LASIK Report - Clear Choice Custom LASIK Center

LASIK Report
Clear Choice Laser
7001 S. Edgerton Rd; Suite D
Brecksville, OH 44141
www.clearchoicelaser.com
1. UNDERSTANDING LASIK
LASIK EYE SURGERY
The cornea works like a camera, focusing light to create
an image on the retina. The eyes turn light into images
by bending or refracting them. When the shape of the
cornea and the eye are not perfect, the image on the
retina is blurred or distorted. These imperfections
of the cornea are called refractive errors. Myopia,
hyperopia and astigmatism are the three primary
types of refractive errors. Persons with myopia, or
nearsightedness, have more difficulty seeing distant
objects as clearly as near objects. Persons with
hyperopia, or farsightedness, have more difficulty
seeing near objects as clearly as distant objects.
Astigmatism is a distortion of the image on the retina
caused by irregularities in the cornea or lens of the eye.
It is not unusual to have combinations of myopia and
astigmatism or hyperopia and astigmatism. Glasses or
contact lenses are worn to compensate for the eye’s
imperfections. Now there are more options than just
corrective eye wear. Refractive surgery procedures
have been developed and are aimed at improving
the focusing power of the eye. LASIK (Laser In-Situ
Keratomileusis) is one type of refractive surgery that
uses precise and controlled removal of corneal tissue
to reshape the cornea, changing its focusing power.
2. THE BENEFITS OF LASIK
EYE SURGERY
There are many benefits to LASIK, some of which
include fast visual recovery, limited if any discomfort,
and a lowered risk of glare and halos. Most patients
are very happy with the results. It’s no wonder that
LASIK laser vision correction has quickly emerged
as one of the true medical breakthroughs of modern
history. LASIK, the most accepted form of laser vision
correction, is the fastest-growing type of refractive
surgery. It is very versatile and can treat both
nearsightedness and farsightedness with or without
astigmatism. Over 98% of people who have LASIK
achieve somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40 vision
without glasses or contact lenses.
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3. AT YOUR LASIK EYE SURGERY
CONSULTATION
If you have not already done so at a screening
evaluation, a complete medical and eye history will be
taken. This is typically referred to as the pre-operative
LASIK evaluation. This will include a review of your
health and medical conditions, medications you are
taking, allergies as well as a discussion of your ocular
health and status including your vision correction
history. It will be necessary for you to communicate any
medical or eye conditions or diseases that have been
diagnosed or treated among your family members.
A technician will begin taking a number of
measurements. These will include your visual acuity
with and without your current method of vision
correction, whether that is glasses or contacts. A
digital map of your corneal shape--called corneal
topography--will be taken. A measurement of your
pupils will be performed as detailed later. In order
to get final measurements of the prescription your
prescription will be measured both in its natural state
and after having drops placed in your eyes. A test will
be performed to see which eye is your dominant eye,
and most important, the thickness of your cornea will
be measured to make sure you are indeed ready for
LASIK. Additional testing including your intraocular
pressure will be conducted and observations will be
made of the health of your cornea, lens and tear film
using an instrument called a slit lamp. This is actually
a microscope through which living tissue can be
carefully examined. After the drops have had their
full effect, the doctor will examine the health of your
retina and optic nerves in order to give your eyes a
“clean bill of health” for LASIK.
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4. WHAT TO EXPECT DURING
YOUR LASIK SURGERY?
When you arrive at Parkhurst NuVision on your day
of surgery, you should expect to have the staff begin
to both prepare you for your treatment, and to make
you comfortable. First, if you have not already done
so, you will need to sign a statement of informed
consent which says that you have had the opportunity
to ask questions, that they have been answered, that
the risks, benefits and possible complications of your
treatment have been reviewed and discussed with
you, that you have considered alternatives such as
glasses and contact lenses and that after considering
all of this information you have made the decision to
proceed. Before signing the informed consent, make
sure to ask any final questions and have the answers
that you need. Next, a staff member will begin putting
a series of eye drops in your eyes. Some of these
are to numb your eyes so that you are comfortable,
some are antibiotics to prevent any risk of infection,
and depending on your treatment, some may be to
dilate your pupil. After a few minutes you will be
accompanied into the laser suite. Don’t be alarmed if it
seems like there are a number of people doing things
in the laser suite. They are all just doing their jobs of
getting things ready for your surgery.
