Nearsightedness, Farsightedness, Astigmatism: How These Refractive Errors Differ

Refractive Surgery Los Angeles

The three most common types of refractive errors are nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Those who wear glasses or contact lenses usually have at least one of these conditions. In this blog, renowned ophthalmologist Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler explains the differences between these refractive errors. Read more

Top 4 Questions Before Fortified LASIK

If you are getting ready for LASIK in Los Angeles or considering your options, you probably have many questions you need answered. There are several myths and misconceptions about the LASIK procedure and it is often hard to decide whether or not this procedure is right for you. The following questions and answers below may help you prepare.

Top 4 questions to ask before LASIK Surgery:

When you are interested in or preparing for LASIK surgery you probably have questions regarding procedure, recovery, or even how it feels during surgery. Below are the top 4 questions you might ask your eye care specialist before your surgery.

How long will the procedure take?

The procedure itself takes only around 15 minutes per eye. The overall amount of time you will spend in the office will most likely be around 4 hours for completing paperwork, signing consent forms, repeating any testing, and postop observation.

How long is the recovery process?

Around 24 hours after your procedure you will be able to continue your daily activities. Your doctor will likely to want to see you 24-48 hours after the procedure for follow up exam. After a week or two you should fully recover from your procedure. Most of these protocols are for your safety, and each patient is different so you will need to pay attention to the specific details provided to you.

What are some side effects of LASIK?

There are a few possible side effects from the procedure such as dry eyes, glare & halos, and some partial loss of vision which is very rare. If you think you are having any side effects it is important to see your eye care professional right away.

What are some of the benefits of getting the LASIK procedure?

There are many benefits of LASIK – the major one being freedom from glasses or contact lenses. Additional benefits of LASIK procedures are little pain during the procedure, ability to be performed in combination with other treatments, and has a quicker recovery time.

Priscilla grew tired of her itchy eyes and contact lenses ripping, so she couldn’t be happier with her LASIK experience. Watch her story:

LASIK Eye Surgery, Improving Vision

Fortified LASIK Eye Surgery

LASIK Eye Surgery

If you are looking to be lessen the burden of eye glasses or contact lenses there are several options to help you. In the past most people with vision issues had to rely on glasses or contact lenses to get the vision they desired, however there have been many changes and improvements when it comes to vision correction.

While recent treatments including traditional LASIK procedures, not all people are good candidates and it often causes disturbances in the patient’s vision after the procedure is performed. Luckily now there are new alternatives. One procedure, known as Fortified LASIK, is an advanced form of the traditional LASIK procedure which also includes an accelerated version of Dr. Brian’s patented Holcomb C3-R corneal crosslinking.  This treatment helps to strengthen the cornea and helps to extend the longevity of the LASIK procedure results

Below you will find more information regarding the Fortified LASIK procedure and you can make the choice for yourself.

Fortified LASIK Eye Surgery:

Fortified LASIK accommodates those that have somewhat thinner cornea or slight irregular shape, because it strengthens the cornea right after the procedure.

Fortified LASIK is only available at the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute.  Dr. Brian developed this procedure to increasing the longevity and safety of the LASIK.

May people searching our LASIK in Los Angeles have found Dr. Brian’s procedure to be comfortable and effective in providing visual freedom.

Below are some of the benefits of Fortified LASIK Eye Surgery:

  • Can improve overall quality of vision
  • Can  improve night vision
  • Can achieve 20/20 vision (in some cases)
  • Quick recovery
  • Repairs some cornea distortions
  • Can replace or reduce the need for your glasses or contact lenses
  • Strengthens the cornea and reduces risk of developing Ectasia

Clear and precise quality of vision is important in our everyday lives, for both work and personal reasons. Ask a friendly patient concierge about the Fortified LASIK procedure. For more information regarding Fortified LASIK.

Watch this clip from the Emmy award daytime talk show The Doctors:

Top Procedures for Vision Correction

There are several new treatment options that can assist with your vision. In many cases these procedures can reduce the need for glasses/contact lenses.

Over the past two decades several new procedures have been developed that are making changes in the lives of many who suffer with vision issues.

For those who are suffering with Astigmatism, Farsightedness, Nearsightedness, Dry Eye, or even Keratoconus there is hope for your vision. Minimally-invasive procedures like LASIK, PRK and ICL can help your vision drastically,

Below you will see some procedures that can assist you in finding visual freedom:

LASIK – The most well-known vision correction procedure. LASIK uses a laser to carefully shave away cornea tissue to create a smooth surface, and therefore correct the vision.

PRK – The procedure involves gently moving the surface skin of the cornea and applying a laser to reshape the outer cornea. PRK was the first type of laser eye surgery for vision correction. PRK preceded development of LASIK.

