Wouldn’t it be great if everytime things didn’t go exactly right you got a “do-over”. How much higher would your grade point average be if you had an opportunity to take that test over that you didn’t study properly for? How much better would your golf score be if you got to take over that shanked drive or missed putt? Well IntraLase is like that because your surgeon gets a chance for a “do-over”.
With Z-LASIK once the flap is cut, well, it’s cut. So if the equipment malfunctions while the flap is being created then you could be left with half a flap or an irregular flap. The procedure may have to be abandoned. Intralase is different. IntraLase works by creating a bubble layer under the surface of the cornea. This works like creating perforations in a strip of stamps. The flap is not complete until the surgeon peforms the “sidecut” and lifts the flap. So in the case of IntraLase, if a malfunction occurs while the flap is being created, the procedure can be halted, the bubbles can be allowed to dissipate and the procedure resumed; the do-over.
Dr. Dornic has performed both IntraLase and Z-LASIK and his findings confirm the published data on all-laser LASIK. IntraLase is safer. No wonder the US military and most major university eye centers choose IntraLase over Z-LASIK. Intralase is the safest method to perform LASIK. If you are in the Raleigh – Durham area and are thinking about LASIK, you owe it to yourself to investigate all the advantages that the IntraLase method offers. Why not come in for a free consultation with Dr. Dornic and find out for yourself?
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IntraLase Gives You a “Do-Over”
Monday, July 5th, 2010Less Risk of Flap Displacement with IntraLase
Friday, July 2nd, 2010One potential risk of the LASIK procedure is a flap complication. You know that the IntraLase procedure is the safest way to create the flap but did you know that the safety benefits extend even after the LASIK procedure has been completed?
Here’s why. One potential complication is displacement or “slippage” of the flap, especially early on before the flap has healed. When a flap is created with a microkeratome (blade) or Ziemer laser (Z-LASIK), the flap cut is a single plane. The IntraLase flap, however, is meniscus shaped so it fits snuggly like a manhole. The IntraLase flap is better, therefore, at being able to tolerate trauma. This is one reason why the military performs all their LASIK using the IntraLase method.
The IntraLase method of LASIK has a lowest complication rate at the time of the procedure. It also has the lowest complication rate after the procedure has been completed.
Meaningless and Misleading Claims
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 I read with alarm the totally contrived and misleading claims by some providers of LASIK in North Carolina. One provider claims to have “the best laser in it’s class”? What exactly does that mean?
Also, there are the suggestions that some LASIK surgeons are using the same technology as the US Military. The only All-Laser LASIK procedure currently being performed by the military utilizes the IntraLase laser. Any other laser is simply not as safe or customizable.
Why Does AMO CustomVue LASIK Cost More?
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010The LASIK procedure involves using a laser to reshape the cornea. Conventional LASIK requires the surgeon to manually type the patient’s eyeglass prescription into the laser. The laser then “imprints” this prescription onto the cornea. While this procedure technically can rid the patient of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, the final shape of the cornea may not be optically desirable. Some patients may suffer from quality of vision issues, often manifested by night-time driving difficulties. Wavefront-guided (CustomVue) LASIK was developed to remedy the situation. In CustomVue LASIK, an extra step is added. Patients are asked to look into a wavefront analyzer that takes a series of sophistacated measurements. The treatment is then planned, not just to eliminate refractive error, but to achieve an optically sound eye; free of aberrations and therefore, night-time driving difficulties.
Because a CustomVue LASIK can eliminate aberrations that glasses and contact lenses cannot, many patients will remark that they actually see better after LASIK than they ever did before. A CustomVue LASIK requires the purchase of additional equipment (the wavefront analyzer). Also because it requires additional measurements, it will take more time. The additional time taken to measure and plan a wavefont guided LASIK is not attractive to high volume, low cost LASIK centers because they cannot do as many procedures. Also, each CustomVue LASIK requires a special debit treatment card that costs more per procedure than conventional LASIK. The cost of the additional treatment card, the cost of the analyzer and the additional time required are all factored in to the final cost.
So is the increased cost worth it? The Department of Defense thinks so. Over 90% of LASIK procedures done by the military today are CustomVue. Study after study confirm that the visual results of CustomVue LASIK are better than conventional or wavefront-optimized (Allegretto) procedures.
You can’t get CustomVue LASIK at a cut-rate, high volume laser center but you can get it right here in Raleigh at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina.
To find out if CustomVue is right for you, why don’t you call in today for a complimentary evaluation?
