The LASIK Procedure With LASIK, you are awake for the procedure.  You will be given eye drops to numb your eyes so that you will be comfortable throughout the procedure.  A small instrument is then inserted to hold your eyelids open.  Laser vision correction is best done on the underlying layer of your cornea.  Therefore, the doctor uses an instrument called a “microkeratome” to lift a thin layer of the cornea to create a “flap” that stays connected on one side. The Excimer Laser, which is programmed to specific settings based on the degree of vision correction you require, is then used to “sculpt” the cornea with a cool, ultraviolet light.  The actual laser time is very brief, usually about 20-75 seconds.

Finally, the doctor returns the “flap” to its original position for a quick, natural recovery.  The flap is allowed to seal back into position for several minutes.  You are then given eyedrops, and a clear plastic eye shield is taped in place to protect your eye while it heals.  The entire procedure takes about 15-20 minutes per eye.

Your vision may be a little blurry for a few days.  You may notice your vision to be significantly better almost immediately, but best vision may take several days or weeks to achieve.  Generally, most patients return to work within 48 hours.

To determine whether LASIK is right for you, you should undergo an evaluation with your eye care professional.  There, we can confirm that your degree of myopia and/or astigmatism is within the proper range, make sure that you are free of any eye disease, and discuss other details of both your case and the LASIK procedure.  You should bring your glasses or contacts along.

You could be going blind and not even know it . . . Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease that affects an estimated three million Americans – half of whom do not know that they have the disease. At the front of the eye, there is a small space called the anterior chamber.  Clear fluid flows in and out of the chamber to bathe and nourish nearby tissues.  In glaucoma, for still unknown reasons, the fluid drains too slowly out of the eye.  As the fluid builds up, the pressure inside the eye rises.  Unless this pressure is controlled, it may cause damage to the optic nerve and other parts of the eye and loss of vision.

Although vision researchers are uncertain why Blacks over age 40 and everyone over age 60 are more susceptible to the disease, they have determined some alarming facts about glaucoma in these age groups:

ü       African Americans are five times more likely than Whites to develop the disease.

ü       African Americans develop the disease at an earlier age, generally around age 40, than do Whites.  The disease also tends to develop more rapidly and more severely in Blacks than in Whites. 

ü       By age 70, 1 in 50 Whites will develop glaucoma.  In African Americans, the rate is 1 in 8.

The best way to detect glaucoma is to have an eye examination in which drops are placed in the eye to dilate the pupils.  This allows the eye care professional to obtain a better view of the eye’s interior to look for early signs of optic nerve damage.

In addition to pupil dilation, glaucoma testing should include tonometry, a test that measures pressure within the eye; and, when indicated, a visual field test, which can detect early loss of peripheral vision.

High-risk individuals should make every effort to protect their good vision by having an eye examination through dilated pupils every two years.  There can be no substitute.

The Aurora Eye Clinic is in a unique position to care for you or a loved one if glaucoma is diagnosed.  Dr. Robert Barnes, in addition to being a skilled cataract surgeon and general ophthalmologist, is a glaucoma specialist.

What Is a Cataract?
A cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally transparent lens of the eye. As the opacity thickens, it prevents light rays from passing through the lens and focusing on the retina, the light sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. Early lens changes or opacities may not disturb vision. But as the lens continues to change, several specific symptoms including blurred vision; sensitivity to light and glare; increased nearsightedness; or distorted images in either eye, may develop.

The lens is located behind the iris, the colored portion of the eye, and the pupil, the dark center of the eye. Tiny ligaments, called zonules, support the lens capsule within the eye.

The lens has three parts, the capsule, the nucleus, and the cortex. The outer membrane, or capsule, surrounds the cortex which in turn surrounds the center or nucleus of the lens. If you imagine the lens as a piece of fruit, the capsule is the skin, the cortex is the fleshy fruit, and the nucleus is the pit.

Types of Cataracts
There are three types of cataracts. Each is described by its location on the lens. The most common type of cataract and the one associated with aging is called a nuclear cataract.

A nuclear cataract occurs in the center of the lens. Common symptoms include blurring or dimming of your vision, glare and visual distortion. A nuclear cataract can induce myopia, or nearsightedness, a temporary improvement in your reading vision sometimes referred to as "second sight." Unfortunately "second sight" disappears as the cataract gets worse.

The cortical cataract begins as wedge-shaped spokes in the cortex of the lens. The spokes extend from the outside of the lens to the center. When the spokes reach the center, they interfere with the transmission of light and cause glare and loss of contrast. Many people with diabetes develop this type of cataract. Although a cortical cataract usually develops slowly, it may impair both distance and near vision so significantly that surgery may be suggested at a relatively early stage.

A subcapsular cataract develops slowly and starts as a small opacity under the capsule, usually at the back of the lens. Significant visual symptoms may not appear until the cataract is well developed. Typical symptoms are glare and blur. A subcapsular cataract is often found in people with diabetes or high myopia, adults with retinitis pigmentosa, and in people taking steroids.

What are the symptoms of cataracts?
If you have a cataract, you may be experiencing any of these symptoms:

• Painless blurring or dimming of your vision
• Sensitivity to light and glare, especially in bright sunlight or while driving at night
• Increased nearsightedness, requiring frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription
• Distortion or ghost images in either eye