How Does LASIK Correct Myopia?

Myopia, also called nearsightedness, is a vision condition that affects approximately 30% of people in the United States. This condition makes it difficult to see objects that are far away, so corrective lenses are often prescribed to see things like white boards/SMART boards in school, televisions, movie screens or road conditions when driving.

Distant objects are difficult to see is because light is not focusing properly on the back of the eye (the retina); the cornea is too steep or the eye is too long. Light ends up focusing in front of the retina so distant objects appear blurry.

LASIK eye surgery corrects myopia by reshaping the inner layers of the cornea so light will focus on the right spot on the retina. Only a microscopic amount of tissue is reshaped using a laser, but the results can be amazing. In fact, many people achieve 20/20 vision (or better) after LASIK vision correction.

If you are nearsighted and are tired of wearing corrective lenses, look into LASIK today by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation at Lake Dillon Eye Care. This Consultation will tell you if your cornea is thick enough to support this procedure or if a different procedure would be more appropriate for your eye structure and still give you the results you want. Contact us today at lakedilloneye.com or 970-468-0389. 

Set up an Early Detection Plan for Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At Lake Dillon we are proud to treat our patients as family, and we work very hard to make sure the procedures we perform for them are as life-changing as possible. Whether it’s through LASIK vision correction, cataract surgery, treatment for an eye disease or even just a routine eye exam, our main goal is always to provide a better quality of life.

Did you know that certain cancers can spread to the eyes? Breast cancer is one type of cancer that can cause secondary intraocular cancer in the middle layer of the eyeball. It often has no symptoms, but it can be detected during routine eye exams. This is one more reason why regular eye exams are so important.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an astounding 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection is absolutely key in fighting and surviving breast cancer. Having an early detection plan for breast cancer in place is extremely important for women. This plan should include such scheduled monthly/yearly activities as:

• Breast self-exams

• Mammograms

• Clinical breast exam by a gynecologist or family doctor

• Lumps

• Skin texture changes

• Nipple tenderness or changes

• Breast size or shape changes

• Nipple discharge

You should look for changes in the breasts, including:
Our doctors don't treat breast cancer, but their detailed eye exams may help identify potential underlying health problems. If you are experiencing any changes in your vision or just want to be proactive in preserving your health, please contact Lake Dillon Eye Care right away to schedule your Consultation. Contact us today at 970-468-0389 or lakedilloneye.com. 

Cool Facts About Dolphin Eyes - #4 of 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 Lake Dillon Eye Care in Lake Dillon to schedule a LASIK Consultation and see if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Call 970-468-0389 or visit lakedilloneye.com today.

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 LASIK eye surgery in adults. At Lake Dillon Eye Care, we would rather help patients prevent nearsightedness, if possible, but we are also focused on helping adult patients correct their vision problems through LASIK.

If you are nearsighted and would like to see if LASIK could correct your vision, contact Lake Dillon Eye Care today at 970-468-0389 or lakedilloneye.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation in Lake Dillon.  

Scared of LASIK? Get the Facts!

If you’ve been living for years with nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, constantly annoyed with contact lenses and glasses, you’ve undoubtedly heard about how LASIK can improve your vision. You may have even gone so far as having a LASIK consultation to find out that you are, indeed, a good candidate for the procedure. So why haven’t you taken the plunge and had LASIK eye surgery?

Maybe it’s the cost of the procedure (although there are excellent financing options available). But maybe you are apprehensive – scared, even – about having someone perform a procedure on your eyes. It is understandable to have anxiety about LASIK, but consider this: According to the Eye Surgery Education Council, “LASIK vision correction has the highest patient satisfaction rate of any elective surgery: 95.4%, according to a 10-year survey of scientific studies from around the world. And new advances in technology now deliver better outcomes than ever. The majority of patients enjoy 20/20 vision or better after laser vision correction. Nearly all patients achieve 20/40 or better, which is fully functional and good enough to drive legally in most states without corrective lenses.”

Other studies have shown that there are more than 700,000 LASIK procedures performed in the United States every year. Satisfied patients express feelings of amazement because they can see with clarity, first thing in the morning; play sports, swim and travel without worrying about glasses or contacts; and have clear peripheral vision.

LASIK is not something to jump into; you should take time to fully research the LASIK surgeons in your area to determine who offers the best technologies and has the best track record of success. Notice we didn’t mention finding the best price. Advances in LASIK technology have bumped up the cost of LASIK slightly, but the overall results are superior and, according to most who’ve had it, well worth the money.

You should also be fully aware of the potential complications of LASIK, which can include:

·         Dry eye syndrome

·         Possible need for glasses or contact lenses after surgery

·         Potentially debilitating vision problems like glare, starbursts, halos or double vision

·         Vision loss

If you want to find out all the facts about LASIK, contact Dr. Chang at Lake Dillon Eye Care to schedule a free LASIK consultation at lakedilloneye.com or call 970-468-0389. You can also take a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation on this website.