Revitalize Your Job Performance with Lasik Surgery in Orange County
Poor vision has no place in the workplace. In fact, studies on employees with vision problems arrived at an alarming conclusion: that poor vision severely damages their job performance and career prospects. If you have astigmatism, farsightedness, and similar issues, Lasik surgery in Orange County can be your ticket to greater job satisfaction and excellence. (more…)
Get Roadworthy Vision with Laser Eye Surgery in Orange County
Vision problems spell trouble for safe driving. Driving involves several visual capabilities, such as night vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to switch focus at any given moment. If even one of these visual capabilities is compromised, you should start looking at laser eye surgery in Orange County as a viable option.
Driving Requires Complex Visual Skills
Research suggests that when it comes to middle-aged drivers, one in five take the road with imperfect sight. This makes sense, as age-related vision problems typically manifest when you enter your 40s. A lot of drivers don’t think much about the wide range of skills necessary to drive properly. Here are seven vision-related skills you need to navigate roads well.
- Night Vision
You should be able to see properly in low light levels, as well as recover quickly from headlight glare.
- Colour Vision
You should be able to distinguish various colors, which is critical for processing traffic lights, pedestrians, traffic signs, and other visual cues.
- Muscle Balance
When driving, you should be able to point your eyes at any given object while driving easily. This capability is essential for the field of vision, two-eyed vision, and depth perception.
- Accommodation
This is the ability to look quickly and easily from a near object to a far object and vice versa, such as looking at the dashboard to the road, then back again.
- Field of Vision
Your eyes should always be on the road, but you need to be able to look out of the corner of your eyes without moving your head. This allows you to take in pedestrians and crossroad traffic without taking your eyes off the road.
- Depth Perception
Perhaps one of the most common problems among drivers, depth perception is the capability to judge distances accurately between moving objects. This is vital for driving skills like changing lanes.
- Distance Acuity
This is the ability to see clearly and focus even at far distances. Distance acuity is crucial when it comes to making quick driving reactions.
Today’s roads are busier than ever, so a defect in even one of these visual skills can make it hard to drive safely. Keep in mind that almost 90% of decision you make on the road are based on information you get through your eyes. Fortunately, there’s a wide range of alternatives to choose from when it comes to vision correction.
Eyeglasses and Contacts May Not Be the Safest Option
One of the easiest ways to correct your eyesight is by wearing glasses or contacts. You run the risk of getting too much glare. They can also hinder your ability to distinguish road hazards, pedestrians, and vehicles while you’re driving.
In addition, vision problems may also stem from eye problems like glaucoma or cataracts. In such cases, you may also have to undergo cataract surgery in Orange County to ensure that your sight works well enough for the road.
For many drivers, corrective eye surgery offers the best chances of regaining excellent vision with minimal disruption to your driving routine. Visit the Excel Laser Vision Institute and talk to our expert Lasik surgeon in Orange County to determine if laser eye surgery is right for you.
In Your 40s? You’re Not Too Young for Cataract Surgery in Orange County
Cataracts manifest mostly in the elderly, usually after hitting 60 years old. So if you’re still in your 40s, you shouldn’t be thinking about undergoing Lasik surgery in Orange County, right? Not so fast.
According to Dr. David Chang, Clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, around 2% of patients that undergo cataract surgery are in their 40s. That number may seem negligible, but note that these are just individuals with cataracts mature enough to interfere with their lifestyle. Many people around this age are already developing cataracts in one or both eyes, and are simply not aware of it.
How Cataracts can Catch You Unaware
A recent study in Minnesota’s Olmsted County focused on cataract surgeries done in the last four years. They found that more and more people under the age of 65 are having cataract surgeries done, comprising 20% of patients in that single county alone.
Cataract symptoms start out as minor inconveniences. It might start out as haziness in the eyes that’s blamed on contact lenses or dirt. You might be driving one day, and the street signs suddenly become a little bit blurry. You might experience an annoying glare or halo effect when you’re out at night. Or your vision might not be as good as before, and you start thinking about getting new prescription glasses.
All of these can be early symptoms of cataract formation. One of the biggest problems with this condition is that most don’t get an eye exam until the symptoms seriously interfere with their day-to-day functioning.
People in Their 40s Don’t Want to Slow Down
If you’re in your 40s, you probably don’t want anything to slow down your active lifestyle. You’re busy with work, the kids, your social commitments, and countless other things that you love doing. You might be worried that undergoing cataract surgery in Orange County will completely change that amazing routine.
