Can You Be Too Young for LASIK?

The short answer to the question, “Can you be too young for LASIK?” is: Yes.

There are reasons why you still see so many children wearing glasses today, even when LASIK is performed on more than 700,000 people each year. LASIK is a refractive surgery that treats eyesight imperfections that cause myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. LASIK technology reshapes the cornea to allow light to focus properly on the retina. The result is clearer vision, even 20/20 or better vision, for many patients.

So why wouldn’t you want to have LASIK performed as soon as possible?

We all know that children are constantly growing and changing, and their eyes are no exception. In fact, some people have refractive instability into their early 20s. This means that their vision correction needs may be frequently fluctuating. One qualification of being a good candidate for LASIK is having stable vision, without prescription changes, for at least two years. Most children simply do not have that stability.

So what is the right age for LASIK? The Food and Drug Administration has stated the minimum LASIK age requirement is 18 years old, but there can be rare circumstances where the procedure is recommended earlier. The determination for LASIK for any age individual can only be made after a comprehensive LASIK Evaluation by a qualified doctor.

Buckley Chang Eye Institute offers Free LASIK Evaluations at their Colorado Springs office. To learn more, visit their website at http://www.buckleyvision.com/ or call 719-444-3000.

Three Mistakes you Don't Want to Make When it Comes to LASIK

LASIK Surgery is a common surgery; however it’s still a medical procedure.  Here are the three important rules to follow when considering this kind of surgery.  First, make sure that you receive a full consultation and thorough exam. Second, remember to look for the personal skill and commitment of your doctor. Third, don’t choose based on price, some of the cheaper procedures only 3% of applicants qualify for. Plus, when it comes to eye sight you want to make sure that the type of LASIK surgery used is custom for your specific eyes. For more information visit Buckley Chang Eye Institute today!

Women-More Susceptible to Vision Problems than Men

According to Prevent Blindness America, “Every year, more women than men are diagnosed with eye diseases and conditions such as cataracts, dry eye, Fuchs’ dystrophy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and Sjögren’s syndrome.  The “Vision Problems in the U.S.” study from Prevent Blindness America (PBA) and the National Eye Institute (NEI) shows that of the more than 3.6 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from visual impairment, including blindness, 2.3 million are women” (Women Must Take Steps to Avoid Vision Loss, March 27, 2012).

Hereditary diseases aside, these problems are often caused by hormones, or the fluctuations in hormones like pregnancy or menopause. Sometimes they can even be triggered by birth control, which is a hormone regulating medication. Even keeping your eye makeup for too long can cause problems with your eyes.

At the Buckley Chang Eye Institute, we recommend to our female patients that they pay close attention to their eyesight while pregnant, when changing prescription pills or going on new medication, and to switch out their makeup every six months to a year. If you feel that your glasses or contacts are not helping as much as they used to, make sure to have an eye exam. Mention to your doctor any new prescription changes so that he may accurately diagnose the underlying issue.

Your eyes are how you see the world. Keep them in great health.

Putting in Contacts with Your Toes?

We don't often write about other laser vision correction practices, but this story highlights one practice doing what it knows to help others in the community, specifically Jessica Cox of Overland Park, KS.

Jessica Cox does not have any arms and currently does everything with her feet. This includes putting in her contacts every morning!

Now, through the gift of laser vision correction, Jessica will be able to take that routine out of her life. We applaud Dr. Daniel Durrie for helping this young lady and giving her one less challenge in her life.

For more on this story, click here.

For more on Jessica Cox, you can view her website here.

Why Parents Should Consider LASIK

So many of our patients that have young ones at home tell us about how happy they are that they can finally see without glasses and contacts. Their excitement usually comes from the same place – freedom to enjoy their kids without concerns of glasses and/or contacts.

It’s easy to imagine a child playing with glasses or accidentally poking a parent in the eye and a contact falls out. However, there is another underlying issue that is a huge concern when you need lenses to see: Safety.

When a child wakes up screaming in the middle of the night, do you have to stumble to find your glasses first? Do you have to blunder down the hallway half-blind because you don’t have time to put in your contacts? Or do you have to wake up your significant other to handle the issue because you simply cannot see?

It’s time to put an end to your worries. We want to help you obtain your vision goals so that you have one less thing to worry about. Come in to see us for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can discuss your concerns and talk about how we can help you achieve your vision goals. Give us a call today at 719.444.3000. You can also schedule your consultation online.

Your Eyes Know

Losing sleep can affect your body in many different ways, especially your eyes. If you wake in the morning to an extreme burning sensation in your eyes, one you don't feel again throughout the day, it could be that your body needs more sleep.

The gland that produces tears needs rest, just like the rest of your body. It can even shut down on its own, which means your eyes will become dry if you're still awake.

Take care of your eyesight - make sure to get plenty of rest. To read more about this painful problem, click here.

What to Do with a Flexible Spending Account

Did you know you can achieve excellent vision and use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for it?

It's true! Our laser vision correction procedures, such as LASIK, can be paid for by using an FSA. Stop using your FSA to pay for glasses, contacts, solutions, etc. Use it to pay for great vision this year and have the money next year to pay for your really important medical expenses.

Don't forget - most FSA's are "use it or lose it" which means if you don't use the money by the end of the year, it's gone!

To find out more, visit our website or give us a call today at 719-444-3000.