Laser Vision Correction is a procedure many turn to when looking to correct visual problems. Often times patients are tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses and are looking for an alturnative to help change their life. Laser Vision Correction also know as LASIK or PRK is a quick twenty mintue procedure. At Morris Eye Group we have four full time Ophthalmologists that perform the procedure. At Morris Eye Group we pride ourselves in taking the time to really get to know our patients and their visual history. We spend a lot of time reviewing the patient’s chart and their test results before deciding if someone is a candidate. Often times more than one doctor will review the chart and many of our ophthalmologists collaborate before making any medical decisions. Laser Vision Correction is a great option for many individuals, especially those living in the costal community of Encinitas and San Diego. Many patients find that after LASIK they are able to live a more active lifestyle due to the fact that they are not being bothered by contact lens issues. If you are interested in a free laser vision correction consultation please call our office to schdule an appointment. We have availability in both Encinitas and Oceanside.
When light reaches an angled surface it will bend. Convex surfaces bend light toward the center, and concave surfaces bend light away form the center. This phenomenon of bending light is called refraction. Your eye has many different angles that refract light to focus on the retina in the back of your eye.
In a perfect eye, the cornea refracts about 80% of light onto the crystalline lens. The crystalline lens then refracts about 20% onto the retina. If light does not refract onto the retina correctly, a person may suffer from near or far-sightedness. This problem is called a refractive error and can be corrected at Morris Eye Group through LASIK surgery or PRK surgery.
How does the laser work?
Some patients wonder how a laser can correct their vision. The primary function of the laser in LASIK eye surgery is to ablate or remove corneal tissue, thus altering the shape of the cornea, and changing the refraction of light as it passes through. In myopic patients, the curvature of the cornea is flattened. For hyperopic patients, the laser is used to steepen the curvature of the cornea. In essence, the laser is used to reshape the front surface of the cornea. To reach the stroma (the portion of the cornea that is shaped), the corneal epithelium must be removed (as in PRK) or a flap must be created (as in LASIK). A corneal flap can be created using a microkeratome.
In laser vision correction, the goal is to alter the shape of the cornea, so that light passing through is properly focused on the retina. An Excimer laser emits a cool, ultraviolet beam (193 nanometers long) that actually vaporizes tissue by breaking carbon-to-carbon bonds. Corneal tissue can removed with phenomenal precision without harming adjacent tissue. Excimer laser vaporization is technically termed photoablation.
The unmatched precision that can be achieved using the Excimer laser makes it the tool of choice for sensitive laser vision correction procedures such as LASIK eye surgery. Each pulse removes approximately 0.25 microns of tissue. This can be compared to slicing 1/200 of a human hair, 1/28 of a red blood cell, or 1/39 millionth of an inch – this is achieved in 4 billionths of a second. This accuracy allows the refractive surgeon to sculpt the cornea gently yet effectively, producing a cornea that properly focuses light onto the retina.
To learn about the laser used at Morris Eye Group and Custom LASIK contact our San Diego office.
Microkeratomes in LASIK Eye Surgery
Microkeratomes work in a fashion similar to that of a carpenter’s plane. All of the latest designs feature a suction ring, which is attached to the eye to keep the cornea firm. Microkeratome have a plate that flattens the cornea while an oscillating blade incises the flap at a predetermined depth. Stopping the blade at the appropriate point leaves a hinge.
. Some newer versions use high-speed gas motors that produce smoother flaps more consistently. Although it is believed that smoother flaps produce better results, this has not been proven in any scientific paper. Some microkeratome manufacturers are developing disposables. These may prove to be the wave of the future; however clinical experience with disposable microkeratomes has been limited. There have also been some ideas advanced regarding flap placement, but clinical experience has yet to prove these alternate techniques are superior.
In a person with astigmatism, the cornea has an oblong shape, oval rather than circular. This causes light entering the eye to focus on multiple points rather than one. LASIK eye surgery can accommodate people with astigmatism, so that they too can enjoy clear, comfortable vision.
If you suffer from astigmatism, contact our office in Oceanside, to see if LASIK eye surgery is the solution for you.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia refers to the loss of close up vision associated with getting older. This happens because the protein composition of the lens changes over time, becoming less flexible. As the lens hardens, it makes it more difficult for the eye to focus on objects up close. Presbyopia usually starts between the ages of forty and fifty and continues to progress until approximately sixty-five. This may cause some people who already wear glasses to switch to bifocals. Those who never needed glasses previously may require ones for reading.
