Laser Eye Surgery Facts Blog

Does Laser Eye Surgery Work All of The Time? | e Lasik Finder

2009-10-20T22:05:00.001Z

Does Laser Eye Surgery Work All of The Time? | e Lasik Finder: "Does laser eye surgery work for every person, all of the time? Anyone who is thinking about getting laser eye surgery is worried that his or her surgery will be......."

Shija Eye Care Foundation - Victretomy Surgery First

2008-05-25T15:07:00.000Z

Imphal, May 24: In yet another medical feat, Shija Eye Care Foundation, which is a unit of the Shija Hospital and Research Institute, located at Langol has successfully conducted Victretomy surgery of Vitreous haemorrhage with use of laser and scattered laser machine, also known as Victretomy machine, for the first time in Manipur.

Addressing a press conference in this connection at the auditorium of Shija Hospital and Research Institute this afternoon, Managing Director of the Institute Dr Kh Palin informed that the operation was successfully performed on April 22 last on a 67-year old woman patient suffering from Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, in short PDR.

The Victretomy surgery conducted successfully on the patient by the doctors of the institute under the supervision of Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist Prof M Lala was first of its kind in Manipur, Dr Palin claimed.

Read more about this at: Shija Eye Care Foundation - Victretomy Surgery First

Soldiers Receive Free Memorial Day Lasik Surgery Before Going to Iraq

2008-05-24T15:05:00.001Z

BERGENFIELD, N.J., May 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two-dozen members of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment yesterday captured the offices of Dello Russo LaserVision, getting ready for their upcoming deployment in Iraq. Instead of shooting targets with blurry eyes, they were undergoing a Lasik procedure that allows them to have 20/20 vision within an hour.

Drs. Joseph and Jeffery Dello Russo marked the 3rd time in what became
an annual celebration of patriotism, providing free corrective eye
surgeries to members of the U.S. military before they go to their missions
overseas.

The Dello Russos have completed another round of Free Lasik surgeries
in their Manhattan location, helping another dozen of soldiers to get rid
of their eyeglasses and contact lenses. Some of them have been waiting for
years to get this treatment, but were not able to afford it before
receiving bonuses following their return from Iraq.

The 113th Infantry Regiment, to be deployed in September, were
thrilled: "This is just the best thing that could have happened," said
Spec. Randall Bisset, a sniper and scout. "Glasses fog up. They're
uncomfortable with the night vision goggles, and contacts dry out and you
have to look for solution in your bag in the middle of the field. You can't
endanger your unit like that."

Soldiers Receive Free Memorial Day Lasik Surgery Before Going to Iraq

Laser Eye Surgery Facts - New Store For All Your Vision Care Needs

2007-01-15T13:11:00.000-01:00

Laser Eye Surgery Facts now proudly presents it's own store at http://lasereyesurgeryfacts.cre8tivestores.com/ and a UK version at http://www.lasereyesurgeryfactsuk.cre8tivestores.com/ - for all your vision care needs. Dry solutions, sunglasses, sunglasses, spectacles and so much more!

I purchased the Build A Niche Store product in early December 2006 with the intention of incorporating it into my existing http://lasereyesurgeryfacts.com website. With the developer's help I was able to achieve this and now have a successfully integrated vision care store store at http://lasereyesurgeryfacts.cre8tivestores.com/. And since the updated version of BANS now includes the facility of producing UK stores, there is now the UK version at http://www.lasereyesurgeryfactsuk.cre8tivestores.com/.Integrating a BANS store into your existing website gives you the benefit of the traffic and the links you already have - business is very good!

I have now produced several other stores, and am promoting BANS through my own website at http://www.cre8tivestores.com/

Laser Eye Surgery Facts

2006-08-26T08:42:00.000Z

Laser Eye Surgery Facts provides a world wide comprehensive directory of lasik laser eye surgeries and clinics from around the world.

Visit Laser Eye Surgery Facts to check out lasik laser eye surgery clinics in your region.

Read more about "Laser Eye Surgery Facts"...

O! The Oprah Magazine Features USAEyes.org Lasik Patient Advocacy Organization

2006-07-21T22:35:00.000Z

Insights on Current Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Strengths and Concerns Are Contributed to the Popular Women's Publication by USAEyes.org Founder

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- "We have been in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, even Fox News, but Oprah ... now that is something," muses Glenn Hagele, Executive Director and founder of USAEyes.org, a nonprofit patient advocacy that evaluates and certifies Lasik doctors. "The power of any affiliation with Oprah cannot be underestimated, and it is delightful to be included."

The June issue if O, The Oprah Magazine features a comprehensive article about Lasik laser eye surgery that includes contributions from Hagele, Kathryn Colby, MD, PhD, director of the Joint Clinical Research Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and Deepinder Dhaliwal, MD, chief of cornea and refractive surgery at the University of Pittsburgh.

Lasik laser eye surgery was developed ten years ago to reshape the cornea (clear front of the eye) and reduce the need for glasses and contact lenses. Most patients are able to return to normal activities within hours or days. Although over 5 million surgeries have been performed worldwide, Lasik is not for everyone, according to Hagele.

"Lasik may be appropriate for the vast majority of people, but sometimes something else is better," says Hagele. "The very well presented article in Oprah's magazine includes information about new 'helper lenses' that can be placed inside the eye for people who have very bad vision and new laser and non-laser technology to reduce the need for glasses. I was delighted to see Oprah's article's emphasis on surgeon selection."

"The single most important decision for someone considering Lasik is the choice of doctor. There are so many options and evaluations that the advice and abilities of a highly skilled surgeon are required," adds Hagele.

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Kathy Griffin Post Lasik Laser Eye Surgery D - List Success

2006-07-02T08:59:00.000Z

"The vision is 30% off in my right eye from Lasik surgery, I filed for divorce, my dog died. It's almost comical."

Kathy Griffin is missing.

The pumpkin-maned comedian, 44, and self-proclaimed "whistle-blower for Hollywood" isn't near her hotel phone for an interview. But the staff spies her, lounging by the pool like the sort of diva she savages in her stand-up act.

After apologizing, Griffin explains she is staying at a Courtyard Marriott in Stuart, Fla.

Where? "No one has ever heard of it," she says. "That's me — playing in communities no one has ever heard of."

Happily, the success of Griffin's Bravo reality show, My Life on the D-List, which starts its second season Tuesday (9 ET/PT), hasn't made her go all snootily C-list on us.

The merciless mocker of stars continues to suffer humiliating if hilarious reminders of her diminutive fame. On the premiere, it's bad enough when only a few show up for a ceremony giving Griffin the key to Louisville. But when she auctions a weekend at her home on eBay for charity, the winner backs out at the last minute.

Still, much has changed, and not for the better, since the last peek at Griffin's less-than-fabulous existence. "The vision is 30% off in my right eye from Lasik surgery, I filed for divorce, my dog died. It's almost comical." Actually, she and her spouse of five years, Matt Moline, attempt a reconciliation during the six episodes. "We're still working on it," she says.

The biggest blow was losing her job as an E! red-carpet commentator. It might have had a little to do with a crack about Dakota Fanning, then 10, being in rehab. The remark incited the wrath of no less than Steven Spielberg.

"I was just excited he knew my name," Griffin says.

But it's not all downers on the D-list, as Griffin heads to Iraq to entertain the troops. "I went over ghetto," she says, "not like Nick and Jessica in a private plane. I slept in barracks and ate Army food."

The base was hit by two rockets while she was there, but she says any risk was worth it. "I love a captive audience." What humor did the soldiers crave? "They like swearing and talking about sex. They don't care that Gwyneth Paltrow named her second kid Moses."

On the finale, Griffin takes to the ice with Olympic skater Johnny Weir. After his failed gold-medal quest, he was quoted as saying his friends joked he was now on the D-list. His response: "I told them, 'Great, I'm Kathy Griffin.' " Instead of being insulted, she says, "I sent him flowers to thank him for putting me in the papers. "

Read the full article on "Kathy Griffin Post Lasik Laser Eye Surgery D - List Success"

Epilasik Eye Surgery For Sudanese

2006-06-02T10:59:00.000Z

A Sudanese national had Epilasik procedure for glass-free vision at an eyecare hospital in Kovai, Coimbatore, India recently.

Abbas Hassen Mahmoud (28), suffering from high myopia, had approached Lotus Eye Care Hospital.

Dr Selva K. Sundaramoorthy, the chairman of the hospital, advised Mahmoud to undergo Epilasik treatment since the patient was not fit for lasik, as he had high powers with a thin cornea, a hospital release said.

Mahmoud was given treatment on May 15 successfully and gained glass-free vision, it said.

Epilasik, Epi Polis Assisted Insitu Keratomieusis, offers the best wave front correction to regain sharper and clearer vision, the release said.

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Free Lasik Eye Surgeries Offered To Quadriplegics By New Foundation

2006-05-29T11:25:00.000Z

LOS ANGELES -- If you need glasses, a new foundation may be able to get you Lasik for free, according to NBC4's Dr. Bruce Hensel.

It may seem like a little thing for someone who's confined to a wheelchair. But getting rid of glasses may help give back some of the freedom they've lost.

Ever since she broke her neck in a car accident 25 years ago, Marta Johansen has been wheelchair-bound with minimal use of her hands. She's fought her way through many challenges. She gets around well in a home designed by her husband and she even drives. One challenge she's can't overcome is her need for glasses.

"It's almost impossible for me to get them adjusted properly," said Johansen. "The few times I dropped them, I can't reach to the floor. It's really hard to clean with these hands," said Johansen. Physically challenged people have been telling ophthalmologist Robert Maloney that for years, Hensel reported.

