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The LASIK Directory Blog

Welcome to the LASIK Blog, a resource for people interested in LASIK surgery. This consumer-friendly blog is intended to be used as a central resource to answer common questions about LASIK and to point you in the right direction.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Implanting an Artificial Eye?

Plans are afoot in some research centers to create a biocompatible artificial eye. The National Science Foundation has a webpage where you can see the current model and watch video explanations of how it is constructed.

The challenge being worked on at this time is using planar electronics, which up till now have only been functional on a flat surface, on a round surface like the human eye. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and at Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, have an electronic eye camera which has the same shape and dimensions as a human eye.

A Working Model

It has a clear "cornea" in front, with a lens behind that, and it sits on a small electronic board connected to a computer. It has 256 silicon photodetector pixels all connected by tiny wires which allow the entire surface to be curved without threatening to damage the silicon. It "takes pictures", or "obtains images" of what is around it.

It is basically like a digital camera except that it is on a curved surface. This curvature enables it to capture images in a similar way to the human eye, yielding "photos" superior in some ways to the flat photos we are familiar with.

It uses established materials rather than any new proprietary materials, and standard manufacturing processes. The researchers are therefore expecting that before very long, another model will be made with more than 256 pixels. That would be a higher density of pixels, since the dimensions of the "eye" would remain those of the human eye. A higher pixel density would yield more fine detail in its images.

The researchers are collaborating with others to explore how this type of technology could be used in healthcare monitors, therapeutic systems, and prosthetic devices such as artificial eyes.

Please see our article on How the Eye Works for more information.

If you would like to get help for your own vision, you can use the links at the base of this page to find an experienced and fully-qualified ophthalmologist in your area. For tips on how to choose a good ophthalmologist, you can read our article on How to Find an Eye Surgeon Near You.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Children's Eye Care in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has more than 40,000 blind children, which is about eight per 10,000 children. A further one million suffer from untreated refractive errors and eye diseases. Many of them are hard to locate, as either blindness keeps them within the home, or impaired vision prevents them from attending school.

A new program is being funded by ORBIS International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting blindness worldwide. It consists of vision clinics in some of the more remote schools of Bangladesh, where eye examinations are done and vision tests administered. Glasses are then made at a low price, or free for the poor. Cataract surgeries are done at no cost at an eye hospital in Mymensingh, one of the districts first established by the British in India in 1787. It is an area of intensively cultivated fields, many rivers, and nearby jungle. Mymensingh town is the district headquarters.

ORBIS has also established seven pediatric eye care centers throughout Bangladesh, in an effort to fill the gap of missing eye health services. The goal is to build 15 such centers. All parents are strongly encouraged to bring their children to one of these centers if they notice any abnormality of vision.

Girls Especially in Need

In particular, girls are neglected, as parents are intimidated by the social barrier that blocks medical care in general for girls. They also fear their money would not be well spent in that way. There are many projects begun now which provide financial help at hospitals so that children, and girls in particular, can receive the eye care they need.

Early intervention will prevent much blindness or near-blindness, and correct such childhood problems as lazy eye, childhood cataracts, and myopia. The Mymensingh hospital has an innovative approach to pediatric eye care and attracts people from other districts who have eye problems.

Childhood vision problems should indeed be corrected as soon as possible to avoid a lifetime of vision problems. If you notice any abnormality in your child's vision, such as frequent tilting of the head to see out of one eye, the eyes being directed in two different directions, or a persistent reluctance to read, please do not delay in seeking advice and care. You can use the links at the bottom of this screen to find a qualified eye doctor in your area.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Visian ICL Surging in Popularity

The Staar Surgical Company, based in Monrovia, CA, is a manufacturer of vision enhancement products. One of their products is currently in the news for its dramatic rise in popularity -- the Visian ICL[TM] (Implantable Collamer Lens).

What is the Visian ICL?

The Visian ICL is a contact lens which can be implanted to correct the eye's refractive error, and is an alternative treatment to LASIK. It was given FDA approval in December, 2005. Of the 1.4 million LASIK procedures that are performed annually in the U.S., the Visian ICL has so far captured less than one percent. But this gives it a lot of room to grow, and there is not a lot of competition.

Staar's shares have increased 72% in Nasdaq trading so far this year. Analysts are expecting sales this year of $80.7 million, and $90.5 million next year. That would bring it close to $100 million, at which point a larger company would probably want to buy it. The Visian ICL's technology is ingenious, making it an excellent product, and a company like Bausch & Lomb or Johnson & Johnson would likely want to acquire it.

A Worldwide LASIK Study

The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery issued a press release on March 6 this year announcing the results of the first review of world scientific literature in regard to LASIK. It was found that 95.4 percent of LASIK patients were pleased with their results. There have been 16.3 million patients worldwide, and this study focused on 19 peer-reviewed studies of 2,199 patients.