Here’s good news for you. Advancements in cataract surgery have made it as convenient as running to the store— precise, pain-free, and leads to rapid recovery.
Are You Experiencing these Cataract Symptoms?
In the beginning, that cloudiness in your vision can seem like something you can blink away. As the cataract grows bigger, however, it will affect a larger part of your eye lens. Here are some warning signs that a cataract might be looming in your near future:
- Dim or blurry vision
- Increased sensitivity to glare and light
- Presence of halos around the source of light
- Yellowing or fading of colors
- Double vision
- Repeated changes in contact lens or eyeglass prescription
- Difficulty seeing at night
If you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms, consider visiting Excel Laser Vision Institute as soon as you can. From the initial consultation to the day you walk out our doors after your laser eye surgery in Orange County or Los Angeles, you can expect our expert eye surgeons to be thoroughly involved in your care.
Call us today at +1 866 923 9235. Let’s talk about restoring your vision so you can go back to your lifestyle without missing a beat!
Everything You Need to Know About LASIK Surgery
Ever wondered about the buzz on LASIK surgery in Orange County and across Southern California? LASIK is a popular eye treatment for people with vision problems. If you are considering undergoing laser eye surgery, be sure that you know all the fine details first. Let us discuss the things you need to know about LASIK.
What is LASIK Surgery?
LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis. It is one of the various surgical techniques that are used to reshape the cornea and correct vision problems. This procedure is designed to reduce vision problems. During the surgery, an excimer laser gently reshapes the cornea with computer-controlled precision.
cor·nea
: the outermost layer of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupils
: it is a highly organized tissue that acts as a barrier against dirt, germs, and other particles that can harm the eye
Certain conditions, such as injuries, allergies, and dryness, affect the cornea; thus, causing vision problems. Thanks to LASIK surgery, common vision problems can now be easily resolved. Many people in Orange County consider laser eye surgery as a revolutionary procedure as it eliminates the need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses in performing everyday tasks.
What are the advantages of LASIK surgery?
With laser eye surgery, common vision problems are becoming less of an issue. In Orange County, LASER eye surgery is mostly performed on individuals who are near-sighted, farsighted, and/or have astigmatism. Here are some of the advantages of undergoing laser eye procedure.
- No Bandages or Stitches
LASIK is associated with little to no pain. Another advantage is it requires no bandages or stitches, hence living no marks of eye procedure on your face. - Improved Vision
For some, the best or highest degree of vision can only be achieved by wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. Most patients in areas, such as Orange County, who have undergone LASIK surgery have reported a dramatic decline in eyeglass or contact lens dependence. A large number have also said that after surgery, they no longer need vision support at all. - Safe Procedure
LASIK eye surgery has been around for over 25 years. Around 96% of patients who have undergone this surgery have achieved their desired vision. With further enhancements and the latest technologies, this percentage will increase.
Although many people have gained the benefits of undergoing eye procedure, a big population is also clueless about it. LASIK is commonly confused with cataract surgery. Do not be confused, though. Let us differentiate the two.
LASIK vs. Cataract Surgery
Laser eye surgery and cataract surgery are two different procedures.
How do they differ?
LASIK is the most common laser eye surgery. This procedure is typically performed on both eyes in the same session. LASIK surgery is not an option for individuals with cataract.
On the other hand, as most people in Orange County know, cataract surgery is a treatment applied to the lens of the eye. Unlike LASIK, cataract surgery corrects near-sightedness and farsightedness but not astigmatism. Its primary function is to remove the cloudy lens inside the eye and replace it with a clear plastic implant.
How are they the same?
Both procedures incorporate lasers in at least some of the surgical steps, providing patients with 20/20 vision or even better. These two procedures are also performed under local anesthesia while the patient is awake. Lastly, there is no recovery time for these two procedures.
Answers to Common LASIK Questions
To end our discussion about LASIK, here are answers to frequently asked questions about the procedure.
- LASIK is a safe procedure. It was approved in 1995 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and since then, no laser vision correction surgery complications have yet been filed.
- It is a pain-free procedure. Many patients are surprised to not feel any pain during their surgery. This is because anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye before the surgery.
- Depending on your condition. You can resume normal activities the following day. Most patients are able to see clearly a day or two after the surgery.
Now that we’ve discussed everything you need to know about LASIK eye surgery, the next thing you need to do is to consult your doctor before undergoing the procedure. Do you have more questions? Schedule a consultation with our resident doctor, and learn more about the procedure.
