When Is The Best Time To Get LASIK?
If you are thinking about booking a laser eye surgery procedure in Orange County, you may be thinking about the best time to go ahead with it. This could bring about many questions for you, the entire LASIK procedure, and your personal life situation.
Apart from that, you are probably wondering if you are in the right phase in your life for LASIK? Is there an age that LASIK works better or worse? You shouldn’t be so concerned about scheduling laser eye surgery or the LASIK procedure because it is easier than you think.
LASIK surgeon like Doctor Moosa understands that you may be eyeglasses or contact lens wearer. Undoubtedly, there is going to come a time when you get fed up with fussing around with prescription eyewear and start to think about having a LASIK procedure. Also, this is when many people begin to wonder if now is the appropriate time to consider LASIK.
When Is The Best Time To Have LASIK?
When considering LASIK eye surgery, timing can play an essential role in your decision-making process. In Orange County, where the weather and lifestyle activities vary throughout the year, choosing the right time for LASIK can enhance both your experience and recovery. At Excel Laser Vision Institute, Doctor Ferzaad Moosa provides insights into the optimal times of the year to undergo LASIK based on various personal and environmental factors. Let’s explore what makes certain seasons ideal for this life-changing procedure.
Considering Seasonal Factors for LASIK in Orange County
Spring – A Time of Renewal
Spring is often considered a great time for LASIK for several reasons. The weather in Orange County during spring is generally mild, which is conducive to a comfortable recovery. Allergen levels can be high, however, so patients with severe allergies should consult with Doctor Moosa to ensure that these won’t interfere with the healing process.
Summer – Enjoying Freedom from Glasses
Summer offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy water sports, outdoor activities, and vacations without the hassle of glasses or contacts. Getting LASIK at the beginning of summer means you can enjoy these activities with improved vision. Additionally, longer daylight hours provide more flexibility for post-operative appointments.
Lifestyle Considerations for Scheduling LASIK
Fall – Back to Routine
Many people find fall ideal for LASIK as it coincides with a return to routine—kids go back to school, and holiday disruptions are minimal. The cooler weather can make the recovery period more comfortable, avoiding the intense heat that might cause dryness and discomfort post-LASIK.
Winter – End the Year with Clear Vision
Winter might be the best season for those looking to spend their healthcare flexible spending accounts (FSA) or those who have met their annual insurance deductibles. With most people taking time off during the holidays, you can have ample downtime to recover without taking additional leave from work.
Personal and Professional Timing
Aligning LASIK with Personal Schedules
When planning for LASIK, consider your personal and professional commitments. For instance, students might opt for winter or summer breaks, while professionals might choose times when workloads are lighter or before major projects.
Long-Term Vision Goals
Discuss your long-term vision goals and lifestyle needs with Doctor Moosa. He can provide personalized advice based on the specifics of your eye health and vision requirements, ensuring that the timing of the surgery maximizes your outcomes.
Why Get LASIK?
You Want A Better Quality Of Life
The sooner you get LASIK eye surgery, the better. You have more years to enjoy the extraordinary advantages it brings. No matter how old you are, experiencing the freedom to see without wearing eyeglasses or contacts after you get LASIK is worth it.
You Are Planning A Getaway
If you are planning a vacation anytime soon, you know that glasses and contacts can be annoying. You know the deal; you have to make sure you pack contact lens solution and bring sufficient contacts for the duration of your vacation, and if you run out, finding contacts when you are abroad is a difficult task.
LASIK eye doctors can tell you themselves that just like many glasses wearers, you probably don’t have an extra pair of glasses to take with you, so what do you do if you break or lose your glasses during your holiday?
Plus, as most contact lens wearers who have flown know, your eyes can really dry out during a flight. LASIK is a good option so you can travel without any concerns about your glasses and contacts.
When You Are Just Over Wearing Glasses And Contacts
There are many reasons that individuals say they are completely done with glasses and contacts as a suitable vision correction solution. These include, but are restricted to:
- Contact lens-induced infections
- Broken or lost glasses
- Can’t see when waking up
- Activities such as scuba diving, swimming, running, exercise, etc. that are interfered by glasses and contacts
- Fed up of spending money year after year on glasses and contacts
LASIK is a good vision correction procedure if you want to stop using glasses and contacts as a temporary solution and you want to stop spending a lot of money every year.
For instance, a person in their twenties who wears disposable contacts could spend around $29,000 on contacts over their life. At Excel Laser Vision Institute, you only pay for your LASIK eye surgery once, and they are very reasonable payment options.
