| New advances in eyesight corrective surgery are providing consumers with greater choices than ever before. LASIK is now the most common surgery performed in the US; however, while technology expenses continue to decrease, American LASIK surgery costs have actually increased to more than $4,000 over the past five years. LASIK has helped millions of people around the world reduce their dependence on glasses or contact lenses. Although no surgery is completely risk-free, LASIK surgery has a very low rate of complications and adverse effects, compared to other procedures. PresbyLASIK Surgery
Usually beginning at about age 40, a reduction in eye's natural ability to focus flexibly results in many people needing to wear bifocals or multi-focal contact lenses in order to manage seeing clearly at distances both near and far. This condition, in which the eyes exhibit a progressively diminished capacity to focus on near objects with age, is called presbyopia.
Recent advances in corneal ablation technique using Excimer lasers allow ophthalmologists to correct for presbyopia, giving patients the ability to see near objects clearly without glasses or contact lenses. In general, PresbyLASIK, and Multi-focal LASIK, applies the principles of LASIK surgery to create a multi-focal corneal surface, with a central area which is hyperpositive for near vision, leaving the mid-peripheral cornea for far vision.
Until recently presbyopic eyes were addressed with a LASIK procedure that provides monovision. In such cases, one eye is corrected for better distance vision, while the other eye is corrected to enhance near vision. However the treatment has been seen as less-than-successful, as many people have difficulty adapting to monovision, which can cause problems such as a loss of depth perception.
PresbyLASIK, or Multi-focal LASIK, which allows patients to retain binocular vision, is currently under clinical trials in the US and has not yet been approved for general treatment by the FDA. However, many ophthalmologists are hopeful that trial data and the success of the technique in other countries will help make the procedure available soon to US presbyopia patients. Cataract Surgery Monofocal Cataract Surgery is a procedure that removes the eye's natural lens - which has become cloudy - with ultrasound, and replaces it with an artificial lens.
Cataract surgery is increasingly common, with more than 95% of patients enjoying improved vision without complications. Contact a Case Manager today for more details. |
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