Health Chats
Eye Care: LASIK Surgery
Tuesday Jan 26, 2010, 05:00PM - 06:00PM (EST)
At Lasik<b><i>Plus</b></i> we know your vision changes throughout your life. But the importance of caring for your eyes and maintaining your sight never goes away. With constant advances in technology, more people can now be considered excellent candidates for laser vision correction than ever before. Whether it’s the hassle and expense of glasses or contacts, health issues, or the desire to focus on what’s most important to you, you have your own unique reasons for considering laser vision correction. <br><br>
Everyone’s eyes are different, and not every procedure is appropriate for everyone. Having helped a million people nationwide through this process, we at Lasik<b><i>Plus</b></i> have a lot of information to share with you. <br><br>
If you are considering LASIK surgery, or just want to learn more about the procedure, join Omar E. Awad, MD as he answers your questions regarding laser eye surgery. You can also call one of our Lasik<b><i>Plus</b></i> specialists anytime at 1-866-921-2179 or visit us on the web at <a href="http://clk.atdmt.com/CHI/go/147163270/direct/01/" target="_blank">www.LasikPlus.com</a>. We look forward to hearing from you!
Omar E. Awad, MD:
The best treatment for undercorrection is to have what is oftent called an "enhancement" procedure, which is a second procedure, to correct the rest of the prescription.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If your original surgery was in 2006 and you have a thinner cornea, we would likely recommend a PRK surgery for the enhancement. This preserves the thickness of the cornea, and does not risk any problems with the LASIK flap that was created several years ago. Check out your local LASIK center to see if you would be a candidate for this.
Vic110:
Hi, Would you suggest laser eye surgery if I have Adenovirus?? I've had it for 13 months and it is dormant at the moment. Thank you.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Adenovirus is the virus that causes pink eye
Omar E. Awad, MD:
There are different strains of adenovirus, and the more virulent ones can cause both a pink eye as well as a lingering cornea infection. If you've had it for over a year, I suspect you had cornea involvment.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If the virus is dormant, and you are off of all anit-inflammatory eye drops, and you don't have any significan scarring of the cornea from the infection, then you may be a candidate for laser eye surgery. I'd recommend checking with you eye doctor, or visiting your local LASIK center to find out. Best wishes to you!
sharkgirl503:
I have worn contact lenses for about 13 years, but have recently been diagnosed with corneal exhustion syndrome and it looks like I need to permanently discontinue contact lens use. I hate wearing glasses! My Dr. says that the corneal exhaustion problem may make me at higher risk for complications after LASIK. Is that your opinion as well?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
It looks like either way you may have to wear glasses for a while. This will let your eyes recover from the the changes caused by the long-term contact lens use.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Once your eyes are back to their "normal" state, then you may be a candidate for laser vision correction.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
I once followed a patient monthly for 7 months after removing contacts, and then did a successful LASIK. Hopefully your eyes will recover faster, but I would give them at least 6 weeks before checking if you'd be a good candidate for LASIK>
Nerrad:
I have Keratoconus...am I eligible for LASIK? If not, are there other procedures that can help me?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Ahh - keratoconus - my second favorite topic!
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If you truly have keratoconus, then you should not have any surgical procedure that thins the cornea.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Keratoconus itself can cause a progressive thinning and warping of the cornea, and this could be hastened if you had a LASIK.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If the keratoconus is progressing, then I often choose a procedure called corneal rings (Intacs) which add substance and support to the already weak cornea. There is a clinical trial underway for a chemical treatment that also can strengthen the cornea (called collagen cross linking) but so far this is not FDA-approved in the USA yet.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Some people who have keratoconus and are highly nearsighted can have the implantable contact lens (ICL) to correct the high level of nearsightedness.
Sarah_Beautiful:
I had my lasik surgery a month ago but still my left eye is blurry. My doc says it will improve in time but I am worried whether it will improve or not. What can I do to improve my eyesight?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Keep using your drops as directed. Especially the artificial tear drops.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If your eye is dry despite frequent tears, you may need a prescription eye drop for dry eye.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Another possibility is that you may be either overcorrected or undercorrected. If that is the case, you will need to wait about 3 months from the procedure to see where your prescription is, then you may be eligible for an enhancement.
nursegirl6572:
Dr. Awad, Thank you for taking time to answer my question. I am interested in Lasik surgery. I am near-sighted with astigmatism bilaterally, wearing corrective lenses since age 12 (am now 37). I had been a "gas-permeable" contact wearer with no issues for about 20 years until I became pregnant with my son (now 4), and have never been able to tolerate the contacts since. Therefore, I have two questions....one, what would cause the sudden intolerance of contacts and would that affect if I would be a candidate for the surgery or not? I have no major medical history, other than asymptomatic MVP, and depression/anxiety issues. Lastly, is there a resource available to find a qualified surgeon in my area, and how does one research thoroughly to find a good surgeon (what types of questions should be asked?)? I thank you very much!
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Lots of good questions here!
Omar E. Awad, MD:
With pregnancy comes lots of changes in the hormone levels, and this can often lead to either dry eyes or contact lens intolerance.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If you've been out of contacts for 4 years and you don't feel that your eyes are particularly dry, then you may now be a good candidate for LASIK.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
In choosing a LASIK surgeon, there are numerous questions you could ask, but one thing I find helpful is to ask other people where they went and find out if they are satisfied. The most important thing is for you to feel comfortable with your surgeon and their facility & staff.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
The FDA has a web page dedicated to LASIK and has suggestions for how to find the right doctor for you.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
Here is the link http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/ucm061325.htm
thepcmanger:
Are there any known long term side effects?
Omar E. Awad, MD:
The best effect is being able to see clearly without glasses or contact lenses!
Omar E. Awad, MD:
That said - LASIK has been studied for about 20 years, and the long term studies indicate that the procedure is stable over time.
Vic110:
Yes I have "spots" on my eyeball still - only right eye affected. I was told the virus would never go away.
Omar E. Awad, MD:
If your vision is correctable to 20/20, and the spots are not in your line of vision, I think you may be a candidate, provided the virus is completely dormant.