Weather Doesn’t Matter When You Want to Have LASIK
You can have LASIK at any season, and it isn’t affected by things such as temperature or humidity. However, if there is a season in which you are particularly very active, it probably isn’t the best time to have LASIK. For most people, it is best to put it on hold until after the summer, so their surgical recovery won’t make it a problem for them to swim, boat, waterski, or just participate in any popular water activity in the summer.
You Don’t Have To Put Your Life On Hold
Since you don’t have to go through so much downtime, LASIK isn’t difficult to schedule in your life. You can even go to work a few days after their surgery, so it is probably a good idea to take a two-day vacation. If you have a physically demanding, you may want to schedule a week off, as strenuous activity can get in the way of the healing process.
If you have a big event on the calendar, make sure you consider your post-operative appointments when you are booking your LASIK surgery.
You Can Get LASIK At Any Age
You can receive LASIK treatment if you are 18 years or older. However, many eye experts will recommend the ideal age to have this procedure is when you are between the ages of 21 and 40. The reason being is that even though 18-year-olds can still go ahead with LASIK, eyes can change between 18 and 21.
When a person reaches over 40, the eyes can be affected by presbyopia, which needs a monovision procedure involving only one eye correction. Cataracts and dry eyes are common issues for older individuals, so cataract surgery may be a more suitable option.
You May Have To Put Off LASIK If…..
If you have persistent or have dry eye syndrome, it may prevent you from getting LASIK treatment. The only way to know if LASIK is a good option for you is to talk to your eye doctor at a reputable LASIK clinic. Your eye doctor will inform you of the most appropriate ways to receive LASIK with your dry eye condition.
Ultimately, scheduling your LASIK procedure may not be a big issue; however, choosing the right doctor is very important. Although the technology used in LASIK is extraordinary, it has to be in the hands of a qualified and experienced ophthalmologist to achieve the best results.
If you’re looking for an ophthalmologist or LASIK surgeon in Orange County, Los Angeles, Excel Laser Vision Institute is the best choice for you. For over 25 years, Dr. Ferzaad Moosa and his team have provided their patients with personalized eye care using top-of-the-line technology. For more information or schedule an appointment, call (888) 957-3255 or contact us through our website.
Can I Have LASIK On Just One Eye? The LASIK Expert In Orange County Answers
Many patients can’t wait to get to LASIK in Orange County because having laser eye surgery is a remarkable and exciting experience. With the best laser eye surgery at Excel Laser Vision Institute, you can guarantee that you will be able to see more clearly after the procedure.
Although many patients of LASIK eye surgery in Orange County experience a huge improvement in their eyes after LASIK surgery, some of the things are not as simple as it seems. The fact of the matter is that some patients are often concerned whether it is safe or not to get LASIK in both eyes simultaneously or if they should have the procedure carried out on one eye only at first then get back to the other eye at a later date.
How Do Eyes Work?
To get clear vision thru LASIK in your eyes, you need to get the cornea and lens to refract or bend light rays to focus them on the retina in the back of the eye. The retina sends the light rays to the brain in the form of impulses for the brain to understand them as being images. When the light rays are not focusing on the retina, it causes blurry vision or refractive error. The purpose of LASIK is to correct this inaccuracy to provide a better vision.
If you have any part of the eye that is not perfectly shaped, such as the cornea, lens, or eyeball, it can cause refractive errors and make your vision blurry. As a result, there is a difference between the curvature of the cornea and the length of the eye. This can happen in one eye, while the other eye has a near-perfect vision, or it can occur in both eyes in different ways.
Why Would You Get LASIK In One Eye?
In some instances, LASIK is performed on both eyes simultaneously. Nevertheless, there are a few cases in which LASIK is required for only one eye or patient requests that each eye gets treatment on different days.
Here are the two most common reasons patients receive LASIK only on one eye.
Visual Disorders Affecting Only One Eye
The main reason for LASIK being carried out on only one eye is refractive errors, specifically anisometropia (lazy eye). Refractive errors can be a result of several conditions in an eye that LASIK procedures can correct. For instance, you may be nearsighted, farsighted, and experience astigmatism in only one eye. Another visual disorder is Presbyopia. This is an age-related eye condition that affects a person’s ability to see because of seeing up-close, and their vision is blurred.
Patient’s Request
Sometimes a patient may want to have LASIK performed on one eye at a time, usually choosing the “bad eye” first. The reason for this is because they would like to see whether the benefits of LASIK are worth it before getting the other eye treated. Some believe that this is a safe method.
What Is Monovision LASIK?
Monovision LASIK refers to having LASIK surgery to give the patient good near vision in one eye and good distance in the other. Normally, the dominant eye is first determined, and then the patient is first given contact lenses with distance vision in the dominant and near in the non-dominant.
If the patent states that he or she is satisfied with the vision they achieved during this “experiment”, only then are they offered LASIK to get the same result.
