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Posts Tagged ‘lasik’

Mimi Rogers, Dr. Boxer Wachler, and Anti-Halo Lasik

Wednesday, August 13th, 2008

We often take vision for granted. Quite often because we have good vision. However those of us who struggle daily understand the importance of being able to see without vision corrective wear like glasses or contacts.

Mimi Rogers~

This reputable actress shared her journey with the good folks on USA Today and it is one that we all can benefit from. She says it started when he talked to her eye surgeon about Lasik surgery. He told her she was not a good candidate, because her pupils were large. This is a problem that many of us face and find that if the Lasik procedure is done complications can become an issue. Many have problems with Halos and night vision. These complications can cause problems when driving at night- additionally many suffer from dry eye.

The fact is several surgeons are performing the procedure even though patients are not good candidates. The importance of picking a good surgeon should be just as important as deciding to have the procedure done altogether. Mimi went on to say that her sister-in-law endured the procedure despite her similar pupil issues. She was having many complications and could not drive at night.

Later Mimi Rogers heard of Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler and his Anti-Halo Lasik

Anti-Halo Lasik~

This procedure is set up to customize the procedure to fit the pupil of each patient. The normal operational radius is 6-6.5 and in Anti-Halo Lasik the surgeon can adjust the tool to make the surgical area bigger to accommodate those who are 8-9 or more. This is what they did for Mimi Rogers. Through this customized Anti-Halo Lasik they were able to restore her 20/200 vision to 20/20 vision.

Mimi told USA Today-

Quote- ”I sat up and instantly was able to read the clock” she went on “For me to read a clock on the wall without corrective lenses would have been impossible before. It’s a little freaky at first because it takes your brain a little time to adjust to being able to see so well”

Mimi is very happy with her procedure and thankful for finding the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute. She has since referred her sister-in-law too. Who received the halo repair procedure. The Anti-Halo Lasik procedure can repair the complications that traditional Lasik has caused and many patients are satisfied with the outcomes. Though it takes a little longer she has had marked improvement after only 1 month and is driving at night…..

Thanks Dr. Boxer Wachler—–!!!

Lasik Procedures: Past and Present

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

Our Future“Vision: Freedom in your Future”

Today there are millions of Americans who use glasses and contacts to visually function in everyday life. The original “Lasik” procedure made the first visual step to freedom. Now with the improved technologies the “Wave Front Lasik” procedure is changing improving visual freedom.

The Past-

Older versions of Lasik struggled simply because the doctors performing them didn’t have enough technology to overcome patients with visual distortion. Many people complained of complications, such as halos, glare , and other problems that hindered their vision more. The doctors struggled with ways to correct the problems and they merely got worse.

The Present-

The new “Wave Front Lasik” procedure takes around 5-10 minutes and can accurately map out the vision irregularities of each eye. Each eye has its own unique design and pin points the irregularities to perfection.

Pre-paring for “Wave Front Lasik”

The doctor applies the numbing drops to the eye and then makes an alignment marks with the patients sitting up looking straight ahead. The program will use these alignment marks as a reference during the procedure. The marks will help line up your eye perfectly during the procedure and help the laser adjust for accuracy during the procedure. A map is created for each eye.

The Procedure-

The patient is laid down and the laser device is placed up to the eye. The laser lets out lights which scatter across the eye fixing the irregularities in the patients vision.

Dr. Boxer Wachler is a pioneer in his field. The procedure is preformed with the utmost care and he can also fix the mistakes of past Lasik surgeries. Dr. Boxer Wachler is dedicated to his patients and uses the least invasive process possible. Just ask Ruben:

Ruben Gustiomus recently had the Wave Front Lasik procedure preformed he now has perfect vision and no longer needs glasses or contact lenses. Something he has needed his whole life. Ruben has not seen his alarm clock without them in over 20 years– until the day after his Lasik procedure!

Ruben Says “ It was the best thing I could have done in my life”

True Testimonials: Meeting Sandra

Monday, July 21st, 2008

Sandra Kampinella has had vision problems most of her life. She has worn glass and contact lenses as long as she can remember. Recently Sandra went to Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler to have his Wave Front Lasik procedure done. Her experience? From the moment she picked up the phone and called she was amazed with her experiences.

Sandra stated “I felt safe and secure like I was in good hands” she continued to say “I didn’t even think of being afraid”

The Story-

The day of the procedure Sandra was having some nervous feelings the staff of Dr. Boxer Wachler gave Sandra a stuffed animal to keep with her. It was a boxer named “Cornelius” Sandra said Cornelius made her feel safe again. When she showed the pictures to her daughter—she asked about Cornelius and Sandra told her daughter how “Cornelius” protected her and kept her safe during her procedure.

