Levels of Laser Eye Surgery Aftercare Have Made the Treatment Viable for So Many

For many people, the idea of getting laser eye surgery is nerve wracking. It is not because of any fear of technology but instead comes from the sense of protection we all have about an area of our bodies that is so delicate. For that reason alone, private hospitals offering laser procedures to treat eye conditions know that they must assure their patients that they care.

The truth is that providing the expected level of service, in particular for procedures like eye surgery, requires a properly structured and carefully considered system of aftercare. It is expected to such a degree that it is generally offered as standard, helping calm the nerves some may have over such procedures, while also projecting a sympathetic image.

Even experienced ophthalmologists will point out that, in providing full eye care to the general public, there is a need to provide psychological comforts that consumers want to provide a sense of certainty that helps them to feel better about procedures they might be fearful of.

If it comes to a choice between a public hospital with a comfortable bed, and a private hospital where a speedy service sees patients ushered out the door, then the most viable option is the former.

Importance of Aftercare

Of course, the importance of aftercare hardly needs to be pointed out. Everyone that has undergone a surgical procedure needs to be observed and assessed in order to ensure the best possible results. Put simply, the responsibilities of the ophthalmologist that performed laser surgery, and indeed the hospital where it occurred, do not end when the patient gets off the operating table.

Aftercare is available in a number of stages. First, for all post surgery patients, there is need to recuperate under supervision but while this once meant a night or more in a hospital bed, today it means an hour in a lounge. The fact that laser surgery only takes about 20 minutes per eye means that the procedure for the patient is very quickly finished.

But the need to observe matters after the procedure means that the patient must be allowed to wait in a lounge area, where they can relax before going home. It also gives the surgeon an opportunity to speak to the patient and examine the eye again.

The second stage involves returning to the hospital a few days after the procedure so that the surgeon can take another look at how recovery is progressing. Since the patient is able to return to work the day following the procedure, there is a need to maintain a level of vigilance. The surgeon will have already prescribed eye drops to counter the threat of dry eye and soothe any soreness there may be.

The third stage is an essential service, where the hospital provides a 24 hour emergency number so that should anything happen, like an accident or a sudden pain or ill feeling occur, the patient can make contact with their surgeon and be seen as close to immediately as possible.

Investment in Aftercare

The need to invest in a thorough aftercare service can be considered essential for the simple reason that the world of private health is unforgiving to those who fail to provide the peace of mind that all potential patients demand. When it comes to health, everyone wants to know that they are safe entrusting themselves to the surgeons. It is certainly no different when it comes to the eyes.

Providing aftercare service shows the eye hospital to be attentive to patient needs, professional in what they do and certain in their advice and explanation. With these aspects in place, a patient will feel comfortable and confident. For this reason, a leading eye hospital will invest as much in an aftercare service as they will in the state of the art equipment required to perform the surgical procedures.

For patients requiring laser eye surgery, there is every reason to expect the highest standards in service from what should be a well run and well equipped eye hospital. Whether the recommended procedure is refractive lens exchange to correct refractive errors, or cataract surgery to remove a clouded lens, there are clear distinctions between eye car that is excellent and eye care that is merely good.

Anyone seeking eye surgery is entitled to excellence in this field, and to look for it. If laser surgery on our eyes comes with such certainty of quality in aftercare, then it is the most viable option available.

Kate Dawson writes articles about Clarivu, an alternative to laser eye surgery that results in permanent vision correction. The eye surgery involves a procedure known as refractive lens exchange and is based upon cataract surgery. Patients are provided with post surgery eye care to ensure a fast recovery.

Several Types of Laser Eye Surgery

Just as there are different conditions that can be treated with laser eye surgery, there are several different forms of laser eye surgery including but not limited to PRK, Lasik, Lasek, Epi-Lasik, PresbyLasik, iLASIK, Custom Wavefront Lasik and IntraLase bladeless Lasik. The most common of these procedures are described below:

Lasik - With Lasik eye surgery, a thin flap is cut and then lifted from the surface of the eye. A laser beam, or energy, is then appropriately applied to the eye for proper reshaping. The thin flap that was first cut and lifted from the eye is then replaced to serve the purpose of a natural bandage that will speed up the healing process from the Lasik surgery. Ultimately, the replaced flap is thicker in size and is usually created with either a special laser or a microkeratome cutting tool. As a general rule, there are three different types of lasers that may be used for the Lasik surgery - wavefront-guided lasers, spot scanner lasers and slit scanning lasers.

PRK - PRK is known as the original laser eye surgery and unlike Lasik eye surgery, PRK does not require a thing flap to be taken from the eye's surface. Instead, the laser beam, or energy, is directly applied to the surface of the eye. The outer layer of the eye, which is very thin and is known as the epithelium, is completely removed from the laser force. Eventually, this ultra-thin outer layer of the eye grows back. This particular eye surgery may be required for individuals who have thin corneas.