If a patient already has good vision in both eyes, the contact lens trial is carried out by just wearing a near contact lens in the non-dominant eye. If all goes well, the patient would then proceed with LASIK for nearsightedness in one eye.
Should I Have LASIK On One Eye Only?
At Excel Laser Vision Institute, a LASIK clinic in Orange County, some patients want to make sure they have a good result in one eye before going forward with the other eye. Patients sometimes believe that it is somehow safer to do one eye at a time, which, judging from the surface, does feel like a more conservative and careful approach.
But here is the issue with thinking in that way:
According to a LASIK surgeon in Orange County, there is no real proof that you will experience fewer complications if the eyes are treated separately. Plus, when you consider the inconvenience factor to the whole situation, such as doubling the number of consultation visits and follow-up appointments, it isn’t difficult to figure out why people usually opt to treat both eyes simultaneously.
Is Getting LASIK In One Eye Necessary?
As you can probably tell right now, there is no general right or wrong answer to this question. If an eye surgeon believes that a patient is a good candidate for LASIK in both eyes, there is usually nothing holding them back from getting both eyes done simultaneously.
If you are concerned about having LASIK in both eyes or you only need LASIK in one eye, then obviously, just get the LASIK performed in that single eye to ensure you get the best treatment for your unique situation.
Contact Excel Laser Vision Institute at (888) 957-3255 so you can talk to an eye care professional. Excel Laser Vision Institute is a reputable LASIK clinic in Orange County. Laser eye surgery can treat many refractive errors and ensure that your vision is excellent. LASIK professionals will thoroughly evaluate your eye health and condition before establishing if you are eligible for LASIK eye surgery or a similar procedure.
Dr. Moosa is a well-known LASIK surgeon with a Harvard education and a wealth of experience working with different prescription levels. Dr. Moosa has helped many professionals achieve their vision goals, from athletes to models to military personnel. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.exceleye.com/.
Learn More About Polarized Sunglasses And Their Effects On Night Vision
You may have heard of polarized sunglasses from some of your friends or family. If you have trouble seeing where you are going as you drive about at night, you are probably looking for options to improve your sight while you cruise down dark roads.
Indeed, Doctor Moosa, a well-known LASIK surgeon in Orange County, believes that polarized sunglasses are a good way of reducing glare in bright situations such as boating, outdoor sports, or even driving on a sunny day. However, what about instances when you want to lessen the distracting reflection of headlights and street lights at night?
What Are Polarized Lenses?
Doctor Ferzaad Moosa, a LASIK expert in Orange County, gently explains that a “polarized lens” has a laminated filter applied to the lens to prevent a portion of light from passing through the eye. The whole point of wearing polarized sunglasses is to use them for settings where the light is more intense when reflected off flat surfaces, which increases the amount of light and makes it challenging to see clearly.
LASIK eye doctors tell us that light is important for the eye to see, but when more light enters your eye, it knows what to do with it; it causes glare. In layman’s terms, glare occurs when your eyes are exposed to a lot of bright light.
Also, you have to consider that only allowing a limited amount of light into the eye allows polarized lenses to reduce glare, leading to improving vision.
The LASIK experts, particularly Doctor Moosa of excel laser Vision Institute in Orange County, say that the truth about polarized lenses is that they can help to reduce the glare of oncoming traffic lights when driving after dark. Nevertheless, wearing sunglasses of any type in low-light conditions, particularly while driving, is dangerous and absolutely not advised.
Can Polarized Lenses Help With Night Driving?
Even though polarized lenses could lessen glare from oncoming traffic, they don’t automatically assist with night driving and could, perhaps, do more harm than good.
The filter on polarized lenses blocks some light from hitting the eye, so it creates a dimmer view when you wear them. Preventing extra light from an already low-light condition can limit your vision even further compared to the glare of traffic lights.
If you notice that driving at night is becoming a burden, there are other options to wearing polarized sunglasses to get clear vision when driving, especially at night.
What Are Night Vision Glasses?
Night-driving glasses are the go-to choice for people who want additional contrast and clarity on the road, but the effectiveness of this eyewear isn’t as good as expected.
In 2019, the Schepens Eye Research Institute conducted a study to determine how useful night driving glasses really are.
The researchers brought together 22 adults who portrayed a huge population and had them drive in four nighttime driving simulations.
The simulations put the drivers in many different experiences, including a machine that copied the effect of oncoming traffic lights while wearing either clear lenses or yellow-tinted night driving glasses.
The participants in this research study had their reaction times recorded in each scenario every time they saw a pedestrian on the roadway side.
The study’s conclusive results were that wearing night driving glasses made no improvement in driver performance in the most critical task, and that is detecting pedestrians.
