LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis and is a popular surgery to correct vision problems. LASIK can help people who are nearsighted or farsighted, as well those who have astigmatism.
LASIK works by reshaping the cornea with a laser, which allows light to be correctly focused onto the retina. A laser is used to create a small flap is in the cornea, which is peeled back so another laser can reshape the cornea. The flap is then placed back and the surgery is complete.
LASIK is popular because it is a quick procedure with a high success rate. The surgery takes about 10 minutes and only requires local anesthesia in the form of eye drops. LASIK does not typically involve much pain and does not require stitches or bandages. The results are often immediate and adjustments can be made in the future to correct vision if there are any changes.
While rare, there are downsides and potential side effects to LASIK, which is why you should consult with your optometrist to see if the procedure is right for you. At Eye Examiners, we will discuss what to expect before and after LASIK. Contact us at (601) 264-2006 today to learn how LASIK could work for you. In addition, we can set-up a screening with a local surgeon’s team at no charge for further evaluation and discussion to see if LASIK is right for your eyes.
Cataract Surgery
Often as people age, their eyes become cloudy. This condition is called cataracts, and they can make it difficult to see clearly.
For this reason, we are pleased to be able to recommend our patients to a surgeon who can perform cataract removal surgery and then co-manage your recovery. In cataract surgery, a small incision on your cornea is made. Using ultrasonic waves to break up the cloudy lens, the cataract lens is suctioned out.
After the cataract lens is removed, it is replaced with a man-made lens called an implant to help your vision. Our and the surgeon’s staff are dedicated to staying on top of the latest advances so we can continue to give our patients the care they deserve. The surgeon is always looking for new and better ways to perform cataract removal surgery, and we are always looking for ways to improve our co-management capabilities.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is when your nerve is damaged and vision is lost usually from high eye pressure. However, patients with normal pressure can develop glaucoma as well. If left untreated, it can cause damage to your optic nerve, which can result in irreversible vision loss. Glaucoma is quite serious and needs to be treated as soon as possible.
There are many ways to treat glaucoma, depending on the severity of the disease. You can use eye drops and/or take pills. There are also some surgeries that can help.
Eye drops can be quite helpful if you catch glaucoma early. The eye drops get absorbed into your bloodstream, so it is important to close your eyes for one or two minutes after you put the drops in. Most eye drops can be uncomfortable at first because they cause either a burning or a stinging sensation, but that should last only a few seconds.
If the eye drops are not helping enough, we can also prescribe pills to be taken orally while you continue to use the drops. These are used to decrease the production of fluid in the eye. These can have some side effects. Any time you go to the doctor, you need to remind him or her that you are on glaucoma medicine because it can interact with and effect other medications.
Surgery for glaucoma is an option when the medications are not helping or you are experiencing too many side effects. We offer laser surgery and traditional surgery.
Surgery for glaucoma is an option when the medications are not helping, side effects from medications pose too great of a risk, or if a patient does not want to instill daily drops in their eyes. We offer co-management typically with a glaucoma specialist for laser surgery, more advanced surgery and traditional surgery using the very latest technology. For example, one common surgery is Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, or SLT, where a laser is used to open up the trabecular meshwork drainage system so fluid can exit the eye eye efficiently, lowering eye pressure and reducing the risk of developing glaucoma. It may take a few days to weeks to get the desired results, and many patients need to stay on their medications for a little bit until we see the full effects of the surgery. But the goal is to eliminate or reduce the need for drop treatment.