LASIK vs. Contact Lenses

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

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

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

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

Cost of LASIK

      The average one-time cost of LASIK ranges from $1,600 per eye for non-customized LASIK to $2,500 per eye for customized wavefront-guided procedures. When these costs are compared to the ongoing expenses of contacts and glasses, LASIK 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 LASIK procedure. If you are tired of wearing contacts or glasses and want to explore the LASIK option, the only way to determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK is by scheduling a LASIK Consultation. Contact Buckley Chang Eye Institute in Colorado Springs today at 719-444-3000 or buckleychang.com to start on the path!

In Music, the Eyes Have It

      The eyes have been dubbed “the window to the soul.” Maybe that’s why so many eye make-up products are sold and why so many songwriters focus on this expressive facial feature in their music…songs like: 

• Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison 
• Doctor My Eyes by Jackson Browne 
• Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol 
• Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue by Crystal Gayle 
• When You Close Your Eyes by Night Ranger 
• Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes 
• Private Eyes by Hall and Oates 
• For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton 
• Angel Eyes by the Jeff Healey Band 
• Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson 
• Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain by Willie Nelson

If you’re tired of hiding your eyes behind corrective lenses, you should consider laser vision correction. LASIK eye surgery has allowed millions of Americans to showcase their “baby blues” (and other eye colors, of course) for the world to see.

LASIK eye surgery is performed on people who are nearsighted, farsighted and who have astigmatism. No LASIK surgeon can absolutely guarantee that LASIK will free you from corrective lenses forever, but this popular procedure is very effective for most patients…especially when they choose a surgeon who has extensive experience and a proven track record of success…a surgeon like Dr. Buckley or Dr. Chang at Buckley Chang Eye Institute in Colorado Springs.

If you can think of other “eye” songs, share them with us on our Facebook page facebook.com/BuckleyChang. And be sure to contact us soon at 719-444-3000 or on buckleychang.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation.

Cool Facts About Dolphin Eyes- Part 4

This is the final installment of cool facts about dolphin eyes that we learned about from Joy Clausen Soto, Senior Dolphin Trainer at SeaWorld.

“Dolphin eyes ‘glow’ at night! Just like cats and dogs, dolphins have a layer of reflective cells behind their retina which helps them see better in low light conditions.”

It would be pretty cool if we could make our patients’ eyes glow in the dark. Unfortunately, technology just doesn’t allow us to do that yet.

What we do see, however, is the ‘glow’ of many of our patients’ faces after they’ve had a successful LASIK procedure. This glow may come immediately after the procedure, when they can read a clock on the wall, or it may come several visits later when their vision has stabilized and they realize what type of freedom they now have. Not all outcomes are the same, of course, and not everyone experiences this glow.

Many people research LASIK technology and surgeons for years before making the decision to move forward. Sometimes they end up wasting a lot of time, energy and even anxiety thinking about LASIK…only to learn that they aren’t good candidates for LASIK in the first place.

Everyone has their own unique set of eyes. Even if you think you have the same eyeglass prescription as another person who had LASIK, your own genetic make-up and health conditions may preclude you from having a successful outcome. Without a detailed eye examination from an experienced LASIK surgeon, you’ll never know if you have the right conditions to possibly reverse your nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little bit dolphins – and learning a little about LASIK along the way. We’d love to tell you more. Contact Buckley Chang Eye Institute in Colorado Springs to schedule a LASIK Consultation and see if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Call 719-444-3000 or visit buckleychang.com today.

Cool Facts About Dolphin Eyes-Part 3

“A dolphin’s pupil has a type of built-in shade. When our eyes are exposed to light, our pupils get smaller to let less light in. Dolphins have a kind of lid, called an operculum, that slides down to cover most of the pupil when it is bright. It almost looks like two pupils when this ‘lid’ comes down.”

-          Joy Clausen Soto, Senior Dolphin Trainer at SeaWorld

Humans don’t have instant shades on our eyes. We have to wear sunglasses to protect our eyes from the harsh sun. When you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, it’s often necessary for you to purchase expensive prescription sunglasses to be able to see in sunlight.

LASIK has allowed millions of Americans to expand their sunglasses collections with a multitude of cheap sunglasses by correcting their refractive errors.

In a LASIK procedure, a surgeon creates a thin flap on the cornea that is peeled back to allow access to the underlying corneal tissue. This can be done using a microkeratome or femtosecond laser. Once the flap has been created, an excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea (correct the refractive error) so it can properly focus light on the retina (the back of the eye). This is the actual vision correction step in the procedure. Once the cornea is reshaped, the flap is put back into place so it can heal. The entire procedure only takes minutes per eye.

Like any surgical procedure, LASIK does carry risks. You should always have an open discussion about all of the risks of LASIK with your surgeon before you make any decisions to move forward with the procedure. You should also remember that even if you have 20/20 vision, it’s still important to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. You’re not a dolphin, after all!

Find out if cheap sunglasses might be in your future. Contact Buckley Chang Eye Institute in Colorado Springs to schedule a LASIK Consultation and see if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Call 719-444-3000 or visit  buckleychang.com today.

Cool Facts About Dolphin Eyes- Part 2

“Dolphins have built-in goggles. Dolphins have a secretion that covers their eyes and helps protect them from infection, wash away debris and lubricates to help them see better underwater.”

-          Joy Clausen Soto, Senior Dolphin Trainer at SeaWorld

One thing that LASIK patients often get excited about is the fact that they can actually wear regular goggles, snorkels and scuba masks and be able to see…just like dolphins! It’s nearly impossible to wear glasses with goggles, and contact lenses can be a real nuisance. And prescription goggles are just plain expensive!

LASIK may give water-loving adults the ability to don any old snorkel and hit the water. The idea behind LASIK eye surgery is that it is used to correct a person’s nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism by actually altering the shape of the cornea so better vision can be achieved.

Some patients are able to see with 20/20 vision after LASIK, reducing or even eliminating their need for glasses or contacts. Some patients see even better than 20/20! Of course, no LASIK surgeon can guarantee that you will never need glasses after LASIK. This is especially true when the LASIK patient develops Presbyopia (the natural and gradual stiffening of the eye lenses over time). This condition usually begins around the age of 45 and can result in the need for reading glasses.

Unfortunately, not everyone is a good candidate LASIK. Sometimes the corneas are too thin; sometimes there are medical conditions or eye diseases that make the surgery too risky. Only an experienced LASIK surgeon can determine if your eyes are right for LASIK.

LASIK may not give you dolphin-type goggle-eyes, but it might help improve your vision. To see if you might be a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, please contact Buckley Chang Eye Institute in Colorado Springs to schedule a LASIK Consultation. Call 719-444-3000 or visit buckleychang.com today.