"Things we take for granted are difficult for them. If a quadriplegic wakes up he or she can't see. You have to wake up your caregiver or lie in a fog," said Maloney. The solution, Hensel said, struck Maloney during a fishing trip. It was to offer some people the surgery for free.

"Even though they're in prime of their life, they can't afford us. They need this. We can make a big difference," he said. Maloney and his partner formed Focus for Independence. Almost every ophthalmologist he asked joined to provide a nationwide guarantee.

"If you're quadriplegic, we'll try to find you a surgeon who works within one hour of your home to do this for free," said Maloney. "Our goal is make their lives a little bit better and give them back their independence."

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PRK Navy Laser Eye Surgery

2006-05-25T05:46:00.000Z

Join the Navy and see the world -- in fact, if you're a midshipman at the Naval Academy, you're likely to see it clearer than ever.

Midshipman 1st Class Whit Abraham entered the Naval Academy four years ago with 20/200 vision and was considered "legally blind."

About 350 midshipmen, all in their junior year, undergo the corrective procedure each year, said Dr. Pasternak, the head of refractive surgery at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.

The cost to taxpayers is $600 per eye, which Dr. Pasternak described as a good bargain, considering it costs about $250,000 to educate a midshipman at the academy.

The Navy generally uses the PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) laser process and not Lasix surgery.

Both procedures reshape the eye's cornea but Lasix leaves a small flap of tissue on the eye, Dr. Pasternak said. While not a problem for most people, the flap may be subject to tearing or irritation in extreme combat environments.

Full item here: "PRK Navy Laser Eye Surgery"...

LASIK Surgery Fantastic

2006-05-18T22:23:00.000Z

It's been almost a month since a doctor opened my corneas like miniature submarine hatches and laser-corrected my vision.

After LASIK, as per doctor's orders, I took a breather from computer work and reading for a few days. I didn't allow water in my eyes or wear eye makeup for a couple of weeks. I wore plastic shields over my eyes at bedtime (now there's a look) so I wouldn't accidentally rub my eyes in my sleep and unhinge my fragile corneas.

The one downside to my LASIK surgery is something I knew about going in. I now need "cheater" glasses to see pretty much anything within two feet of my face. (Before, it was just the opposite. I'd remove my glasses to see up close.)

On the positive side, reading glasses offer an endless stream of fashion accessory opportunities.

But my far vision -- it's far, far out.

I write these words in front of a window with a view of oak tree-covered hillsides that I can see perfectly with my new Superwoman vision. Hello there, graceful red-tailed hawk -- yes, you -- way off in the distance. And hey, how's it flyin', Mr. Pilot?

Glasses never gave me this kind of clarity. What a miracle.

People asked whether I was nervous about having LASIK surgery. Of course I was, especially after reading the standard pre-op precautions about such pesky side effects as blindness.

I gambled. I wanted to wake up without glasses, read my bedside clock and see the weather through the window each morning.

I do all those things now.

Also, although this might seem hokey to you, part of my reason for getting LASIK had to do with our bedroom's skylights.

As I'm fond of telling my husband, Bruce, I don't ask for much; just the moon and the stars in our bedroom. No pressure there, fella.

Since my LASIK surgery, I can see the moon and the stars in our bedroom, and they're more amazing than I'd imagined.

Read more about "LASIK Surgery Fantastic"

Lasik Eye Surgery Risks

2006-05-07T20:55:00.000Z

Most patients are very pleased with the results of their refractive surgery. However, like any other medical procedure, there are risks involved. That's why it is important for you to understand the limitations and possible complications of refractive surgery.

Before undergoing a refractive procedure, you should carefully weigh the risks and benefits based on your own personal value system, and try to avoid being influenced by friends that have had the procedure or doctors encouraging you to do so.

* Some patients lose vision. Some patients lose lines of vision on the vision chart that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery as a result of treatment.

* Some patients develop debilitating visual symptoms. Some patients develop glare, halos, and/or double vision that can seriously affect nighttime vision. Even with good vision on the vision chart, some patients do not see as well in situations of low contrast, such as at night or in fog, after treatment as compared to before treatment.

* You may be under treated or over treated. Only a certain percent of patients achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts. You may require additional treatment, but additional treatment may not be possible. You may still need glasses or contact lenses after surgery. This may be true even if you only required a very weak prescription before surgery. If you used reading glasses before surgery, you may still need reading glasses after surgery.

* Some patients may develop severe dry eye syndrome. As a result of surgery, your eye may not be able to produce enough tears to keep the eye moist and comfortable. Dry eye not only causes discomfort, but can reduce visual quality due to intermittent blurring and other visual symptoms. This condition may be permanent. Intensive drop therapy and use of plugs or other procedures may be required.

Read more on "Lasik Eye Surgery Risks"...

PRK Outcomes Maintained Over Long Term: Presented at ARVO

2006-05-05T20:46:00.000Z

A long-term study of photorefractive keratectomy to correct myopia indicates that patients undergoing this procedure maintain improved vision for at least 13 years, researchers said here at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting.

"To our knowledge, this prospective study has the longest follow-up available on photorefractive keratectomy," said Graziano Bricola, MD, staff physician, University Eye Clinic of Genoa, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.

The researchers determined that the improvements seen after 3 months in patients treated with photorefractive keratectomy held up after 13 years "with no evidence of regression." They also found that ocular haze decreased with time and that patients recovered best-corrected vision acuity.

The study included 29 patients who had undergone the procedure in both eyes and 21 patients who had photorefractive keratectomy performed in just 1 eye -- or a total of 79 eyes. There were 32 men and 18 women among the 50 patients in the study.

Patients underwent the procedure with a Summit Technology UV200 Eximer laser. Patients were followed 1 day after surgery, then 3 to 6 days later, and once every 3 months for a year, every 6 months until year 2, and then every other year. Over the 13 years, 19 patients were lost to follow-up. The report was made on the basis of results in 49 eyes.

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Moria's Epi-keratome for Laser Vision Correction

2006-04-30T17:34:00.000Z

Epi-K gives the laser access to corneal tissue by separating just the thin upper layer of the cornea known as the "epithelium" using an FDA approved Epi-keratome. Vision is corrected using the excimer laser. It has been suggested that Epi-K may provide better outcomes when combined with Custom laser vision correction compared to LASIK procedures because the bed upon which the laser treats is smoother with this technique.

Dr. Jacqueline D. Griffiths' lectures,(in South Korea), titled "Clinical Experience with Moria Epi-K", discusses the best candidates for the procedure, surgical techniques, and her results. Her results performing Epi-K have been outstanding, with 82% achieving 20/25 or better and 96% achieving 20/40 or better at 1-month post-op. By 3-month post-op, 82% of patients achieved 20/20 or better, 98% of patients achieved 20/25 or better, and 100% were 20/40 or better.

Read more about "Moria's Epi-keratome for Laser Vision Correction"...

Money In Lasik: LCA-Vision 1Q Profit Rises

2006-04-26T05:47:00.000Z

LCA-Vision Inc., which provides eye laser surgery through 52 LasikPlus centers, said Tuesday its first-quarter profit climbed 41 percent, driven by a higher number of eye laser procedures performed at centers open longer than one year.

LCA-Vision also raised its full-year financial forecast. Its shares rose $6.80, or 13.3 percent, to $58 in premarket activity, according to the INET electronic trading system.

For the quarter ended March 31, LCA-Vision reported net income of $13.1 million, or 61 cents per share, versus a prior-year profit of $9.3 million, or 44 cents per share. Revenue rose 46 percent to $73.4 million from $50.2 million in the year earlier period.

Wall Street had forecast a profit of 50 cents per share, the average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial, on projected sales of $67.5 million.

Revenue at LasikPlus vision centers open at least one year -- a performance gauge called same-store revenue -- surged 35 percent in the United States. Procedure volume increased 42 percent to 53,372 from 37,578, it said.

LCA-Vision projected 2006 earnings per share between $1.75 and $1.85 per share, up from a previous target of $1.65 to $1.75 per share. The company backed its full-year revenue forecast, which calls for sales increasing from 30 percent to 40 percent for the rest of 2006. Analysts' consensus 2006 view is $1.74 per share on $252.1 million in revenue.

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Laser Eye Therapy for Melanoma of the Eye

2006-04-23T09:35:00.000Z

In transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT), a wide laser beam is directed at the choroidal tumor through a contact lens, causing tumor cell death. In 1996, Mayo became one of the first centers in the nation to use TTT. Three years later, Mayo researchers published the results of TTT for the first 20 patients seen.

"We wanted to reaffirm the effectiveness of TTT for our original patients by examining their follow-up data," said Colin McCannel, M.D., Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist and study co-investigator. "In addition, we hoped to show continued success with the procedure as a stand-alone treatment for choroidal melanoma."

Mayo Clinic researchers report that transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) appears to be a successful treatment for most patients who have small choroidal melanomas - a primary cancer of the eye. The results of the study are in the April issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

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Laser Eye Surgery Sees Kilkenny Cats Star Return

2006-04-21T21:22:00.000Z

Noel Hickey and Henry Shefflin are expected to make their long-awaited comebacks for Kilkenny in Sunday’s, (23rd April 2006), NHL semi-final against Tipperary.

Hickey hasn’t played for the Cats since being diagnosed with a heart condition during last year’s championship. His return was further delayed when he had laser eye surgery over the Christmas period. Shefflin, meanwhile, has recovered from a groin problem which has sidelined him to date this year.

Hickey’s expected return to the full back position is welcomed by JJ Delaney, the brilliant half back who has deputised on the edge of the square in the Dunnamaggin man’s absence.

