The importance of vision correction to many is a important issue. Many however value greatly the precious vision they have and understand there is often risk associated with making some improvements. That is why Lynn Murphy decided to delay her procedure by a few years. Although Lynn has had issues with her vision since grade school she often worried about the advancement of the vision correction procedures like most patients do.

This created a delay in her care. Unfortunately this is often a common story. When she was interested in looking into the procedures she consulted her physician on the best surgeon to undergo the treatment. That is when Boxer Wachler Vision Institute took hold.

Lynn’s treatment went well. Correcting her 20/200 vision too 20/20 in one eye and the use of mere reading glasses for endeavors of the other. She was very pleased with the outcome and was able to see almost immediately. The truth is many Lasik procedures are shied away from simply because the patient is misinformed of the proper procedure for them. It is important that you ensure you have a good surgeon, a thorough exam, and are a good candidate for the procedure before moving forward. This will help prevent any complications after the procedure.

Lynn Murphy is doing incredible now and enjoying her new found vision. She says that:

“It was absolutely one of the best things I ever did in my life” despite her former skepticism.

Stating that her only regret was not having it done soon! Another happy patient. Vision correction though scaring can be life changing for many. The staff at The Boxer Wachler Vision Institute are taking vision care one patient at a time.

Dealing with vision can be difficult and if you are a person who is required to wear glasses or contact lenses it can be down right frustrating. There are several things that we can do to correct our vision or make it a little easier on a day to day basis. Many eye surgeons are faced with frustrating decisions on a regular basis of paths of treatment for their patients. Finding the best ways to improve the patients vision as well as give them a satisfying non-invasive treatment is no piece of cake.

First you should find an eye doctor or surgeon you are comfortable with. The area of the eyes is quite sensitive to several people and it is important that the doctor you choose is understanding, and will listen to their patients.

Available Treatments:

Visian ICL-

The Visian ICL is a implanted Collamer lens that was designed by the Staar Surgical Company. They designed an implantable contact lens that forms to your specific vision needs. These Contact lenses are special because they do not need maintenance but additionally they are made of Collamer a special material that makes them life like and making them bio-compatible, which means they are safe for a lifetime. Some of the benefits of Visian ICL are they provide high quality vision (like an HD TV screen), a small entry site is used to insert the lens, they are removable in the event that your vision changes, and they are more durable than other ICL’s.

Lasik Surgery-

Lasik Surgery is a benefit to those with mild to moderate nearsightedness, some degrees of farsightedness, and varying degrees of astigmatism. It is become more and more of a trend and surgeons are moving much further along is improving this treatment. Some patients are using the new “Wave front Lasik” which provides the doctor with a guided hand in the procedure. Through use of a computer doctors can now pin-point exactly where the irregularities are patient by patient making the procedure much more efficient and can provide a better quality of vision.

INTACS-

INTACS are small insertable lenses that have no maintenance. The use of INTACS are often for those suffering from Keratoconus or mild nearsightedness. INTACS cause no permanent changes or damage to your eyes; if your vision changes or you no longer want these inserts they can be removed. So many find this treatment helpful. The importance of them being removable are nice for those who suffer with Keratoconus. As it gives them more options later down the road.

INTACS with C3-R-

Many patients are also using the technique of INTACS with C3-R which allows patients with Keratoconus to benefit more from the INTACS treatment. The C3-R treatment has been found to stop the progression of keratoconus within 3 to 4 months.

Though these are just a few of the great benefits available to those looking into vision correction you can see there is a wide variety. Choosing which method is best for you is up to you and your doctor.

The treatment of C3-R® or Corneal Collagen Crosslinking with Riboflavin is a common practice. While there are several doctors that perform such a procedure not all of them believe that it can be done with the epithelium intact. However when the epi is removed it can cause pain and damage to the patient that may just very well be unnecessary.

The procedure -

Corneal Collagen Crosslinking with Riboflavin or also known as C3-R® is a procedure that involves using Riboflavin or Vitamin B2 to strengthen the corneal stroma in patients with Keratoconus, Corneal Ectasia, post-RK and some irregular progressing astigmatism. The procedure generally takes about 30 minutes. The doctor sometimes removes the Epithelium to help the drops get through to the stroma. Then a UV light is placed over the eye for around 30 minutes to activate the drops for effectiveness.

The Conflict-

Eberhard Spoerl Ph.D, From the University Eye Clinic of Dresden in Germany and Theo Silverman MD, at the Institute for Refractive and Ophthalmic Surgery in Switzerland have made a large impact on the procedure allowing it to gain Scientific research and studies. Their procedure involves what is called Epi-Off, this is when the Epithelium is removed to gain access to the corneal stroma. However Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler prefers to do the surgery free of removing the Epithelium giving the patient less pain hence the conflict. Dr. Boxer Wachler’s technique involves disrupting the epithelium and pre-soaking the cornea for 5 minutes to allow penetration of the Riboflavin to the stroma prior to applying the UV light to activate the Riboflavin. Some doctors say that the procedure without removal of the Epithelium is not as effective. However studies have shown that after 30 minutes the drops have fully absorbed and are activated by the UV light with the epithelium still attached. Dr. Boxer Wachler has been successfully treating patients with the Epi-on technique since 2004. 98% of patient’s have needed on treatment and have had stabilization of the cornea with his Epi-on technique.

