Posts Tagged ‘U.S. Food’

Refractive Surgery Eliminates Glasses for Many Astigmatic Patients

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.

Andrew I. Caster, M.D. has performed over fourteen thousand procedures to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Dr. Caster is widely considered one of the most knowledgeable Lasik surgeons in the United States. Los Angeles Magazine selected Dr. caster as “The Best Lasik Surgeon in Los Angeles” and W Magazine listed him as one of two top Lasik surgeons in the United States. For more information please visit: http://www.castervision.com/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/refractive-surgery-eliminates-glasses-for-many-astigmatic-patients-1597619.html

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Fold, Unfold and Go – The New Intraocular Lenses

One of the most important developments for cataract patients in the past few years has been <a href=http://www.katzeneye.com/eye_care_services/cataracts.html>intraocular lenses (IOLs)</a>. These tiny prescription lenses were created to replace the focusing power of the eye’s natural lens during <a href=http://www.katzeneye.com/eye_care_services/cataracts.html>cataract surgery</a>. Prior to the introduction of IOLs, cataract patients had to wear thick glasses or special contacts after surgery, making them essentially blind without their glasses.

Currently, more than one million IOLs are implanted each year in the United States, giving cataract patients the best vision of their lives. Intraocular lenses were originally introduced as inflexible lenses that required larger incisions. Now, technology has provided ophthalmologists with two different types: hard and foldable. The advantage to foldable lenses, made of acrylic or silicone, is that they can be folded up and inserted with a much smaller incision, then unrolled within the eye.

Advances in Intraocular Lenses

The foldable lens is just one of the advancements in intraocular lens technology. After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first IOL in 1981, IOLs found widespread acceptance and manufacturers saw other potential applications, eventually pushing for more IOL variety. Those choices include:

  • Multifocal lenses – offering variable distance viewing with greater possibility that glasses or contacts will not be needed. ReZoom™ and ReStor® provide clear vision at all distances and offer greater freedom from eyewear than traditional monofocal IOLs.
  • Toric IOLs – reduces or eliminates corneal astigmatism and greatly improves distance vision without the need for corrective lenses. The Staar Surgical IOL and the AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL will help the blurriness at all distances often caused by an ovoid corneal shape.
  • Accommodating IOLs – a revolutionary lens design that after implantation will change focus as the patient views objects at varying distances. The Crystalens® is controlled by the same eye muscles that controlled the natural lens.
  • Aspheric IOLs – a lens that provides better contrast sensitivity than other IOLs. The Tecnis® IOL is a good choice for those who often drive at night, as it provides clearer vision in low light conditions.
  • Filtering IOLs – can restore the natural eye’s ultraviolet (UV) light filtering that is removed in cataract surgery. Other IOLs have blue light filters; blue light is thought to play a role in causing age-related macular degeneration.
  • Monofocal lenses – an older type of IOL offering vision at only one distance that can be augmented by the use of glasses or contacts.

Cataract surgery has become a simple procedure with an excellent success record. So, for those who view the world as if they peer through a steamy bathroom mirror, IOLs have made seeing a great deal more enjoyable.

Katzen Eye Group in Baltimore and Lutherville, Maryland was one of the nation’s first ophthalmology practices to use the intraocular lens implants for surgery. For more information about intraocular lenses, please go to the Katzen Eye website.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/fold-unfold-and-go-the-new-intraocular-lenses-1291163.html

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Lasik Eye Surgery: An Overview

The first thing that comes to our mind when it comes to the matter of eye surgery is Lasik surgery. This surgery is all what we think about for corrective vision procedures and there are various alternatives to this surgery today. The option can be chosen resting upon your eye condition, the surgeon who is going to operate and the budget you are comfortable in paying. Thus it is important for you to know the various kinds of this surgery available so that you can make the right click. There are many people who do not understand what lasik eye surgery is. Probably you might be interested in lasik if you are wearing contact lenses or glasses. Many people have achieved better vision without having to wear glasses or contact lenses. It is a type of surgery that reshapes cornea and improves your visual sharpness.

Laser beams are used in this surgery to remove the corneal tissue without disturbing nearby cells. A hinged corneal flap is created with microkeratome blade or laser before that. The corneal flap is repositioned underlying corneal tissue that has been removed. The surgery is a painless procedure since the surgeon will use anesthetic eye drops to numb your eye. Since your eyelids are secured with a small instrument to keep your eye wide open during the surgery so you may feel a little uncomfortable.

Since the cornea healing with this procedure is faster and less painful than other eye surgeries such as PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy) so it has been the most popular eye surgery these days and it has also been performed on more than one million people in the world. The practice of this surgery is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the approval of all medical devices used for the procedure, especially the lasers used for the Lasik eye surgery.

Sarah Parker has more then10 years of experience in writing finance, real estate, law, health, travel articles. To know more about Lasik Eye Surgery and Laser Eye Surgery visit : http://www.lasereyesurgeryinfo.co.uk/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/vision-articles/lasik-eye-surgery-an-overview-1043112.html

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