Setting the Stage

Article By Stephen G. Slade, MD

Medical practitioners, and ophthalmologists in particular, always keep an eye toward the future (pun intended), constantly devising and evaluating innovations that may better serve our patients’ needs. Although corneal refractive surgery received much of the attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the focus has been shifting in recent years back to the cataract market with the advent of refractive and presbyopia-correcting IOLs. Cataract surgery is an enormous industry. Each year in the United States, more than 3,000,000 cataract surgeries are performed translating to a billion dollar market for industry alone. Medicare still holds about two-thirds of the patients, although that percentage may shift as the nation adopts new healthcare laws.

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The baby boomer population is entering the cataract age, and these individuals will be candidates for cataract and presbyopic treatments for years to come. In fact, it is likely that ophthalmic residents who are earning their medical licenses now will be treating baby boomers for the rest of their careers. Are we ready for them? Although cataract patients are becoming more like their refractive counterparts in terms of demanding excellent visual quality and spectacle independence, data adapted from the latest FDA trials for the Crystalens AO IOL (Bausch + Lomb, Rochester, NY) and the WaveLight Allegretto Wave excimer laser (Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, TX) show that cataract surgery does not give patients the same quality of uncorrected visual acuity as LASIK (Figure 1 [slide 7]). Yet, many baby boomers have already had LASIK surgery and expect that they will be able to see prefectly without spectacles after cataract surgery as well. Can we meet this expectation? We need to prepare ourselves for the coming boon and set the stage for meeting these patients’ demands, or else we risk disappointing our patients.

Currently, only 20% of the more than 8,000 eye surgeons in the United States consider themselves cataract and refractive surgeons, and approximately 6,000 U.S. surgeons say they only perform cataract surgery. Any ophthalmologists implanting presbyopia-correcting IOLs such as the Crystalens Accommodating IOL should consider themselves a refractive-cataract surgeon and need to organize their practices as such. For those practitioners who have not yet adopted these lenses, it is wise to do so in this changing healthcare climate. For surgeons in both camps, this monograph presents data, surgical techniques, and patient-management strategies regarding the use of the Crystalens AO IOL based on years of clinical experience. Hopefully, the information is valuable no matter what type of practice you have.

LASIK Orange County – Harvard Eye Associates in Orange County, California specializes in LASIK laser vision correction.

Harvard Eye Associates – About LASIK

Harvard Eye feels it is vital to the welfare of their patients that they research and understand the LASIK procedure before making the decision to undergo it. Harvard Eye suggests beginning with an understanding of conventional LASIK, which is the ablation pattern available on most lasers to directly treat the patient’s cornea. The conventional LASIK treatment is based upon the patient’s glasses prescription, with fixed treatment parameters for each patient. This type of LASIK treatment is effective for most patients but can result in more visual aberrations such as glare, halos, and night vision issues than other forms of laser treatment.

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Harvard Eye goes on to explain that there are a variety of different types of lasers used in ophthalmology. All LASIK procedures are performed with a specific type of laser. While all LASIK procedures are similar, there are a variety of different laser manufacturers, including Alcon, Nidek, Bausch & Lomb, Visx, and Wavelight. Harvard Eye specifically mentions that each of these offers its own unique features, including patented excimer laser designs. There are also specialized types of laser ablations that can be performed, including conventional laser treatments, wavefront-optimized treatments, and wavefront-guided treatments – each has its appropriate applications. Most recently, a completely different type of laser design has been developed wherein instead of a mechanical microkeratome to create the LASIK corneal flap, the femtosecond laser does all the work for better precision.

Harvard Eye has performed over 100,000 refractive procedures, and takes great pride in prescribing just the right procedure for each patient, while utilizing the most advanced techniques and technology available. They invite you to call for your free, no-hassle, no-obligation LASIK consultation:

LASIK Orange County – Harvard Eye Associates in Orange County, California specializes in LASIK laser vision correction.

Harvard Eye Offers Expert LASIK Advice

Harvard Eye wants each of their patients to be informed and understand the LASIK procedure before making a commitment. To be a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, their patients must meet the physical, health and age criteria. Harvard Eye wants you to fully understand the LASIK procedure and be aware of any risks and possible side effects. Harvard Eye is offering some guidelines may assist in a general estimation of your suitability for LASIK surgery. However, a consultation with Harvard Eye would be necessary to determine whether you are fully qualify as a LASIK candidate.

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Harvard Eye explains that LASIK has definite physical, health and age criteria, which must be met before a patient can be considered for LASIK. This includes:

1. Healthy eyes
2. Age of at least 18 years
3. Stable eyeglass prescription for at least one year
4. Vision within the correctable range

Harvard Eye further explains that you are not a candidate for LASIK if you:

1. Have a history of eye disease or injury
2. Have a history of any autoimmune disease
3. Take prescription medications that may affect healing or vision
4. Are pregnant or nursing

Harvard Eye feels is it vital that their patients understand the LASIK procedure and thoroughly read the literature they gives you. Harvard Eye encourages you to ask questions to cover all of your concerns. Harvard Eye has performed over 100,000 successful refractive surgeries; they care deeply about each of their patients and work diligently to stay on top of the most modern techniques and technology. If you are interested in understanding what LASIK can do for you, please call our office now for your free, no-obligation, no-hassle LASIK consultation.

Orange County LASIK – Harvard Eye Associates in Orange County, California specializes in LASIK laser vision correction.

Monovision LASIK

Harvard Eye understands that if you have developed noticeable presbyopia symptoms, you may not want to wear reading glasses, bifocals or contact lenses anymore. Harvard Eye suggests that if your are under age 50 and have not begun to develop cataracts, monovision LASIK may be a good option for you to consider. This is especially true if you are also nearsighted or astigmatic.

Harvard Eye explains that like ordinary LASIK eye surgery, monovision LASIK can also correct existing refractive errors besides presbyopia, including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. If you’ve had LASIK before, you can still have monovision LASIK correction as a touch-up procedure, sometimes called an LASIK enhancement.

Harvard Eye has performed well over 100,000 successful refractive eye surgeries, and prides themselves on providing their patients with the kind of care they would want for any member of their own family. We invite you to talk with Harvard Eye about whether monovision LASIK may be right for you.

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Harvard Eye utilizes the same technologically advanced equipment for monovision LASIK as with other LASIK surgeries – a highly specialized laser-called an excimer laser – to reshape the cornea and give you focused vision. The excimer laser emits pulses of concentrated cool, invisible ultraviolet light. When targeted to specific areas on the cornea, it precisely and gently reshapes the cornea by removing extremely tiny amounts of tissue without disturbing other tissue.

Unlike during conventional LASIK surgery, Harvard Eye corrects your vision with monovision LASIK by correcting one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision. Your brain adjusts to focus on a selected image, so you see well at near or far distances. If you haven’t experienced monovision but are interested in trying this approach, Harvard Eye can help you try monovision in advance by fitting you with specialized contact lenses. Harvard Eye may suggest this as an important step to confirm you would be able to adjust easily.

If you are interested in further information about LASIK and finding out if you are a good candidate for this amazing procedure, we invite you to call our office right now for your hassel-free, no-obligation FREE LASIK consultation.

LASIK Orange County- Harvard Eye Associates in Orange County, California specializes in LASIK laser vision correction.