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[L71]Laser Eye Surgery In Canada

by Stephen Fasenfeld, Ste

If Lasik is not right for your eyes, or if the thought does not appeal to you, consider contact lenses, Orthokeratology (Ortho-K), or, that old standby, eyeglasses. These options are cheaper, may fit your life better and be less scary than surgery. They are less invasive, less risky, and have the benefit of reversibility.

Setting Lasik aside, consider the variety of contact lens designs for usual and special needs. They are now available in bifocal prescriptions. And, sensitive eyes even have the option of extra thin lenses. There are soft, comfortable lenses that you can discard after a day or a month, and rigid gas permeable lenses that can last years and provide sharper, clearer vision than soft lenses.

Soft lenses absorb moisture and conform to the eye with more ease. They are cheaper initially than rigid lenses, but more expensive in the long run. Some patients count this cost when comparing with Lasik.

Rigid lenses are more durable, but take more getting used to. They are more resistant to buildup of deposits. Lasik deals with astigmatism. With rigid contacts, you can differentiate between the left and right eyes and select toric lenses for astigmatism. Seven-day continuous wear lenses and 30-day continuous wear lenses have recently been approved by the FDA.

Lasik uses surgery to change the shape of the cornea. Ortho-K uses rigid gas permeable contact lenses to train the shape of the cornea. In both, this improves the eye's ability to refract light and focus. While not a permanent result, with continued use, a person's vision may improve drastically, up to 20/40 or even 20/20 vision.

In the beginning of the Ortho-K therapy, the contact lenses are worn about eight hours each day. After Lasik, vision improvement occurs in days. With Ortho-K, as the cornea changes shape over the weeks, improving the vision, the lenses are worn less frequently. Wearing time shortens to a few hours at a stretch every few days. Stopping the use of the Ortho-K lenses causes the corneas to revert to their original state. Occasionaly, the effects of Lasik may fade, too.

Clarity of vision may fluctuate, and it may take several months to change the vision measurably. Accelerated Ortho-K therapy may be used to get the desired effect more rapidly. People with low levels of nearsightedness and/or slight astigmatism are the best candidates for Ortho-K.

If Lasik or contact lenses are not for you, there is another alternative. Sticking with your eyeglasses may be the choice you need make. Eyeglass frames are more durable and flexible than ever. Lenses are lighter, stronger, more scratch resistant. New options for glasses include tinting that changes more rapidly, progressive bifocal lenses, anti-reflective coatings, UV protection and greater impact resistance.

Some advantages to this option are less expense than contact lenses or Lasik surgery, greater ease in changing your mind, and fashion-forward styling. The greatest benefit may be the guarantee that the good eyesight they have provided to you for years can continue indefinitely.

If you cannot have Lasik surgery now, or even if you never choose to have that procedure, these are viable, safe, money-saving choices. Even if you decide to have Lasik surgery at some future date, choosing contact lenses, Ortho-K therapy, or eyeglasses can keep you going until you make that decision.

Laser treatments have become integral to the refractive eye surgery procedures although they were not used for ophthalmology initially. It is said that the first laser was developed at Bell Labs in 1958. The researchers were working on microwaves and wanted a way to see the molecules more clearly. The first working laser was demonstrated on 16 May 1960 by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories. It used a ruby crystal that generated a red light at 694 nanometers wavelength. Since then, lasers have become a multi-billion dollar industry.

A laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
All lasers are man-made lights. Lasers are graded according to the medium used to generate them i.e. either solid, gas, or semiconductor state. Laser light is usually consistent, which means that the light either is emitted in a narrow, low-divergence beam, or can be converted into one with the help of optical components such as lenses. Light and heat energies travel in waves which have specific wavelengths and frequencies. Each laser has its specific wavelength which gives it a specific color and temperature.

Laser eye surgery is believed to be originated in 1890s when the basic principles of keratotomy (corneal incisions) to correct refractive error were explained by a Dutch professor Lans. Laser surgery is a surgery that uses a laser to cut tissue instead of a scalpel. Techniques used in Laser surgery include LASIK, which is used to correct near- and far-sightedness in vision, and photorefractive keratectomy, a procedure which permanently reshapes the cornea using an Excimer laser to remove a small amount of the corneal tissue. It gives high accuracy and fewer complications. Excimer laser was developed in 1973 at the University of California.

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) makes use of the excimer laser by a precise reshaping of the front corneal surface, removing microscopic layers. No heat is generated using laser and hence there will be no tissue damage. This surgery is widely popular worldwide.

LASIK (Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis) is a new entry in the field of laser eye surgery. The surgeon or the ophthalmologist uses a blade (microkeratome) to cut a thin flap of the cornea and then an excimer laser is used to remove and reshape the tissue underneath the flap. Compared to PRK, this surgery helps in faster recovery and is more comfortable with the patients.

The recent progress made in the field of Laser eye surgery include the Wavefront technology that leads to quicker healing and lower risks of side effects, the Epi Lasik (Lasek) which removes a much thinner layer of the corneal tissue, or the latest, refractive lensectomy that involves implanting a multifocal lens inside the eye to give the patient a clear vision at all distances.

Article Source : cost of lasik eye surgery

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Both Stephen Fasenfeld & Daniel.rayfield are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Stephen Fasenfeld has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, PPC Advertising and Home. To receive more information about get your free information kit or schedule your complimentary. Stephen Fasenfeld's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.

Daniel.rayfield has sinced written about articles on various topics from Consumer, Legal Matters and Time Management Skills. Dr. Michael Ragen expert in laser eye surgery,lasik eye surgery,vision correction,eye surgery,lasik surgery,epilasik,ck eye surgery,eyelid surgery,cataract surgery.Visit:. Daniel.rayfield's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.