Besides that, researchers claim that a slight amount of statistical data revealed a marginal decline in performance when wearing night vision glasses compared to driving without them.
Generally speaking, the results of the study above do not back up the concept that eye care professionals should prescribe night-driving glasses to patients.
What Are The Best Night Vision Glasses For Driving?
If you experience some challenges when driving at night which are affecting how frequent or when you drive, you should take some time to get an eye exam and talk about your issues with an eye doctor. They can prescribe lenses with anti-reflective coating to reduce the glare you experience when driving.
If it turns out that you don’t need a prescription, your eye doctor can recommend non-prescription lenses that can be bought with the same coating to reduce the irritating reflections of headlights and streetlights.
Why Night Vision Glasses May Be A Bad Idea
Normally, glasses with yellow-tinted lenses can improve contrast in specific daylight conditions because the yellow tint prevents some of the sun’s blue light from entering the eye.
This high-energy visible (HEV) blue light is probably the cause of glare when it comes into contact with the eye, compared to other forms of visible light.
Yellow tinted lenses give off a blue-blocking filtration which usually happens with amber and copper-colored lenses.
These darker tinted lenses can prevent a lot more blue light from entering than yellow lenses. However, they also block more light from entering the eye, which lowers visibility even more in low-light conditions.
As a matter of fact, yellow lenses lower the overall visible light to a certain level because they also block some blue light. Perhaps this is beneficial during the day, but not at night when you have to see as much as possible.
It is a shame that some people feel that they have to give up driving at night or low-light glare.
However, if you are really serious about improving your eye vision, then speak to an eye care professional at Excel Laser Vision Institute, a reputable LASIK clinic in Orange County. Laser eye surgery can treat many refractive errors and ensure that your vision is in tip-top shape before you drive on busy and dangerous roads at night. LASIK professionals will conduct a thorough evaluation of your eye health and condition before determining if you are eligible for LASIK eye surgery or a comparable procedure.
Call Excel Laser Vision Institute at (888) 957-3255. Our team of staff is highly trained and knowledgeable. In the office, we also have Dr. Moosa, a well-esteemed LASIK surgeon in Orange County with a Harvard education and a wealth of experience working with different prescription levels. Dr. Moosa has helped many professionals achieve their vision goals, from athletes to models to military personnel. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.exceleye.com/
How To Check For Your Dominant Eye According To A LASIK Expert in Orange County
You have probably heard the term dominant eye and ocular dominance before whether from a LASIK expert in Orange County, on the internet, in books and magazines, or elsewhere. However, some laser eye surgery patients aren’t too sure about what they mean or how you perform a dominant eye test? Here are few elementary things you should know:
What Is A Dominant Eye?
In a nutshell, a dominant eye is an eye that gives you a slightly greater extent of input to the visual part of the brain and more precisely relays information about the location of objects. Normally, the term “dominant eye” is used when explaining the normal visual condition where two eyes work well as a team and have equal visual acuity. One eye is just the leading or preferred eye.
Nevertheless, there are times that the term dominant eye is used to describe the normally sighted ad functioning eye in dysfunctional cases such as amblyopia and strabismus.
Dominant Eye Test
You can do this simple dominant eye test at home to find out which eye is your preferred eye:
- Bring your arms out in front of you and create a triangular opening between your thumbs and forefingers by placing your hands together at a 45-degree angle.
- With both eyes open, center this triangular opening on a distant object — such as a wall clock or doorknob.
- Close your left eye.
- If the object stays centered, your right eye (the one that’s open) is your dominant eye. If the object is no longer framed by your hands, your left eye is your dominant eye.
You can also do this easy dominant eye test:
- Extend one arm out, holding the thumb of that hand in an upright position. (Or you could use your index finger instead of your thumb.)
- Keeping both eyes open and focused on a distant object, superimpose your thumb on that object. (Don’t worry if it looks like your thumb partially disappears — that’s normal.)
- Alternately close one eye at a time.
- The eye that keeps your thumb directly in front of the object while the other eye is closed is your dominant eye.
Both of these dominant eye tests are classified as “sighting” tests because they entail aligning a visual target with a makeshift sighting device. Essentially, this copy cats the “sight” on the barrel of a rifle).
Some studies have revealed that sighting dominant eye tests, even though they are easy to perform and are usually accurate, can be influenced by handedness and other non-visual factors.
To prevent these confusing aspects, some researchers bicker about the fact that non-sighting dominant eye tests could be a more precise method to find out a person’s dominant eye, which is also referred to as ocular dominance.