Important Details to Know Before Deciding to Get Laser Eye Surgery
Our bodies become more susceptible to wear and tear as we get older – our joints become frailer, memory isn’t as sharp, and vision becomes blurry. For these issues, there are various solutions to focus on them. One of the more pioneering procedures to ever appear in the last few decades is laser eye surgery.
Empty heading
What is a Laser Eye Procedure?
Many people ask about laser eye surgery costs because it is a very sought-after procedure since it is quick, safe, and painless. During a LASIK procedure, the LASIK surgeon creates a flap of tissue over the cornea and peels it back to have access to the cornea. Afterward, the laser will beam right into the eye to reshape the cornea, which is how the vision improves.
The whole procedure doesn’t take more than a minute. Once it is completed, the patient is given eye drops to ensure that their eyes don’t go dry.
Typically, LASIK surgery patients recover within 24 to 48 hours. This all depends on a person’s healing capabilities, but you can have peace of mind that you won’t have to wait a long time until you can see the world clearly again.
Who Should Get LASIK Surgery?
People who are sick and tired of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses may want to go through LASIK surgery. This is a type of refractive eye surgery.
For the most part, many people who get laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery attain 20/20 vision or better, which is sufficient for most activities. However, most people will still require glasses for driving at night or reading as they age.
LASIK has an excellent performance record. If there are ever complications that result in a loss of vision, they are rare, and many people are happy with their results. Specific side effects, especially dry eyes and temporary visual disturbances (such as glare), are fairly common. However, these usually clear up after a couple of weeks or months, and a minority of people think of them as long-term issues.
A person’s results rely on their refractive error and other factors. Those with mild nearsightedness usually have the most success with refractive surgery. Individuals with a high level of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism have less predictable results.
Keep on reading about what to think about as you decide whether this surgery is suitable for you.
What Happens During LASIK?
There are quite a few variations of laser refractive surgery. LASIK is the most sought-after and most commonly performed eye surgery. Most of the time, the term “LASIK” is used to indicate all types of laser eye surgery.
Normally, images are focused on the retina that’s in the back of the eye. When it comes to nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, they finish up being focused either in front of or behind the retina, ending in blurred vision.
- Nearsightedness (myopia) is a condition that lets you see objects nearby clearly, but objects that are far away appear blurry. When your eyeball is a little bit longer than normal or when the cornea curves too sharply, light rays focus in front of the retina and blur distant vision. A person can see objects that are close more clearly, but not those that are far away.
- Farsightedness (hyperopia) is a condition that lets you see objects far away clearly, but nearby objects are blurry. When you have a shorter than average eyeball or a cornea that is too flat, light focuses behind the retina rather than on it. This blurs near vision and occasionally distant vision.
- Astigmatism results in overall blurry vision. When the cornea curves or flattens unevenly, the outcome is astigmatism, which interrupts the focus of near and distant vision.
Normally, blurry vision is corrected by bending (refracting) light rays with glasses or contact lenses. Nevertheless, reshaping the cornea (the dome-shaped transparent tissue at the front of your eye) itself can provide the necessary refraction and vision correction
Prior to a LASIK procedure, your LASIK eye surgeon will determine the detailed measurements of your eye and assess the eye’s overall health. Your eye surgeon may ask you to take a mild sedative medication just before the procedure.
Eye-numbing drops will be administered once you are lying comfortably on an operating table. Then he or she will use a unique type of cutting laser to alter the curvature of your cornea accurately.
Whenever the laser beam sends a pulse, a very small amount of corneal tissue is taken off, allowing your eye surgeon to flatten the curve of your cornea or make it steeper.
Typically, an eye surgeon creates a flap in the cornea and then lifts it before reshaping it. Also, there are variations that involve a thin flap to be raised or no flap is used at all. Nonetheless, each technique has its pros and cons.
What are the Kinds of Laser Eye Procedures?
Every LASIK eye surgeon may specialize in specific types of laser eye procedures. Their differences are usually small, and none are clearly better than any others. Depending on your individual situation and preferences, you may consider:
- 1. Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK): It’s the most commonly performed eye laser surgery, LASIK involves making a partial-thickness corneal flap and utilizing an excimer laser to ablate the bed of the cornea. The flap is then put back into its original position. Discomfort after surgery is very little, and vision recovery usually takes place in 1 to 2 days.