Z-LASIK is Not IntraLase
Sunday, April 25th, 2010Patients are often confused by technical terms and nomenclature related to the LASIK procedures. Many patients are aware that there now exists a technology to create a LASIK flap with a laser rather than a blade. This type of LASIK has been coined “All-Laser LASIK” or “Blade-Free LASIK”. While the potential for a better LASIK procedure existed with All-Laser LASIK, this procedure had its own set of problems. With time, this technology was improved on and became accepted by patients and ophthalmologists. The original laser to create laser flaps was manufactured by “IntraLase” and the merits of this device has been so well established that over 50% of all LASIK procedures performed in the United States now utilize IntraLase. The Department of Defense has also recognized the benefits of IntraLase and all LASIK procedures performed by the military are performed with IntraLase.
Of course, with time, competing companies have developed similar laser technologies to create LASIK flaps. One such company, Ziemer, has developed a lower priced laser and has termed LASIK performed with the Ziemer laser Z-LASIK. But the consumer should beware, this lower priced IntraLase competitor is not as sophisticated and does not contain all the safety features of IntraLase.
Don’t be confused by Z-LASIK providers who tout that the military has approved “All-Laser” LASIK for aviators and combat troops. That statement is true but all LASIK procedures performed by the military (over 100,000 to date) are actually performed with the IntraLase device, not Z-LASIK. None of the top University Affiliated Eye Care Centers perform Z-LASIK. IntraLase has been been selected by unbiased sources to be superior to Z-LASIK. Don’t be swayed by savings of a couple hundred dollars. Choose the technology selected by our armed forces: IntraLase. And IntraLase is available right here in Raleigh at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina.
LASIK for Military Pilots
Monday, April 12th, 2010Within the Department of Defense a total of 25 warfighter refractive surgery centers (Army: 12, Navy: 7, Air Force: 6) completed more than 312,000 refractive surgery procedures over the past 10 years. Laser vision correction has been allowed for all aspects of military service, including aviation, special operations, and support personnel. It is also approved for NASA astronauts.
The Navy is currently undertaking a study on US Naval aviators at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego and Portsmouth. To date, more than 200 aviators are in the study. Refractive errors up to -7.50 diopters are represented and the results have been outstanding. All procedures were performed with IntraLase and 90% were wavefront-guided; the exact same technology featured at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina for our LASIK patients.
All aviators were able to return to flight status within two weeks after myopic LASIK and within four weeks after hyperopic LASIK. Patient satisfaction was excellent three months after LASIK. One hundred percent were able to achieve 20/20 levels of vision. There were no complaints of significant glare, halos, haze or sharpness of vision. Ninety-eight percent felt that LASIK helped their effectiveness as a naval aviator and ninety-nine percent indicated that they would definitely recommend LASIK to their fellow aviators.
The US armed forces have embraced LASIK as a way to make troops “combat ready”. Over the years vision correction technology has evolved such that LASIK has proven to be a safe and effective procedure. But not all LASIK is equivalent. In order to achieve the phenomenal success illustrated in this latest study, IntraLase and wavefont-guided (Custom-Vue) LASIK is necessary. This premium LASIK comes at an increased cost and the wary consumer should not be lulled into the false notion that inferior, “imposter All-Laser” LASIK can achieve this level of success. Time and time again, large scale, commercially unbiased studies such as those conducted by the US armed forces have demonstrated the superiority of genuine iLASIK over other LASIK technologies.
Maybe you don’t need the type of vision needed to land a plane on an aircraft carrier, but couldn’t you benefit from the superior vision offered by genuine iLASIK in your activities of daily living? Raleigh area LASIK candidates can avail themselves of this “fighter pilot” grade vision at the Laser Eye Center of Carolina. Of course, all medical procedures carry with them some risks and to make sure you are a good candidate for iLASIK you are invited to come in for a free consultation with Dr. Dornic. Dr. Dornic will describe all your options and taylor a treatment plan that is personalized just for you.
Understanding IntraLase
Monday, March 15th, 2010The first step of the LASIK procedure is the creation of a corneal flap. The purpose of the flap is to serve as a protective “lid” underwhich the vision correcting corneal reshaping is accomplished.
A laser has always been used to perform the reshaping but until IntraLase, the flap was created with instruments that contained a blade. The IntraLase Method is a 100% blade-free approach to creating your corneal flap. With the IntraLase Method, a blade never touches your eye.
How does the IntraLase Method work?
Tiny pulses of laser light pass harmlessly through the outer portion of your cornea and form a uniform layer of microscopic bubbles just beneath the surface of your eye. Just prior to LASIK surgery, the doctor can lift the corneal flap by gently and easily separating the tissue where these bubbles have formed.
While LASIK complications are rare, when they do occur they are primarily related to the creation of the flap. The IntraLase Method virtually eliminates the most severe complications associated with LASIK.
IntraLase is a blade-free or all-laser procedure but the educated consumer needs to beware. Not all LASIK centers touting All-laser LASIK are offering IntraLase. Some may be offering a less refined procedure that lacks some of the safeguards of IntraLase.
To date, the IntraLase Method has been used in hundreds of thousands of LASIK procedures around the world.