During these tests, the person has to keep both eyes open, and visual stimuli are shown to each eye separately just using special optical devices. So, this is the limitation of non-sighting dominant eye tests, the equipment, and expertise of a LASIK surgeon in Orange County needed to perform them are usually only located in specialized vision clinics such as the LASIK clinic, or research facilities. In many instances, straightforward sighting eye tests such as the ones described above will precisely reveal an individual’s dominant eye.
Eye Dominance And Handedness
The LASIK doctors in Orange County make it very clear that eye dominance and handedness ( whether you are right or left-handed) are not directly associated, these characteristics are greatly linked.
Studies conducted on a large mass of people reveal that around 90% of subjects are right-handed and about 67% are right-eye dominant.
Furthermore, research has shown that the probabilities of a person who is right-handed being right-eye dominant are high with about 2.5 times more probability than the odds of that person being left-eye dominant. So, it is unlikely you can predict eye dominance just on handedness alone.
Is It Possible Not To Have A Dominant Eye?
Is it likely that a person does not have a dominant eye? Yes, it is possible but very uncommon.
If there isn’t a strong level of dominance in a dominant eye test, it’s more likely the individual has mixed ocular dominance, which is sometimes known as ocular dominance. In a situation like this, one eye is dominant for specific functions or tasks, and the other eye is dominant at varying times.
Some people may do a sighting dominant eye test and realize that the visual target is not accurately aligned with the triangular opening between their hands with their thumb with either eye.
Sometimes eye dominance falls on a spectrum among certain individuals, and the same goes for handedness. Therefore, some people could have one eye that is very dominant, while others may have less of a difference in the dominance of two eyes.
To some extent, most of the time eye dominance is inbred in your brain.
The visual cortex, which is the part of the brain that processes visual information, are strips of nerve cells (neurons) known as dominant eye columns. These bands of neurons appear to respond alternatively to input from one eye or the other and are important to the development of binocular vision, varying and sometimes being incomplete in some people.
If you are a shooter, photographer, or athlete and would like to level up your performance, then speak to a LASIK professional at Excel Laser Vision Institute, a reputable LASIK clinic in Orange County. Laser eye surgery can treat many refractive errors and ensure that your vision is in tip-top shape before your next sporting event, hunting season, or the photo session you have lined up. LASIK professionals will conduct a thorough evaluation of your eye health and condition before determining if you are eligible for LASIK eye surgery or a comparable procedure.
Call Excel Laser Vision Institute at (888) 957-3255. Our team of staff is highly trained and knowledgeable. In our Orange County clinic, we also have Dr. Moosa, a well-esteemed LASIK surgeon that has a Harvard education and a wealth of experience working with different prescription levels. Dr. Moosa has helped many professionals achieve their vision goals, from athletes to models to military personnel. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.exceleye.com/.
How to Prevent and Treat Photokeratitis
According to Doctor Moosa, one of the LASIK experts in Orange County, photokeratitis is like a sunburn for your eyes. While typically caused by UV exposure, this condition can also be produced with artificial light from tanning beds, halogen desk lamps, arc welding equipment, and laser lights. People can also develop photokeratitis from light reflected on snow and ice at high elevations. During photokeratitis, natural or artificial light damages the cornea and conjunctiva, which can cause vision problems and discomfort.
Even after receiving the best laser eye surgery in Orange County, people can still experience photokeratitis from sunlight exposure. That is why it is so important to protect your eyes with UV-blocking glasses. Here are some of the most common symptoms of photokeratitis to watch out for:
- Headaches
- Halos
- Blurred vision
- Swelling eyes
- Twitching eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Color changes
- Red, watery eyes
- Temporary vision loss
Symptoms of photokeratitis typically set in within six to twelve hours of exposure. However, there are some cases in which it takes as little as an hour. Symptoms can last for up to forty-eight hours. LASIK professionals in Orange County particularly those at Excel Laser Vision Institute say that the severity of the symptoms will depend on the length of exposure. However, even minor symptoms can increase a person’s chances of developing serious conditions like macular degeneration or cataracts in the future.
Whether you have had LASIK eye surgery or not, photokeratitis is a serious condition that must be prevented. The best way to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays is to purchase a pair of sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays. Sunglasses should be worn on any outdoor occasion since UV rays can still shine through even on a cloudy day. Sunlight can also reflect from surfaces such as water or snow, which is why it is so important to have the right protective lenses with you when spending time outside. Wide-brimmed hats and visors can also protect you from UV light.
Photokeratitis can also happen in the workplace. If you are exposed to UV radiation on the job, then it is imperative to wear goggles, face shields, or safety glasses to protect yourself. Do your research and discuss employee safety with your employer to see what equipment is already provided. Some people may consider getting UV absorbing contacts which block harmful light from reaching the eyes.