About 6 months after her procedure she received a gift from Dr. Boxer Wachler. It was a mini version of “Cornelius”. This mini boxer’s name is “Iris”. Her daughter was excited to receive the gift and when her tooth was coming out she carried “Iris” around with her so she wouldn’t be afraid!

Sandra’s story is just one way to see the true patient care and the impact that Dr. Boxer Wachler’s office has on his patients. He goes above and beyond the call of “the doctor – patient” relationship. Sandra is thrilled with her results. She now has 20/20 vision and living a new life with her improved quality of vision.

Patient Tips: Questions for Lasik Recovery

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008

The option to have Lasik procedure can be difficult. Though many strive to be freed from vision problems it is often difficult to undergo any procedure. Many questions arise after a Lasik procedure which long to be answered.

Below are a few tips for after care that may ease your worries:

Tip 1: Ask Questions- Though this is quite the obvious. Many feel insecure with doing this. Doctors understand that you are worried and they expect you to have some questions.

*Note: Remember to keep all questions simple and to the point. This will allow time for the doctors to answer your questions & those questions of others as well.

Tip 2: Make sure you understand your instructions- Getting clear and understandable instructions is very important. You may have already asked the same thing two or three times- if you still are not sure—ask again! Do not worry about what they think; or feeling incompetent… it is you that will be going home to do this. You must understand each step of your aftercare to ensure there are no complications.

Tip 3: Follow your instructions: Though its sounds petty and a bit on the childish side, doing as your doctor has instructed will help lower your risk for infections and complications. Although nothing is 100% your chances of a full and healthy recovery will be greater.

Sometimes after a procedure we forget to ask some things. Having someone with you that can ensure that everything is done and understood is very important. Making a list of things to ask before you leave is also a smart step to take. They want the best for you and your health should be first on your list!

Discovering Lasik

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

Millions of Americans are discovering a whole new way to see. Freedom from glasses or contact lenses can be achieved with today’s new vision correction methods. Lasik surgery is a great way to improve your sight. It will reduce your prescriptions if you have severe nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, or give you excellent vision if you have mild to moderate nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.

The loss of vision is a scary feeling to most. Learning that there is hope and finding a way to be free from restricting glasses or contacts is a treat in itself. One of the great benefits to Lasik or Laser In Situ Keratomileusis is that is has some benefit in seniors who are experience difficulties due to age. This is called Loss of Accommodation. There are some procedures like Blended or Mono vision which is when they correct one eye improving distance vision and the other improving near vision.

The reason many older people experience difficulty with sight isn’t necessarily do to health conditions. which can have an effect as well. But because when the lens in eye is young it has more elasticity…it bends to the curvatures much better. As we age the eye lens becomes stiffer. The curvatures are not as able to bend. As a result some near vision is affected.

Before you receive Lasik Surgery you must have an evaluation to make sure you are a good candidate for Lasik.

Below are a few things that you should expect in the evaluation:

High Prescription check: The surgeon will often check the strength of your prescriptions because people will high prescriptions aren’t always good candidates for this procedure.

Thin Corneas: If you have thin corneas typically the surgeon will not preform this kind of procedure on you. When your cornea is thin it leaves you vulnerable to weakening of the cornea.

Pupil Size: If you have large pupils you may not be a good candidate for Lasik because you could be at higher risk for night vision problems.

In the end the decision to get Lasik should be researched well. It will provide you will lots of benefits. Lasik can help you have freedom again. It will show you a new way to live and enjoy the beauty we take for granted.

If you are not a good candidate for Lasik don’t despair. There maybe other procedures that might be right for you and provide the visual freedom you are looking for.

Finding a Good Lasik Surgeon

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Much like finding a general physician or Family Doctor; finding a Lasik Surgeon requires research. Making the decision to have Lasik surgery is a big choice. Making sure that you have the right surgeon can effect how your result turn out. A surgeon with more experience can give you a better result and you can be less likely to have complications with the surgery.

Lasik surgery is a delicate procedure and requires a special touch. The results of Lasik surgery are excellent. It can free a person with mild nearsightedness from wearing glasses or contacts.

Below are some things to take into consideration when looking for a surgeon for Lasik Surgery:

Make sure the surgeon is sincere and has you best interest in mind- As with all doctors, specialists, and surgeons you need to know that the surgeon cares. You should feel comfortable with the surgeon you select and they are listening to you and will consider your feelings before, after, and during the procedure.

Know what type of Equipment the Surgeon uses- Now I know this one sounds a bit silly; however the type of equipment a surgeon uses can effect the outcome of the procedure. Making sure that the surgeon uses double sterile equipment is also important. When a surgeon does work on both eyes they should have two sets of equipment. This is a question you should ask before going into the procedure. Sometimes a single sterile kit is used. This means the same set is used for both eyes. This can cause infections, and other issues later.

