Video Game Detects Vision Problems in Children

More than 150 million Americans need corrective lenses to help with refractive error conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. A considerable number of these people are children. Approximately five million elementary school children suffer from vision problems. Unfortunately, roughly 80% of children never receive an eye exam.

Most common vision disorders, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can easily be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or LASIK surgery. But if your child never receives an eye examination, he or she may go for years without addressing the problem.

It is extremely important to evaluate eye problems in children at an early age. If their vision disorders go undetected, it can lead to long-term problems in school and in social situations. A new video game has recently come out that makes eye screening both easy and enjoyable for children.

The game Eye Spy can help ophthalmologists discover refractive errors in children. The game is a treasure hunt. Special glasses with red and blue lenses are worn to aid in the vision screening process. The lenses are different colors to guarantee that each eye is evaluated individually.

While an eye exam with an ophthalmologist will generally cost around $75 per child, you can get the game for only $5. It doesn't take a math teacher to figure out that you are getting a great deal with the video game.

It is important to note that the FDA has only approved LASIK surgery for people over the age of 18. If your child suffers from a vision problem, he or she will need to wear glasses or contact lenses until the age of 18 before considering LASIK as an option.

LASIK Helps Man Become Fighter Pilot

Capt. Yishai has been in the Israeli military for ten years, but until recently, his poor vision prevented him from achieving his lifelong goal of becoming a military pilot. But thanks to LASIK surgery, that is all about to change.

In 2005, Yishai had laser eye surgery performed to correct his poor vision. As a result, he has recently been accepted into the Israeli Air Force's pilot program. This Thursday, he will graduate, making him the first Israeli pilot ever to have undergone LASIK.

At the age of 18, Yishai entered the Israeli Defense Force. After four years of service and the completion of two university degrees, he was accepted into the Air Force's Flight Testing Center as an engineer. His vision still prevented him from flying planes.

At the time of his laser eye surgery, the Israeli Air Force still did not accept LASIK patients into the pilot course. However, shortly thereafter, the U.S. Navy began allowing soldiers who had undergone LASIK to become pilots. Inspired by the American change in military pilot policy, Yishai decided to apply for the pilot course.

It took him 18 months of hard work and fighting through rejection letters before he was finally accepted into the course. His perseverance will most likely pave the way for many other Israeli soldiers whose dream of becoming a pilot had been squashed due to poor vision.

You can use the links at the bottom of this page to find a qualified LASIK surgeon in your area.

AMO Issues Recall for Eye Surgery Syringes

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) has issued a recall of its Healon D Ophthalmic Viscosurgical Device (OVD) due to contamination issues.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that many ophthalmologists using the product noticed an inflammation in their patients immediately following eye surgery. The syringes have been used in conjunction with cataract surgery, corneal transplant surgery, and glaucoma filtration surgery.

The FDA commenced the recall when clinical tests determined that the device contained endotoxin levels that were overly high, increasing patient risk of Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS). If not treated promptly, this condition will cause permanent eye damage.

This is a Class I recall, which means that the product is very likely to cause serious injury or death.

AMO has previously issued a recall for another of their eye care products, Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solution. This recall was also due to contamination issues with the product. Their Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solution led to severe eye infections and permanent eye damage in victims.

Corneal Functioning

Your cornea is a clear, dome-shaped surface covering the front of your eye. Unlike other bodily tissues, the cornea does not have any blood vessels to protect it from infection. Instead, it relies on tears and the aqueous humor in your eye for nourishment and protection.

There are five layers of the cornea. All play a major role in its proper functioning. The epithelium is the outer layer of the cornea, and accounts for approximately 10% of its thickness. Its purpose is to block the entrance of substances such as dust, bacteria, or water into the rest of the cornea and other parts of your eye, and to absorb nutrients from tears and oxygen. This layer is very sensitive to abrasions.

The Bowman's layer is beneath the epithelium, and is made up primarily of collagen. Damage to Bowman's layer can cause scarring which may contribute to vision loss. The Stroma is the next layer, and accounts for almost 90% of your cornea's thickness. It provides your cornea with its strength, elasticity, and form, and it is integral in your cornea's light-conducing abilities.

The Descemet's membrane lies below the Stroma. It is a thin tissue providing your eye protection from infection and damage. The endothelium is the inner layer of your cornea. Its purpose is to conduct excess fluid out of the Stroma. If these cells are destroyed, they cannot be replaced. Endothelium damage can lead to blindness, and a corneal transplant is the only way to correct the problem.

Your cornea is responsible for transmitting the light that will be focused by your retina. If your cornea is shaped irregularly, images will not focus properly on your retina. This leads to many of the most common vision disorders, such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.

LASIK surgery can help correct corneal irregularities to improve your vision. The procedure uses an excimer laser to reshape your cornea, enabling images to focus properly on your retina. In order to be a candidate for LASIK, your cornea must meet minimum levels of thickness. Your ophthalmologist will conduct a thorough eye exam to make sure that you are an ideal candidate.

You can use the links at the bottom of this page to find a qualified LASIK surgeon in your area.

Wavefront LASIK

Advances in LASIK technology have made the procedure much safer and more accurate in its correction of corneal irregularities.

Wavefront LASIK, also called Custom LASIK, uses a computerized system to create a 3D map of your cornea's shape. This allows for greater precision during your laser eye surgery.

There are several advantages to the Wavefront procedure. It enables your ophthalmologist to correct for higher order aberrations as well as lower order aberrations. Wavefront is also much more versatile than older forms of LASIK technology. It can be used with people who have thin corneas and severe astigmatism.

Perhaps the most important advantage Wavefront technology offers you is a more precise correction of your vision. You are much more likely to achieve vision closer to 20/20 with Wavefront. Also, it more effectively reduces your risk of halos, glare, blurry vision, and other night vision complications associated with traditional LASIK.

Currently, there are four Wavefront LASIK systems approved by the Food and Drug Administration: the LADARVision CustomCornea, the Technolas 217z Zypotix, the AMO VISX S4 CustomVue, and the Allegretto Wave Excimer Laser System.

You can use the links at the bottom of this page to find a qualified LASIK surgeon in your area.