Lasek - This particular eye surgery preserves the thin outside layer of the eye by lifting it up from the surface of the eye prior to any laser force being applied to the surface for proper reshaping. The epithelium is replaced onto the eye once the procedure is complete. A trephine is the name of the cutting tool that is used to create the ultra-thin flap used with this particular laser eye surgery.

With Lasik surgery, you won't have to reach for your glasses at your bedside each morning so that you can see clearly. Instead, you'll see sharply as soon as you open your eyes! It will take some getting used to - living your life in complete focus with crystal clear vision - but it will be worth every bit of it!

Discover if this popular procedure is right for you.

Now there's a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide that cuts out the fluff and covers the entire Lasik eye process from pre-surgery consultations to what happens during the actual surgery. Also what to expect after the surgery. http://www.whylasiksurgery.com/

How to Improve Eyesight Naturally

There are lots of ways to improve eyesight naturally. Those who put on glasses and contacts who are seeking to improve their vision inside a natural and alternative manner should first check out their diet. Our health is actually of course somewhat a reflection in our lifestyle and also what we should eat.

Many people are for whatever reason surprised to discover that diet can impact eye health. However, research has proven that adapting your diet plan to include foods which are beneficial for your eyes might have a remarkable impact on your vision.

Antioxidants which clean up free radicals are particularly great for your eyes. Foods that are rich in antioxidants consist of citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, as well as raspberries. Essential essential fatty acids are also vital permanently vision. Foods which tend to be rich in fatty acids include fish for example salmon and sardines. Berries are also a great source of fatty acids. Zinc is also essential for good eye health and are available in eggs and meat for example turkey.

As well as adapting your diet plan accordingly another holistic method of improving your eyesight, is to create a commitment to undertake a few of the eye exercises obtainable. Some of probably the most successful eye exercises for that improvement of vision range from the Pinhole Glasses eye exercises and also the Bates Method attention exercises. Both of those exercises are secure and inexpensive.

These exercises each work by relaxing the attention muscles and therefore limiting eye stress, which enables the eyes as time passes, to heal. The Bates Method is known as after the ophthalmologist Bill Bates who created this exercise program. In fact might people after following a Bates Method have been able to discard their glasses. The Pinhole Eyeglasses exercise simply entails wearing glasses with a number of pin sized perforations. This cuts away the scattering of light towards the retina, hence relaxing the attention muscles.

One of the biggest advantages of both of these natural eyesight enhancement exercise methods is that you could carry them out within the comfort of your home. You are additionally able monitor the progress you're making using the Snellen eye chart or among the various eye tests that may be easily found and accessed on the web.

As you can observe there are methods to improve eyesight naturally, which means you don't to wear glasses for that rest in your life.

For more information and advices on how to improve eyesight naturally, I strongly recommend you log on to http://www.waystobettervision.com/ and browse through the website and also check out the informative Best Vision Improving Programs Reviews.

Lasik Eye Surgery - The Importance Of The Doctor Patient Bond

Since the development of laser eye surgery, millions of people all over the world have taken advantage of it. And, as a result, these millions are often able to see much better without the crutch of having to wear glasses.

There are millions more, however, who probably would like to have the procedure but are afraid. Much of this fear is due to publicity generated by those eye operations that have not gone smoothly. Even though most laser eye operations end with a successful outcome, some have resulted in the patient having ongoing eye problems. And, in a few unfortunate instances, the procedure has resulted in blindness.

As you might expect, all of this attention has raised awareness in patients thinking about the procedure. No longer are patients just trusting blindly in the skills of the surgeon. They are asking more questions about the risks involved. They also want to know things such as exactly how the procedure will work, post operation complications, the chances of them needed future corrective surgery as they age, and their success rate with previous patients.

As a result, surgeons and their assistants have found themselves spending more time answering questions than they did 5 or 10 years ago. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. Even though these professionals are spending more time pre-operation, they find that they are actually spending less time with post operations problems, because the patient has already been told, in detail, what to expect.

In addition, because the patient and surgeon have both listened to each other, the level of trust between them has greatly improved. And, this trust bond that develops between doctor and patient is a mutually beneficial thing.

From the patient's standpoint, studies have shown than patients who have a strong, positive, and trusting bond with their doctor, actually improve at a faster rate than those who do not have that bond. They also are less likely to have post operative depression syndrome.

But, this doctor/patient bond is good for the doctor as well. Patients who feel cared about generally like to reciprocate. And the way that most patients choose to do this is by recommending this surgeon to their friends and acquaintances. This means that over the course of their career, the surgeon and his office can look forward to a thriving business - built by referral. And all this, simply by treating the patient with care.