How long they Trained- This is important because we all know that the more training a surgeon has the more qualified they would be. Finding out if their training was hands on may also give you an idea on how much experience they have as well. Learning from a class or book is a must; but it doesn’t compare to actually performing the procedure.

Asking questions is the best way to determine whether the surgeon is right for you. Lasik surgery is a great benefit to many and making sure that you have found the right surgeon is very important. Never be afraid to ask questions. After all they are their to help you and your vision!

 

Lasik Surgery: Determining a Good Candidate

Monday, May 5th, 2008

A large part of the worlds population have some eye conditions and vision loss. Many of us want to have 20/20 vision and I am sure that more then a quarter had dreams of it growing up. Though the ideal goal is to get to perfect vision we must understand that not all of us can. While Lasik Surgery we are making medical advances there is still far to go. Determining if you are the right candidate for the procedure is important. As with all surgeries you must prepare yourself and the ones it will effect.

There are several things you should consider before undergoing Lasik Surgery. Below are a few things to help you determine if it maybe right for you:

Tip 1: You should be over the age of 18 in some cases you should be over 21. Under the age of 18 your eyes are still changing and you should wait until your eyes have reached maturity.

Tip 2: You should not undergo Lasik surgery if you are pregnant or nursing. When a women is pregnant many aspects of her body changes and in some the vision is affected. Waiting until you have the baby and are no longer nursing is best.

Tip 3: You shouldn’t undergo the procedure if you are taking oral steroids like Prednisone or other types of medication. Talking with you eye doctor about it is a wise decision.

Tip 4: If you have some health conditions it is not safe for you to undergo surgery. Things like: Diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or glaucoma are just a few to check with your doctor about.

Tip 5: Making sure your eyes are healthy before getting Lasik Surgery is important. Things like Myopia may change the way your eyes are affected. Myopia can effect your sight until you are in your mid 20’s.

There are also risks and complications associated with Lasik surgery that should be taken into consideration before having it done. As with all surgeries there will be risks and talking with your doctor ahead of time is wise. Making sure all your questions have been answered and you are comfortable with the procedure can also help the healing process.

Below are a few side effects of Lasik Surgery:

Over or Under Correction: This is usually treated with glasses and contact lenses.

Corneal Infections: As with all procedures infections can occur if the area is not properly cleaned. Making sure you know how to care for it is important.

Problems with night vision: This can be treated with glasses as well.

Flap Problems

In the end the decision is up to you. Knowing the benefits as well as the risks before going in can ease your stress level and give you an objective opinion. Talk with your eye doctor before deciding on this procedure and learn more about where to go for Lasik in Los Angeles.

 

The Fright of Lasik Eye Surgery

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

Many of the worlds population have concerns when it comes to eye surgery even eye appointments. Hearing that you will have to decide on Lasik eye surgery is no different. There are many things to be considered for Lasik eye surgery or any other form of surgery before having it done. Today we are going to discuss things to remember before the Lasik eye surgery and what things to speak with you doctor about before proceeding.

Before the Procedure-

Before a decision is made your doctor must perform a basic evaluation. This will determine if any other treatment can be done and if you are a good candidate for the procedure. As with all procedures they take into consideration your current health and any other conditions you might have like: if you have high blood pressure or are diabetic, etc.. Once they have completed the basic initial evaluation and determine you are a good candidate there are a few things you will need to do to prepare you for the Lasik eye surgery. Below are a list of things to do and look for:

If you wear contact lenses you should:

Stop wearing them before the procedure-

SCL or Soft Contact lenses- 3 days before

TSI or Toric Soft Lenses- 3 days before

RGP or Rigid Gas Permeable -3 weeks before

Hard lenses – 34 weeks before

The day before the procedure you should:

Stop using-

Lotions

Creams

Perfumes

Makeup

The reasons for this is because they are not safe by your face during the procedure. The doctor can explain why to you during your appointment. Also make sure you tell the doctor about any medications you are taking. This includes any over-the-counter medication or nutritional supplements you are on. Make sure you tell the doctor all of the allergies you have to medication and any past or present conditions you suffer from.

The doctor can explain all the risks involved with the Lasik eye surgery as well as the benefits. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns with them at that time. Ease your mind and learn as much as you can. You doctor can only assist you if they know what your concerns are. There are many good Lasik Surgeons in Los Angeles and across the US. To look up a great surgeon near you look up Lasik Los Angeles and help your self to a better way of life.

 

The Truth About Eye Surgery

Saturday, April 12th, 2008

If you are like the majority of the population you have problems dealing with conditions surrounding your eyes. The thought of eye surgery or cornea implants may not initially sit real well with you. The truth is the treatments and eye surgeries that are used today are much more advanced than they were even 10 years ago. Finding more and more efficient and less invasive procedures to help those with the unfortunate luck of contracting these uncomfortable and vision-deteriorating conditions.

