Refractive Surgery

Myopia (Nearsightedness)

Nearsighted individuals typically have problems seeing well at a distance and are forced to wear glasses or contact lenses. The nearsighted eye is usually longer than a normal eye, and its cornea may also be steeper. Therefore, when light passes through the cornea and lens, it is focused in front of the retina. This will make distant images appear blurred.
There are several refractive surgery solutions available to correct nearly all levels of nearsightedness.

Hyperopia (Farsightedness)

Farsighted individuals typically develop problems reading up close before the age of 40. The farsighted eye is usually slightly shorter than a normal eye and may have a flatter cornea. Thus, the light of distant objects focuses behind the retina unless the natural lens can compensate fully. Near objects require even greater focusing power to be seen clearly and therefore, blur more easily.  LASIK, Refractive Lens Exchange and contact lenses are a few of the options available to correct farsightedness.

Astigmatism

Asymmetric steepening of the cornea or natural lens causes light to be focused unevenly, which is the main optical problem in astigmatism. To individuals with uncorrected astigmatism, images may look blurry or shadowed. Astigmatism can accompany any form of refractive error and is very common.
Astigmatism can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, corneal relaxing incisions, laser vision correction, and special implant lenses.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a condition that typically becomes noticeable for most people around age 45. In children and young adults, the lens inside the eye can easily focus on distant and near objects. With age, the lens loses its ability to focus adequately.
Although presbyopia is not completely understood, it is thought that the lens and its supporting structures lose the ability to make the lens longer during close vision effort. To compensate, affected individuals usually find that holding reading material further away makes the image clearer. Ultimately, aids such as reading glasses are typically needed by the mid-forties.
Besides glasses, presbyopia can be dealt with in a number of ways. Options include: monovision and multifocal contact lenses, monovision laser vision correction, and new presbyopia correcting implant lenses.

Are you seeking a LASIK doctor in Bel Air, Maryland? If you are, you have come to the right place! LASIK is an acronym for Laser in-situ Keratomileusis and is one of the most commonly performed types of laser eye surgery. This procedure is generally safe, effective, and has very few side effects. LASIK eye surgery has helped millions of people see clearly without dependence on glasses or contact lenses. It has made those with active lifestyles happy again. For contact lens wearers, the hassles associated with contacts can be a thing of the past! LASIK is a quick and relatively painless vision correction procedure with an excellent track record of success. Proper pre-operative evaluations are critical to the success of this procedure for you. To get a better understanding regarding whether you would be a LASIK candidate please see our LASIK candidacy page and feel free to take our LASIK self test and a LASIK consultant will contact you.

How LASIK Surgery Works

During LASIK the surgeon first applies anesthetic eye drops to numb the eye for surgery. Next a suction ring is applied that is designed to hold the eye steady and also confirms the pressure of the eye. The LASIK surgeon then creates a thin corneal flap using a device called a microkeratome. The corneal flap is lifted up, and the excimer laser is applied to the exposed interior surface of the cornea to reshape the tissue. The computer-controlled excimer laser removes the tissue under the flap and reshapes the cornea of the affected eye. In less than 60 seconds, high-energy pulses from the excimer laser actually reshape the internal cornea. The flap is then repositioned over the treated area. The corneal flap serves as a natural bandage, which eliminates the discomfort associated with other types of refractive surgery, and expedites the healing process. Because of the extraordinary bonding properties of the corneal tissue, stitches are not needed to keep the flap in place postoperatively. Eye drops will be applied to assist with the healing process. You will be required to take eye drops on a regular basis within the post-operative period.

Facts obtained from Abbott Medical Optics in Harris Interactive Study

• 94% of patients agree that LASIK has improved their lives.
• 40% of patients have noticed an improvement in their social lives.
• 40% of patients cite the convenience of not having to worry about caring for their eye wear as one of their top three motivating factors in their decision.
• 35% of patients believe that LASIK has improved their work life
• 90% of LASIK patients are satisfied with its effects on their vision.

Custom LASIK
(also known as wavefront LASIK or wavefront technology)

Custom LASIK eye surgery has simply been getting better since the first cases were performed in the mid 90’s. Today, eye doctors around the world are happy to offer wavefront technology to patients wanting a more customized treatment option.

