I, Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, was in Vancouver last Thursday for the Olympic press conference with the United States Men’s Bobsled team.  “Why would an eye surgeon be attending an Olympic press conference?” is probably going through your mind.  No, I didn’t give up my day job to join the U.S. Bobsled team.  Patient Steve Holcomb and his story has become one of the most miraculous stories in the Olympics.  

Steve is the driver of the U.S. Bobsled team’s top sled called “The Night Train”.  He became legally blind two years ago due to a degenerative cornea condition called Keratoconus which just about forced him to retire and give up the sport.  The U.S. Olympic Committee and the Bobsled team refused to let him give up.  That’s when they discovered me.  I had the honor of helping Steve over his keratoconus condition with C3-R along with corrective lens implants.  C3-R saved Steve’s eyesight.  

Steve then went on to win the World Bobsled Championship gold– a U.S. first in 50 years.  

There lies the reason for me being part of the press conference last week.  There were plenty of TV crews and journalists.  

To see the full details about Steve’s miracle story, please click: www.BoxerWachler.com  

In 10  days, Steve and the Night Train will be going for Gold.  I will be there cheering for Steve and will be posting updates on this blog and tweeting at www.twitter.com/drboxerwachler

Do you wear Rigid Hard Contact lenses for your vision correction? Searching for the right option to help you see without pain and discomfort? INTACS could be the answer. Other the past 10 years there has been several improvements in the way Keratoconus and other eye conditions are treated. The use of contact lens that are uncomfortable could be a thing of the past for you.

INTACS has shown positive results for a replacement for Rigid Contact lens or improving the comfort, wear time and quality of vision in Rigid Contact Lenses. INTACS are tiny inserts that are placed in the cornea to improve your vision in contacts or glasses and improve the comfort of the fit in the contact lenses.

INTACS in combination with C3-R have proven to give exceptional results for the treatment of Keratoconus. The INTACS procedure takes little time and has a quick recovery time. INTACS require no maintenance unlike hard contact lens.

Below you will find some benefits of using INTACS:

No maintenance

Short recovery time

Easy to remove & and change [if needed]

No feeling of the INTACTS in the eye

INTACS & C3-R:

The use of INTACS in combination with C3-R has had a positive effect on treatments for patients with Keratoconus. C3-R has proven to strengthen the patients cornea stopping the progression of the patients condition. While INTACS give them a comfortable, and easier to manage treatment option.

Both procedures can be preformed in as little as an hour. With little recovery time and exceptional results.

Below are some testimonials from patients who received both INTACTS & C3-R:

Meet Brian Costa:

Brian was diagnosed with Keratoconus at the age of 31. He had an INTACS procedure done in one eye 7-8 months before going to the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute. When he started experiencing halos, star bursts, and had trouble seeing at night.

He then visited the Boxer Wachler Vision Clinic where he had INTACS, CK, and C3-R done, in addition Dr. Boxer Wachler fixed his previous procedure eliminating his Halos, Star bursts, and night vision problems.

Brian says:

“I was very pleased, everyone was pleasant, and very knowledgeable. Nothing but Kudos for Staff here.”

Meet Ben:

Ben is a college student who discovered he had Keratoconus 1 ½ ago. Ben had many problems with his vision and was near blind with 20/100 vision in one eye. After going to the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute Ben could read without glasses!

Ben Says:

                              “I am more than ecstatic about how it went.”

Ben had both procedures done in one day and now sees at 20/20 in one eye, and 20/40 in the other without his glasses.

To find out more about these life changing procedures visit: www.keratoconusinserts.com

To watch a free webinar visit: www.boxerwachler.com

www.boxerwachler.com/facebook 

 https://twitter.com/DrBoxerWachler

Generally when we think of Keratoconus what comes to mind? Well if you already a Keratoconus patient you may think of things like blurred vision, or nearsightedness, astigmatism, or even sensitivity to light. The truth is these are often generalized symptoms and are also associated with other conditions, making it hard to diagnose as Keratoconus. So what questions should you be asking your doctor and does your current doctor specialize in treating patients with Keratoconus?

First the symptoms of Keratoconus:

High Astigmatism
Increased Astigmatism
Blurred Vision
Distorted night vision
Sensitivity to light
Blurred Vision

Blurred Vision and sensitivity to light are also found in patients with diabetes. Patients with Diabetes also have trouble with cataracts and astigmatism. However in recent studies researchers have found that patients with diabetes are at less risk of getting Keratoconus. Why? It has been found that patients with Type 2 Diabetes often develop harder corneas, in turn causing the exact opposite of the effects of Keratoconus. However few Diabetics are checked for Keratoconus because the symptoms they are experiencing are also symptoms caused by the damage of the sugar to the eye.

Blurred Vision and Pain in the eyes can also be caused by dry eye. Doctors find that patients who do excessive reading or writing blink less causing the eye to dry out more. The effects of dry eye while the condition can be well treated and is not life threatening can cause some damage to the cornea, creating double vision, distorted images, and can cause a lot of comfort.

The most important thing is to be sure to rule out risk factors for Keratoconus, find the right doctor, and ask questions. Below is a guide to assist you:

Risk Factors:

Family History
Trauma or injury to eyes
Constant rubbing of the eye
Inherited Diseases: Down Syndrome, Some Renial diseases

Questions to Ask the Doctor:

If you have a family history of Keratoconus you might ask:

What area do you specialize in?
How much experience do you have diagnosing and treating patients with Keratoconus?
What tests and treatments do you have available?

If you notice symptoms of Keratoconus you might ask:

Can you explain the results of my tests?
If your sight is getting worse you might ask- Do you know why my vision is getting worse?
What can I do to help improve my vision or will It continue to get worse?

Make sure to log your symptoms and how long they last. If you have a family history of eye disease or you are not sure if you have a family history of eye disease make sure the doctor is aware of this. Above all don’t be afraid to ask questions no matter how small they seem. If the doctor doesn’t have time to answer your questions so you understand him- find one that will. Your Vision care should be your concern.

To watch an educational webinar on Keratoconus Treatments visit: www.FixesYourKC.com