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What is Lasik?
Am I a candidate for laser vision correction?
What can I expect when I decide to have LASIK performed?
What is ASTIGMATISM?
What are FLOATERS?
What is GLAUCOMA?
What is HYPEROPIA?
What is MYOPIA?
What is PINGUECULUM?
What is PRESBYOPIA?
What is PTERYGIUM?
What is PUPIL DILATION?
What is SUBCONJUNCTIVAL HEMORRHAGE?


What is Lasik?
LASIK (Laser in-situ keratomileusis) is a laser procedure for vision correction of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. Laser vision correction is much more accurate, and the correction does not seem to change with time as was seen with some of those older techniques. An advantage of LASIK is that the front surface of the eye is not treated with laser directly. This allows for a more rapid recovery after the procedure.

LASIK has become the most popular refractive surgery due to the rapid healing and quick return of vision most patients experience. It is performed under a local anesthetic.

The ophthalmologist uses an automated microkeratome to cut a thin, hinged layer in the cornea, called a flap. The flap is then laid back and the surgeon uses an excimer laser beam to flatten the underlying cornea by vaporizing a thin layer of tissue. The flap is gently put back in place and the cornea heals without any stitches.

About 3%-4% had mild complications, while more serious complications (such as loss of best corrected vision, flap infections or wrinkling, swelling, or uncontrolled pressure in the eye) each occurred in fewer than 1% of cases. Some patients experienced glare, halos, night driving difficulty, or fluctuating vision after the surgery.

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Are you a candidate for laser vision correction?
Do you rely on glasses or contact lenses for good vision?
If so, you may be an ideal candidate for LASIK vision correction.
You may be a candidate for LASIK if:

• Myopic (nearsightedness),
• Astigmatic,
• Hyperopic (farsightedness) are over 18 years of age
  have generally healthy eyes have no significant increase
  in your prescription over the past year.

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What can I expect when I decide to have LASIK performed?
At Pearle Vision of Coral Springs we make LASIK vision correction a pleasant and worry-free experience. The first step is to contact Pearle Vision of Coral Springs to arrange for a screening appointment. This appointment will be made at a time and location as convenient for you as possible.

Your appointment for screening will be at the office of one of our network eye care specialists. At the time of screening, it will be determined if laser vision correction is appropriate for you. If so, then you will have a comprehensive eye health examination. If you are a contact lens wearer you may be required to discontinue wear or be switched to a different type of lens for a period of time. This is because contact lens wear can alter your baseline prescription for vision correction, and a stable, accurate baseline is essential for the most accurate correction possible.

Once the eye care specialist is comfortable that stable data is acquired to allow laser vision correction, then an appointment will be made at the Pearle Vision of Coral Springs facility for the procedure. The doctor will review with you the potential risks and benefits of the procedure, as well as what are reasonable expectations for an outcome.

Data regarding your eyes will be sent to Pearle Vision of Coral Springs. You will be given a pre-operative packet of information regarding the procedure, including an informed consent form, which you are to review prior to arriving at the Pearle Vision of Coral Springs. At the center on the day of your appointment, you will meet with the surgeon who will perform the procedure. The surgeon will review the data submitted regarding your eyes, and further testing may be done on that day. The surgeon will review the informed consent with you.

For the laser procedure, you will be positioned in a reclining position, and computerized measurements of your eyes will be obtained to allow accurate correction and accurate "tracking" of eye movements throughout the procedure. You will then be taken out of the laser room and your eyes dilated, which enhances the accuracy of the procedure.

Once dilated, you will return to the laser and be repositioned in a reclining position. Anesthetic (numbing) drops will be placed in your eyes. You will be asked to watch a light in the microscope that is focused on your eye. Your eye will be held open by an instrument and the procedure performed. The actual laser procedure takes only several minutes for each eye. During the laser, you will be asked to watch a blinking light.

After the procedure, you will be able to leave the Pearle Vision of Coral Springs shortly. You may have some sensitivity to light and mild blurring of the vision due to the dilation of your eyes. You are asked to bring sunglasses with you, and we will have some temporary "shades" available. Typically, we will have you return the following day for follow-up of your procedure. You will have eye drops to use for a few days following the procedure.

We have arranged to have regular no-cost seminars at Pearle Vision of Coral Springs. This will allow you to learn more about us, about laser vision correction, and to visit our facility.

Please call (954)796-1922 or (954)752-1551 to arrange to attend a seminar convenient for you.

