Health Care and Medical Blogs » Lasik

Risk of Vision Loss in Aging Adults Is Greater Than Risk of Breast or Prostate Cancer

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:41:19 +0000

Significant visual impairment is a serious risk for older populations, with roughly 6.75% of adults ³60 years of age defined as being visually impaired or having best-corrected vision less that 20/40. As many as 1 in 3 men and women ³65 years of age will experience age-related vision loss. By comparison, the risks of the same age group’s developing prostate and breast cancer are about 1 in 6 and 1 in 9, respectively.

Multiple studies suggest the high risk of age-related vision conditions is due in part to a lack of proper screening and regular eye examinations. Because age-related eye diseases are often asymptomatic in their early stages and may progress slowly, an annual eye examination becomes a critical tool to detect and evaluate these conditions before they can cause loss of sight. Comorbidities, such as cognitive impairment, may also result in symptoms of vision loss being underreported by older adults. Additionally, many adults who wear corrective lenses wrongly believe regular examinations for visual acuity are sufficient when, in fact, to detect these eye diseases, a comprehensive examination is necessary.

Regular eye examinations can have an impact on more than eye health. Studies indicate that older individuals who are visually impaired are more likely to be in fair-to-poor health, with a significantly higher incidence of accidents, falls and hip fractures. Individuals with age-related vision loss also feel grief, anxiety, social isolation and depression more often that those without vision loss. These feelings can be exacerbated by a concomitant loss of mobility and an increased dependence on outside help to aid in the tasks of everyday living.

Because many age-related vision problems can be successfully treated or the progression of these diseases slowed when caught early, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends eye examinations for all adults ³65 years of age every 1 to 2 years.

To keep ones eyes healthy, one should schedule regular eye visits with an ophthalmologist such as Andrew Caster MD. Dr. Andrew Caster provides several services for the eyes and in one of the best Los Angeles Lasik surgeons. He has performed successful Lasik and many other vision correction procedures on many people including professional athletes.

Blindness Can Be Caused by Smoking

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:32:26 +0000

Dr. Andrew Caster would like to inform people about age-related macular degeneration. (AMD) Age related macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of blindness in adults in the United States, affecting more than 1.75 million Americans. While some risk factors for AMD, such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension, are well known, recent studies indicate that smoking appears to have a significant impact on an individual’s chances of developing the condition.

In an editorial, the BMJ (British Medical Journal) cited studies finding that greater than 25% of all cases of AMD with visual impairment or blindness can be attributed to current or past smoking exposure, making it the leading modifiable risk factor for the condition. The editorial considered multiple studies conducted worldwide that evaluated the correlation between smoking habits and the eventual development of AMD, which involves degradation and eventual loss of central vision.

Treatment of AMD remains limited. Identifying and eliminating or reducing risk factors is currently the primary mode of prevention.

The analysis focused on data collected from 12,468 patients in 3 cross-sectional studies that indicated current smokers were 3-4x more likely to develop AMD as were men and women who had never smoked. By comparison, smokers are 1.6x as likely to develop ischemic heart disease as nonsmokers — about half the risk or less of developing AMD – although the association between ischemic heart disease and smoking is much more recognized.

In three additional and separate studies of AMD in smokers and non-smokers in North America, Australia and Europe, smoking emerged as the strongest environmental risk factor for developing the condition. Studies also revealed that smokers developed AMD about a decade earlier than nonsmokers.

The good news: Smoking cessation appears to have a positive effect, decreasing the risk of developing AMD over time. Despite the clear evidence supporting the correlation between smoking and the risk of AMD, the researchers also noted that public awareness of the link is lacking and added that physicians and other health-care professionals are in a prime positions to educate patients about the very real vision-related risks of smoking and visual impairment.

Andrew Caster MD agrees that one should be aware of how other behaviors may harm the vision. Staying cautious and keeping healthy habits may benefits ones eyesight or better their chances of being a candidate for Lasik or other laser vision correction Beverly Hills Procedures.

Lasik Surgery and Eye Surgery in Los Angeles

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:27:23 +0000

There are two fundamentally different types of laser eye surgery: Prk and Lasik. Under these two categories, there are several different modifications of each for example, Lasek with an “E” is just a resent type of Prk. All techniques are performed with the patient being awake and with the use of drops to numb the eyes.

All the types of laser eye surgery that fall under the category of Prk, all involve a surface technique designed to remove the cornea’s outermost layer called the epithelium. Rather than creating a flap via a cutting technique as used in Lasik procedures.

Lasik or laser assisted in situ keratomileusis uses a metal blade to cut the cornea flap and a laser to reshape the eye. After the procedure many residents of Los Angeles Lasik was able to restore their vision to near perfect 20/20. Lasik is painless for most patients, and unlike Prk techniques the vision is immediately corrected although there may be some blurriness present for the first 24 hours. But after that the vision will improve over the following few weeks.

Removing the epithelium is the first step of laser eye surgery the next step is reshaping the cornea by the use of the laser. The model of laser varies as do guidance or mapping systems associated with each model. Talk to your local Lasik doctor Los Angeles residents can gain near 20/20 vision. The more precise the mapping and reshaping system is the better the results will be. Most reputable centers for eye laser surgery will tell you that 20/20 vision from laser-corrected surgery may not be like normal 20/20 vision.

There my be some haze or other side effects that can result from laser eye surgery, though techniques and technology are always working towards eliminating these problems.