LASIK Eye Surgery
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You will be asked to sit and recline on a comfortable bedlike chair or platform and some additional numbing drops
will be placed in your eyes. The surgeon or staff will clean
the area around your eye by using a small sterile pad and
some liquid to gently scrub your eyelids and adjacent
areas.
You will be awake and able to communicate for this very
brief procedure. It lasts about 15-30 minutes. A delicate
instrument, called a microkeratome, is used to create a
very thin flap of corneal tissue. Once this tissue flap is
created, the surgeon positions the laser beam over the eye,
directing light pulses to achieve the desired correction.
The flap is carefully placed back in its original position.
Because of the way the eye is formed, no stitches will be
necessary. You will be given eye drops to help the eye to
heal and to alleviate dryness. Healing time is minimal and
after two or so hours of rest the results will be apparent.
For some patients recovery may take longer.
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5. LASIK SURVEY AMO™ SURVEY
The following are talking points and sound bites
created from a recent survey commissioned by
AMO and conducted by Harris Interactive® on the
experiences of U.S. adults ages 21 and older, who have
had a LASIK procedure within the past 5 years.
LASIK Improves One’s Life
•94% of patients agree that LASIK has improved their lives.
•40% of patients have noticed an improvement in
their social lives.
•40% of patients cite the convenience of not having to
worry about caring for their eyewear as one of their
top three motivating factors in their decision.
•35% of patients believe that LASIK has improved
their work life.
•90% of LASIK patients are satisfied with its effects on
their vision.
•Four out of five patients (80%) feel much happier
since having the procedure.
Patients have Confidence in the Procedure
•73% of patients felt knowledgeable or very
knowledgeable about LASIK before having the
procedure.
•71% of patients thought about having LASIK for a
year or more before having it performed – typically
having it within two years of first considering it.
•Patients were most likely to consider the eye care
professional’s amount of experience with LASIK
when they were choosing a LASIK ophthalmologist
(76% of patients considered this).
•96% of patients agree that LASIK is a safe procedure.
•97% of patients believe that LASIK is an effective
procedure.
•86% of the patients had someone recommend the
procedure to them.
•93% say that they would recommend LASIK to
others.
Participation in Sports
•More than 50 percent of LASIK patients say their
ability to participate in sports and exercise was a top
factor in motivating their decision to have LASIK.
•74% of LASIK patients agree that they feel better
able to participate in sports or fitness activities.
•Among those who are active in sports, 84 percent say
they are better able to participate in sports post-surgery.
•Almost half of patients who are active in sports (47%)
find that a benefit to having had LASIK is that they now
have the freedom to play any sport they would like.
Cost as a Motivating Factor
•68% of patients say eliminating the expenses
associated with eyewear were among their top three
factors that motivated them to have LASIK.
7. METHODOLOGY
Harris Interactive® conducted the online survey on
behalf of AMO USA, Inc. Adults aged 21+ who have
had a LASIK procedure within the past 5 years. The
data were weighted to be representative of the total
U.S. adult population age 25+ on the basis of age within
gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity,
region, and propensity to be online. LASIK surgery
is generally recommended for adults over age 25. In
order to avoid losing the perspectives of respondents
who are 21-24 and have had LASIK, they were
weighted within the group of 25- to 29-year-olds. In
theory, with probability samples of this size, one can say
with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a
sampling error of plus or minus 7 percentage points of
what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population
aged 25 and over who have had a LASIK procedure
within the past 5 years had been polled with complete
accuracy. This online sample is not a probability sample.
LASIK and Safety
•79% of patients feel safer with corrected vision.
•63% say they feel more confident when they drive.
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