ICL – ICL is a small implanted lens that can reduce or eliminate your need for contacts or glasses. The goal of ICL is to reduce overall prescription. A patient can consider the ICL procedure if they have a high prescription, and may have conditions such as thin corneas which make them not candidates for other procedures.

For more information on vision correction, click the link below to watch a special episode of The Doctors.

What Eye Conditions Could I Possibly be at Risk to Develop?

With so many eye conditions out there, examining your family history should be your first step to find out which you might be at risk for. You can be at higher risk for several of these conditions through injury, environmental exposure, and a positive family history. For those patients concerned, the highest development of many eye conditions is related to the genetic component, so reviewing family history is very important.
Below are a few common conditions to be aware of:
Cataracts
Cataracts are a condition that clouds the natural lens of the eye and progresses over time. For those who have already experienced it, they know that it typically progresses over years and eventually will require surgery. Generally the main treatment option is Cataract extraction surgery, which requires the natural lens to be removed and replaced with an artificial lens. In many cases, a prescription lens can be used to reduce or eliminate the need for glasses.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is an imperfection in the curvature of the eye. This often develops as a child or can be incurred by injury to the eyes. Astigmatism now has many great treatment options. Some well-known procedures to help improve astigmatism are LASIK, PRK, and ICL.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related Macular Degeneration (also known as AMD) often occurs when the macula is damaged. How fast it progresses is dependent on the individual’s history and the cause of the AMD. A few symptoms of AMD you should watch for are:
• Blurred vision in the center of your vision field
• Blank spots in your vision
• Distortion of vision

Keratoconus
Keratoconus is another progressive condition that causes vision loss over time. Keratoconus is a thinning of the cornea which causes difficulties with vision by creating distortion. It can cause you to change your daily habits, including being able to see to drive at night, and can require a cornea transplant if not treated in a timely manner.
The best way to avoid these conditions, or to be proactive in their treatment, is to have regular exams for screening.

For some other eyes tips on eye conditions to watch for, watch below:

Why am I Not a Good Candidate for LASIK?

Often glasses and contact lenses can be a burden and those who have relied on them for years grow tired of the constant maintenance and careful planning it takes to deal with them on a daily basis. They are looking for alternatives.

For many individuals seeking a vision correction procedure, LASIK immediately comes to mind as it is the most widely-known procedure. Although it is the most known procedure, it is important to have a thorough assessment to find the right vision correction treatment for you. LASIK has promised millions over the years that vision correction can indeed change the need for glasses or contact lenses. However over 20% of those who obtain the LASIK procedure are not good candidates. Getting the LASIK procedure if you are not a good candidate can cause several side effects or complications after the procedure which often need to be corrected such as halos, double vision, and floaters in your line of sight. How do you know you’re not a good candidate?

There are many different reasons for different patients; however universally these are two most common disqualifiers:

• Thin cornea
• Large pupil diameter

There are many alternative procedures that can be safely performed on those with thinner corneas and larger pupils which can achieve the same degree of correction. One of the procedures is PRK, which uses a special computer to help guide the laser during the procedure. This allows for closer and more accurate measurements during your procedure.

When seeking a surgeon for your LASIK surgery in Los Angeles, find a surgeon who evaluates you personally

Watch Gino’s explain his experience with PRK:

Astigmatism: Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a common eye condition caused by the irregular shape of the patients eye. Astigmatism prevents the patient from getting a clear view of the object they are seeing. While it is a common condition it is not often known why someone gets Astigmatism. But there are several treatment options for those who are suffering from this condition.

What is it?

Astigmatism is created when the shape generally sphere becomes irregular or shaped more like a football. There are several levels of astigmatism. Many patients don’t even realize they have it. However if the condition is severe enough there are more extensive treatments to help the patient.

Symptoms:

Blurred vision
Fatigue
Eye strain

How is Astigmatism Diagnosed?

Astigmatism is often diagnosed during a routine eye examination through the use of equipment called a topographer and measuring your prescription with a phorpter. This condition and many other conditions can be diagnosed at your annual eye examination. Which is why it is so important to be sure to have this done each year. Astigmatism can develop very slowly so be sure to tell your eye care professional when there are any changes in your vision.

Treatments:

There are a few treatments for astigmatism.

Contact Lenses & Glasses

While the most common are glasses and contact lenses there are a special kind of contacts for those who have more severe astigmatism. Toric contact lenses or RGP contact lenses will help those with astigmatism. RGP (Rigid Gas Permeable) contact lenses are used to correct severe cases and will give the patient a much more clear vision of what is in front of them.

Refractive (vision correction) Surgery:

For those who want to be reduce the use of contact lenses or glasses refractive surgery is another option. You can ask your eye care professional what procedures are right for your degree of astigmatism. Procedures like LASIK and PRK can help those with astigmatism, but there are some criteria you need to meet before you are eligible. For further information contact your eye care professionals.

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