Are you interested in moving beyond glasses or contacts and considering permanent vision correction? Perhaps your visual aids are interfering with fulfilling your daily responsibilities, your job or hobbies — or perhaps you are simply tired of caring for your glasses or contacts.

There are several options available to permanently correct your vision and provide independence from glasses or contacts. All options provide excellent visual acuity, but each one has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Read on as Laser Eye Center explains how they compare.

LASIK

Laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) permanently reshapes the cornea to improve the eye’s focusing power. First, a flap is created in the surface of the cornea and folded back to reveal the underlying tissue. Next, an excimer laser removes microscopic bits of corneal tissue to reshape the cornea.

Because LASIK technology has evolved considerably, the procedure can now be completely customized to the individual characteristics of your eye. But you might be uncomfortable with the idea of making permanent changes to your eye’s structure. Or, depending on your unique eye anatomy, you may not qualify for LASIK if you have thin corneas or are prone to dry eye.

PRK

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is nearly identical to LASIK, except that no corneal flap is created. The top layer of corneal cells — the epithelial cells — are removed and the underlying tissue is reshaped with laser energy.

Although PRK produces excellent results that are comparable to those of LASIK, the recovery is longer and sometimes slightly uncomfortable as the epithelial cells grow back. Depending on how quickly you want to see results, PRK may not be match up well with your preferred timeline.

IMPLANTABLE COLLAMER LENS

The third option for permanent vision correction is the Visian implantable collamer lens (ICL). Unlike LASIK and PRK, an ICL does not require the removal of eye tissue. Instead, the ICL is permanently implanted in front of your natural lens to correct nearsightedness or astigmatism. The lens is made from a biocompatible collamer material and offers built-in UV protection.

The Vision ICL may be ideal if you have thin corneas or pre-existing dry eye disease. The procedure is quick and well-tolerated, with only one day of downtime. Furthermore, should you need or desire an eye procedure later in life, the lens is removable.

FINDING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU

The vision correction approach that is right for you depends on your unique eyes and your personal preferences. Although you can’t change your refractive error or the thickness of your corneas, you can decide on your goals and priorities. Is a fast recovery important to you? Are you looking for an option that is possible to reverse later in life? Only you know what you need or want from your vision correction.

You don’t have to make this important decision alone. A conversation with one of the doctors at Laser Eye Center can help reveal the most suitable solution for your needs and goals. To schedule a consultation with our world-renowned vision correction experts, please call or email us today.

Any surgical procedure — even if heralded as the safest and most medically reliable procedure such as LASIK — can cause some nerves. It is perfectly normal to feel a little worried or anxious about your upcoming treatment. The problem is when these nerves spiral out of control and make you second-guess your decision to have what is a life-altering procedure.

The Laser Eye Center goes above and beyond to make LASIK treatment a relaxed and calming experience. Here, we share tips to calm your nerves in the weeks and days leading up to your LASIK surgery.

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Clearer vision begins with a visit with a member of the Laser Eye Center’s trusted team. Our doctors have a long history of helping patients just like you achieve the best vision possible without the need for visual aids. Read on as we take a deep dive into what to expect during and after your vision consultation.

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For many people who were once on the fence about getting LASIK, COVID-19 has solidified the decision to undergo treatment. Laser Eye Center has seen a surge in requests for LASIK since the pandemic hit.

Here’s why we think COVID-19 has convinced so many people to undergo laser eye surgery.

Fear of Touching Eyes to Insert Contact Lenses

To our patients, the prospect of life without glasses or contact lenses is more appealing than ever.

Not only are contact lenses an inconvenience, but the act of touching the eyes several times a day to insert or remove lenses is risky. Touching the eyes and face increases the possibility of transmitting germs and getting COVID-19.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology encourages contact lens wearers to consider switching to glasses in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak to minimize direct contact with the eyes. But glasses are a nuisance, too, especially on top of a now state-mandated face mask! LASIK is extremely enticing to patients who want the opportunity to reduce or eliminate dependence on all types of corrective eyewear.

Fear of Rubbing Eyes

For people who rely on contact lenses for clear vision, dry eyes may be a part of daily life. And dry eyes lead to eye rubbing, which is a hard habit to break. The fear of inadvertently rubbing dry eyes is driving lots of patients to find a permanent glasses and contacts-free solution to vision problems.

