Laser Eye Surgery - The Eye

Laser Eye Surgery: The Eye

Thousands of women are turning towards laser eye surgery to correct their vision, and are waving goodbye to glasses and contact lenses. But like all medical procedures, laser vision correction comes in different procedures with benefits and risks for each. But before looking at the common types of laser procedures, it's useful to understand how our eyes work and why people must wear glasses and contact lenses to improve their vision.

The Eye

The eye works similar to a camera. The main function of the eye is to focus light in order for us to see. The cornea, the window of the eye, works to focus the refracted light. Once focused, the light enters the pupil and lens before reaching the retina.

The retina, made up of a layer of nerves, connects the eye to one's brain. If the light is not focused correctly on the retina, the image you see blurs. Blurred vision commonly results from a refractive error, meaning the shape of the eye structures can't bend light properly for you to see.

Refractive errors such as myopia (near-sightedness) and are not seen as eye diseases, but as a common conditions. This is why most insurance companies see laser eye surgery to correct refractive errors as a cosmetic procedure and refuse to pick up the tab.

What does having 20/20 Vision Mean?

If you have 20/20 vision, it means you can see at 20 feet what a normal person (a person with no refractive errors) can see at 20 feet. So if a person has a vision of 20/40, it means they have to get 20 feet closer to see the same size letter that a person with 20/20 vision can see at 40 feet. A person with 20/40 vision may choose to wear glasses, corrective lenses or have laser eye surgery to achieve 20/20 vision.

Get 20/20 Vision with Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is becoming a popular surgical procedure used to correct many types of vision problems. Some types of vision problems correctable by laser eye surgery include:

• Myopia: or near-sightedness
• Hyperopia: or far-sightedness
• Astigmatism: is when objects appear blurry at any distance
• Presbyopia: is the inability to see nearby objects, normally as you get older.

During the corrective surgery, a surgeon will use a laser device to alter the shape of the cornea to fix moderate refractive errors. One fairly used instrument in the procedure is the Excimer laser, which emits an ultraviolet light beam to vaporize tissue.

Glasses to Suit You

Choosing the Right Glasses for You

When you wear glasses, one of the most daunting shopping trips can be the one where you are trying to find a pair of new glasses. Many of us remember growing up with glasses, and possibly being called four-eyes among a myriad of other names since kids can often be cruel. Of course shopping for new frames can bring back these memories, and the frustration of what to look for can add to the frustration.

But with the plethora of different lens and frame styles available today, the days of glasses being a fashion faux pas are over. Many designers such as DKNY, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Channel, and Dolce and Gabbana have started designing glasses, adding glasses to the list of must-have accessories for many fashion conscious women and men. Some people will even buy glasses without a prescription! So enjoy with the fashion opportunity that glasses afford you and have fun expressing yourself!

Here are a few tips to help you hone in on that perfect pair of glasses.

Framing Your Features

First, decide on a type of frame. Glasses frames come in many different kinds of plastic and metal.

While frameless glasses can be really subtle for someone who does not like others to see her glasses in front of her face, metal frames can add a hint of classic sophistication to any look. Plastic frames on the other hand come in so many colors and styles that they can add a hint of sophistication to a fashionista's wardrobe or a hint of funk to an outgoing individualist's style. This is why some of the most recognizable designer glasses often come in plastic.

While different materials provide different looks, certain materials are better for some uses than others. If you are active and play sports, you may want to look into titanium frames, since these withstand a lot of wear and tear and easily pop back into shape. If you have thick lenses, plastic frames may be for you since they tend to be thicker and work better to hide the thickness of your lenses.

Shape is also an important aspect of the glasses you will choose. Different frame shapes suit different face shapes better than others. Rounded frames (oval and round in shape) better suit squared-off face shapes since they add softness to already defined features. A squared frame can look too harsh on a squared face shape.

On the other hand, squared frames (square and rectangular in shape) tend to look better on people with round (full) or oval face shapes. The squared glasses provide definition and a focal point to soft, rounded features.

The Perfect Fit

When you are trying on glasses, make sure that they fit your face well. Although frames can always be refitted to a certain degree, this should just be done as a finishing touch to glasses that already fit. Wire frames tend to be easier and more flexible to refit than plastic ones.

Your glasses should fit snugly on your ears, and they should sit straight so that when you look in the mirror with the frames on your ears the glasses are not crooked in any way. The arms of the frames should also sit close against your head. When you tilt or shake your head, the glasses should remain in place. However, they should not be tight enough to cause discomfort to your ears or the sides of your head.

When you look in the mirror in your frames, your eyes should be in the horizontal centre of the frame and slightly higher then center vertically. The top of the frames should sit just below your eyebrows, and they should follow a similar contour line as your eyebrows as well. The edges of the frames should line up with the edges of your face. Glasses that are too narrow will make you look like you have a large face while glasses that are too wide will look too big and make your head look small.

A Second Opinion

Make sure you have a friend whose fashion sense you trust come with you to try on glasses. Her input will be especially valuable to you if you do not have contacts to wear while you are trying on glasses.

A sales representative from the store can also be helpful. Try talking to him or her before you start trying glasses on. He or she will be able to direct you to styles and materials that suit your tastes and lifestyle.

A Pair That You Like

When you find a pair of glasses that you like, you may want to leave the store and come back a couple of hours or days later, with a fresh outlook. Since glasses can be a big investment and you will probably be wearing them a lot, make sure you like them when you are in a different mood.

You should also make sure to try on the glasses with a number of different hairstyles that you wear most often, such as with your hair up and down. Does the color of the frames match your hair color, and will it match any hair color that you are likely have in the near future? Does the frame color match your skin tone now? What about those times of year when you are more tanned or paler?

No matter what pair of frames you decide on, you should be comfortable in your new glasses, and they should reflect the way you want to be viewed by the world.

Laser Eye Surgery - Risks and Benefits

Laser Eye Surgery: Risks and Benefits

Laser eye surgery often produces pleasing results and allows patients to reduce or eliminate the use of corrective lenses. Laser correction of the vision also allows people to pursue careers that require 20/20 vision (e.g. pilot, police officer, etc). However, with these benefits come a few risks.

With the PRK surgery some of the risk include:

• Pain, mild to severe, following surgery
• Hazy vision usually for a week following surgery
• Regression within six months after surgery, which will require a second enhancement treatment or you may need to go back to using glasses or contacts.
• Corneal infection or infectious keratisis may arise and worsen the vision

With LASIK there is less pain following surgery. But, since LASIK requires the cutting into the cornea, a greater risk of complications may arise. Some complications include:

• Dry eyes, which may affect vision
• Poor night vision due to glares and halos around lights. This may impair the ability to drive at night.
• Risk of a corneal infection.
• The cornea may bulge in a serious condition called corneal ectasia, which may require a cornea implant to treat.

With recent LASEK surgery some of the risks that may arise are common to those associated with PRK including pain, haze, and regression. However, LASEK reduces the risk of dry eyes and the cornea ectasia.

Note not all the possible risks associated with laser eye treatment were covered. If you're considering undergoing treatment, consult with your eye surgeon about what type of procedure is suitable for you and what are the risks. It's also important to know that laser eye surgery may not improve your vision, even if you're a suitable candidate for the procedure.