Treatment for photokeratitis depends on the severity of the condition. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, then it is advisable to go inside and turn off any lights. Avoid rubbing your eyes or irritating them in any other way. Eyecare experts suggest using a cold compress to relieve any discomfort. Additionally, people may try artificial tears or ibuprofen to ease any painful symptoms. Keep track of your symptoms and note when they flare-up. If they do not subside in more than two days, then it may be necessary to visit an ophthalmologist. In most cases, using protective gear such as sunglasses and hats will help reduce any immediate symptoms. Speak to your eye doctor about photokeratitis to learn more.
A LASIK Surgeon in Orange County Explains Styes and Chalazion
Eyelid bumps can be unsettling to find, especially if you have never experienced one before. LASIK experts in Orange County say that a painful bump on the eyelid could be classified as a stye. If it is painless, then it may be a chalazion. Here, we will delve into the difference between these two and what you can do if you find one.
A stye is a localized bacterial infection that can develop within a blocked oil-producing gland or in a follicle at the base of an eyelash. When fully developed, styes are a painful white or yellow bump that resemble a tiny eyelid pimple. Fortunately, many styes can heal on their own. Once the infection has cleared up, many styes will turn into a chalazion, which is painless.
Chalazion can also develop independently of styes when a meibomian gland becomes blocked. The meibomian glands are located in the eyelid and are responsible for secreting oil when we blink. This layer of protection prevents tears from evaporating too quickly, which causes dry eye. When a meibomian gland gets blocked, a painless chalazion can form. In some cases, they may grow so large as to obstruct vision.
According to Doctor Moosa, a LASIK surgeon in Orange County, many people who wear contacts are more susceptible to developing bacterial infections like a stye. When opting for laser eye surgery, patients eliminate one cause of irritation, which is contact lenses. Here are some of the other ways that people can develop a stye or chalazion:
- Blepharitis (also known as eyelid inflammation)
- Skin conditions (e.g. acne, rosacea, seborrhea)
- Viral conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye)
- Tuberculosis
Before receiving LASIK eye surgery in Orange County, an eye care professional will evaluate your eye health. Any infections or blocked meibomian glands will need time to heal. According to Doctor Moosa, a LASIK doctor in Orange County, styes typically take one to two weeks to heal. Chalazions can take up to a month to go away. You can speed up the process by keeping the area clean and trying some home remedies, according to the suggestions of your eye doctor. Here are some of the common ways to treat chalazions and styes:
- Use a warm compress – Many doctors recommend gently pressing a warm washcloth to your eye for five minutes in order to open up the skin’s pores and allow the eyelid pump to drain. You can try this several times a day to lessen the size of the bump.
- Use antibiotics or steroid drops – In some cases, a stye or chalazion may be incredibly inconvenient. If your eyelid bump is unusually large or painful, then your eye doctor may recommend the use of some prescribed drops or antibiotics.
- Keep your eyes clean – In order to avoid irritating a stye or chalazion more, do not rub your eye and always wash your hands before touching the area.
- Avoid squeezing the area – Unlike pimples, you cannot pop a chalazion or stye. Squeezing them could actually cause more complications. So, make sure you are treating the area according to your doctor’s wishes. You may be prescribed drops, oral pills, or ointments to help the area heal.
- Surgery – In the most extreme cases, a doctor may find it necessary to remove an eyelid bump via a simple surgery under local anesthesia. Make sure to discuss the procedure with your doctor so you have all the right information before you go in.
What You Need to Know About Allergies and LASIK
If you have allergies, then you know that our eyes can be very sensitive to things like pollen. Swelling, irritation, dryness and other uncomfortable symptoms can arise during allergy season. To make matters worse, those who rely on contact lenses may develop even worse symptoms when pollen, dirt, and dust attaches itself to the eye. For this reason, many people choose to get LASIK at Excel Laser Vision Institute in Orange County.
During allergy season, contacts are one of the worst options for vision correction. They can agitate sensitive eyes and become infected, causing conditions like pink eye. When spending time outdoors, contact lens wearers have to be wary of dander, pollen, and other particulate matter sticking to their lenses. This phenomenon typically happens during the spring and summer, but is not limited to allergy season. Throughout the year, people who wear contacts have to over prepare in order to prevent infections from developing and spreading. While these steps are necessary to promote ocular health, they can be exhausting. For some, it becomes too much work. That’s when people search for the best laser eye surgery in Orange County.
Contacts are too much work and glasses are too fragile, so where does that leave patients with myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism? Fortunately, technology in the ocular field has dramatically improved over the last few decades. Laser technology has allowed eye care professionals to develop techniques such as PRK, SMILE, and LASIK eye surgery in Orange County. Now, patients can have their vision corrected to 20/20 or above!