We can help patients with Presbyopia to be able to read through the LASIK procedure by doing monovision. To find out more about monovision and if you are a candidate for monovision and you live in San Diego, Vista, Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Oceanside, contact Morris Eye Group.
Monovision - The LASIK strategy to compensate for presbyopia
Monovision is a strategy in which one eye is corrected for distance vision and one is corrected for near vision. Monovision was first described 40 years ago. However, monovision achieved by LASIK surgery has seen dramatically higher percentages of patient satisfaction in the last three years. A recent study performed in 1999, demonstrated an 86% satisfaction rate. We test our patients that are interested in having permanent monovision through the use of a three day contact lens trial.
In general, the dominant eye is corrected for distance and the nondominant eye is corrected for near. When counseling patients preoperatively, it is important to consider occupation, sports, hobbies, and the need to maintain uncorrected near vision. The primary reason why people choose to have monovision is freedom from glasses for both distance and near. This benefit is reduced by considerations of occupational need, sports, hobbies, and depth perception. Monovision is not recommended for law enforcement officers, airplane pilots, and truck or taxi drivers. While monovision LASIK is more ambitious, requiring careful patient selection and counseling, it can offer excellent visual outcomes for both distance and near. At present, monovision LASIK is the best surgical option to manage presbyopia.
If you are interested in monovision contact Morris Eye Group in either our Encinitas or Oceanside office.
Farsightedness, also known as hyperopia, causes light to focus at a point beyond the retina, resulting in blurry vision. This condition results from an eye that is shorter than normal, or a cornea that is flatter than normal. Nearby objects appear out of focus for these patients, while distant images appear more clear. Hyperopia is different from presbyopia, the difficulty one experiences reading as part of the aging process. Depending on the degree of refractive error, some people with hyperopia may be candidates for LASIK surgery.
To find out if your Hyperopia can be corrected, contact our office in San Diego, California.
Experts agree the most widespread vision problem is myopia. In some parts of the world, the incidence of nearsightedness is close to fifty percent. In the United States alone, as many as seventy million people are believed to be afflicted with myopia. Additional estimates by the National Institutes of Health report that as many as one adult in four suffers from myopia. Living in Vista, San Diego, Oceanside or Carlsbad, our patients understand that with the strong sun and many outdoor sport opportunities it can be frustrating to have to wear contact lenses or glasses.
Understanding the shape of our eye anatomy is important. An ordinary eyeball is a perfect sphere, and the cornea and lens act to focus incoming light onto the retina, the back inside surface of the eye. In myopic – or nearsighted – patients, the curvature of the cornea is too steep for the shape of the eye. Inbound light is focused in front of the retina, causing distant objects to appear blurry.
To learn how LASIK eye surgery can correct myopia, contact Morris Eye Group at 760.631.3500.
LASIK, which stands for Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, is currently the most commonly performed type of laser vision correction. Morris Eye Group performs LASIK in San Diego. LASIK eye surgery is a largely safe and effective treatment for a spectrum of frequent vision problems. The LASIK procedure involves two steps designed to permanently alter the shape of the cornea, the transparent tissue covering the front of the eye. Morris Eye Group performs LASIK surgery on patients all over San Diego county including, Oceanside, Carlsbad and Vista.
To understand the LASIK procedure, first, the LASIK surgeon must create a thin flap near the surface of the cornea. Traditionally this step is done by using a microkeratome, however recent technology allows Dr. Jeffrey Morris to create the flap using the precision of a laser. Once a flap is created, it is gently lifted to grant access to the corneal tissue underneath. The second step involves using an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. The laser ablates, or removes, predetermined amounts of tissue from the center of the corneal stroma. New Custom technology allows more precision in the laser pattern and for those who qualify it is the preferred method. The surgeon then carefully replaces the flap to complete the LASIK procedure.
LASIK eye surgery is a quick and typically painless procedure. For most patients, LASIK surgery improves the vision enough to eliminate the need for corrective lenses. However, it is important that LASIK candidates understand that all surgeries entail a certain amount of risk. Patients should be counseled on the potential risks and benefits of LASIK, then make an informed decision. It is also important for those who undergo LASIK eye surgery to have realistic expectations regarding the results of the procedure.
