Concerned about being able to see, has had an increase in emergency personnel having the lasik surgery procedure done. Usually they will choose the Lasik with IntraLase Method.
While LASIK has always been a safe and effective procedure, the IntraLase Method offers patients the benefits of LASIK without the blade. With its enhanced safety profile and superior visual outcomes, the IntraLase Method has been the procedure of choice for the US military and is quickly becoming the procedure of choice for policemen, firemen, EMTs and other rescue personnel.
Dr. Dean Dornic of the Laser Eye Center of Carolina has noticed an uptick in emergency personnel from the Raleigh Durham area seeking LASIK vision correction surgery.
“Glasses and/or contact lenses may not be practical for emergency personnel.” said Dornic. “It’s also common for a contact lens wearer to seek LASIK before shipping out overseas for relief efforts such as is currently going on in Haiti where hygiene may be an issue.”
Being able to see without worrying about losing glasses or discomfort from contact lenses allows many emergency workers to perform their jobs safely and more efficiently.
LASIK Eye Surgery for Emergency Workers
February 7th, 2010Patient Satisfaction with LASIK
December 27th, 2009 Patient satisfaction after LASIK remains consistently high but no medical procedure has a satisfaction rate of 100%. Why are so many patients delighted with their results and others disappointed? Obviously there exists a group of patients who have had had unanticipated complications but this is fairly rare. One of the more common reasons may be unrealistic patient expectations.
Why should a patient seek vision correction surgery? To reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses. Occasionally however, patients undergo LASIK or other refractive surgery because of dissatisfaction with the quality of their vision in glasses or contact lenses. If the surgeon is not attuned to this, expectations may not be met and dissatisfaction results.
For example, around the age of forty, patients commonly develop presbyopia, or a reduction in focusing ability. In glasses, a common solution is bifocal glasses in which the top of the glasses are utilized to view distance objects and the bottom correct for near. The LASIK procedure can eliminate the need for glasses for distance (ie driving) but patients may still need reading glasses for near tasks. If the patient is not aware of this before undergoing the procedure, disappointment can result.
Another example is the patient who notices a decline in the quality of his vision who repeatedly has his glasses remade because he feels the doctor “just can’t get the prescription right”. Finally, out of frustration he seeks the counsel of a LASIK surgeon. If the surgeon fails to extract the real reason the patient is seeking vision correction, the opportunity to perform diagnostic testing to detect subtle cataracts, retinal or optic nerve disorders may be missed. The patient may be free of his glasses but still be left with quality of vision issues and dissatisfaction with the result.
LASIK is a safe and reliable procedure which has had years of refinement. It may not, however, be the best procedure for all patients and all vision problems. Because we are not a “LASIK only” center we can treat a wide variety of vision disorders and customize a treatment program specifically for you. Our goal is no surprises and total patient satisfaction. Come in today for a free, no-obligation, consultation.
When LASIK is Not an Option
December 20th, 2009As most patients know, LASIK is not an excellent option for everyone. Some patients may not be ideal candidates because their prescription is outside recommended limits, their corneas may be too thin or their may simply be a better procedure for their particular visual problem. Many Raleigh NC area patients have consulted us after finding out that they faced unexpected risks or an uncertain result with LASIK. Many were pleasantly surprised to learn the solution to their visual problem was implantable lenses, refractive lens exchange, Intacs or some other procedure that they may never have heard of. For many patients, LASIK offers the chance for spectacle and contact lens independence. Other patients may find that one of several other vision correction procedures might be a better choice. If you are contemplating LASIK, you owe it to yourself to contact a center like the Laser Eye Center of Carolina that offers more than LASIk to be assured that you are offered the best procedure for your unique vision problem.
The LASIK “Lifetime” Guarantee
November 27th, 2009If you are contemplating a vision correction procedure, you might be tempted by LASIK centers offering a “lifetime guarantee”. But before you bite, consider that such “guarantees” are not always what they seem. The lifetime guarantee often comes with strings, severe restrictions and undisclosed costs.
What’s the catch?