There are many symptoms to let you know you are experiencing problems with your cornea. If you are experiencing issues with your cornea here are some common symptoms to let you know if it should be checked by your eye doctor:

  • Vision Distortion
  • Loss of Vision
  • Pain
  • Tearing
  • Redness in your eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Corneal Scarring

If the eyes are not taken care of we can face many progressive conditions that can lead to complete loss of vision. Understanding that not all eye conditions require eye surgery or cornea implants is the most important thing. There are some things that only require antibiotics or ointment as a treatment. So it is important not to come to any conclusions until the condition is explained to you by your eye doctor.

Keratitis-

Keratitis occurs after an eye injury causing inflammation or an ulceration of the cornea when the microorganisms enter the cornea.

There are a few common symptoms of Keratitis:

  • Pain
  • Vision Problems
  • Discharge

Though Keratitis sounds serious and if untreated can get bad- the usual treatment for this condition is antibiotic eye drops.

There are some more sever eye conditions like Cornea Dystrophies: a couple are:

Keratoconus-

This condition is caused by the thinning of the cornea and causes the cornea to change shape. Keratoconus leads to significant vision distortions in patients and can greatly affect their ability to live life to its fullest. It can start at adolescence. Keratoconus can cause:

  • Vision Distortions
  • Scarring of the Cornea
  • Swelling
  • Vision Loss
  • Depression

Sometimes, Keratoconus is associated with Down’s Syndrome, Addison’s Disease, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and some eye diseases like: Retintis Pigmentosa, and Vernal Keratoconjuctivitis. The treatments of this condition includes: Intacs, C3-R, CK, and Visian ICL. The disease is progressive and for a while can be treated with glasses or soft contacts but will lead to special contacts called “Rigid gas permeable contact lenses” unless early prevention occurs.

Fuchs Dystrophy-

This is a gradual deterioration of the endothelial cells which can break down for no reason. Some treatments include soft contacts, ointments, and cornea transplants.

Though we are not always comfortable with going to the eye doctor; going early enough can prevent serious damage to your eyes. Remembering that eye surgery is improving and our technology is growing more each year. The surgeries of today are much less invasive and without them a large part of our population would suffer greatly. The truth about eye surgery? We need it!

 

 

Keratoconus: Learning About Intac Corneal Implants

Wednesday, April 9th, 2008

If you suffer from keratoconus or simply want to find a way to improve your vision without having to undergo laser surgery, you might be interested in using Intacs corneal implants.  There are many benefits associated with Intacs, whether you have Keratoconus or not, which has resulted in a growing number of people deciding to use these implants rather than undergo laser eye surgery.

The Benefits of Using Intacs

If you suffer vision problems, using Intacs is a great way to improve your vision.  In addition to the improved vision you will enjoy, Intacs also provide benefits such as:

  1. They are removable and no permanent changes are made to your eyes
  2. The natural shape of your cornea is not changed
  3. You can use other methods for vision correction in the future if you desire
  4. Unlike standard contacts, they are maintenance free

When it comes to laser eye surgery, the shape of your cornea actually has to be changed. This means that you may experience greater vision problems in the future if it turns out that you suffer from keratoconus or any other eye disease that affects the size or shape of your cornea.  In addition, laser surgery is permanent and cannot be undone.  Intacs, on the other hand, can be removed if you desire and changed as your vision needs change.

Safely Improving Your Vision

Intacs implants have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  In addition, they have been approved for pilots to use and have been repeatedly proven effective over the course of 11 years worth of clinical research.  Although Intacs are not effective for all people with poor vision, approximately 70% of the population can effectively improve its vision with Intacs.  In fact, they are a viable solution for people suffering from the degenerative eye disease of keratoconus.

Implanting Intacs

The process of implanting Intacs is actually easier than you might think.  Since the implants are extremely thin, the eye doctor is able to insert them beneath the outer edge of the surface of your eye, an area that is referred to as the cornea.  The process is so simple that it is an outpatient procedure.

Unlike standard removable contacts, you don’t feel Intacs after they have been inserted in your eye.  Once they are inserted, they gently reshape our cornea’s curvature so it becomes properly shaped without actually removing any corneal tissue.  By reshaping the cornea, light rays are able to properly pass through your cornea so they can be properly focused upon.  These results in sharper and clearer vision.

Enjoying Great Results

The results of Intac corneal implants are quite impressive.  More than 97% of people that get the implants are able to pass the vision tests necessary to get their driver’s licenses without needing to wear glasses.  Amazing, more than 50% of patients are also able to achieve vision that is better than 20/20 after having the surgery.

Since Intacs do not permanently change your eye and can be changed as your needs change, it is a great option for those that are nearsighted as well as for those suffering from the degenerative eye disease keratoconus.