consecutive laser eye surgeries he performed between 1999 & 2005. He concluded that LASIK correction for near-sightedness and far-sightedness has reasonable safety, efficacy and predictability.

More details of this new LASIK study at news-medical.net

Though pilots will largely benefit from undergoing the LASIK procedure, the Air Force eye clinic's program is not just limited to pilots.

More on this story at BloggerNews.

A femtosecond is a measure of time. Let's put this tiny measurement of time in perspective: the difference between a femtosecond and a second is the difference between a second and about 32 million years.

A femtosecond laser is now being successfully used in LASIK surgery as a means to treat secondary hyperopia resulting from previous RK surgery.

The study, posted in the July issue of Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, claimed that most complications occurred in patients whose eyes already had more than eight existing RK incisions.

More femtosecond LASIK statistics taken from the study.

The Vision Council of America released a report June 26 that found vision problems cost U.S. businesses an estimated $8 billion each year in lost productivity. California, Florida, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, and North Carolina were the states with the highest costs to employers.The report also found that 11 million Americans have correctable vision problems (such as refractive errors, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration).

Uncorrected vision problems could be limiting your ability to maintain a competitive productivity level at work. And if you aren't competitively productive in your work environment, you run the risk of be passed up for promotions or raises, and your performance reviews may be suffering as well.

One clinical study recommended that employees wear computer glasses while working in front of their PC.In fact, the entire field of occupational optometry is dedicated to improving visual functionality to increase work productivity.

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Are employees with poor vision less likely to receive promotions? Has it already happened to you? Do you disagree with this completely?

There has been a lot of press lately about lens implants. Before undergoing surgery be sure you weight out all the potential risks. Get a second opinion. Find out for sure if LASIK or other vision correction procedures are possible options.

If you have already looked into phakic lenses, then you may already know that it is way more expensive than LASIK. How much more expensive.
Phakic implants can cost around $9000.

Even if you've already had an initial phakic consultation, take a look below at some potential phakic implant risks. I don't make any claims that this is an exhaustive list of risks. Other complications may be possible. Consult your doctor to find out more.

Phakic Lens Implant Risks

Vision loss. Some patients who underwent phakic lens implant surgery have lost vision as a result. These patients have not been able to regain their vision or correct it with glasses, contact lenses, or even another surgery. The amount of vision loss varies, and may be severe.

Debilitating visual symptoms. Some patients reported developing halos, double vision, glare, and/or decreased vision while in the presence of low level lighting. These symptom can cause difficulty with performing routine tasks, including driving, especially at night or in fog.

Increased intraocular pressure. After surgery, you may develop increased pressure inside your eye. This complication may require surgery or medication to control. Sometimes, long-term glaucoma treatment is necessary. In addition, if the pressure remain at too high a level, you may lose vision.

Necessary additional eye surgery. Your phakic lens implants may need to be replaced, repositioned, or removed if complications occur. These additional surgeries could be necessary for your safety or to improve your visual function. If your lenses have incorrect strength, then you may need a phakic lens exchange.

Your lens may require repositioning, removal, or replacement, if the lens does not stay in place, is the incorrect size, and/or causes debilitating visual symptoms. And every additional surgical procedure has its own risks.

You may be under treated or over treated. A number of treated patients do not achieve 20/20 vision after surgery. The strength of the implanted phakic lens may not match the patient's needs exactly.

Why would an implanted lens be incorrect? It's actually very difficult to determine exactly what power lens you need. What does this mean you for someone who has undergone lens implantation? It means that you will probably still need glasses or contact lenses to perform at least some tasks. You may need glasses for reading, even if you did not need them before surgery. You may also need a second surgery to replace your current lens with another, if the power of your original implant was too far from what you actually needed.

No long-term data available. Phakic lenses are a new technology and have only recently been approved by the FDA. Therefore, there may be other risks to having phakic lenses implanted that we don't yet know about.

Know what to expect before, during, and after your LASIK procedure.

You won't be allowed to wear contact lenses for several days prior to your evaluation and surgery. If you do not usually go for an extended period of time without wearing contact lenses, be sure to plan accordingly for those days.

Arrange for transportation - to and from both the exam and the surgery. You will need to have someone drive you home after surgery your procedure.

Read and understand the informed consent form. Has your doctor given you an informed consent form to take home? Be assertive about getting all of your questions answered.

Do not wear makeup before your surgery. Prepare to go 24-36 hours without makeup prior to your surgery.

Plan to take a few days to recover - can you take time off to take it easy for a couple of days if necessary? If needed, be prepared to miss work after the exam the surgery.

Expect not to see clearly for a few days. It is normal for clear vision not to return immediately.

Before your surgery, become familiar with the sights, smells, sounds of the practice that will be performing the surgery. Your doctor should help feel comfortable with the actual steps of the procedure.

Be prepared to take eye drops/medications. You must be will and able to put drops in your eyes at regular intervals.

Be prepared to wear an eye shield for protection. You will need to protect your eye(s) for a time period after surgery to avoid injury to sensitive areas.

Discuss with your doctor the level of pain or discomfort you can expect.

Ask your doctor to describe for you early warning signs of potential problems after surgery. Know when to seek help and when to seek medical intervention.

Know when to realistically expect your vision to stop changing. Although rapid recovery is the norm, final vision improvements may occur months after your surgery.

Make sure your refraction is stable before undergoing any further surgery. If you don't get the desired result right away, it is important not to have an enhancement procedure until your prescription stops
changing.

Deciding to get LASIK surgery is an important decision. Finding the right doctor to perform your LASIK procedure is equally important.

Evaluate your doctor based on experience, equipment, willingness to provide information, degree of long-term care provided, and your level of comfort at with the doctor, staff, & practice.

Experienced
How many eyes has your doctor performed LASIK surgery on with the same laser?

Equipment
Does your doctor use an FDA-approved laser for the procedure you need?

Informative
Is your doctor willing to spend the time to answer all your questions?

Long-term Care
Does your doctor encourage follow-up and management of you as a patient? Your preop and postop care may be provided by a doctor other than the surgeon.

Be Comfortable
Do you feel you know your doctor and are comfortable with an equal exchange of information?