Wavefront technology was pioneered for space science and physics to aid in reducing aberrations or imperfections in the optical systems of telescopes. In much the same way, wavefront-sensing devices are being used to produce an accurate picture of the optical imperfections found in the human eye. Everyone’s eyes suffer from distortions, commonly called aberrations. Aberrations are divided into 2 main categories known as high order and low order. The low order aberrations are very common and are corrected through conventional LASIK, glasses or contact lenses and come in the form of hyperopia, astigmatism and myopia. Wavefront technology actually approaches the issue of the higher order aberrations. Higher order aberrations are unfamiliar imperfections that cannot be measured with a standard refraction. These imperfections are typically measured by an abertometer and in Custom LASIK this data gets converted in a wavefront map of your eye. The wavefront technology treatment actually converts wavefront information into a laser pattern that is then used to correct higher order aberrations. Once the wave map is created this information is transferred to an excimer and incorporated into the excimer laser treatment.

Learn more about Custom LASIK in Bel Air by scheduling your LASIK Consultation at Advanced Eye Care!  Click here to get started!

WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE RIGHT AWAY?

Most patients will notice improvement in vision immediately following treatment. Visual recovery varies for each person, but usually stabilizes at 3 months. The speed at which your vision improves is due to individual healing rates, type of procedure and degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. Most patients find that their eyes feel fairly normal within a day. However, vision can continue to improve and best vision can take two to three months to occur. If necessary, enhancements can be done after your vision has stabilized to further improve your vision. Patients who have hyperopic LASIK may have a longer healing process.

WHEN CAN I RETURN TO WORK?

It depends on your occupation. Most patients go back to work and resume their daily activities within one to three days following LASIK. Your doctor will discuss any activities you should avoid immediately after your treatment.

WILL I HAVE 20/20 VISION AFTER LASIK?

An overwhelming majority of patients achieve vision which enables them to perform most of their daily activities without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

WHAT IF MY EYE MOVES DURING THE PROCEDURE?

The VISX STAR S4™ Excimer Laser has a tracking system which follows the eye during the laser treatment. If any large eye movements occur, the laser automatically stops. Once the eye is repositioned the physician will resume the laser treatment to the appropriate area of the cornea.

HOW LONG DOES THE LASER VISION CORRECTION PROCEDURE TAKE?

The whole procedure takes about 20-30 minutes for two eyes. This includes anesthesia to the eye(s), creating the flap and performing the laser treatment.

CareCredit® for Better Vision

Dr. Feulner at Advanced Eye Care is pleased to offer the CareCredit® card, North America's leading patient payment program. CareCredit® lets you begin your procedure immediately — then pay for it over time with low monthly payments that fit easily into your monthly budget. Now you don’t have to save up for years to finally have the procedures you’ve always wanted.

Like a Credit Card, but Better

CareCredit® cards work just like a regular credit card, but is exclusive for healthcare services. CareCredit® offers low monthly payment plans for healthcare procedures not commonly covered by insurance, including cosmetic procedures, LASIK and advanced lens implants. Don’t put off improving your life. Get your procedure now.

CareCredit® Offers:

• Low minimum monthly payments
• No-interest financing plans
  
• No up-front costs, pre-payment penalties or annual fees

Learn more by visiting CareCredit.com or contacting our office. Ready to apply? Apply online for your CareCredit® card today. You’ll be seeing clearer in no time.

Even though LASIK has provided millions of people will clear, hassle-free vision, not everyone is a fully qualified candidate. Dr. Feulner at Advanced Eye Care in Bel Air will only recommend LASIK for the very best candidates.

In order to be qualified for LASIK, patients must meet the following requirements:

• Nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism
• Over the age of 18
• Vision has been stable for 2-3 years
• No current eye problems
• No health issues that may affect the eyes

If you have determined that you meet the above basic LASIK requirements, you can take the LASIK Self Test to further determine your candidacy for LASIK laser vision correction. Each set of eyes is unique and that it is why it is extremely important to have your eyes examined by a board-certified ophthalmologist and experience LASIK surgeon.

During your LASIK evaluation you will undergo the following tests to determine your candidacy:

• Measurement of corneal thickness
• Complete review of overall eye health
• Measurement of prescription for refractive errors
• Custom LASIK measurement for higher order aberrations
• Dry eye test
• Dilation of the eye to view the retina
• Glasses and contact lens history review
• Measurement of pupil size

After Dr. Feulner has completed the LASIK evaluation exam she will be able to determine if you are a strong candidate for LASIK. If for some reason, you are not a strong LASIK candidate, she will recommend another possible vision correction offered at Advanced Eye Care.