When you visit a LASIK clinic such as excel Laser Vision Institute in Orange County today, you may find that they are booked many months in advance. That is because so many people are becoming aware of the gift that is laser eye surgery. Patients with allergies are finding some relief in their corrected vision, which allows them to go without contact lenses or glasses for a majority of their life.
If you have allergies and you’re interested in LASIK eye surgery, then the good news is that your allergies do not disqualify you for the procedure. In fact, many LASIK specialists recommend laser eye surgery for those who suffer from allergies. However, having allergies does not immediately qualify you for LASIK either. Here are some of the factors that determine LASIK candidacy:
- Prescription level (astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness)
- Age 18 +
- Thickness of corneas
- State of ocular health
- Prescription stability
LASIK specialists recommend that you schedule your procedure at a time when your allergy symptoms are at their lowest. This will prevent any additional risk of inflammation or irritation during the surgery. Your LASIK doctor will evaluate your eyes first to determine if you are eligible for the procedure. Other than that, a recent study has shown that patients with allergies were no more prone to complications during their LASIK surgery than patients without allergies. Thus, the surgery is just as safe and just as effective. Speak to a LASIK surgeon today about laser eye surgery and learn how you can achieve your vision goals!
How to Prepare Yourself
If you have been selected as an eligible candidate for LASIK in Orange County, then congratulations! You are on the road to clear vision and a world of possibilities. With a distinguished LASIK surgeon in Orange County like Dr. Moosa, you will receive quality of care before, after, and during the procedure. In order to prepare for the day of the surgery, please be sure to follow your surgeon’s instructions and keep these general practices in mind:
Hydrate
Water is necessary for your body to function at its highest capacity. Unless otherwise directed, be sure to consume plenty of water before your procedure. Hydration will allow your body to begin the healing process as quickly as possible. Plus, it will also diminish dry eye. Experts recommend at least 8 glasses of water a day (1 glass = 8 ounces). If you are not already meeting this requirement, then you will probably want to increase your water intake before your LASIK eye surgery in Orange County.
Discontinue Contact Lens Use
It is common practice for LASIK surgeons to ask patients to stop wearing soft contact lenses one week before their surgery (for hard contacts, one month before). This is because contacts have a hand in shaping the cornea, which can impact the effectiveness of the LASIK procedure. Make sure to check with your doctor so that you know exactly when or if you need to give your eyes a break.
Dress Comfortably
It’s normal to be nervous for a procedure, even one as quick and painless as LASIK in Orange County. So, in order to make yourself more comfortable, plan your outfit in advance. LASIK surgeons recommend wearing cool, loose clothing on the day of the surgery. This will help relax you at the eye clinic and also be convenient when you get home (and want to rest). LASIK experts also recommend avoiding clothes that produce lint. This is simply for sterilization measures in the operation room.
Get a Designated Driver
Not only will you need someone to drive you home after the surgery, but you may also like to have a friend that will help soothe you when you’re waiting for your procedure. LASIK is an elective procedure in which patients are given numbing eye drops. Patients are not put to sleep for the procedure. The procedure will be over before you know it! But, just in case you’re nervous about it, it would be nice to have someone with you through the process. Once your eyes are deemed healthy, your doctor will clear you to drive again (typically the next day).
Don’t Wear Makeup, Lotion, or Perfume
It’s imperative to avoid any contaminants on the day of your procedure. This includes products like lotion, makeup, and perfume. Anything that may interact with your eyes or irritate your eyes are strictly prohibited. This will ensure that your LASIK procedure runs as smoothly as possible. LASIK doctors recommend taking a shower or at least washing your face before leaving your house for the procedure.
LASIK Experts Share Home Remedies for Dry Eyes
Many people experience dry eye syndrome to varying degrees. For some, it’s common during allergy season or when they wear their contacts too much. For others, it’s a constant struggle. Some people report minor symptoms of dry eye after laser eye surgery, which is why LASIK doctors in Orange County like Doctor Moosa are quite knowledgeable on the subject.
Dry eye can be caused by environmental factors, medical conditions, and certain medications like antidepressants, antihistamines, nasal decongestants, oral contraceptives, and acne medication. There are certain demographic and lifestyle factors that can increase your risk for dry eye as well. These include being a woman, aged 65 and over, frequently using contact lenses, prolonged screen use (low blink rate), smoking, vitamin deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes.
Dry eye can be uncomfortable and can increase your risk of developing infections. That is why it is important for your LASIK surgeon to determine if your condition is too severe for laser eye surgery before you are approved as a candidate. Regardless, it is a good idea to have some home remedies on hand to mitigate these symptoms. If you notice your eyes becoming drier after getting laser eye surgery in Orange County, then speak to your eye doctor about prescribed eye drops and other medical solutions.