Quote:

“ When we and others have analyzed Epi-on vs. Epi-off C3-R® results, there was no difference. It’s no necessary to remove the epithelium if the doctor uses the technique of allowing the Riboflavin solution to penetrate through intact, but loosen the epithelium.” says Dr. Boxer Wachler.

The epi-on procedure allows the patient less discomfort afterwards, as well as avoids the scaring or hazed risk and the need for steroid drops after the procedure. It doesn’t cause the side effects that the epi-off procedure does. Although there are still studies being conducted on this procedure it have been very effective in the Boxer Wachler Eye Institute. Just as Dr. Pinelli of the Italian Refractive Surgery Society or(SICR) who has visited the Boxer Wachler Eye Institute. He viewed the Epi-on procedure and preformed his first procedure on January 12th 2006. After his successful completion he has conducted multi-studies on the effectiveness of the Epi-on versus the epi-off procedure of the C3-R®.

Over the years Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler has continued to perform the epi-on versus the epi-off as he has made an oath to give is patients the best care possible and do no harm. He believes the Epi-off procedure could do harm by unnecessarily increasing the risk of scarring. To read more on the epi-on procedure visit: http://www.keratoconusinserts.com.

The Cornea-

The cornea contains a clear dome which lies on the surface of your cornea. It is the most important part of the eye known as the focusing lens. The cornea must be smooth and well shaped to give your eye good focus. Keratoconus gives the lens a irregular shape and over time makes it difficult to focus.

Though in many people the possibility of developing Keratoconus is present from birth. The ratio is only 1/2000 born. Others can develop this over time. The progression of Keratoconus is frustrating to say the least. And many people start out with mild impaired vision. Usually needing to wear glasses or contacts. The progression of Keratoconus can be slow developing over 3 to 4 decades. Glasses often won’t be enough and many times there is one eye worse then the other.

Keratoconus Vision Loses:

The loss of vision on a keratoconus patient can happen in one of the following two ways:

Form 1: Distortion in the Cornea-

Have you ever looked through a camera with a distorted lens? I am sure you were not able to see all you wanted. Keratoconus is much the same way. The images you are getting back are distorted. The focus you have on the images are blurred and seem out of focus.

Form 2: Scarring of the Cornea-

The cornea is scarred or swollen this makes the images show up blurry and foggy in view. Have you ever looked through a windshield that was foggy in certain parts but not in others? Not a pleasant experience. This form the over all picture is blurred.

Keratoconus is a large part of vision problems in the overall vision care field. Determining if you have Keratoconus is done by a series of tests. There is help for those with keratoconus. Though there is no cure there are some things you can do to stop progression and improve your overall quality of vision.

Many patients with Keratoconus are frustrated by the difficulty of seeing in everyday activities such as driving. Talk to your ophthalmologist for further details or visit: www.kertaconusinserts.com

Keratoconus is a serous and frustrating disease. Many are fearful when diagnosed and worry about the loss of sight associated with keratoconus. The truth is there are many procedures and treatments in modern medicine that can help control the progression of this disease. We often see the discouragement on the faces of those suffering; finding a doctor who can communicate easily with you as well as specializes in keratoconus can help you better adjust.

Though many people await a cure there are several ways you can be helped now. Aside from the medical problems of keratoconus, we often face difficulty personally as well as in our family lives. Many find it hard to do some activities. As the disease progresses and becomes more evident it is harder and harder to continue in our social circles. The search for answers becomes clearer and seemingly harder to find. The truth is a specialized doctor is best for these situations. A doctor specializing in Keratoconus can give you more definite and truthful answers.

There are several resources that you can find to assist you with support and information. Contacting a local ophthalmologist will give you more information. It will also provide options for treatment you can choose from. Below are a few links to support groups available to assist patients, family, and friends with people diagnosed with keratoconus:

www.keratoconus.org

www.kcsupport.org

KC Support- Gives assistance to patients with keratoconus

www.nkcf.org

National Keratoconus Foundation- Provides assistance, information, and events for those suffering from keratoconus.

Www.kcglobal.org

The Global Keratoconus Foundation- Provides support for families, friends, and patients with Keratoconus.

New studies are proving that C3-R has benefits for those who suffer from Keratoconus. The procedure C3-R will help build and strengthen the cornea of the eye. It will help not only strengthen but it has also stopped the progression of Keratoconus in many patients.

The diagnosis of Keratoconus doesn’t mean you life is over. It doesn’t even mean your alone. There are several places you can get help and treatments to help slow and even stop the progression of this disease. Though there is not a cure yet…there definitely is hope!