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Q: How is NeoVision
different from other laser centers? |
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A:
Laser vision correction (LVC) by NeoVision is
very different than at many other laser centers.
When comparing laser centers, you should carefully
consider all aspects of the LVC surgery, such
as the pre- and post-operative care, the dedication
of the surgeon, and the laser equipments used.
To help you understand this difference, NeoVision
has produced a brochure titled “Marketing
Gimmicks”. We strongly encourage you to
read this brochure carefully so that you are able
to choose your LASIK team wisely. LASIK
Gimmicks |
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In summary,
NeoVision provides an honest assessment for your
eligibility, the best surgery, quality follow-up
care, and a fair price. We are very proud of our
surgical protocols, surgical techniques, and state-of-the-art
technologies. Remember! Decisions you make about
your LASIK team will ultimately determine how
well you will see day after day, for the rest
of your life.
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Q: How important is
the choice of surgeon? |
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A:
In laser vision correction (LVC), complications
rarely occur. These complications can be
greatly reduced by the surgeon's dedication,
training, and meticulous attention to details.
It is crucial to select your surgeon wisely.
Our goal at NeoVision is to communicate
clearly to our patients what they can expect
during their laser experience, and what
their results are likely to be.
LASIK Gimmicks |
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Q: What equipments
are used by NeoVision for laser vision correction
(LVC) surgery? |
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A:
NeoVision is committed to use the latest laser
technology to give you the best vision after surgery.
We believe that only the best equipment must be
utilized with the best surgical team in order
to achieve the best possible results. These machines
are meticulously maintained in order to continue
to achieve outstanding results.
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Corneal
topographer
and pachymeter
are used to measure and
identify corneal irregularities. These
equipments identify patients who are
medically disqualified for laser vision
correction (LVC). Pupil measurements
are also made to assess risk for night
time vision problems such as glare and
halos.
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For CustomLASIK, we use VISX Wavescan
aberrometer which is the VISX
implementation of Wavefront technology.
The system works by bouncing a
harmless infrared light off your
retina. The reflected beam washes
over the internal optical structures
of the eye, emerging as a light
wave. The shape of this wave,
or Wavefront, is compared to that
of the optically perfect eye to
create a Wavefront error map.
This map can be used diagnostically
for pre-operative screening and
post-surgical analysis, and is
also used to generate the surgical
plan for Wavefront LASIK treatment
on the VISX S4.
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For conventional LASIK, we use
FDA-approved, one-piece microkeratome
for creating corneal flaps with
a fixed corneal depth plate. Note
that no assembly or coupling of
microkeratome parts by the surgeon
is required during the actual
procedure. This minimizes the
potential flap complications or
human error.
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Microkeratome |
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- For premium surgeries,
we use FDA-approved IntraLase
laser to create corneal
flaps that further minimizes microkeratome-related
complications.
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VISX
Star S4 Smooth Scan Laser
which is one of the most advanced laser
system available in vision correction
surgery. It is FDA-approved for Wavefront
LASIK treatment. The S4 offers Active
Trak™, an infrared eye tracking
systems that follows the eye in all
three dimensions. Auto-centering eye
tracking system automatically compensates
for any of your eye movements during
the laser treatment. The S4 also offers
Variable Spot Scanning™, which
uses seven variable-sized beams for
faster, smoother and more precise treatments.
The Blend Zone™ feature enables
a larger treatment area and is available
for those with larger pupils, to minimize
nighttime glare. Note that we use the
same Visx Star S4 laser for all LVC
surgeries including standard LASIK,
CustomLASIK, and IntraLase.
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Q:
What is an Excimer laser and how does it work? |
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A:
The Excimer
laser produces a high-energy,
cold, ultraviolet light beam in pulses and
delivers the pulses to a surface of the
eye's cornea. These pulses break the bond
between molecules and tissue cells so that
a controlled amount of tissue can be vaporized
away to reshape the cornea. Excimer laser
beams do not disturb the underlying eye
structures such as iris,
lens, and retina. The Excimer
laser is computer controlled and programmed
to treat each individual eye with a high
degree of precision. |
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| Q: How much corneal tissue is
removed in LASIK? |
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A:
For most cases, the thickness of the layer removed
by the laser is less than the thickness of a human
hair. Actual thickness of layer depends upon the
treated correction.
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Q: How much nearsightedness
can be corrected by laser vision correction surgery? |
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A:
Most refractive surgeons now believe that
-12D is the upper limit for good patient
satisfaction, although LASIK can be used
effectively under certain circumstances
for prescriptions as high as -15D. Above
these levels, other procedures involving
the implanting of lenses inside the eye
will probably become the procedures of choice.
PRK
is also approved by the FDA for treatments
of high myopia.
However, most surgeons prefer LASIK to PRK
when treating more than 4D of myopia. Corneal
thickness measurements are very important
and this also limits the amount of correction
that is performed. People previously “disqualified”
based on the corneal thickness may now be
eligible for LASIK with the IntraLase
laser. |
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Q: How does laser vision correction for hyperopia
work? |
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A:
Both PRK and LASIK are possible and effective
for correcting hyperopia.