“I’ve played at full back with the club (Fenians) for the last couple of years, so it’s not like I’ve been thrown in at the deep end or anything, but I’ll be glad to see Noel back,” Delaney said.

“If you drop the ball in the half back line it’s not the be-all and end-all, you can always blame the lads behind you for a goal going in, but not at full back,” he joked.

“It’s a different game completely, there’s a lot more ball coming directly into you. At half back, a game could by-pass you completely, especially if they’re pucking it over your head.”

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Laser Eye Surgery With "Health Credit Cards"

2006-04-17T07:53:00.000Z

The Citi Health Card, at a 12.96% interest rate, may be used to pay for elective or quality of life procedures, such as laser eye surgery, cosmetic dental care, orthodontry and hearing aids. Prices for such services easily go into the thousands, but Citi Health Card enables patients to "structure payment plans of up to 48 months, so members can customize their payments to fit their overall financial planning and medical spending," says Samuel Wang, Citigroup public affairs officer.

As consumer-driven health plans gain traction, banks and health plans are teaming up to develop health care credit cards that they hope will reduce the increased out-of-pocket costs for employees that go along with CDHPs, often as much as $2,000 or more a year.

In the last few years, large plans and financial institutions like Kaiser Permanente and Citigroup, as well as smaller regional outlets such as Via Christi Health, have made such cards available to individuals and families to charge their health care expenses.

While the cards have so far won raves from providers who receive prompt payments, it remains to be seen whether the accounts will be a boon or burden to consumers. Given that the average American has about $2,300 in credit card debt, the convenience of charging health care could prove to be a double-edged sword.

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LASIK Eye Surgery Malpractice $3 Million Pay Out

2006-04-15T07:39:00.000Z

A St. Louis County jury determined that Northern Refractive Surgery Center was negligent in its care and treatment of a Duluth man and awarded him more than $3 million in damages.

The verdict reached Thursday night is believed to be the largest jury monetary award in Duluth history.

Lowell Larson, 34, manager of technical services at the College of St. Scholastica, brought the malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Jeffrey R. Weis and Northern Refractive Surgery Center of Hermantown last July.

Larson alleged that the defendants were negligent in his care and treatment by:

• Failing to properly measure the size of his pupils before performing LASIK surgery on Jan. 4, 2001.

• Failing to properly screen him from LASIK eye surgery because of his larger-than-average pupils.

• Failing to properly advise Larson in a meaningful way of the risks associated with LASIK eye surgery, given his pupil size.

Larson claimed that as a direct result of negligent care and treatment he sustained "significant and permanent disturbances in his vision, particularly at night."

In LASIK surgery, precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue by a special laser reshapes the cornea, changing its focusing power. It is intended to reduce a person's dependency on correctional lenses.

The eight-member jury determined that Northern Refractive Surgery failed to inform Larson about the risks involved in LASIK surgery, about alternatives to the LASIK procedure, and that the failure was a direct cause of harm or injury to the plaintiff.

Jurors also found that Larson was negligent with regard to his own care and treatment, but that negligence was not a direct cause of harm or injury to himself.

The total jury award is $3,002,950.

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Do-It-Yourself Lasik a Hoax

2006-04-15T07:31:00.000Z

People wanting Lasik laser eye surgery to be rid of glasses will still need to go to a surgeon, despite claims of a new website. "I didn't really think that I could do Lasik myself, what with a laser and all," says Marsha Thompson of Raleigh, NC. "But the website looked official so I tried to purchase the do-it-yourself kit."

"It is an obvious hoax, but one with both wit and a message," reports Glenn Hagele, founder of Lasik patient advocacy organization USAEyes.org. "The website is a tongue-in-cheek critique of the sometimes outlandish claims made about Lasik and serves as a warning that if it sounds too good to be true, it probable is false." Hagele's group published an advisory at http://www.USAEyes.org .

The Lasik@Home website claims to have been founded in 2004 by Dr. Amir Khadim, MD, a pioneer in the field of Lasik surgery who practices at the "prestigious Bennett Eye Care Institute in New York City." No such doctor or clinic exists. The website became active early this month.

"I was suspicious," claims Lasik patient to be Thompson. "But the pictures of the four easy steps looked like something I could do." An attempt to actually purchase the device results in a website server error, however hats, t-shirts, and coffee mugs with the Lasik@Home logo are available for purchase.

An email to the contact address of the website did not yield a response.

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Improving The Lasik Surgery Process

2006-04-14T18:40:00.000Z

A lot of nearsighted people who'd rather not wear glasses or contacts opt for Lasik surgery, a laser procedure that reshapes the cornea to correct vision.

Last year doctors performed about 3 million procedures worldwide. Roughly half of those were in the U.S.

Before the actual laser procedure, doctors need to form a corneal flap to prepare the eye. For that first vital step, most doctors don't use a laser at all. They use a special surgical blade known as a microkeratome.

IntraLase Corp. (ILSE) says it has a better way: using a laser it developed just for that first step. And a growing number of ophthalmologists and patients have become believers.

Four years after its launch, IntraLase's laser is used in about 25% of all Lasik procedures in the U.S. They're also used in many outside the U.S.

Speeding Things Up

Roger Steinert, vice chairman of ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine, first came into contact with the laser in 2004.

"It took me about two weeks to realize it was better (than the blade)," said Steinert, who now serves on IntraLase's scientific advisory board.

In terms of safety, reliability and outcome, the IntraLase FS laser has shown to be more effective than the traditional blade, experts say.

The problem was, the laser didn't work as fast. That might change with the recent launch of the 60-kHz IntraLaser, the fourth-generation model. The new model cuts the procedure time nearly in half, to about 18 seconds.

"With the latest 60-kHz they have probably removed the last remaining objection many doctors had," said Phil Nalbone, medical technology analyst with RBC Capital Markets. "The market was already migrating towards this technology because of the greater measure of reliability, safety and predictability. Speed takes it to another level in terms of acceptance."

IntraLase's stock moved up sharply after the company unveiled its newest model in March at the annual American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting in San Francisco.

The new model started shipping April 1. IntraLase wouldn't say how many orders it's lined up.

The 60-kHz IntraLaser costs the same as prior models — $375,000 each. Upgrade packages are available for customers with older models.

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Valley Laser Eye Centre, B.C., Opens Doors

2006-04-13T10:05:00.000Z

A new $5 million “private-pay” surgical centre in Abbotsford with three operating rooms and the latest in technological medical equipment started offering surgery to patients this week.

Some critics are concerned about the new private facility at 2545 McCallum Rd., but owner Dr. John Blaylock said the public health care system is failing people with unacceptable surgical wait times.

It’s the failure of Canada’s health care system that is driving the need for “consumer-driven” medical care, Blaylock said.

On the other hand, critics say the growing number of private-pay surgical centres in B.C. is an alarming trend because it fosters a two-tier health care system where only rich people will be able to afford timely surgeries.

The other problem, said NDP health critic David Cubberley, is that highly skilled doctors and nurses are being drawn to private clinics, thereby leaving the public system straining under even more pressure to fill professions that are already struggling with skilled staff shortages (see “Public vs. Private” story on page A2).
Blaylock said it’s important to note that the centre is fulfilling an important medical need.

“Patients who can afford to pay for their own surgery are going to find this an attractive alternative to the long, unacceptable surgical waits lists in the public health care system,” Blaylock said. The new 7,000-square-foot Blaylock Surgical Centre and Valley Laser Eye Centre features the comfort and ambience of a high-class facility with designer touches, Blaylock said.

The first patient to have surgery at the laser eye centre entered the doors on Thursday. General day surgeries are set to begin on April 20. A team of about 30 surgeons will be available at the centre, on a part-time basis, to perform various general surgeries; hernia repairs; and cataract, orthopedic, dental and plastic surgeries, Blaylock said.

In addition to the team of part-time surgeons, the centre will have a permanent staff of about 12 people, including an anesthesiologist, an OR technician, registered nurses and other health care professionals. Blaylock envisions the facility will expand to perform hip and knee surgeries in the near future.

Alice Sugimoto, former head of the Chilliwack General Hospital operating room, said she had never imagined working in a private surgical centre. But, she left the public system 13 months ago and said she loves working in the private sector. She dealt with a variety of patients and problems working in a public hospital. Now employed in the Blaylock Surgical Centre, she looks forward to offering a “different” kind of service, she said.

Patients will be charged for their surgeries, depending on the complexity of the services and the medical care provided, Blaylock said. He’s enthusiastic about this new venture and said he is getting great support in the community.

Blaylock explained that his surgical ORs are equipped with the latest medical technology, and the ORs are superior to the local hospital ORs, and will be staffed with highly trained health care professionals. He anticipates the centre will operate in a similar way as the False Creek Surgical Centre in Vancouver.

“This is a high-end surgical centre; patients will get rapid access to surgery, and the prices will be reasonable and competitive,” Blaylock said.

Prices of the surgeries are to be posted on a future website.

Blaylock is a renowned eye surgeon who lectures around the world on safe and successful leading-edge laser procedures that he performs locally at the Valley Laser Eye Centre.

Read the original article at "Valley Laser Eye Centre, B.C.,Opens Doors"...

Asian Sportsmen To Receive LASIK

2006-04-08T21:53:00.000Z

SINGAPORE : Two national sailors, fresh from their Asian Sailing Championships win, will soon achieve perfect vision to help them win more medals in the future.

They will receive LASIK treatment from the Singapore National Eye Centre in an effort to help sportsmen improve their eyesight to better their performance.

Battling the elements has been a disadvantage for sailors who need to wear glasses or even contact lenses.

