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Friday, November 29, 2013

What is Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis?

If you think that your eyesight is not as good as it used to be, then you should consider undergoing a LASIK treatment from a reputable ophthalmologist. It involves applying a special laser to your eye in order to correct any discrepancies in its focusing power. With LASIK treatment, any nearsightedness or farsightedness you’ve encountered before can be eliminated and you may no longer need to use glasses and contact lenses to see clearly.

The laser used in a LASIK treatment is known as an excimer which emits a concentrated beam of ultraviolet light using halide gases. It is designed to alter the shape of the cornea by removing some parts of it, and a doctor will need to exercise extreme caution to avoid inflicting any permanent damage to the eye. Choosing the best ophthalmologist for the treatment is highly recommended because an inexperienced practitioner may fail to correct your vision or worse, render you completely blind.

To improve your chances of a successful treatment, you should avoid wearing your prescription glasses and lenses for at least two weeks prior to the surgery to help your eyes adjust. Applying makeup, especially on your eyelashes, is also discouraged a day before your treatment to prevent the laser from triggering any unwanted chemical reactions in your skin. Finally, give your eyes plenty of rest, so you may want to avoid staring at the TV or the computer for a while. 

A Look into Cataract Surgery

When asked, most people will say that they want to grow old gracefully, but this means different things for different people. For some, it means resorting to cosmetic surgery to change their looks or make them look younger. For others, it means living life as they've normally done, without assistance from anyone. However, the latter is not possible if they suffer from the eye condition known as cataracts.

Cataracts occur when the eye lens begin to cloud, and vision becomes impaired. This condition is mostly age-related and is common in Americans age 65 and above. Since cataracts lead to impaired vision, those suffering from the condition are likely to experience difficulties in accomplishing household tasks on their own, like cooking or gardening. It can pose safety risks if a sufferer still insists on driving a vehicle himself.

Having someone help out with household tasks and someone to drive him to the places he needs to go to can provide a cataract sufferer relief and peace of mind in these situations. However, a better solution would be to see an eye doctor who can treat the condition and improve the vision, typically through prescription eyeglasses. In extreme cases when eyeglasses are barely any help in vision enhancement, the eye doctor will most likely recommend cataract surgery.