- 2. Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK): With PRK, instead of creating a flap, the top surface (epithelium) is scraped away. This corneal abrasion takes three or four days to heal, and the outcome is moderate pain and blurred vision in the short term.
It was considered that these disadvantages were canceled out by the theoretical advantage that PRK was safer for those who are more likely to be stuck in the eye — for instance, those involved in law enforcement, military, or contact sports. However, even with standard LASIK, the risk of eyeball rupture is still very low, so there is probably no significant advantage with PRK. Additionally, LASIK is a better option than PRK for correcting more severe nearsightedness (myopia).
3. Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy (LASEK): LASEK is no different from LASIK surgery, but the flap is made by using a special cutting device (microkeratome) and exposing the cornea to ethanol. The procedure lets the surgeon remove less of the cornea, making it a good option for those who have thin corneas. LASEK does not have any considerable advantages over LASIK for individuals at greater risk of eye injuries.
4. Epithelial Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (epi-LASIK): In an epi-LASIK procedure, your laser eye surgeon separates the epithelium from the middle part of the cornea called the stroma) using a mechanized blunt blade device known as an epikeratome and reshapes the cornea with a laser. This procedure is similar to LASEK.
5. Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE): This is a more contemporary type of refractive surgery that allows the eye surgeon to reshape the cornea. To do this, the surgeon uses a laser to make a lens-shaped bit of tissue known as the lenticule which is located below the cornea surface. When the lenticule has been used to reshape the cornea, it is then removed through a very small incision.
6. Intraocular Lenses: A laser eye surgeon can use surgically inserted corrective lenses in the eye, which are also known as intraocular lenses) to enhance vision. It’s normally carried out as part of cataract surgery, which involves removing the old, cloudy natural lens. Additionally, it may be an alternative to LASIK for older adults who may require cataract surgery in the future.
Younger people with high levels of nearsightedness that cannot be properly treated with corrective lenses may be offered intraocular lenses. However, these are not a typical options for most people.
7. Bioptics: Bioptics uses one or more techniques, such as intraocular lenses and LASIK, to treat nearsightedness or farsightedness.
If you want to discover more about LASIK procedures, contact Excel Laser Vision Institute at (310) 905-8622. A member from our dedicated team will be happy to answer all your questions about the type of refractive surgery that is best suited for you!
3 Preparation Tips for Best Results when Getting Laser Eye Surgery
An increasing number of people in southern California who experience vision problems are now turning to Orange County LASIK surgery to finally get the clear vision that they have always dreamed of. Although the actual procedure only takes up to 15 minutes, that doesn’t exempt you from needing to prepare for it. Here are the best steps you can take to prepare yourself for your operation, straight from our team to our valued patients:
Be Realistic. Understand What LASIK Can and Cannot Achieve
Familiarizing yourself with the entire process, from pre-surgery to aftercare, will make you feel more confident walking into your appointment. This particular type of laser eye surgery is designated to alter the shape of your cornea so that you can see more clearly, but it is not right for every patient. For instance, if you have excessively dry eyes or have a more serious and permanent vision impairment, the doctor can deny performing the procedure on you. In order to evaluate your candidacy, you will undergo a comprehensive eye examination, and the doctor will decide which strategy will be best for you.
Select a Highly-Skilled and Experienced Specialist
Selecting a LASIK surgeon who has extensive experience in his profession will ensure you get the best results for your money and your eye health. You want to choose somebody who knows exactly what they are doing, and you will be able to fully trust.
Plan Well Ahead of Time
While you can opt for LASIK surgery as long as you are at least 18 years old and have been approved by an ophthalmologist, a stable prescription lasting for a minimum of 2 years is required prior to your operation. Ask as many questions as possible during your consultation appointment, write them down and bring them to the office if it helps you remember all of them. If any new questions arise in between appointments, contact your doctor right away. Never wait until the last minute to ask important questions about your procedure.
Inform your employer in advance of your LASIK surgery so you may get a couple of days off from work. If you are still in school, you may want to consider scheduling your operation during a break so that you will not have to miss any of your classes. You should be prepared to feel discomfort following surgery, such as slight itching, burning, or watering. This is why you must plan to have somebody you trust drop you off and pick you up from the surgery ahead of time since you will not be allowed to drive.
Are You Ready to Change Your Life with LASIK?
Are you interested in LASIK but uncertain where exactly to start? If so, please reach out to our Brea office today to schedule your free consultation appointment! Our doctor can answer any questions you have, whether it be regarding your candidacy or the cost of laser eye surgery.