Laser Eye Surgery in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:25:19 +0000

Lasik procedures have been perfected in recent years since the technique was introduced. If you’re considering the procedure for your eye correction you should first find out if you are a good candidate and if your health provider may be able to cover some of the cost.

Laser eye surgery has been correcting bad eye sight for many generations. There are many procedures that involve the correction of the eyes, however the Lasik procedure is the most popular by far.

Los Angeles eye surgeons can perform the Lasik procedure in state of the art medical facilities specially designed to perform the procedure. Not all medical facilities are equipped with the necessary technology to perform the procedure, therefore the medical facility that can actually perform the procedure has to include the cost of equipment with the cost of the procedure.

For the resident of Beverly Hills Lasik procedures have been helping them see better. In order to have the procedure performed you must first be qualified for the surgery. Once you have researched which eye doctor will be performing the procedure you must then have an in office consultation to have a tests, to communicate with the surgeon about your medical background and to consider your payment options.

After your operation the surgeon will place a dressing over your eye, it may be required for you to have a short stay in an outpatient recovery area. You will need to use eye drops as prescribed by your surgeon and they may be used several times daily during the following weeks. You will also need to wear a protective eye shield and sun glasses to shade your eyes from bright light.

Depending on your medical history your recovery time will differ, but with the use of modern technology and techniques, recovery times have been shortening dramatically.

LASIK: A Viable Choice for Patients Over 40

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:25:50 +0000

Baby boomers who want to rid themselves of their contact lenses should consider laser in-situ kertomileusis (LASIK) surgery as a viable option. Although LASIK traditionally has been considered less effective in individuals >40 years of age, a study shows new techniques offer better outcomes for middle aged and older patients.

In this retrospective consecutive case series, Ghanem et al from Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts, studied the outcomes in 710 eyes of 424 patients aged 40-69 years who underwent LASIK or laser eye surgery between 1999 and 2005.

The study group had refractive spherical errors ranging from -10.5 diopters (D) to +6 D and cylinder of up to 2.50 D. Patients were divided by age into 3 groups: 40-49 years, 50-59 years and 60-69 years. All LASIK procedures were performed by the same surgeon. Outcomes were analyzed for nearsightedness with or without astigmatism (511 eyes) and farsightedness with or without astigmatism (199 eyes) by Beverly Hills LASIK surgeons. Outcomes were based on postoperative follow-up visits of at least 6 months.

The study indicated postoperative safety, efficacy and predictability were comparable among all age groups. At the final follow-up, 80-100% of eyes in all groups had 20/30 or better uncorrected visual acuity and 81-90% were within ±1 D. In all 3 groups, 91-100% of patients achieved 20/40 or better visual acuity following LASIK.

Many LASIK patients in the study opted for monovision, a strategy that offers distinct advantages in addressing presbyopia, a condition often present in an older population. In monovision, one eye is corrected for distance vision, while the other eye is corrected for near vision, often eliminating the need for reading glasses. Researchers indicated that monovision can effectively compensate for the loss of accommodation that often occurs in older patients. The study concluded that despite challenges unique in the 40- to 69-year age group, Beverly Hills LASIK correction for nearsightedness and farsightedness has been reasonably safe, effective and predictable.

Ghanem RC, de la Cruz J, Tobaigy FM, et al. LASIK in the presbyopic age group: safety, efficacy, and predictability in 40- to 69-year-old patients. Ophthalmology 2007; 114:1303-1310.

LASIK: A Viable Choice for Patients Over 40

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:01:04 +0000

Ghanem RC, de la Cruz J, Tobaigy FM, et al. LASIK in the presbyopic age group: safety, efficacy, and predictability in 40- to 69-year-old patients. Ophthalmology 2007; 114:1303-1310.

Refractive Surgery Eliminates Glasses for Many Astigmatic Patients

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:57:08 +0000

Thanks to continued advances in laser eye surgery, refractive surgery tools and techniques, glasses and contact lenses are fast becoming obsolete for many patients with astigmatism. Patients with undetected astigmatism often experience headaches, fatigue, eyestrain and blurred vision at all distances. Because astigmatism may not be recognized as the cause of these symptoms, this condition may go undiagnosed and continue to affect sufferers. Astigmatism can also be present in children, affecting their ability to see well in school and while playing sports.

Characterized by an irregular curvature of the cornea, astigmatism can be detected by regular eye examinations and successfully treated using procedures such as laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK), laser thermokeratoplasy (LTK) and astigmatic keratotomy (AK; Table 1). An ophthalmologist can determine which type of procedure will work best for each patient.

Worldwide, >17 million people have undergone laser refractive surgery, and refractive surgery is one of the most commonly performed operations in the United States and by Beverly Hills LASIK surgeons. The newest laser-assisted procedures are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat up to 6 diopters (D) of astigmatism correction, which includes roughly 98% of all astigmatism patients. Advances in laser technology continue to improve treatment outcomes.

Guttman reported on a recent study by Barraquer, a private practitioner in Colombia, of 364 astigmatic myopic patients treated with a new generation “flying spot” excimer laser. Barraquer reported postoperative best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better in 99% of treated eyes at 3 months. Astigmatic correction was achieved to within ±0.50 D in 92% of eyes.

Remember that for patients in or around Beverly Hills LASIK was used after the detection of astigmatism to treat it in its early and advanced stages. Because children may also have astigmatism, it is important that eye examinations be scheduled at regular intervals to detect any astigmatism early on.

Guttman C. Laser yields safe, predictable correction for astigmatism. Ophthalmology Times, Advanstar Communications, January 1, 2008;36.