You can find more information on laser eye surgery with topics such as lasek vs lasik and Phoenix lasik on our website.

How UV Rays Damage Your Eyes

We've all heard about the harmful effects UV rays have on your skin. We know we are supposed to wear sunscreen anytime our skin is exposed to the sun. But did you know that your eyes are also at risk of being damaged by Ultra Violet rays? Your eyes also need to be protected anytime you go out in the sun. Extensive exposure to the sun not only causes wrinkles and crows feet to the eye area. It can cause serious eye damage, like cataracts and even temporary vision loss. Read on to learn about the damage UV rays can have on your eyes, and what you can do to protect them.

There are three main types of UV rays: UVC, UVB and UVA rays. UVC rays are the highest energy rays and the most potentially harmful for your eyes. Fortunately, you don't have to worry about exposure from this, because the ozone layer blocks most of it out.

UVB rays have slightly lower energy than UVC rays and are a bit less dangerous. Although the ozone layer blocks most UVB rays out, some of it still reaches us and can be harmful. UVB rays in small doses is not really dangerous. It may simply cause the skin to change pigments, creating a suntan. In high doses, UVB rays can cause sunburn. Even being burned one time by UV rays increases your chances of having skin cancer. Constant exposure to UVB rays cause wrinkles, skin discolorations, and overall premature aging of the skin.

UVA rays are the most dangerous to the eyes. Although they have lower energy levels than UVC and UVB rays, they can pass through the cornea and reach the retina inside the eye, causing damage. Overexposure to UVA rays has been known to cause different kinds of cataracts.

UV rays are most prominent when the sun is high, usually between 10am and 2pm. Also, the rays are most extreme the closer you get to the equator. Still, countries that are far from the equator still have UVA rays, so sunglasses should still be worn to protect the eye. Even if it is not particularly sunny, you should still wear your sunglasses anytime the sun is out. UV rays are not visible and can penetrate through clouds.

Investing in good quality sunglasses is wise for you and your whole family. Kids, as well as adults, need sunglasses that block out 100 percent of the rays. When you are planning on spending a lot of time outdoors, make sure you wear sunglasses that cover the eye as much as possible. Wrap around sunglasses are best for outdoor adventures. More stylish sunglasses are good for other occasions. Buying wholesale sunglasses is a wise investment, since you should plan on wearing your sunglasses often.

Protect your eyes from the sun by always wearing sunglasses outdoors. Getting wholesale fashion sunglasses will save you money, so get your wholesale sunglasses at wholesalefashionsquare.com. Your wallet will thank you!

The Importance of Eye Tests As a Health Check Up

The importance of regular eye tests cannot be understated. Even if you don't wear contact lenses or glasses, an eye test can catch a whole range of conditions early before there is significant damage to your vision.

For those who do wear glasses or contacts, an eye test makes sure the prescription is up to date. It is particularly important for parents to take their kids regularly for eye tests as eyesight problems can significantly impact academic achievement, sports achievement and self-esteem.

Some of the conditions which an eye test checks for are:

• Refractive error: commonly referred to as near-sightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, essentially having bad eyesight. They can be corrected with eyeglasses, contacts or surgery.

• Amblyopia: when the eyes are turned or when one eye has a different strength than another. This is a common condition amongst children which if not treated, can result in permanent damage.

• Strabismus: commonly referred to as cross-eyes. Eye tests check for eye alignment and so can easily spot abnormalities here. Left untreated, Strabismus can cause depth perception problems and lead to amblyopia.

• Eye teaming problems: also an alignment disorder, which is also known as binocular vision. It can cause eyestrain, headaches, affect reading and other near vision tasks.

• Focusing problems: These can range simply incompletely developed focusing skill in a child to normal decline of focus ability in aging adults (presbyopia).

• Eye diseases: diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy don't have symptoms in their early stages.

Interestingly enough, an eye test not only ensures your eyes are healthy and disease free, it can also guard against a number of other conditions, which is why it is so important to go for regular check ups.

Eye doctors are usually the first health care professionals to detect chronic systemic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. That is because they have a clear view of the eye's blood vessels where they can see symptoms of these health issues. A study in 2011 indicated that thanks to eye exams, millions of dollars had been saved annually by early health intervention for persons with conditions such as cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes.

An eye doctor will check your eyes inside and out during an eye test to make sure there are no early symptoms of any of these conditions. In many cases, detecting the signs early can result in quick treatment and significantly reduce the risk of permanent damage or the deterioration and loss of eyesight.

Mandy Waters writes regularly on eye health and eye wear related topics such as glasses.