"On the last day of the Asian Sailing Championship, I lost the right side of my contact lenses, I could not sail very well that day because I was sailing around half blindly. With LASIK treatment, I think it will definitely help me improve my game because it will eliminate the possibility of losing my contact lenses or glasses and improve my vision," said national sailor Xu Yuan Zhen.

"Having perfect vision really helps, because you have to see things from far," said national sailor Roy Tay.

Besides offering LASIK treatment to selected sailors, the eye centre will also organise a series of eye health education talks for the sportsmen.

"If this is successful and the reception good, the Singapore National Eye Centre and Bausch & Lomb will consider extending this to other national sports associations in Singapore," said Dr Chan Wing Kwong, head of Refractive Surgery at Singapore National Eye Centre.

Read more about "Asian Sportsmen To Receive LASIK"...

Laser Eye Surgery Safe As Contact Lenses

2006-04-05T06:32:00.000Z

The UK Government’s advisory body on best treatments had a change of heart on eye surgery this week. New guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that it should be considered a safe option, which “works well enough for use in the NHS”. This is important. It’s the first time that laser eye surgery has been presented officially as a viable and safe alternative to glasses and contact lenses for people with short and long-sight in the UK.

The new guidance marks a complete turnaround by NICE. The last guidance by the institute on the procedure, in 2004, advised people to stick to glasses and contact lenses. That decision made the UK the laughing stock of the ophthalmic world, according to Sheraz Daya, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Centre for Sight, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, and one of the first to conduct laser eye surgery in the UK. NICE changed its position after a report conducted at the University of Aberdeen reviewing all the research.

NICE’s new guidance is based on a review of the three main laser eye surgery techniques: photorefractive keratectomy, laser epithelial keratomileusis and laser in situ keratomileusis. All involve a surgeon cutting and temporarily folding back the outer membrane covering the cornea (the dome-shaped window over the front of the eye) and reshaping the cornea with a laser. This changes the shape of the lens formed by the cornea and improves the way light is focused on the retina.

Because of its widespread commercialisation and safety concerns, this type of surgery, used to correct short-sightedness, or myopia, has had an image problem. Sheraz Daya says that most UK laser surgery is performed by commercial groups, sometimes using old technology. “Out of 120,000 procedures performed each year, fewer than 5,000 are done in hospitals by eye surgeons in academic environments,” he says. Patients are often evaluated by an optometrist (non-dctor who tests eyes), rather than the ophthalmologist (a doctor trained in eye care) who will perform the surgery. That is why NICE emphasises that it should be used only in “appropriately selected patients” (see below).

However, a new laser surgery technique, Intralasik, which is not covered in the NICE guidelines, seems to give better results with fewer complications. On the facing page, we give a run-down of the facts about the latest options in laser surgery and in treating short-sightedness.

INTRALASIK

A study presented to the Royal College of Ophthalmology last year showed that Intralasik had been used successfully on 800 eyes, and with none of the complications sometimes associated with Lasik eye surgery, such as problems with night vision. All patients’ vision was corrected to better than driving standard and 71 per cent were left with better than 20/20 vision.

While Lasik uses a blade to cut the corneal flap, Intralasik uses two lasers, guided by computer. “A blade is a mechanical device and prone to mechanical error,” says the consultant ophthalmologist Sheraz Daya. “A laser is 100 times more accurate and cuts the corneal flap more uniformly, so visual outcomes are better.”

Although Intralasik is becoming the “gold standard” for laser correction in the US, it is available at only a few centres in the UK. The technique may be suitable for many patients who have been previously deemed unsuitable for laser surgery; for example, those with deep-set eyes. In the NHS, it has been cleared for use only on corneal abnormalities at one hospital, the Queen Victoria Hospital Foundation Trust, in East Grinstead, and only privately.

Read more on "Laser Eye Surgery Safe As Contact Lenses"...

"Father Of Modern Retinal Surgery" Receives Award

2006-04-01T23:01:00.000Z

The French Consul General in Boston M. Francois Gauthier conferred the insignia of Knight of the Legion of Honor on Charles L. Schepens, clinical professor of ophthalmology emeritus, in a special ceremony on March 21. Given on behalf of the French government, the prestigious award recognizes Schepens' patriotic service to the Nazi resistance in World War II, and his lifelong contribution to advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases.

Now 94 years old, Schepens is known worldwide as the father of modern retinal surgery, but was, until recently, little known for his role in the underground movement in Europe. From June 1942 to July 1943, the Belgian-born Schepens directed a highly secret information and evacuation operation in a French Basque village in the Pyrenees. Working in coordination with the Belgian resistance, Schepens adopted the alias Jacques Perot and oversaw a large-scale lumber mill and logging enterprise to camouflage his clandestine work. Among the 100-plus individuals who escaped Nazi occupation through this "underground railroad" were leaders of the Belgian resistance and young French draft dodgers. The story of Schepens' courageous wartime accomplishments only recently came to light with the 2004 release of "The Surgeon and the Shepherd: Two Resistance Heroes in Vichy France" by Meg Ostrum.

Read more on ""Father Of Modern Retinal Surgery" Receives Award"...

Carl Zeiss Excimer Laser Machine At Al Shatti Hospital

2006-03-30T22:50:00.000Z

MUSCAT - Al Shatti Hospital, one of the two private hospitals in Muscat, has announced the upgradation of its facilities with latest medical equipment in order to become the premier health care service provider.

Al Shatti Hospital has taken many initiatives recently to make the hospital a premier healthcare service provider in Oman under the new management.

Some of the departments in which Al Shatti Hospital has upgraded and added latest medical facilities and equipment include the ophthalmology department, orthopaedic clinic, operation theatre, spinal surgeries, urology and gynaecology departments.

The hospital has added the latest Carl Zeiss Excimer Laser Machine for sight correction. With this, the laser treatment is more precise than ever before, offering optimal correction for near sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism. Al Shatti Hospital is the pioneer in the Lasik Eye Surgery in Oman with over 9,000 Lasik Surgeries.

Read more on "Carl Zeiss Excimer Laser Machine At Al Shatti Hospital"...

Panamanian Foreign Minister to Visit Cuba

2006-03-25T07:39:00.000-01:00

During his two-day visit, the Panamanian vice-minister will also evaluate the progress of the Operation Miracle program promoted by Cuba and Venezuela that provides low-income Latin Americans with corrective eye-surgery.

In December of last year, an agreement was reached that will bring 12,000 Panamanians to Cuba to receive free eye-surgery. So far, 700 Panamanians patients have already recovered their eyesight thanks to the Operation Miracle program.

The Panamanian foreign minister will visit one of the hospitals participating in the eye-surgery program and meet a group of Panamanian students studying Medicine in Cuba.

Read more on " Panamanian Foreign Minister to Visit Cuba"...

LASIK Second Sight

2006-03-24T07:20:00.000-01:00

When you wear glasses or contacts, it's the little things that get to you.

Accidentally leaving a pair of glasses at a restaurant can turn into a week-long hassle of phone calls, doctor visits and rummaging for old pairs in the dresser. Loose frames let glasses slide down the bridge of your nose, giving you the look of a disapproving librarian.

If you wear contacts, tiny bits of dust and grit can seem magnetically attracted to them, causing eye-watering discomfort and emergency bathroom visits at a moment's notice. When they're not collecting airborne garbage, contacts have the propensity to simply fly out of an eye at a moment's notice. And let us not forget the delightful ritual of sticking your finger in your eye at least twice a day.

Enter laser in situ keratomileusis, or LASIK, in a superhero cape.

The laser-assisted procedure began clinical trials in the U.S. about ten years ago, and since then it's become the most common type of refractive eye surgery -- an operation that reshapes the transparent covering of the eye, the cornea, to correct the way light focuses on the retina. Other popular refractive eye surgeries are LASEK and PRK, which are indicated for different types and degrees of vision correction.

Brian Scott, morning host on Casper's KTWO radio, had LASIK about a year ago after more than thirty years of glasses and contacts.

"I had glasses since I was 8 years old," he said. "I'm 40 now, so the idea of not having glasses was very cool."

Scott said he did his research before signing on for the surgery and talked to others who'd already had it done.

"I talked to some folks in town who did not have a good result (from the surgery), almost to the point they convinced me that I didn't want to mess with this," said Scott.

The dream of a glasses-free future prevailed, though, and Scott had LASIK performed in Casper by a doctor from Denver. There aren't currently any Casper-based doctors who perform the surgery, but doctors here will refer patients to the appropriate physician.

In LASIK surgery, the doctor uses a small scalpel or cutting laser to cut a small, hinged, contact-lens-sized flap in the cornea. A laser then reshapes the corneal tissue, flattening or steepening it depending on the "map" the doctor created of the patient's cornea. The flap is then replaced. The eyes are numbed and clamped open during the procedure, which can last only a few minutes.

Scott said he felt no pain during the surgery, but it was "a bit disconcerting."

"They offer you Valium," he said. "I suggest that anybody who goes through the surgery take it. There are hands and things coming at your eyes without being able to blink."

"It was weird because you could see the thing coming and lasering your eye," said Boys and Girls Club area director Kim Sharpe, who had LASIK performed a month ago and now has 20/15 vision. "(But) you can't feel anything."

Sharpe said she immediately went home after the surgery and took a long nap; when she woke up, she could see the TV.

"It was amazing," she said.

Scott wasn't so lucky -- he said he had to run errands for a few painful hours after the surgery.

"It felt like sand in my eyes," he said. "By late in the afternoon, I had an opportunity to go home and lay down. ... By literally the next morning, there wasn't a problem."

Dr. Paul Gustafson of the Casper Vision Center said dry eyes are the most common side effect of the surgery. Other complications can include inflammation of the cornea or ingrown cells underneath the flap created by the surgery. Special eye drops prescribed after the surgery help prevent such problems, though.

