5 Positive Things to Know About Cataracts
Any diagnosis that threatens your eyesight can be upsetting. Here are five encouraging facts about cataracts and how surgery can solve the issue.
Are You a Candidate for LASIK? If So, What are You Waiting For?
Have you been on the fence about LASIK? If so, it might help to learn a little more about the procedure and why it’s the choice of vision correction surgery for hundreds of thousands of people every year. At Ventura Eye Institute, Inc., Dr. Michael Ragen performs this safe and effective surgery on patients seeking to restore their vision or gain clarity they’ve never had before.
What is LASIK?
LASIK is a form of laser refractive surgery used to precisely change the shape of your cornea and improve your vision. It reshapes the cornea, creating the right shape and curvature for light to enter the eye, carrying perfect images that are translated into signals sent to the brain.
Normal vision
People with normal vision receive images that are clearly focused on the retina in the back of the eye, thanks to light rays which bend properly when passing through the cornea to contact the retinal surface.
Abnormal vision
People who are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism have corneas that are imperfectly shaped, causing the light to bend incorrectly and end up focused somewhere away from the surface of the retina. The brain receives a blurred image due to this lack of precise focus.
Corrected vision
A traditional and non-invasive way to correct blurred vision is to use lenses to correctly bend the light and aim it precisely at the retinal surface. This is what glasses and contact do. LASIK reshapes the cornea itself, correcting the problem at the source and creating the ideal shape for light to pass through for the necessary refraction.
Who is a candidate for LASIK?
A good candidate for LASIK eye surgery will be at least 18 years of age and will:
- Have had stable vision for at least one year
- Have worn glasses or contacts for at least three years
- Have a lens prescription within certain parameters
- Not be pregnant or nursing
- Not have any history or findings of active corneal disease, or significant medial or eye problems such as corneal ulcers, cornea thinning, macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy
What are the side effects of LASIK?
The side effects of LASIK are typically mild and may last for a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. These side effects include mild discomfort (short lived, and treatable with over-the-counter medication and ice packs), light sensitivity (especially to bright lights at night; may also include haloed vision), and dry eyes (treatable with eye drops, can last up to six months during healing.)
If you are ready to ditch your corrective lenses and enjoy improved natural vision, call our Camarillo, California office or book an appointment online today.
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