To learn more about the different procedures or technology we offer at our facility in Oceanside, Vista, San Diego, California, follow the link: http://www.morriseyegroup.com/refractive_surgery.html?l=refractive.
For more in-depth information on the safety and process of the LASIK procedure visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s LASIK Eye Surgery Site: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/lasik/
Similar to PRK, Lasik uses an excimer laser to correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Today, LASIK is the most popular form of laser vision correction. The primary difference between LASIK and PRK is in the first step of the procedure. Rather than removing a patient’s epithelium during PRK, in LASIK, your doctor will use an instrument called a microkeratome to create a small protective flap of corneal tissue that is gently lifted back. Next, our VISX 4star excimer laser applies a cool beam of light, which gently reshapes the cornea, allowing images to be more sharply focused by the retina to correct the refractive error. Finally, the protective flap created in the first step is gently placed back in its original position and is allowed to heal. Patients will no experience pain during Lasik and postoperative discomfort is minimal. In addition, patients will experience a quicker return of clear vision than with PRK. Like PRK, most patients achieve 20/20 vision with LASIK.
The Advantages of LASIK:
LASIK can be a viable option over PRK due to the following:
·Optimum visual recovery is achieved sooner
·Lower post-operative discomfort
·Recovery time is typically shorter
Ideal LASIK candidates should be at least 18 years of age, have healthy corneas and a relatively stable eye prescription. People with certain medical conditions or pregnant and nursing women may not be good candidates.
PRK: The original refractive laser eye surgery
PRK, or Photorefractive Keratectomy, used to be the most common refractive surgery procedure prior to the advent of LASIK. PRK was the first procedure to use an excimer laser to treat many types of refractive errors, including nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. It is still the procedure of for certain patients. PRK differs most from Lasik during the first step of the procedure. In PRK, after applying anesthetic eye drops, your doctor will first removed the thin protective layer of tissue that covers the cornea, called the epithelium. Next, an excimer laser applies a cool beam of light, which gently reshapes the surface of the cornea, allowing images to be more sharply focused by the retina, correcting the refractive error. After the cornea is reshaped, the epithelium is allowed to grow back naturally, which typically takes 3 to 5 days. Pain during surgery is non-existent, however most patients will experience some discomfort following surgery. Any discomfort usually subsides within 3 to 5 days and can be treated with pain medications. Immediately following your procedure, your vision will be blurry, but will steadily improve thereafter. Most patients achieve 20/20 vision with PRK.
The Advantages of PRK:
PRK can be a viable option over LASIK due to the following:
·A long history of very effective results
·Eliminates flap-related complications
·Works better for patients with thin, irregular or scarred corneas
·Is preferred for patients with large pupils
Ideal PRK candidates should be at least 18 years of age and have had a stable eye prescription for at least one year.
The physicians at Morris Eye Group have been performing laser vision correction since the early 1990’s. Our Lasik Center is located in our Encinitas office; however we would be happy to see patients in either Encinitas or Oceanside. In addition, we do serve patients from all over San Diego including, San Diego, La Jolla, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Encinitas, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Vista, and Oceanside. We have two convenient locations, one in Encinitas and the other in Oceanside. Over the years the doctors at Morris Eye Group have performed thousands of Lasik and PRK procedures.
We believe that all patients deserve the best vision possible by using the best technology. That is why we offer custom vision with the VISX CustomVue S4 laser with Wavescan technology on our LASIK and PRK patients.
Many patients are curious about the differences between Lasik and PRK. Both procedures use the VISX CustomVue S4 Laser with Wavescan technology meaning that at the end of the recovery period for either a Lasik or a PRK patient the vision would be equal because the same technology was used on both patients. However; the main differences between PRK vs. Lasik have to do with how the surgeon performs the procedure. With PRK there is a longer recovery period but no risk of flap complications and with Lasik there is a faster recovery period but there are additional risks associated with the procedure because a flap is being created. In either case, we would be happy to go over all of your options at a complimentary consultation to determine if you are a candidate for Laser Vision Correction. We have two locations one in Encinitas and the other in Oceanside.