1. The lifetime guarantee only applies to patients within certain parameters. They typically are not available for farsightedness, or for patients with more significant amounts of nearsightedness or astigmatism.
2. The lifetime guarantee only applies if you get an excellent outcome on your initial LASIK procedure. The guarantee is void if you need an enhancement or “touch-up” procedure.
3. The guarantee only applies if your vision changes to significantly more nearsightedness (worse than 20/40). What if you drift to 20/30 or become farsighted as you age? Sorry, you’re on your own.
4. The guarantee allows only for additional LASIK procedures. Of course, there is a limit to the number of times a LASIK procedure can be performed and the guarantee does not apply to procedures such as conductive keratoplasty which may be a better option for you as you age.
5. The center determines the advisability of further LASIK. This does not allow for the participation of the patient in the decision making.
6. The “lifetime” referred to may be the lifetime of the center. With the current economic downturn, most LASIK-only centers are operating in the red. One large center in Charlotte, NC recently closed its doors. We have seen several patients who were patients of now defunct laser centers who found that their lifetime guarantees were worthless.
7. You may be required to undergo yearly exams at an affiliated doctor’s office. Miss one of these mandated exams and your guarantee becomes void. But what difference does it make how often you go in for an exam or where you go? The truth is, unless you have diabetes, glaucoma or some other eye condition, eye exams every two to three years may be sufficient according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Such restrictions are an unnecessary burden and expense making it difficult and in some cases, impossible for a patient to meet their obligation under this arrangement.
At the Laser Eye Center of Carolina, we take a much more pragmatic approach toward our commitment to you. We offer more than just LASIK and we’ll be here to offer whatever procedure is right for you. We have a results oriented approach from the start. If we can’t get you an unrestricted drivers license, you don’t pay. The decision for an enhancement is made between you and the doctor with no artificial barriers; we’ll even enhance 20/20 eyes if a patient is too farsighted. The need for an initial enhancement does not void our ability to do subsequent procedures.
With today’s technology, the overwhelming majority of patients will continue to enjoy excellent vision for the rest of their lives and will not require additional procedures. But, if your vision or your visual needs change we’ll be there to offer whatever procedure is necessary to allow you to function at your peak. And once you’re a patient, you’ll never pay more than 50% of our regular rate for an elective vision procedure. Once you read the fine print on those “lifetime guarantees” from LASIK-only centers we think you’ll agree that our simple, no-quibble commitment and our ability to offer a variety of vision correction procedures is your “guarantee” that you will be satisfied with your vision for many years to come.
Why a “LASIK-Only” Center Isn’t Always Best
November 22nd, 2009So you’re ready to free yourself from your dependence on glasses or contacts. What’s the next step? Call a LASIK center? Think again!
A center that performs LASIK-only may not offer the procedure that is right for you. For some patients, implantable contacts, CK or refractive lens exchange may be the best option. A LASIK-only center can’t offer these options. Worse yet, they may be tempted to offer LASIK when it is ill suited for you. And even if LASIK is the best procedure initially, what if another procedure is better as an enhancement?
To insure that you are offered the procedure that is right for you, consult a surgeon who is able to offer all eligible vision correction options. Dr. Dornic of the Laser Eye Center of Carolina has been performing vision correction procedures for over eleven years and is experienced in all FDA-approved vision correction procedures. He can offer the procedure and technology with the highest success rate and lowest risk for your unique vision problem.
Hate Bifocals? See Us for Options
October 18th, 2009When the cause of your eyeglass dependence is nearsightedness, the vision correction options are pretty straight-forward. When there is a need for reading glasses or bifocals, solutions can be more complicated.
Most people develop a condition called presbyopia as they approach age 40. Presbyopia is the inability of the eye to focus at all distances, usually noticed when fine print starts to blur.
Some eye doctors disagree about what causes presbyopia. Most believe stiffening of the eye’s lens contributes to the condition. Other theories suggest that presbyopia could also be related to continued growth of the lens or atrophy of the muscles controlling the lens.
In the past, the usual remedy was to wear reading glasses or special multifocal lenses (bifocal or progressive) for presbyopia. But in modern times, surgical remedies for presbyopia also are available for qualified candidates.
