Laser Vision Correction vs. Contact Lenses

Many people are unaware that wearing contacts every day may be a bigger risk than having their vision corrected with laser vision correction.

The fact is, if you have to wear contact lenses, hard contact lenses will give you the best vision, but they are a real nuisance, uncomfortable, prone to slipping, and easily broken. Soft contacts on the other hand are more comfortable, but due to their composition and design it can be more difficult to correct astigmatism.

Possible Complications of Contact Lenses

With prolonged usage, especially in adverse environmental conditions, contact lenses can lead to:

• Cornea redness or inflammation 
• Corneal infections 
• Corneal abrasions 
• Corneal ulcers 
• Corneal swelling 
• Dry eye

Laservision correction eye surgery may eliminate or reduce the need for corrective lenses. As with any type of surgical procedure, there are potential risks of laser vision correction surgery, including:

• Dry eye syndrome
•  Visual symptoms, such as halos, glare, starbursts or double vision 
• Vision loss

Cost of Laser Vision Correction

The average one-time cost of laser vision correction ranges from $1,600 per eye for non-customized laser vision correction to $2,500 per eye for customized wavefront-guided procedures. When these costs are compared to the ongoing expenses of contacts and glasses, laser vision correction often makes sense financially. Over any 10 year period the average vision impaired person will spend around $12,000 on:

• New eyeglass prescriptions 
• New frames and lenses
•  Replacement lenses or an endless stream of replacement contacts 
• Cleaning and sterilizing solutions

Not every person has the right eye conditions to support a laser vision correction procedure. If you are tired of wearing contacts or glasses and want to explore the laser vision correction option, the only way to determine if you are a good candidate for laser vision correction is by scheduling a laser vision correction Consultation. Contact Pacific Eye Specialists in San Fransisco today at 415-921-7555 or pacificeyespecialists.com to start on the path!

Another Reason to Get Your Kids Outside

Getting your kids to play outside may not only help prevent obesity…it may also be beneficial for their eye health.  According to two studies done in Taiwan and Denmark, spending more time outdoors may help minimize or prevent nearsightedness (myopia) in children. The full research was published in the May issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Genetics are often responsible for the development of myopia in children, but these studies have shown that the environment may also play a factor. According to Medical News Today, nearsightedness has increased in the United States by more than 65% since 1970, and researchers are studying why this condition is increasing so rapidly in the U.S. as well as in other countries.

The Taiwan study compared students who were required to spend 80 minutes of recess outdoors per day versus students who were not. Those who were required to play outdoors had fewer instances of myopia. In the Danish study, students’ axial eye length was tested for students in seven different groups with varying access to daylight hours. (When the axial eye length becomes longer, myopia worsens.) The children who experienced less daylight had larger axial eye growth than those exposed to more daylight.

Nearsightedness is one condition that can be corrected by laser vision correction eye surgery in adults. At Pacific Eye Specialists, we would rather help patients prevent nearsightedness, if possible, but we are also focused on helping adult patients correct their vision problems through laser vision correction.

If you are nearsighted and would like to see if laser vision correction could correct your vision, contact Pacific Eye Specialists today at 415-921-7555 or pacificeyespecialists.com to schedule a free laser vision correction Consultation in San Fransisco.  

Possible Cause for High-Grade Nearsightedness Discovered

A recent study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics has identified gene mutations associated with severe, high-grade myopia (nearsightedness). Researchers at Duke Medicine found these mutations in the SCO2 gene that metabolizes copper, which is important to regulate oxygen levels in eye tissue. When there is too much oxygen, the eye’s development can be altered.

"This is the first time a gene mutation for autosomal dominant nonsyndromic high-grade myopia in Caucasians has been discovered," said senior author Terri Young, M.D., MBA, professor of ophthalmology, pediatrics and medicine at the Duke Eye Center, Duke Center for Human Genetics and the Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS). "Our findings reflect the hard work and collaboration of our international research team."

"Our findings, plus information from the literature, suggest that copper deficiency could predispose people to develop myopia," Young said. "While this wasn't directly tested in this study, it's possible that our diets - which are deficient in a number of minerals and vitamins - play a role, and it may be something as easy as taking a supplement with copper that helps thwart the development of myopia."

Other factors besides gene mutations are likely responsible for myopia development. Additional myopia research will continue.

Nearsightedness is one vision condition that is often corrected through laser vision correction eye surgery. However, laser vision correction is not appropriate for all patients who have myopia, especially high-grade. 

The FDA has approved certain lasers to treat varying levels of myopia, even up to -.12 diopters; however, some doctors may recommend a different type of procedure for patients who don’t meet the right vision requirements.

If you have any degree of nearsightedness and would like to know if you are a good candidate for laser vision correction, contact Pacific Eye Specialists to schedule a laser vision correction Consultation: 415-921-7555 or pacificeyespecialists.com.

Moo-ve Into Better Vision with Laser Vision Correction

Did you know that July 18, 2013 is Cow Appreciation Day? In honor of this unique observance, here are a few fun facts about how cows’ eyes differ from human eyes:  

• Cow eyes are larger
• Cows cannot move their eyes like humans; they must turn their heads
• Cow eyes glow at night
• Cow eyes are oval shaped
• Cows have only black irises

At Pacific Eye Specialists, we’re not in the business of treating cow’s eyes; however, we are in the business of correcting the human vision problems of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism through laser vision correction eye surgery.

Laser vision correction won’t make your eyes glow at night like cows, but it just might free you from the need for contacts or glasses. The laser vision correction procedure actually changes the shape of your cornea so light can be focused onto your retina properly, resulting in clear vision, even 20/20 vision, for many patients.

If you’d be interested in learning more about how you might be able to moo-ve into better vision with laser vision correction, contact Pacific Eye Specialists today to schedule your free laser vision correction Consultation in San Fransisco. Call us today at 415-921-7555 or visit us online at pacificeyespecialists.com.

Happy 4th of July!

Have a fun and safe 4th of July from Pacific Eye Specialists!