That leaves a bit under five percent of LASIK patients who have not been pleased with their results. LASIK procedures have recently slowed down in numbers. However, ICL surgeries increased about 50% during 2007, according to a MarketScope, LLC estimate.

The ICL procedure is fairly new, which means that there is no history of results comparable to that of LASIK, which was given FDA approval in 1995, ten years earlier than the Visian ICL. Consequently, one cannot make any direct comparison of the two vision correction methods and their relative success rates.

Visian ICL Benefits

The ICL is a reversible procedure, so that if your eyes change over the years, the ICLs can be replaced to match. They are made of collamer, a pure collagen copolymer which the body will not reject.

  • You would not feel or see the ICLs within your eyes
  • Your visual clarity would be vastly improved, as well as your vision quality -- no halos around lights, starbursts in low light conditions, etc.
  • Others would not be able to detect the presence of the ICLs in your eyes
  • Based on 55,000 eyes worldwide, the ICLs have an excellent safety record

If you would like to know more about the Visian ICL and whether it might be a better option for you than LASIK, the best course of action would be to consult with an experienced ophthalmologist.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

August Cataract Awareness Month

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is using the month of August for extra efforts in educating the public about cataracts and debunking popular myths about them.

Myth -- You can take a medication to treat cataracts.

No, there are no such medications.

Myth -- You can do eye exercises to get rid of cataracts.

No, exercises will have no effect.

Myth -- Cataracts have to "mature" or "ripen" before they can be removed.

No, they can be removed at any time,
and if cataracts are starting to interfere
with your freedom to live they way you want to live,
and do things you enjoy doing,
then now is the time to remove them.

Myth -- Cataracts are treated with a laser.

No, they are treated by removing the entire lens
and replacing it with an artificial lens.
Cataracts affect only the lens.The rest of
your eye may be perfectly healthy and normal.

Myth -- Good nutrition with vitamin supplements will prevent or treat cataracts.

Not really. In nations where poor nutrition is common,
improved diet and sometimes vitamin supplements
will help. But no studies have shown it
to be effective in the U.S.

What are cataracts?

They are small obscurities in the normally clear lens. As we grow older, the protein molecules clump together here and there, blocking some of the light entering the eye. Left untreated for long enough, they will cause blindness. There is so far no way to remove the cataracts from the lens, so the entire lens is removed. An intraocular lens (IOL) is positioned in its place, inside the same pocket behind the iris.

If you have not had your eyes checked for a few years, and you are about the age of 40, it's important to make an appointment. About 20.5 million Americans aged 40 or over have cataracts, and about 1.5 million cataract surgeries are done each year. That makes cataract surgery the most frequently performed surgery in the nation.

To find a fully-qualified and experienced eye surgeon in your area, please use the links at the bottom of this page or the drop-down menu at the top right corner.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Ocular Rosacea

Many of us have heard, or know first hand, about rosacea of the skin. It's not so well known that rosacea can affect the eyes as well. The causes are not fully understood for either type of rosacea, and there is no cure for either type. Each case of ocular rosacea is individual and it occurs in about 60 percent of skin rosacea cases.

Both types involve the blood vessels and inflammation. Ocular complications progress independently of any skin rosacea. Rosacea in general has been associated with ongoing dehydration, and with acid bodily fluids resulting from an acid diet. But research is ongoing and for each medical professional who supports any given treatment, another opposes it.

Common rosacea symptoms

Ocular rosacea features a gritty feeling as if there's a foreign body in the eyes. The eyelids may become swollen and inflamed, with small bumps and crusting. The eyes become bloodshot and in some cases the lashes fall out. The eyes are very sensitive to bright light, especially sunlight, and easily become dry.

Infection can develop in various parts of the eyes, such as:

  • The conjunctiva (lining of the eyelids) -- conjunctivitis
  • The iris (colored part) -- iritis
  • The cornea (clear front part) -- keratitis, which can lead to blindness

More severe symptoms

  • Growth of abnormal blood vessels on the cornea
  • Corneal infection
  • Corneal ulcers
  • Corneal perforation as a result of untreated corneal ulcers

Rosacea Treatment

Moisturizing eyedrops can be used several times a day to combat dryness, but be sure those drops have no preservative in them, as that chemical can increase redness and irritation.

  • Antibacterial eyedrops can be used to combat infection
  • Tetracycline can be given systemically to decrease bacteria throughout the body
  • Steroid eyedrops are sometimes given in severe cases
  • Tear drainage ducts can be surgically plugged in a reversible procedure
  • Those ducts can be cauterized, meaning permanently blocked

You can read more at the International Rosacea Foundation. To find an ophthalmologist in your area, please use the drop-down menu at the top right of this page, or the links below.

 
Click on a link to find a LASIK surgeon in that state.

Disclaimer: The content on our website and this page about LASIK surgery is for informational purposes only. To learn more about LASIK surgery in your area and situation, please contact a LASIK surgeon above or click here to let us find an eye doctor for you.