One of the first effective surgical options for presbyopia correction involved producing what is known as “monovision” during LASIK. But other surgical procedures such as conductive keratoplasty or CK also have been approved by the FDA, which gives eye surgeons additional options for correcting this common vision problem.
In some cases, refractive lens exchange (exchanging the patient’s natural lens with a bifocal lens or artificial flexible lens) can solve the problem. The surgical solution for presbyopia continues to evolve. If you would like to explore your options, why not see us for a complimentary evaluation?
Trust but Verify
October 10th, 2009There are a lot of claims out there by LASIK providers. Of course everyone claims to be the best or offer the best technology. Most of the time, claims about results or number of procedures are completely unsubstantiated making it difficult to compare. If having the highest percentage of 20/20 is your yardstick for success, then CustomVue LASIK from AMO and offered by the Laser Eye Center of Carolina boasts the highest percentage of 20/20 results (98%) ever reported to the FDA and is therefore the best laser and the best LASIK technology. Patients can arm themselves with unbiased information available from the FDA website, All About Vision.com, the Academy of Ophthalmology website and other reputable unbiased sources in helping them to decide where to get their LASIK Eye Surgery in the Raleigh Durham NC area.
iLASIK vs zLASIK: Which is Better?
October 4th, 2009The first all-laser LASIK procedure made use of the IntraLase laser to make the flap rather than a blade. When the IntraLase laser is combined with AMO VISX’s proprietary CustomVue wavefront-guided treatment, the resulting procedure is termed “iLASIK”. The IntraLase laser has gone through several upgrades since it was first developed to improve it’s safety and precision. Because the IntraLase flaps can be made to fit like a “manhole” they tend to be more secure than those cut by a blade. Also, if something interrupts the creation of the flap, treatment can be restarted without any ill consequences. Since the introduction of IntraLase, Ziemer, a Swiss company, has introduced a laser to make LASIK flaps. Dr. Dornic has used both of these lasers to perform LASIK. The Ziemer laser is less expensive but it is not as well refined as the IntraLase laser. While the IntraLase laser can make flaps of varied thicknesses and architecture, the Ziemer laser can only make flaps of 3 different thicknesses and 3 diameters. The Ziemer can also only make flaps that are cut in much the same shape as a blade. They are therefore not as secure as an IntraLase flap. Another limitation of the Ziemer laser flap is that unlike the IntraLase laser, your surgeon cannot see the flap being made. Therefore, the surgeon cannot intercede to correct a problem such as misalignment or loss of suction occurring during the creation of the flap. What this means to the patient is that iLASIK is safer (more customizable flaps, lower risk of small, misshapen, decentered or slipped flaps) and the overall results are better with iLASIK than with zLASIK. If you want the safest, most precise LASIK, choose iLASIK.
A Second Chance at Better Vision
September 27th, 2009Some patients who have had vision correction procedures such as RK or LASIK in the past may find that there vision or vision needs have changed. Even cataract patients may wish to gain more independence from glasses. A not uncommon situation is a patient who seeks us out after having cataract surgery, corneal transplant, RK or LASIK in the past with a desire to improve their vision. Thankfully, in the great majority of cases we can offer something to improve their situation. Often patients can have their LASIK or PRK procedures repeated or fine-tuned. It is also usually possible to combine vision correction procedures. We have performed LASIK and PRK many times for patients who have had past RK procedures or cataract surgery. So if you have had past eye surgery and are not totally satisfied with your vision, why not come in for a complimentary consultation and find out what we can do for you?
There is a Difference Between LASIK Technologies
August 16th, 2009Patients are often confused about the different technologies available. Information available on the web and by LASIK providers can be tainted by commercial bias. The US military is in the unique position to evaluate the different LASIK technologies that are commercially available and their flight surgeons are completely free of monetary incentives. Military flight surgeons are salaried and in choosing LASIK platforms, price is no object. See why NASA and the military chose IntraLase LASIK with CustomVue as their preferred technology: the exact same technology employed by Laser Eye Center of Carolina. http://www.amo-ilasik.com/500-video-center.aspx