Gustafson estimated less than 1 percent of his patients who've had LASIK develop complications.

Read more on "LASIK Second Sight"...

Boxing - Laser Eye Surgery Treatment

2006-03-19T14:34:00.000-01:00

"I have mild myopia/short-sightedness (-2.75) so I can make things out although they are blurry and get more so the further away they are. The extent of my boxing so far is just training and sparring so I dunno how it would be in a full on bout with no headguards but Im guessing having myopia gives you a slight disadvantage. I have been toying with the idea of getting laser eye surgery. Can anyone tell me if it is dangerous to continue to box after this procedure? Also is anyone here in the same position as me regarding eyesight and boxing? Would be great to hear some other points of view."

Read replies and more about "Boxing - Laser Eye Surgery Treatment"...

Lasik Eye Surgery - Ask The Expert

2006-03-11T08:51:00.000-01:00

Fort Wayne, USA

Dr. McCabe is one of the foremost eye surgeons and physicians practicing today. She is a graduate of the Medical College of Wisconsin. She then completed her residency training at the world's most prestigious ophthalmology program at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine. Dr. McCabe specializes in laser treatment and surgery for laser vision correction, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Ask The Exert About: Lasik Eye Surgery

Post Laser Eye Surgery Make-Up

2006-03-09T19:13:00.000-01:00

After patients receive laser eye surgery, many doctors request that they avoid cosmetics that can flake into their eyes.

Developed as the world’s first mascara to form tiny tubes around your lashes, Blinc’s Kiss Me Mascara is a safe non-oil-based product that cannot smudge, flake, clump or run. Even if you happen to cry, sweat or rub your eyes, Kiss Me Mascara and its similarly formulated Kiss Me Eyeliner will not budge.

Several ophthalmologists recognized the benefits of these products and now market Blinc’s Kiss Me Mascara and Eyeliner to their patients. After patients receive laser eye surgery, many doctors request that they avoid cosmetics that can flake into their eyes.

Read more about "Post Laser Eye Surgery Make-Up"...

E-Bay Selling Lasik Plus Vision Center Lasix Eye Surgery $100 Coupons

2006-03-05T12:05:00.000-01:00

Yes. It's true. You can buy Lasik Plus Vision Center Lasix Eye Surgery $100 coupons on E-bay. This paricular sale has ended : Lasik Plus Vision Center Lasix Eye Surgery $100 coupon.

But go there an search for other lasik laser eye surgery goodies!

Contacts Offer Alternative to Laser Eye Surgery

2006-03-04T21:52:00.000-01:00

Colombus, Ohio: Is life a blur? Have you struggled to see clearly? Now you can, without laser surgery.

A Mount Carmel East doctor is one of the first to offer patients permanent contact lenses that go in the eye instead of on it.

Laurel Santino, a Lancaster doctor, is a patient. She's delivered 1,000 babies in her career, but her nearsightedness has meant that she's always had to wear corrective lenses.

"Wearing a mask and a hat and the glasses in surgery, it just doesn't...they just don't mix," says Dr. Santino.

She tried contacts, but she says, "They're so uncomfortable, that for about the past six months, I haven't been able to wear them."

Dr. Richard Erdey of Mount Carmel East will give her implantable contact lenses. They've just been approved by the F.D.A. These contacts can help people who aren't candidates for laser eye surgeries, whose vision is worse and who worry about cutting a permanent prescription onto the eye.

"Lasik is permanent. It's not reversible," says Dr. Erdey.

Read more on "Contacts Offer Alternative to Laser Eye Surgery"...

Visian Eye Lens

2006-03-02T20:34:00.000-01:00

36 years of wearing contact lenses and glasses has taken its toll on Lewisville's LouAnn Mix. She wants out.

"The first thing you know, if you wake up in the night or you hear a noise or for any reason, the first thing you're not doing is groping here on the table to get the glasses so then you can function," said LouAnn Mix.

Because her vision is so poor, LASIK surgery won't work on LouAnn. So she's getting this small implantable lens that will allow her to go from blurry to in-focus -- without glasses.

The Visian lens is different from other contemporary lenses like Restor and Crystalens, because it goes on top of the natural lens in your eye, it doesn't replace it.

Read more about "Visian Eye Lens"...

After Laser Eye Surgery, Nationals "Shortstop" Sees A Brighter Year

2006-02-25T07:28:00.000-01:00

VIERA, Fla. (AP) - After spending most of last season below the Mendoza Line, Cristian Guzman had his eyes fixed. The first results are promising.

The Washington Nationals shortstop was an early arrival at spring training Tuesday and looked sharp in batting practice, having ditched contact lenses for laser surgery. He claimed to be oblivious to the fact that the team has signed a veteran to contend for his job.

"When you're struggling the whole year like that, you have to be strong to be happy every day,'' Guzman said. "When you come to feel you're doing nothing for your teammates, you feel a little bit down.''

Three days after the season ended, he had the laser eye surgery.

Read more on "After Laser Eye Surgery, Nationals "Shortstop" Sees A Brighter Year"

Optometrists "On The Stand"

2006-02-19T10:38:00.000-01:00

Former state Rep. Michael Decker received handfuls of $100 checks from optometrists and used some for his political campaign and some for his personal use, according to testimony today as the State Board of Elections opened hearings on possible campaign abuses.

The optometrists testified that they gave incomplete checks for $100 or less to middlemen with the political action committee. Those checks eventually were cashed by Decker or deposited into his campaign. State law requires that donations to a candidate of more than $100 be publicly disclosed. In addition, contributions to a political action committee of more than $100 must also be disclosed.

A half dozen optometrists testified that they gave 10 or 12 checks for $100 or less to be handed out as others saw fit. But public disclosure reports do not show that any of those who testified made contributions. Decker, who sat in the audience and chewed on his fingernails, would not comment.

The hearings opened this morning with House Speaker Jim Black, whose campaign receipts are expected to be a part of later testimony, seated in front of the elections board, flanked by two of his lawyers.

Eric Raynor, an optometrist from Benson, told election board members that he provided 12 signed checks for $100 each to the state optometric political action committee but left blank the payee line and the date. Evidence shows that at least five of the checks went to Decker's campaign or to him personally. The final check didn't clear the bank until a year later.

Read more on "Optometrists "On The Stand""...

Lasik Laser Treatment facility in Hubli, India

2006-02-17T11:59:00.000-01:00

A Rs two crore worth 'Lasik Laser Treatment' (LLT) facility, the first of its kind in Karnataka outside Bangalore, will be introduced at the M M Joshi Eye Institute and Hospital here on February 16 2006.

Announcing this at a press conference here today, Dr M M Joshi said this treatment was a new advancement in the field of refractive surgery, offering hope to millions to see clearly without spectacles or contact lenses.

In this laser procedure, the cornea would be meticulously reshaped using excimer laser with sub-micron precision. A thin flap of cornea would be cut using a special cutting instrument called 'Microkeratome' and an ultra violet cold laser beam would be applied on the corneal stromal bed. Later, the corneal flap would be repositioned and the patient could instantaneously get rid of his glasses, he said.

Read more on "Lasik Laser Treatment facility in Hubli, India"...

Laser Eye Surgeon Glenn Kawesch Has Served His Federal Prison Term For Tax Evasion And Is Practicing Again

2006-02-15T17:55:00.000-01:00

La Jolla eye surgeon Glenn Kawesch has served his federal prison term for tax evasion and is practicing again after winning a lengthy court battle to regain his medical license.

The California Medical Board restored Kawesch's license after a Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled that the board had improperly revoked it last year.

Judge Judy Hersher decided the board was wrong in overruling an administrative law judge who found no merit to claims Kawesch had mistreated patients and that the board had no reason to punish him after he admitted cheating on his taxes.

Kawesch's ads touting laser eye surgery were once a mainstay on San Diego airwaves but ceased when his license was revoked in June 2004. Kawesch has performed more than 31,000 eye surgeries on more than 20,000 patients since 1996.

Now he's rebuilding his practice, using singer Jessica Simpson and many of the other celebrity testimonials he touted before he got in trouble with the law.

Read more on "Laser Eye Surgeon Glenn Kawesch Has Served His Federal Prison Term For Tax Evasion And Is Practicing Again"...

50 Tough Questions For Your Laser Eye Surgeon

2006-02-12T20:32:00.000-01:00

If you are seriously considering LASIK, PRK, LASEK, Epi-LASIK, or any other refractive surgery technique, you need to first and foremost consider the qualifications and experience of your potential surgeon. The surgeon is even more important than the medical devices used. No amount of technology can compensate for an inferior surgeon.

Do not expect your prospective surgeon to respond with our suggested answers for every question. Some are more important measures of ability than others. Use your own common sense. Ask for proof of all claims. Measure the willingness to respond as much as the response. The surgeon should offer to make arrangements for any requested test or examination that the surgeon does not normally provide.

If you do not completely understand the relevance of any of these questions, use the links provided or search our website for more detailed information. Best of luck in your quest for an excellent surgeon.

Read more about "50 Tough Questions For Your Laser Eye Surgeon"...

Laser-Perfect Vvision Possible With LASIK (Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis) Surgery.

2006-02-11T06:26:00.000-01:00

GAYLORD - Tammy Cosby, age 29, had been wearing glasses or contact lenses since she was 13-years-old. “I couldn't read the big ‘E' on the eye chart,” laughed an eyeglasses-less and contact lens-less Cosby after her vision was corrected to better than 20/20 through a procedure called LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) surgery.

The laser vision procedure, performed by Dr. Jeffrey Chaulk at his Gaylord Alpine Eye Care office, corrected Cosby's vision to 20/10, an improvement she was able to see the very next day.