The procedure is identical to the myopic (nearsighted)
procedure, however by blocking the laser from
treating centrally and allowing it to remove more
tissue in the periphery of the cornea, a steepening
rather than a flattening of the cornea is produced.
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Q: How does LASIK
for astigmatism work? |
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A:
The laser software is capable of treating the
cornea in an elliptical fashion to correct the
astigmatism. |
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Q: Can any of the
present laser vision correction (LVC) procedures
correct presbyopia? |
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A:
No. None of the current LVC procedures can
correct presbyopia.
If you are presbyopic, monovision is an
option to help correct both your distance
and near vision. The monovision procedure
corrects the focus of one eye for distance
vision and the other eye for near vision.
Monovision is a compromise of both distance
and near vision. Depth perception is also
affected. For people with high visual demands
like sports or constant near work (i.e.
reading), we recommend full distance correction,
and glasses for near vision. A trial period
with contact lenses or glasses may help
determine if monovision would be a good
option for you. |
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Q: How is LASIK advantageous
over PRK? |
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A:
Healing time, stability, and post-operative pain
are all significantly less with LASIK. PRK may
result in haze, which could be temporary.
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Q: When is PRK preferred
over LASIK? |
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A:
Some patients have thin corneas relative to the
amount of treatment needed to correct their prescription.
Other patients have an abnormal epithelium (the
outer layer of the cornea) that would be more
prone to an abrasion during LASIK. Either of these
two conditions would make PRK the preferred procedure.
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Q: If I have had a
previous corneal injury, can I have LVC surgery
done? |
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A:
It will depend upon the size and type of injury.
A comprehensive
eye exam is needed to fully determine
if you are a good candidate for laser vision correction
(LVC).
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| Q: If I have PRK, what kind of
vision can I expect the following day? |
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A:
Vision is greatly improved but typically
blurry immediately after the procedure.
It generally starts to improve once the
surface layer of the cornea (epithelium)
has grown back, which in most cases takes
3 to 4 days. Vision typically starts to
get good within 7-10 days but can continue
to be blurry for a number of weeks. For
most patients, vision stabilizes within
3 months (some may take 6 months or longer).
The healing process varies for each patient,
and it is difficult to predict precisely
when you will achieve your best visual
acuity. However, most patients
who have both eyes treated at the same time
report that they are able to drive a car
safely and resume their normal activities
between 3-5 days following PRK. |
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| Q: What is the key difference
in conventional, custom, and IntraLase LASIK? |
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A:
The key difference in different techniques
is either in the quality of vision ( CustomLASIK
is better) or the safety of procedure ( IntraLase
is safer). As far as visual acuity is concerned,
generally the first day after laser vision
correction, most patients experience a large
improvement in their vision, to approximately
20/40 or even better. This greatly depends
on your preoperative prescription. You can
expect to regain approximately 75 to 80%
of your vision in the first two to three
days after surgery. The remainder of your
vision will improve gradually over several
weeks. If you have significant astigmatism,
or are very near-sighted / far-sighted,
vision recovery and stabilization are slower. |
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Q: What is radial
keratotomy (RK)? |
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A:
Radial Keratotomy (RK) is the oldest of
the modern refractive procedures. RK can
correct nearsightedness
by changing the shape of the cornea. Microscopic
incisions of 90% depth, placed in a radial
pattern, like the spokes of a wagon wheel,
reshape and flatten the central cornea,
allowing light to focus more precisely on
the retina. The length and number of incisions
determine the effect of the surgery. Patients
with less than 3 diopters of nearsightedness
and stable prescriptions are the best candidates.
Today, RK is seldom performed because the
Excimer
laser can achieve the same
effect without the need for placing deep
corneal incisions.
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Eye
Corrected by RK |
One major concern about RK is the weakening effect
of the radial incisions on the strength of the
eye, which makes the eye more susceptible to rupture
in the event of an injury. Another concern is
that eyes with radial keratotomy can experience
progressive flattening, making them farsighted
over time. These problems are avoided today through
the use of other procedures, such as LASIK.
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| Q: What is automated lamellar
keratoplasty (ALK)? |
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A:
Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK) for
nearsightedness is a procedure that has
been replaced by LASIK in recent years.
ALK corrects nearsightedness by removing
a thin layer of tissue from the cornea to
flatten the eye’s surface. Unlike
RK, which flattens the eye by making incisions
into the surface, ALK actually removes a
thin disk from the cornea, leaving it thinner
and flatter than it originally was. The
disadvantage of ALK is that it is not nearly
as accurate as the Excimer
laser for the tissue removal
step, so multiple procedures are sometimes
needed to achieve the final correction.
LASIK is a combination of ALK and PRK. |
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Q: Why has LASIK become
the procedure-of-choice? |
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A:
Because the healing occurs in the interior of
the cornea, and no re-growth of surface cells
are required. The corneal flap protects the treated
area and there is usually little or no post-op
discomfort. Visual rehabilitation is much quicker.
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