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What is ASTIGMATISM?
The front surface of the eye, known as the cornea, acts like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina, helping to enable clear vision. When astigmatism is present, the cornea has an egg-shaped or asymmetrical curvature rather than one that is perfectly round. As a result, the astigmatic eye requires two different refractive prescriptions for correction to focus light evenly.
Uncorrected astigmatism may cause blurred and distorted vision. Astigmatism causes annoying symptoms of eyestrain such as headaches, eye fatigue, sensitivity to light, loss of visual achievement, and poor visual concentration. An astigmatic correction is present in most prescriptions.
Routine changes in astigmatism are expected to occur with time, and since astigmatism tends to progress slightly faster in later years, adults may need more frequent prescription lens changes. Eyeglasses and special astigmatic soft and gas permeable contact lenses are all successful modes of astigmatic correction.

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What are FLOATERS?
Floaters are small, semitransparent, cloudy specks or particles within the eye that become noticeable when they fall within the line of sight. They may also appear as threadlike strands or cobwebs within the eye. Since they are within the eye, they move as the eye moves and seem to dart away when you try to look at them directly.
Almost everyone sees a few spots at one time or another. They occur more frequently and become more noticeable as you age. If you notice a sudden change in the number or size of spots, contact your optometrist immediately to be sure they are not the result of a more serious problem.

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What is GLAUCOMA?
Glaucoma is a group of diseases in which the pressure in the eye is higher than that particular eye can tolerate. A higher than normal pressure causes damage to the very sensitive optic nerve. Loss of sight may occur gradually or in rare cases, suddenly if glaucoma is not controlled.

The most common form is known as open angle glaucoma, a chronic condition in which symptoms are and loss of sight occurs so gradually that the patient is not aware of any changes, because generally there is no associated eye pain.
The rare form of acute angle closure glaucoma causes severe eye pain, headache, and the sudden loss of vision if medical attention is not sought promptly. Early diagnosis and treatment is imperative. If glaucoma is discovered early, treatment usually keeps it from getting worse.

Regular eye exams are necessary to measure intraocular eye pressure, to evaluate the integrity of the optic nerve and to study a patient's peripheral field of vision. This disease has also been demonstrated to be genetic in nature, so a positive family history is all the more reason to get a routine check-up.

Usually in the early stages of most types of glaucoma, small unnoticeable blind spots occur in the peripheral vision. If the disease progresses, the blind spots enlarge, then eventually coalesce, resulting in tunnel vision. At this stage, the center sight may still be normal. Ultimately, if not treated, even central vision may be lost, resulting in irreversible blindness.

Treatment of glaucoma occurs via medicine, laser, and surgery. Most people diagnosed with glaucoma are initially treated with medications or laser first, then surgery if the disease cannot be controlled.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for glaucoma at this time. Most patients who have glaucoma will continue to need treatment for their entire life.

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What is HYPEROPIA?
Farsightedness is present when the muscle inside the eye responsible for focusing at close range is required to maintain clarity at distant ranges. The hyperopic eye is naturally too weak in refractive power, therefore constant effort is needed to maintain clear distance vision as well as an even greater effort to see clearly up close. This constant extra focusing effort causes symptoms of eye fatigue, headaches, tension and numerous other complaints of ocular discomfort.
The visual consequences of this condition are generally different for children than adults. Most farsighted children see clearly at distance achieving clarity by exerting a constant focusing effort at distance and close ranges. Farsighted adults gradually see less clearly at distance because all adults naturally lose focusing ability due to a secondary visual condition called presbyopia.
Farsightedness decreases during our growth years, remains fairly stable during our twenties and thirties, and as a normal healthy progression, typically increases in our forties and beyond. Farsighted eyes require eyeglasses and/or contact lenses to maintain clear and comfortable vision at all ranges.

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What is MYOPIA?
Nearsightedness is caused by an eye that is naturally too strong in refractive power and/or an eye that is deeper or larger in size than average. Since the nearsighted eye requires less power to see clearly, the eyes; natural focusing ability cannot help correct this condition. Uncorrected myopia causes blurry vision at distance. Close range vision, however, is generally clear without correction.

Progression of myopia is due to genetic and functional factors. Just as eye color is inherited, so may be the amount of myopia. This genetic cause of myopia will usually progress through the late teens, remain fairly stable in our twenties and thirties, and generally decrease beyond our forties. Nearsightedness can be easily corrected with prescription eyewear and/or contact lenses.