“It was simple and easy and I would recommend it to anyone,” Cosby said of the 15 minute out-patient surgery performed by Chaulk.

Chaulk, who has been working in northern Michigan since 1988, with offices also in Grayling and Cheboygan, said he has used the vision correction technique for the past 10-12 years and estimates 1,000 of his patients have undergone the LASIK procedure.

According to Chaulk, LASIK corrects the degree of refractive error for individuals who are either nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism. A laser is used to change the curvature of the cornea and most patients who have undergone the surgery recover quickly, as did Cosby.

Read more on "Laser-Perfect Vvision Possible With LASIK (Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis) Surgery"...

Lasik Eye Surgery Patient Vision Trouble

2006-02-08T19:36:00.000-01:00

Emretta Hinman just wanted to be able to see better. But instead of correcting her severe farsightedness, Hinman said, lasik eye surgery performed by a Bergenfield doctor triggered a slew of new problems that left her unable to drive or remain in bright daylight for long.

Well-known eye surgeon Joseph Dello Russo never explained the risks of lasik surgery before he operated on her in 2001, the Connecticut woman told jurors in Newark, as a malpractice trial opened Wednesday. Then, in the months afterward, she said, he didn't take her complaints of poor eyesight seriously.

"I was scared. I really wanted to know what was wrong," Hinman testified, her voice breaking. "He said that I was just having an abnormal healing, that it was just healing slow."

Dello Russo's lawyer, John Tomaszewski, called him a "pioneer" in the field of lasik eye surgery who continued to be a caring doctor after Hinman's procedure.

Read more on "Lasik Eye Surgery Patient Vision Trouble"...

IntraLase Announces First Use of FS Laser for Advanced Corneal Transplant Surgery

2006-02-05T12:06:00.000-01:00

Jan. 26, 2006--IntraLase Corp. (Nasdaq:ILSE) today announced the first corneal transplant cases using the IntraLase(R) FS laser have been successfully performed in patients, marking the first major technology advancement in corneal transplant surgery in more than five years. The use of IntraLase's ultra-fast laser to create a contoured, full-thickness corneal resection in preparation for corneal transplant has the potential to make corneal transplantation a safer, more precise procedure as the all-laser approach gains favor among transplant surgeons. Full global launch of this new therapeutic application is expected in Fall 2006.

Three of the country's leading ophthalmic institutes, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami, Corneal Research Foundation of America of Indianapolis and the University of California Irvine, Department of Ophthalmology, are among the first in the country to adopt all-laser corneal transplant surgery. They've affirmed IntraLase's ability to improve the surgery, considered the last resort for patients facing blindness resulting from severe corneal disease.

Read more on "IntraLase Announces First Use of FS Laser for Advanced Corneal Transplant Surgery"...

Hospital-Fear Journalist Braves Laser Eye Surgery

2006-02-04T15:42:00.000-01:00

Short-sighted journalist Sarah Gunthardt has set herself free from a life of blurred vision, glasses and contact lenses after undergoing laser eye surgery.

Despite having a fear of hospitals, the Peterborough Evening Telegraph business editor plucked up the courage to receive the treatment and said the ability to see clearly unaided felt like a miracle.

Sarah, who has worn glasses since she was a teenager, said that she never got used to wearing specs and always felt like they were a barrier between her and the outside world.

She said: "I wasn't wearing jam jar specs but I wore glasses all day for work and contact lenses for things like nights out.

"I covered the opening of the Optimax Clinic in the summer and they were really pleased with it. They noticed that I wore glasses and invited me back for the surgery."

Read more on "Hospital-Fear Journalist Braves Laser Eye Surgery"...

TLCVision Announces TLC Center at the Southern California College of Optometry

2006-01-22T09:19:00.000-01:00

TLC Vision Corporation (TSX:TLC)(NASDAQ:TLCV), North America's premier eye care services company, announced today that the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO), has reached an agreement with Laser Eye Care of California, LLC - the managing entity of TLC Laser Eye Centers in California, to establish a laser vision correction center on its Fullerton campus. The center will be called TLC at the Southern California College of Optometry and is a relocation of the TLC Brea Center.

"Being involved in optometric education with a laser vision correction center is an important milestone for TLC. Refractive surgery is a significant part of vision correction today, and to have this facility on campus should benefit both SCCO's patients and the doctors of the future," said John Potter, O.D., Vice President of Clinical Services for TLC's parent company TLCVision.

"The College's commitment to outstanding patient care, education and research is coupled with TLC's quality patient care and its nationwide team of doctors," said SCCO President Lesley L. Walls, O.D., M.D., D.O.S. "The addition of laser vision correction services on our main campus will enrich the lives of our patients and enhance the educational experience for our students.

"The affiliated ophthalmologists of TLC provide a wide array of surgical procedures that will be of benefit to our patients," remarked Dr. Walls. "TLC has also made a commitment for all future technological advances to be integrated into their patient care program at the Southern California College of Optometry."

Read more about "TLCVision Announces TLC Center at the Southern California College of Optometry"...

Jo Campbell's LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

2006-01-19T06:54:00.000-01:00

When Jo Campbell had LASIK surgery five years ago, she knew that eventually she’d have to wear reading glasses. What she didn’t count on was the damage done to her left eye. Even now, three surgeries later, she said looking out of her left eye “looks like an impressionalist painting.”

When Jo Campbell first thought of having LASIK surgery to her eyes, her first consideration was to go through every aspect of what the procedure involved with a fine-tooth comb.

"I was very thorough in researching it," she said of assessing the risk factors involved.

Researching a particular topic was nothing new for Campbell, as she is the assistant superintendent of the Council Bluffs School District. Instead of being well versed to face a barrage of questions from various boards and administrators, she had to prepare for her toughest sell yet -convincing herself.

"It was very important to me, at that time, that I know what I was getting myself into, and that I be familiar with this as much as I could be prior to making a decision," she said.

Campbell knew that, given her age, there was the possibility that while LASIK would correct her vision, she might be relegated to wearing reading glasses somewhere down the line, "which was fine."

Read more about " Jo Campbell's LASIK Laser Eye Surgery"...

Chanda Jones's LASIK Surgery.

2006-01-16T19:32:00.000-01:00

Before Chanda Jones opted to have LASIK surgery on her eyes, her vision was 20/800, which made her legally blind according to the American Optometric Association. Now, she loves that she can see without glasses or contacts.

Hindsight is 20/20, but Chanda Jones's vision wasn't prior to her decision to get LASIK surgery. Jones began wearing glasses when she was 7 years old. It wasn't long after that her thick lenses began protruding past the edges of her frames. "Even when you cut them down with the high-index (polycarbonate) lenses, they were still very thick," Jones, 25, said.

Chanda isn't sure how her eyes got so weak when both parents' vision was far better than hers. Her mother, Joan, wears reading glasses, and father, Bill, has a vision contact prescription of -5.5, which is almost half the prescription she once wore.

Read more...

LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Video

2006-01-15T07:44:00.000-01:00

What better way is there to answer your questions on LASIK laser eye surgery than to show you an operation in action?

The video will go through the following 6 stages in the LASIK laser eye surgery operation:

1. Flap preparation [cutting the outer corneal surface to access the layer to be lasered].

2. Flap lifting and operation area cleaned.

3. Fitting the eye tracker [to improve the accuracy of the ablation by locking the laser onto any eye movement].

4. Laser ablation.

5. Flap repositioning [healing process starts immediately].

6. End of surgery.

Prior to the start of the video a local anaesthetic has been administered to eliminate any feeling and a surgical clamp fitted to prevent lid movent.

In order to watch the videos you need DivX 5.x which you can download here (3MB) if you do not already have it (if the video doesn't play or only plays sound - you need to download it.

The LASIK laser eye surgery operation can be found here: LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Video

Irish Research Claims Lasik is Safe

2006-01-14T07:49:00.000-01:00

Irish eye researchers are claiming an excellent safety profile for controversial LASIK surgery in a major new five-year follow-up study which has just been published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology....

Overall, 96 per cent of patients reported that they would have the surgery again, they said. The procedure still attracts controversy despite 10 years of experience, the researchers reported....

The patients had surgery between 1998 and 1999 for all levels of myopia. They said LASIK “offers predictable results in terms of refractive and visual outcome with mild regression in refraction over time”.

Read more on "Irish Research Claims Lasik is Safe"...

LASIK Hits 10-year Mark

2006-01-13T19:54:00.000-01:00

The past 10 years have seen advancements in nearly every technological field, including medicinal sciences. One of those advancements was the start of LASIK eye surgery, which has seen an increasing number of successful patients in recent years, according to local optometrists.

Nearly 2 million people have LASIK surgery each year. Despite the high costs associated with the surgery, both doctors and patients said it's worth it.

Nick Nicosia's first words after opening his eyes Thursday couldn't be printed, but the surprise at how sharp his vision had become was obvious.
"That's amazing ... wow," he said with a smile. "That's wild."

LASIK surgery isn't a new procedure, nor is it unpopular, said doctors Leon LaHaye and Paul Azar, both of whom have performed thousands of procedures during the past decade.

"It's a tremendous procedure.... (read more)....

Outback Optometrist Shares Vision

2006-01-12T17:58:00.000-01:00

When the awards for West Australian of the year were being divvied up, it was the "eyes" that had it for naming Margaret O’Neill a state Regional Hero. Margaret is a travelling optometrist. She is based in Kununurra, but visits up to 40 Aboriginal communities throughout the Kimberley and Pilbara every year.

In her job she clocks up about 30 thousand kilometres a year and at one stage spent more time in the car than at home. Margaret has been an optometrist for 15 years now, five in the Kimberley, and has worked as far a field as Arnhem Land, the Pacific Islands and Perth. She tests the vision of hundreds of people who otherwise don't have access to an optometrist because of their remote location.