Fogged-Up Glasses When Wearing a Mask

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of cloth face masks when going out to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, wearing a face mask with glasses is not ideal — in fact, it can be a major inconvenience. Warm breath escaping the top of a face mask and hitting the cooler surface of the lenses causes chronically foggy glasses that interfere with vision.

Instead of struggling to see through fogged-up glasses or constantly wiping them down, many people are getting rid of them for good with LASIK.

Take the First Step Toward Freedom From Visual Aids

If you are thinking about improving your eyesight with LASIK, now is a good time to explore your options with our team. Modern LASIK has achieved incredible technological leaps in the last decade, now even outperforming contacts and glasses in one of three cases! We have always maintained a safe, sterile office environment, and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic have enhanced our safety protocols to comply with the guidelines for hygiene and sanitation per the CDC and World Health Organization.

To request a consultation with our team at Laser Eye Center, please call or email us today.

Laser Eye Center built our practice on a shared vision of providing outstanding patient care at a great value. Our core values include honesty and transparency, and we are committed to providing straightforward LASIK pricing with no gimmicks or hidden fees.

When we quote you a price for LASIK surgery, it is all-inclusive. Your quote will include:

• Treatment for your particular visual needs
• All of your pre-operative care
• All of your post-operative follow-up carehttps://journal.magisz.org/ (opens in new tab)

Trusting your care to the team at Laser Eye Center means you can rest easy knowing that you will never fall victim to marketing gimmicks or unethical advertising.

Common LASIK Gimmicks

If you see a practice advertising LASIK for “as low as $250 per eye,” check the fine print carefully. You may discover the following:

• There are numerous restrictions or exclusions to that low price
• Candidates with elevated prescriptions do not qualify for that low price
• Candidates with astigmatism do not qualify for that low price
• Updated technologies are available at an additional cost, such as the use of a laser versus a handheld blade for the first step of LASIK
• Prices vary by location
• Prices are subject to change without notice

Once the practice lures you through the door for an evaluation by boasting bargain-basement pricing, there will be added fees based on your eyeglass prescription and other factors. With those hidden fees, what was advertised as $250 per eye can actually cost as much as $2,100 per eye.

This questionable marketing practice may fill up a practice waiting room with interested candidates, but suggests the practice does not place a high value on honesty or transparency. Would you feel comfortable trusting your precious vision to a practice that has to use a bait-and-switch to secure patients?

Equally, if not worse than this bait-and-switch tactic is the practice of cutting corners on patient care. Perhaps the practice is able to offer deeply discounted prices because the surgeon is inexperienced or uses outdated lasers that have a higher risk of adverse outcomes. If you are considering LASIK, prioritize finding a qualified, experienced surgeon who uses leading-edge technology. Cutting corners on your LASIK care with the goal of saving money is risky to your health and your wallet. If something goes wrong, you could end up spending thousands of dollars to correct the problem.

Invest In Yourself

Our goal is to offer the best and safest treatment at a great value. You may be surprised at how affordable LASIK is at Laser Eye Center, thanks to financing programs or the option to use funds from an HSA/FSA account. Request a consultation with our team to find out more about our 30-year track record of success and satisfied patients.

Since its inception, LASIK surgery has been credited for making life easier, more enjoyable and more productive for millions of patients. If you are on the fence about LASIK, know that there is no time quite like the present to take advantage of the surgery. The techniques and technology have advanced tremendously over the past few decades, making surgery very safe and effective.

But with any elective surgery, it can be hard to know when to take the plunge and move forward. Read on as the team at Laser Eye Center reveals three signs you are ready to undergo this life-changing procedure.

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As you research LASIK online, you may come across certain LASIK providers that use the phrase “co-management” to describe their model of care. In the co-management model, a LASIK surgeon performs the procedure, and an optometrist at a different practice handles all of the patient’s pre- and post-operative care.

Although this is a popular model, Laser Eye Center does not co-manage with outside optometrists. We believe our patients are better served by having all of their care coordinated and provided by one team of experts in one convenient location. Here’s why:

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