Here are some of the top home remedies for relieving dry eye:
Conduct a Simple Cleaning Procedure
If your eyes are feeling dry, then that means that they are not producing enough tears. Use warm water and a gentle, chemical-free soap to wash your upper and lower eyelids. Follow this with a warm compress to help your eyes properly moisten.
Rest Your Eyes
Too much screen time can contribute to dry eye syndrome. If your eyes are irritated from computer screens or tv screens, then you might need to look away for a while. Consciously increase your blinking rate and maybe even shut your eyes for a few minutes.
Consume More Essential Fatty Acids
According to Doctor Moosa, a leading LASIK expert in Orange County, foods like salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts are high in omega-3. This is great for your vision and your tear glands! Incorporate more fatty acids into your diet in order to improve your dry eye.
Try Vitamin Supplements
Researchers have found a link between dry eye and low vitamin D intake. If you have known vitamin deficiencies, then you should definitely supplement this with some eye-friendly vitamins. Your eye needs vitamin D, C, E, B6, B9, B12, A, riboflavin, niacin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and thiamine.
Consume Less Alcohol
The National Institutes of Health have detected higher cases of dry eye with those who indulge in alcoholic beverages due to the dehydrating effects of alcohol. If you are struggling to keep your dry eye symptoms under control, it can’t help to eliminate this possible cause.
Drink More Water
When your eyes lack lubrication, a good thing to do is drink more water. Hydrating your body will allow your eyes to produce more tears, clean out debris, and blink more often. Experts recommend eight to ten glasses of water a day for proper hydration.
Sleep More
Did you know that lack of sleep can affect your tear ducts? According to the National Institutes of Health, dry eye can be worsened for those that don’t get enough sleep at night. Experts recommend 7 to 8 hours of regular sleep.
The Effects of a Concussion on the Eyes
Concussions are defined as traumatic brain injuries. The word “concussion” comes from the Latin root “concutere” which means “shake” or “dash together.” When the brain hits the inner walls of a person’s skull, this can cause serious symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headaches, ringing in one’s ears, amnesia, dizziness, and confusion. A brain is a powerful tool that, when damaged, can affect every aspect of the body. According to experts at Excel Laser Vision Institute, a LASIK clinic in Orange County, concussions can also affect your eye health.
While many people lose consciousness after suffering a concussion, this is not always the case. In fact, symptoms can appear much later from the time of the concussion, which can make them difficult to self-diagnose. These are some of the symptoms that might arise directly after an injury or a few days after:
- Loss of balance
- Irritability
- Dazed look
- Change in sleeping or eating habits
- Lack of interest in things
- Excessive crying
- Vomiting
- Seizures
While concussions can be hard to identify, Orange County LASIK experts say that the eyes can be a great tool for diagnosing head trauma. The King-Devick test is a test that eye doctors may use to track eye movements, visual interpretation, and attention. There are also some apps that are being developed to measure a patient’s pupil in reaction to light in order to diagnose concussions. Concussions will not normally show up on MRIs or CT scans which is why it is so important to have other methods for measuring them.
Patients interested in getting LASIK eye surgery should be aware that concussion symptoms can often mirror other vision problems. This is known as Post-Traumatic Vision Syndrome. Some of these symptoms include:
- Difficulty reading (losing one’s place)
- Light sensitivity
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty focusing
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Frequent headaches
- Double vision
- Difficulty moving eyes
Concussions can do more than affect your vision. They also pose a risk to your general eye health. Consult your eye doctor if you have recently suffered a concussion so that they can evaluate your eyes. These are the more serious effects that a concussion can have on your eyes:
- Optic nerve damage: The pressure from a concussion can lead to partial or total loss of vision.
- Retinal detachment: The impact of a concussion can cause the retina to detach from the eye. This requires immediate surgery.
- Vitreous hemorrhage: A concussion may cause blood vessels to leak into the vitreous humor which can cause floaters, blurred vision, a red tint and other symptoms. Medicine may be required to help the healing process.
Before returning to normal activities after suffering a head injury, it is important to get a doctor’s opinion. This is to prevent a second, more damaging head injury that may jeopardize the healing process entirely. The most common treatments for a concussion are rest and pain management. It can take up to a few weeks to fully recover, depending on the severity of the head injury. For more information on concussions and eye health, consult a medical professional.
If you are tired of dealing with blurry vision, contact Excel Laser Vision Institute at (877) 963-4238 for a free LASIK consultation. We are a highly-regarded eye care clinic that offers the best laser eye surgery in Orange County and Los Angeles.