Read more....

New Vision Correction Surgery Debuts In Madison

2006-01-11T21:18:00.000-01:00

A Sauk City woman became the first person in the U.S. to undergo a revolutionary new vision-correction surgery in Madison on Tuesday.

The surgery involves a newly approved, second-generation optical implant that provides clear vision. The implant was given the thumps up by the FDA only a couple of weeks ago.

The surgery could provide hope for those of us who are not candidates for laser-vision correction, WISC-TV reported.

Before Tuesday's 20-minute-long procedure, patient Amy Breunig said that she viewed the surgery preparations -- even the dilating eye drops -- as a sight for sore eyes.

Channel3000.com reports...

McGuinty Government Celebrates Opening Of New Cataract Surgery Clinic

2006-01-10T19:50:00.000-01:00

New Centre Of Excellence Will Perform 5,000 New Surgeries, Reduce Wait Times

The McGuinty government is improving access to cataract surgeries and reducing wait times with the creation of a new cataract surgery Centre of Excellence, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

"The Kensington Eye Institute will significantly increase the province's capacity for cataract surgeries, and it will reduce wait times," Smitherman said. "These surgeries will greatly enhance the quality of life for many Ontarians, especially seniors with failing sight."

"With the opening of the Kensington Eye Institute we....

Lasik Laser Eye Surgery In The Military - Discussion

2006-01-07T08:45:00.000-01:00

Has anyone's active duty spouse gotten LASIK EYE SURGERY? Is it true tha they will be UNDEPLOYABLE for a year if they do? How do you go about getting it done?

Read more of the discussion here....

Keeping An "Eye" On Her Patients

2006-01-06T18:16:00.000-01:00

There are no typical days for Optometrist Elaine Campbell, who has been looking after the eyes of residents and tourists in the Cayman Islands for 30 years. Someone may come in with an injured eye and can't see or they are in severe pain because they left their contact lenses in too long. The day could even start with a routine eye exam.

With so many years of experience in optometry, Dr Campbell knows...

Tuna Appears To Help Eye Sufferers After Laser Eye Surgery

2006-01-04T18:40:00.000-01:00

Phyllis Knapp, a secretary from Kalamazoo, Mich., knows all too much about an ocular condition called dry-eye syndrome. Her eyes burned all the time. At times, the pain was so unbearable, it was as if acid had been thrown in her face. During breaks at work she'd cover her eyes with a cold compress to get relief. Finally, the distraction became so unrelenting that she left her job.

"There's no relief from it; the only relief you get is when you shut your eyes," she says.

An estimated 8 million to 10 million people in the United States, mostly women, suffer from dry-eye syndrome. It can't be cured with a few eye drops, and it leaves its sufferers with burning eyes, blurred vision and the need to protect their eyes from the elements at all times.

The causes vary. Some, including Knapp, reported that their symptoms first occurred after laser eye surgery. But it especially affects women as they age, most likely the result of hormonal changes that cause them to produce smaller amounts of the lipids that are normally in tears.

There is no known cure for the condition, but research suggests something sufferers can do: Eat tuna.

Read more...

A Decade Later, Lasik Surgery Not Revolutionary And Still A Luxury

2006-01-03T18:51:00.000-01:00

CHICAGO -- Christopher Tomes, 43, opened his eyes one morning, looked out the window and could read the license plate of a parked car -- without his glasses.

He'd had Lasik eye surgery the day before, becoming one of the 5 million Americans seeking to shed their eyeglasses with laser vision correction during the past decade.

"It's exceptional," Tomes said of his vision nine days after surgery. "I'm extremely happy I did it."

Since U.S. doctors began offering laser vision correction in 1995, safety has improved and new methods give people with more severe vision problems a chance to have the procedure.

But there's still no guarantee of 20/20 eyesight, the procedure's long-term safety is unknown and one recent study showed that almost 18 percent of patients require a second Lasik treatment. A lack of health insurance coverage keeps the procedure a luxury item, affordable only to people who can spare $3,000 to $5,000.

In addition, a technology arms race means some vision clinics are bragging about their new equipment and techniques, such as wavefront-guided Lasik and a new "blade-free" method. That further complicates a consumer's decision.

Read more...

ANASTACIA Has Eye Surgery But Keeps Glasses

2006-01-02T10:28:00.000-01:00

Pop star ANASTACIA has vowed to continue wearing her trademark glasses, despite having her vision corrected by laser eye surgery.

The I'M OUTTA LOVE singer is famed for her flamboyant spectacles, but hated having to wear them onstage.

The 32-year-old says, "I started using contacts on stage but I didn't get on with them. I wanted people to see my eyes and also wanted to wear make-up so I had surgery.

"I wear glasses because there are some wild styles around now."

ANASTACIA Has Eye Surgery But Keeps Glasses

Laser Eye Surgery - Miracle Cure Or Gimmick?

2005-12-29T06:18:00.000-01:00

SHORT sightedness is a common condition that affects millions of people in this country.

Most just accept the fact they are destined to wear glasses or contact lenses for the rest of their days, but over the last decade corrective laser eye surgery has become increasingly popular.

Having been a member of the four-eyed community since myopia struck in my teens, I like so many others had simply become used to the idea that specs were an inevitable part of life.

I had always been aware of laser surgery, but a mixture of fear and laziness had so far prevented me from going under the knife.

Read Paul Green's amazing first-hand account of his surgery in the Bromley Times.

Lasik Surgery Can Save Your Marriage?!

2005-12-28T05:31:00.000-01:00

So it's the day after Christmas, and I'm in my sweatpants, sitting on the couch while my laundry turns in the dryer, and I'm watching Monday morning syndicated television (Becker, if you must know). A commercial for a local Lasik surgery center comes on, and a woman gives a testimonial, saying that since she's had Lasik surgery, her husband looks at her differently and treats her better.

Huh?...

Police, Firefighters Get Most Eye Surgeries Under Program Set Up For Poor

2005-12-27T07:34:00.000-01:00

The idea was to offer corrective eye surgery to Metro East residents who could not otherwise afford it. Then came the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The sponsors of the program - the Pepose Vision Institute in Chesterfield and the optometry school at the University of Missouri at St. Louis - expanded a Lasik eye surgery program to include police officers and firefighters as a way to honor first responders after 9/11. Previously, the program starting June 2001 had provided the surgery to poor residents in and near East St. Louis for a nominal fee.

Since the program was expanded, however, the Lasik surgery has become almost exclusively a service for first responders. Of the 188 surgeries performed, only five of the patients were poor Metro East residents.

Frustrated with the seeming lack of interest in the surgery, the program sponsors have abandoned efforts to reach out to those who were the original target for low-cost Lasik....

By Doug Moore ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Laser Eye Surgery Remains Luxury For Most

2005-12-26T06:49:00.000-01:00

Christopher Tomes, 43, opened his eyes one morning, looked out the window and could read the license plate of a parked car - without his glasses.

He'd had Lasik eye surgery the day before, becoming one of the 5 million Americans seeking to shed their eyeglasses with laser vision correction during the past decade.

"It's exceptional," Mr. Tomes said of his vision nine days after surgery. "I'm extremely happy I did it."

Since U.S. doctors began offering laser vision correction in 1995, safety has improved and new methods give people with more severe vision problems a chance to have the procedure.

But there's still no guarantee of 20 / 20 eyesight, the procedure's long-term safety is unknown and one recent study showed nearly 18 percent of patients require a second Lasik treatment. A lack of health insurance coverage keeps the procedure a luxury item, affordable only to people who can spare $3,000 to $5,000.

In addition, a technology arms race means some vision clinics are bragging about their new equipment and techniques, such as wavefront-guided Lasik and a new "blade-free" method. That further complicates a consumer's decision.

"You listen to the radio, you hear the ads," said Chicago refractive surgeon Dr. Colman

Kraff. "A lot of it is trying to market to the patient to scare them a little bit into having one procedure over another."

The average Lasik patient is about 39 years old with an income of about $88,000, said Dave Harmon, president of Market Scope, a company that tracks the industry....

Eye Care Advice From Israel

2005-12-25T06:58:00.000-01:00

By Dr Andrew Fink

Are your arms too short to read the menu? Ever seen friends in their mid forties struggling to read the menu, needing to push it further away, complaining their arms aren`t long enough? They have presbyopia, or that middle aged eye affliction that eventually affects us all - difficulty focusing close up and a need for reading glasses.

Why it actually occurs is controversial and as a result a permanent and effective cure has so far proved elusive, in contrast to today`s extremely successful and safe eye laser surgery vision correction treatments for other focusing problems .

Current theories by eye care professionals include aging changes in the eye?s natural lens, and weakening of the focusing muscle which acts on the lens. Most people I see in the clinic start to have difficulty reading at around the age of 45, give or take 2-3 years. There are of course exceptions. People who are long sighted have difficulty seeing close up at an earlier age. In contrast the nearsighted see better for reading by taking their glasses off.

Most eye care specialists agree that presbyopia is caused by an age-related process. This is different from astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness, which are related to the shape of the eyeball and caused by genetic factors, disease, or trauma. Presbyopia is generally believed to stem from a gradual loss of flexibility in the natural lens inside your eye. The eye's lens hardens with age, resulting in blurred near vision. This is called presbyopia. The eye's lens stiffens with age, so it is less able to focus when you view something up close. The result is blurred near vision. These age-related changes occur within the proteins in the lens, making the lens harder and less elastic with the years. Age-related changes also take place in the muscle fibers surrounding the lens. With less elasticity, the eye has a harder time focusing up close. Other, less popular theories exist as well.

