NJ Lasik Surgeon Blog | Dr. Almallah

Eye cataracts are named in accordance with their location. The
most common type, a “nuclear” cataract, occurs in the center of the
lens and may induce nearsightedness. As a result, there may be a
temporary improvement in reading vision, known as “second sight,”
which unfortunately disappears as the cataract worsens. A “cortical”
cataract begins as wedge-shaped spokes in the cortex of the lens
that extend from the outside of the lens toward the center. Although
it develops slowly, it may impair both distance and near vision to the
point where surgery is indicated at a relatively early stage. Lastly, a
“subcapsular” cataract slowly develops as a small opacity under the
capsule. Symptoms may not appear until it is well developed.
Cataracts are a common cause of vision loss, especially as we age,
but they are treatable.

Thanks!

The most common type of eye injury in the home and at work involves irritants
that contact the outer surface of the eye. For instance, sawdust may float into the
eye in a home workshop, or a chemical may splash up into the eyes in the kitchen.
In case of chemical irritation, the consequent pain may cause a person to close her
or her eyes, which may make matters worse because the eyelid traps the irritant
next to the eye. It is important to flush the affected eye as soon as possible with
lukewarm water. Flush for about fifteen minutes, checking every five to see if the
particle has been washed away. Seek medical advice and attention, if necessary.

Eye Surgery Cost: Insurance and Financing


Although most vision insurance plans consider LASIK (refractive surgery) cosmetic or elective, some companies do offer generous discounts to their members. Also, you may qualify for a tax deduction for refractive surgery, so check with an accountant.

Given today’s economy, patients may be tempted to choose a surgeon solely based on the fee charged, but this could be a costly mistake. It is wise to choose the best surgeon you can find, and then, if you need, find the most affordable financing available. Just think of it this way, if you choose Surgeon (A) because his charge is $400 less than Surgeon (B), but you know Surgeon (B) is the better choice, you’re risking your vision for the sake of $1 per day over the course of 13 months! Is it really worth the risk for the monetary savings?

At Susskind & Almallah Eye Associates we offer Chase Health Advance financing to our patients. They have 12, 18, or 24 month NO interest payments for those patients who qualify or you may also choose and extended payment plan with a reasonable interest rate. We also use Chase Health Advance for Crystalens (cataract replacement lens) and Verisyse (High Myopia) lens implants as well. Please ask our Refractive Director for more information if you are interested.

Also, some large companies are now offering subsidized health plans that cover at least a portion of LASIK costs. If you work for a major company, ask about the possible benefits they offer that might cover elective corrective eye procedures.

Think that bladeless procedure will benefit you more so than traditional LASIK? Think again. A recent study compared the use of femtosecond lasers (used in bladeless LASIK) with the mechanical microkeratome. The results of the study did not suggest use of the femtosecond necessarily improved patient outcomes. In fact, the results six months post surgery showed that LASIK outcomes were comparable to those of the bladeless procedures.
The study's findings are important, especially considering bladeless surgery runs the risk of side effects, such as transient light sensitivity (TLS), a condition commonly associated with the use of the Intralase femtosecond laser, which can linger for a year after the surgery.
The study's findings will be presented to the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
Blade vs. Bladeless Surgery_Traditional LASIK procedures can treat patients with various visual disturbances including nearsightedness, astigmatism and farsightedness. They work by allowing the surgeon to reshape the corneal surface by creating a flap in the cornea using a mechanical microkeratome.
Newer procedures, including IntraLase or bladeless LASIK offer surgeons the choice of creating the corneal flap with a new laser called the femtosecond laser. This type of lasik surgery is sometimes also referred to as "all laser" surgery because of this.
The results of this most recent study show that six months following surgery few differences if any are apparent among patients that had surgery using the femtosecond laser or the microkeratome.
That said, there are still some surgeons who prefer to use bladeless surgery because they believe it is safer. Even if outcomes following surgery may be equal, some surgeons believe using the femtosecond laser during bladeless procedures is safer because it allows more controlled precision. On the other hand, there is the issue of transient light sensitivity (TLS) to contend with along with post surgical swelling, which can delay visual clarity.
Of course, it is important to note there are also relatively few risks from surgery using the traditional microkeratome blade. Typically serious risks including vision loss following surgery occur in less than 1 percent of the population undergoing such procedures.
Which Surgery Is Best?_It is important to note this study followed patients during their long-term recovery. All findings reported represent results of this study six months or more following surgery. In the short term, there are a few differences between the two procedures. What is important to note however, as researchers point out, is the long-term effects any surgery will have on a patient.
When it comes to blade vs. bladeless surgery, it appears patients have an equal likelihood for successful surgery six months post operation. Talk with your eye care professional about the pros and cons of each surgery before deciding which may be best for you. Remember there are surgeons who still prefer to use the femtosecond, whereas others still believe the microkeratome is a superior tool for creating a precise corneal flap. Ultimately, the decision is yours.

The laser-sculpting surgery known as LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is not suitable for everyone. Because this procedure involves making a flap in the cornea and removing a portion of corneal tissue below before replacing the flap, nearsighted patients must have corneas of sufficient thickness. In cases of patients with corneas that are too thin, there may be an alternative to LASIK. For patients with mild nearsightedness, in particular, corneal rings in the shape of transparent crescents may be implanted around the cornea's periphery. This has the effect of flattening the cornea without permanently removing tissue. In fact, the rings may be removed at any time if patients' correction needs change or if patients suffer side effects such as glare.

As its name implies, the condition called "dry eye" involves insufficient tear quantity or quality to keep eyes healthy and comfortable. As a result, the eyes may begin to feel hot and gritty, as well as appear swollen and red. Treatment of "dry eyes" usually begins with the introduction of artificial tears. If this eye-drop product is either inconvenient or ineffective, the ophthalmologist may recommend the insertion of punctal plugs into the tear drainage ducts. punctal plugs prevent tears from draining out of the eye via the tiny opening (punctum) in the inner corner of the eyelid. There are a variety of plugs available which can be removed in minutes if desired. Symptoms of dry eyes can include redness, dryness, burning, grittiness,excessive tearing, tired eyes blurry vision, and sensitivity to light.