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What is PINGUECULUM?
The conjunctiva is a thin, clear layer of tissue that covers the white portion of the eye. A pinguecula is thought to be a degeneration or thickening of this tissue, generally located in the horizontal meridian of the eye, and most often on the nasal side, with a white or yellowish appearance.

Pinguecula occur commonly in adults and are thought to occur secondary to ultraviolet light exposure of the sun, and irritation from wind, dust, smoke, or contact lenses. They remain relatively small but can cause red, irritated eyes that may be relieved with over the counter ocular decongestants (Visine, etc.) Pinguecula are no cause for alarm, but in extreme cases they may progress and affect the cornea thus affecting your vision. Therefore, an ultraviolet coating is recommended on prescription eyewear.

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What is PRESBYOPIA?
Presbyopia is the normal decline with time in close range focusing ability of our eyes with time. Presbyopia seems to come suddenly but actually it does not.

Our eyes have maximum focusing ability in our early teens; however, by the time we reach our seventies, our eyes have lost all of their variable focusing ability. A person with good distance vision will typically notice the beginning of close range difficulty in his or her late thirties or early forties. All healthy eyes will change naturally and predictably with the passage of time.

The cause of presbyopia is not a weakening of eye muscles but rather a loss of elasticity of the focusing lens inside the eye. Wearing proper prescriptive lenses will not weaken or change your future visual status in any way. The effects of presbyopia constantly change. As a result, periodic updates in your prescription are necessary to maintain correct visual function at all ranges of vision. Eyeglasses, bifocals, trifocals, progressives, and contact lenses are all available to remedy this common unavoidable visual condition.

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What is PTERYGIUM?
A pterygium is a fleshy triangular shaped lesion of tissue located on the horizontal meridian of the white part of the eye that progresses slowly from a pingueculum and extends onto the front surface of the eye known as the cornea. They are typically white or yellowish in appearance causing a gritty or sandy sensation upon blinking.

Pterygia are thought to result from exposure to environments that are dirty, dusty, smoky, windy and where people are exposed to large amounts of sunlight or ultraviolet light. They are typically not dangerous, but make the eye appear much redder than normal due to the numerous blood vessels.

Treatment includes the use of ocular decongestants or in some cases, topical steroids. If the pterygium continues to grow toward the center of the cornea, threatening vision, or if it presents
a cosmetic problem, it may require surgical intervention and removal.

This condition should be monitored on a regular basis by an eyecare professional and all prescription eyeglasses should have an ultraviolet coating to help prevent further irritation.

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What is PUPIL DILATION?
The pupil of the eye is the black center of the iris. The iris is the structure that gives the eye its color. The pupil is actually the opening in the center of the iris that allows light to enter the eye.
Pharmaceutical drops, which act upon the muscles of the iris to enlarge the pupil diameter, are required in order to visualize the anatomic structures behind the iris in the back of the eye. Even with the most sophisticated instrumentation it is difficult to examine this tissue through a small pupil. Imagine attempting to view the inside of a closet through a keyhole.

A dilated exam should be performed on all patients with diabetes,
hypertension, sickle cell disease, cataracts, macular degeneration, a high degree of nearsightedness, and any patient having a personal or family history of eye disease. Most doctors opt for this procedure routinely today because of the enhancement of diagnosing retinal conditions that persist unknown to the patient.

The eyedrops utilized for dilation are fast acting requiring from 20 to 45 minutes to take effect and generally last from 2 to 6 hours in duration. Most people experience mild visual side effects while dilated. Typically, individuals experience a blurring of near vision and increased light sensitivity to light. Distance vision is usually less affected by dilation than near vision. Driving while dilated is generally not dangerous, however some people feel safer with a driver.

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What is SUBCONJUNCTIVAL HEMORRHAGE?
A subconjunctival hemorrhage is caused by the rupture of tiny blood vessels located in the white portion of the eye. This common condition typically occurs spontaneously, but may result from excessive coughing or sneezing, strenuous physical activity, hypertension, blood disorders, or trauma to the eye.

The bright red appearance and sudden onset usually cause a high level of concern, but there is no treatment. Resolution may take up to two weeks to completely clear, and during this time, the hemorrhage may spread to other surrounding tissues and change color from red, to brown, to yellow.

Consultation with an eyecare professional is imperative after any occurrence of acute onset redness to the eyes to rule out any potentially serious conditions.

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