Usually a transitional period of two to three years occurs when dependence on reading glasses gradually increases. Whilst at first difficulty may be experienced when tired, or reading small print in poor lightening (that?s why straining to decipher a menu in dimly lit restaurants late at night is often an early sign), slowly the need becomes greater until all reading material is blurred without glasses.

Acquiring your first pair of reading glasses is not just a technical issue, but also a psychological one. For many the need for readers is the first concrete physical sign that middle age has arrived, and eternal youth is, after all, a myth. Reluctance to take the plunge and buy that first pair is understandable. When to do so is a lifestyle issue. Delaying the inevitable is not damaging, nor beneficial, but if it makes you feel younger for a little longer, that?s fine!

Eyeglasses with bifocal or progressive addition lenses (PALs) are the most common...

Kansas City Laser Eye Surgery

2005-12-24T06:43:00.000-01:00

A Leawood eye doctor has been chosen to participate in a clinical study of new laser surgery technology being introduced in the United States. Dr. John Doane's Discover Vision Center office in Leawood is one of five U.S. sites selected for study of Carl Zeiss Meditec's MEL 80 Excimer Laser.

"The MEL 80 is very fast and extremely precise," Doane said in a written release. "With this newest laser, we are able to make the finest corrections without losing the benefit of a smooth surface. And we perform the procedure without having to dilate the eye."

Patients benefit from laser's use, Doane said, because it improves their vision more than other procedures, and patients recover vision quicker.

"This laser is good news for many farsighted patients, who typically are not good candidates for laser treatments," Doane said.

Beginning in January, Doane will start using the MEL 80 on farsighted patients living in the Kansas City area.

"What Does A Neuro-Ophthamologist Do?"

2005-12-22T20:02:00.000-01:00

A neuro ophthalmologist is an ophthalmologist who has done extra training in neurologic related matters, sometimes they have even completed a neurology residency - anyway they deal with...

Study: Therapy Improves "Lazy Eye" In Adults

2005-12-21T20:33:00.000-01:00

LOS ANGELES, CA, United States (UPI) -- Scientists at the University of Southern California and at three Chinese universities have found amblyopia, or lazy eye, can be successfully treated.

A lazy eye in children appears normal, but doesn`t see properly, even with corrective lenses. If untreated, the eye will not develop fully, resulting in what was believed to be permanent vision loss.

The researchers trained the subjects in detection of a small 'gabor,' a set of three contrasting dark and light ovals that neurophysiologists have identified as a basic unit of visual perception.

More on this...

Lasik Technology Has Made Advances In The Past Decade...

2005-12-19T16:22:00.000-01:00

...but remains a luxury item with side effects. ( BY CARLA K. JOHNSON, The Associated Press, December 19, 2005)

CHICAGO -- Christopher Tomes, 43, opened his eyes one morning, looked out the window and could read the license plate of a parked car -- without his glasses.

He'd had Lasik eye surgery the day before, becoming one of the 5 million Americans seeking to shed their eyeglasses with laser vision correction during the past decade.

"It's exceptional," Tomes said of his vision nine days after surgery. "I'm extremely happy I did it."

Since U.S. doctors began offering laser vision correction in 1995, safety has improved and new methods give people with more severe vision problems a chance to have the procedure.

But there's still no guarantee of 20/20 eyesight, the procedure's long-term safety is unknown and one recent study showed nearly 18 percent of patients require a second Lasik treatment. A lack of health insurance coverage keeps the procedure a luxury item, affordable only to people who can spare $3,000 to $5,000.

More...

Laser Eye Surgery Update

2005-12-18T12:52:00.000-01:00

Hello again. For those of you who have not followed my Laser Eye Surgery diary from January of this year, (2005), you'll remember I went in for a mono-vision correction lasik laser eye surgery operation at Ultralase, in Chelmsford, Essex, England.

Normally, I would have been signed off by now, but I had a bit of a dry-eye problem which kept with me for several months. Equally, I had a change of work during the year (!) This change meant me being more outside than inside. However, when I was inside - the heating and air-con in different places effected my eye quite erratically. Consequently, it has been only over the last four weeks that I have stopped taking the Hypromellose Eye Drops - the artificial tears. (I stopped using the Lacri-Lube, (Ocular Lubricant), at night, some time ago).

And because I don't have a car with my new job, getting to Chelmsford can be a bit of a chore. So, Jan 6th 2006 should be my last trip to see the happy chappies at Ultralase.

Do I still recommend lasik laser eye surgery? Most definately! :)

IntraLASIK Laser Eye Surgery

2005-12-17T23:00:00.000-01:00

Dr. Leavitt and Bellevue LASIK were the first in the Puget Sound area, (Bellevue, WA), to perform IntraLASIK all laser LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK eye flaps are traditionally created using a mechanical microkeratome. This has genereally been a safe technique. However, the microkeratome produces a meniscus-shaped flap of variable overall thickness and always thinner in the center than at the edges. Occasionally a corneal abrasion or an irregular, incomplete, or button-hole flap results.

The IntraLase™ femtosecond laser virtually eliminates the risk traditionally involved in creating a LASIK eye flap. The LASIK surgeon programs the desired thickness, diameter, and hinge placement. Then, without using a blade, the IntraLase™ laser creates a predictable uniform-thickness flap. IntraLASIK is an all-laser LASIK vision treatment that minimizes the possibility of flap complications while maximizing comfort and safety.

IntraLASIK Laser Eye Surgery

Canadian Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Reviews

2005-12-17T22:57:00.000-01:00

This Canadian Lasik Lasix Laser Eye Surgery Clinic Review brings together the details of lasik eye surgery clinics across Canada. This Canadian lasik lasix laser eye review also links to laser eye centres and optometrist reviews in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan & the Yukon Territory, in no particular order of laser eye surgery priority.

Study Supports Use of IntraLase(R) FS Laser in Preparation of Cornea Tissue for Novel Corneal Transplants

2005-12-17T22:55:00.000-01:00

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IntraLase Corp. (Nasdaq: ILSE), The Northwest Lions Eye Bank and The Cornea Research Foundation of America announced today at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, preliminary study results that indicate uniform thickness posterior corneal allografts can be successfully prepared and stored for use in novel corneal transplant procedures. Dr. Frank Price will present the initial laboratory results during course LEC246 "Anterior and Posterior Lamellar Keratoplasty Techniques" on Sunday, October 16th. The study to be presented is part of a growing effort to make superior laser-cut cornea tissue available for posterior endothelial keratoplasty, known in layman's terms as partial-thickness cornea transplants. These procedures have gained significant interest among corneal surgeons due to their potential to speed visual recovery and reduce complications compared to the current
standard surgery, in which a full thickness corneal transplant is performed. "Our team has been impressed with the Northwest Lions Eye Bank's ability to make this innovation a reality," said Dr. Ron Kurtz, Medical Director at
IntraLase. "Their sophisticated approach to sight care has created bridges between the corporate and non-profit world that will continue to make a real impact on corneal surgery."

The Northwest Lions Eye Bank, Cornea Research Foundation of America and IntraLase Collaborate on Effort to Provide Corneal Surgeons With Innovative Options

Lasix Laser Eye Surgery & Refractive Eye Surgery

2005-12-17T22:49:00.000-01:00

INSTITUTE OF WELLNESS - Your complete source for health and healthy living. Here you will find information on doctors and specialists, and learn about new way of staying healthy. Information on healthy living, health care needs, doctors, dentists, specialists, tips on how to stay healthy and how to feel younger through diet, exercise, and the use of Medicine, Vitamins and other Homeopathic methods.

The cornea is a part of the eye that helps focus light to create an image on the retina. It works in much the same way that the lens of a camera focuses light to create an image on film. The bending and focusing of light is also known as refraction. Usually the shape of the cornea and the eye are not perfect and the image on the retina is out-of-focus (blurred) or distorted. These imperfections in the focusing power of the eye are called refractive errors. There are three primary types of refractive errors:... Laser Eye Surgery, Refractive Eye Surgery and other vision related problems.

Eye Laser Surgery Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Treatment UK London

2005-12-17T22:46:00.000-01:00

"The goal of this website is to give you a comprehensive overview of your vision correction options. I would like you to be able to make a well informed decision based on the latest information."

Professor Dan Z Reinstein, MD MA(Cantab) FRCSC DABO

At the London Vision Clinic safety is an obsession.

That may seem like a strong statement, but we really, really, want to emphasize our point. In expert hands laser eye surgery can be an extremely safe, life enhancing experience. More than 100,000 procedures will be done in the UK this year. However, as health care is not a commodity, it pays to do your homework. There are differences between clinics. You want to be sure you're receiving the expert level of safety and care that you deserve...

Eye Laser Surgery Lasik Laser Eye Surgery Treatment UK London

Monovision Laser Eye Surgery Correction FAQ Video

2005-12-17T22:44:00.000-01:00

The use of one eye for distance and one eye for near vision is referred to as monovision and is one of the options to consider as part of your refractive surgery decision. Look at the video FAQs here:
Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley - FAQ's

Lasix eye surgery at the Surgical Department at Union Hospital, Dover Ohio

2005-12-17T22:41:00.000-01:00

Union Hospital is proud of its wide range of state-of-the-art surgical equipment and skilled nursing staff who work closely with the surgeons. Minimally invasive surgical procedures are done with laparoscopic and arthroscopic technology as well as laser surgery.

Surgical Department at Union Hospital, Dover Ohio

Laser Eye Surgery Facts Blog

2005-12-17T18:15:00.000-01:00

News and currrent events from the laser eye surgery world. This blog is part of the Laser Eye Surgery Facts International Directory