The creation of the flap itself takes only about 15-20 seconds per eye after the application of numbing eyedrops. Including preparation time, the LASIK procedure takes about 10 minutes total.
The IntraLase Method is quickly becoming the preferred method among doctors, patients and the US military to create a corneal flap.
Dr. Dornic has been performing IntraLase for the past several years and is the first Raleigh area ophthalmologist to perform IntraLase.
LASIK Now for Summer Fun Later
Sunday, March 7th, 2010Summer for many people means fun in the water. But swimming and other water activities with contact lenses are contraindicated for safety reasons. There are no contact lenses approved for use in the water and soft contact lens manufacturers place specific warnings about wearing contact lenses in the water. Contact lens wearers are especially prone to a devastating eye infection from the Acanthamoeba organism which is found in lakes, hot tubs and other contaminated water sources. Some eye doctors suggest air tight goggles over the contacts but these are not fail safe. Prescription glasses and goggles may not be comfortable or practical for all water activities.
Many patients have found LASIK or other vision correction procedures the answer to increasing their enjoyment of water sports and other outdoor activities. But to take full advantage of a summer of spectacle independence, you’ll need to plan now. That’s because LASIK has it’s own set of restrictions. First, wavefront guided LASIK generally requires at least one to two weeks out of your contact lenses (glasses only) before the procedure. Then, you’ll need to stay out of the water and avoid contact sports for one to four weeks after.
So, if you’ve been looking forward to summer and would like to enjoy such activities as swimming, surfing and yes, even scuba diving why not call today for a free, no-obligation consultation to find out if there is a vision correction procedure that is right for you. We are centrally located for Cary, Raleigh LASIK candidates and we offer convenient evening consultations.
Is Laser Eye Surgery Cosmetic?
Sunday, February 21st, 2010Many people have taken the stance that refractive surgery is cosmetic, similar to a cheek implant, nose job or breast augmentation. The eyes are perfectly fine; a pair of glasses will make everything nice and clear, right? But isn’t this analogous to a patient who needs hearing aids to hear or a cane to walk? The perception that LASIK and other refractive surgeries are cosmetic is perpetuated by individuals who aren’t dependent on glasses. These individuals don’t realize what a burden glasses or contacts are. They may not have experienced how a dependence on visual aids can impact the activities of daily living. This line of thinking is reinforced by the insurance industry. Most plans do not cover refractive surgery. Cosmetic makeover shows typically include LASIK because many patients look better without glasses. But the real benefit of Lasik is not that the patient looks better, rather it is that the patient functions better.
Refractive Errors are a Defect
It is an enigma to me how our myopic ancestors functioned or even survived before the correction of refractive errors were possible. Nearsighted individuals clearly were at a competitive disadvantage. I would not want to be a poorly seeing mid-evil warrior!
Marco Polo brought the concept of eyeglasses back to Europe from the Orient. But eyeglasses and contact lenses are prosthetic devices just as are hearing aids and ankle braces. For many years, man has strived to permanently correct their vision with drugs, eye exercises or surgery. As it turns out, surgery has proven to be the only, permanently successful solution. Over the past 50 years strives have been made to make vision correction more precise and safer. The fact that a much higher percentage of ophthalmologists have had LASIK than the general population is testament to the perceived success of these goals.
Athletes and the Military Undergo LASIK
Scores of professional athletes including football players, baseball players and members of the National Basketball Association have had LASIK. Over 80 professional golfers have had LASIK; Tiger Woods being the most well known. Many athletes feel that being free of glasses or contact lenses improves their game and are not having the procedure performed to improve their appearance. The U.S. Military has seen the advantage of laser vision correction and now provides it for many of their enlisted personnel. Likewise, many active patients find glasses or contact lenses impractical for many activities of daily living.
Not Just for the Rich and Famous
In recent years, the cost of traditional laser vision correction has come down. But the educated consumer should not just search out the lowest price. Doing so means that that the individual may not be benefiting from the improved success rates and safety of such advances as wider treatment zones, smoother treatment surfaces, pupil trackers and wavefront technology. Be sure that you are dealing with an experienced refractive surgeon who makes use of the latest technological advances, that the laser room is environmentally controlled and that strict infection prevention controls are in place.
Don’t despair if your medical insurance does not cover your laser eye surgery. Flexible medical spending accounts and insurance discounts offer real savings. Low or no-interest financing options can help fit laser vision correction into most people’s budget. Vision correction is a recognized income tax deduction. Many patients who have had their vision corrected feel that it was one of the best investments they have ever made. More patients are candidates for vision correction today and success rates are higher than ever. Laser eye surgery is not just cosmetic and there has never been a better time to have your vision corrected than right now.
LASIK Eye Surgery for Emergency Workers
Sunday, February 7th, 2010Concerned 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.