What is Astigmatism?

Astigmatism, like near-sightedness and far-sightedness, causes your vision to be blurry without correction. Astigmatism, however, is an imperfection in your vision that causes blurriness both at distance and near. It is mostly due to an imperfection in the shape of your cornea. 

The cornea, which is the front window of the eye, is ideally shaped like a basketball cut in half. With astigmatism, the cornea is shaped like a football or an egg cut in half – more oblong than round. 

There are optical and surgical methods to correct astigmatism. Most people correct it with glasses. Over the years, contact lenses have improved in their ability to correct astigmatism. Contacts that treat astigmatism are called toric lenses. 

For those who want independence from glasses or contacts, laser vision correction or LASIK does an excellent job of treating astigmatism.  For those who have cataracts, we can now treat astigmatism during cataract surgery either using the laser or a special lens implant. 

If you are concerned about astigmatism and its treatment, make an appointment today.

Act Now to Clear Up 'Dry Eye'

If your eyes are uncomfortable, scratchy or gritty, especially after reading, being on the computer or in the evening, you may have “Dry Eye.” 

These symptoms affect 10 percent to 20 percent of the population and are most common in women older than 50 due to hormonal changes. In addition to evaluating symptoms and signs of dry eyes, we can measure the concentration of salt in the tears and can monitor therapy with a new device called Tear Lab.

Initial treatment in mild cases consists of lubricating the eye with the appropriate artificial tears to prevent drying. If this is not successful, inflammation will build up and, over time, lead to a chronic disease called Keratitis Sicca or “Dry Eye.” 

After the earliest stage, the best way to treat the symptoms is to use a medicine called Restasis to reduce inflammation, reverse damage and prevent progression. This prescription eye drop, used properly twice a day for six months, will result in improvement for 90 percent of patients. Because Restasis is a treatment and not a cure, it must be continued long-term to maintain the benefit. If your eyes are dry and uncomfortable, this prescription medication can dramatically improve the quality of your life. To find out if you have "Dry Eye," schedule an appointment with Eye Clinic of Austin today.

 

Give Your Valentine the Gift of 20/20 Vision

If you are searching for the perfect gift for your sweetheart, consider giving the gift of LASIK…and the possibility of 20/20 vision. Valentine’s Day is all about showing loved ones how much you care, and what better way to show your love than by arranging a free LASIK consultation?

LASIK eye surgery can correct the refractive errors that cause nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. These are the conditions that cause people to need glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. Unfortunately, not every person is a good candidate for this procedure. The only way to determine if your loved one is a good LASIK candidate is through a comprehensive consultation and eye exam by a reputable LASIK provider.

If your loved one finds out that LASIK is right for his or her eyes, you can decide together how to proceed. There are often LASIK financing options available to help pay for the procedure, which costs, on average, $1,600 - $2,500 per eye, depending on the type of technology used. Steer clear of discount LASIK providers that advertise the procedure for less than $600 per eye – these often have hidden fees, are performed with inexperienced surgeons or use outdated technologies that can lead to vision complications.

When performed by a reputable and experienced LASIK surgeon, many LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision – or better – after the procedure, and they often experience a visual freedom they have never had in their lives. Now that’s an amazing Valentine’s Day gift!  

Of course, risks accompany any type of surgery and LASIK is no exception. Vision changes, such as halos, glare, double vision and starbursts; dry eye syndrome; vision loss and the need for glasses after LASIK are some of the risks. Discuss these complication possibilities with your LASIK provider.

Wouldn’t it be great to gaze into your sweetheart’s eyes – without looking through glasses? Contact us at Eye Clinic of Austin today to schedule a free LASIK consultation and learn about financing options to help you afford this thoughtful gift. Visit eyeclinic2020.com or call 512-427-1100.

LASIK at Home?

Did you know that you can now have the benefits of LASIK without ever seeing a doctor?

Well, maybe not.

While this cartoon is meant to be a joke, having LASIK is not. LASIK is offered in many different ophthalmology practices. It has become a very common procedure for patients looking to improve their eyesight. The two most important things in choosing where to have LASIK are technology and experience.

The most advanced technology can mean the difference between excellent outcomes and something else. Newer technology can help to solve the issues of older technology, like night vision issues. Couple that with an experienced surgeon and you are assured the best outcomes possible.

To find out more about LASIK, please visit our website.

*There are always risks to LASIK. Please speak with an experienced surgeon before making the decision to have any surgery. The above cartoon is a joke. Please do not attempt LASIK or any other surgery by yourself. NEVER give your credit card out to a company claiming to provide you with an "At Home LASIK Kit".

Contact Lens and Eye Safety

Approximately 1 out of 20 people will have contact lens related problems.

Are you one of them?

Through recent research it has been found that contact lenses can affect several different areas of the eye. These effects could be simple irritation to more sight threatening complications. You may have experienced some of these problems or just had a concern about them.

The weather, oxygen and their effect on your eyes.

The weather and the wearing of contacts both have an effect. The eye cleans itself from harmful bacteria and other foreign substances through the process of creating what is known as the tear film. Not only does it protect the eye but it also carries the moisture and oxygen to help and protect the eye. The reduced amount of oxygen on the surface of the eye in turn reduces the blood flow to the cornea, which can create complications. While soft contact lenses have less of an effect on this than hard lenses it still does have an effect. And there are other problems that contacts can cause with your eyes.

Now throw in dry weather, the wind and the fluctuating temperatures you can see what your eyes are dealing with on a daily basis. In many instances, the risk to the health of your eyes is greater from wearing contact lenses than from today’s LASIK eye procedure.

And there are the aspects of “chronic wear and tear” from continual contact lens wear to the eye from simply having this foreign substance or particle in the eye. This can predispose an eye to infections and if you might have even experienced these difficulties yourself.

What are your alternatives?

LASIK is the alternative to contact lens wear. While not having them to affect your eyes in a potentially dangerous way is of great benefit you will also receive the benefit of having very improved eyesight if not 20-20.

Visit www.eyeclinic2020.com for more information.

Vodka Eyeballing

Protect Your Eyesight

Whether you have glasses, contacts, or 20/20 vision after LASIK, it’s very important to protect your eyes.

The University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Ophthalmology reports an estimate of “… 1.1 to 2.4 million eye injuries occur each year, and about 42,000 of these injuries require hospitalization.”

While accidents are common for eye injuries, some younger people intentionally put their eyes at risk in a new drinking game called Vodka Eyeballing.

Yes, you read that right.

People are actually drinking through their eyes, in an attempt to get drunk faster. With Vodka Eyeballing, a person will take a bottle of vodka and put the opening up to their eye and pour the vodka directly onto the eye. The idea is that the alcohol will be absorbed through the eye and into the bloodstream faster than drinking it. However, there are no actual facts that prove this is the case.

The eye can only absorb a very limited amount of alcohol. The actual alcohol can do more damage and harm to your eyesight – burning through your cornea and causing permanent damage. Repeated often enough, the alcohol may even cause permanent blindness.

While not all eye-related injuries can be avoided, this is one instance where it can be.

What To Do With a Flexible Spending Account

Did you know you can achieve excellent vision and use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for it?

It's true! Our laser vision correction procedures, such as LASIK, can be paid for by using an FSA. Stop using your FSA to pay for glasses, contacts, solutions, etc. Use it to pay for great vision this year and have the money next year to pay for your really important medical expenses.

Don't forget - most FSA's are "use it or lose it" which means if you don't use the money by the end of the year, it's gone!

To find out more, visit our website or give us a call today at 512-427-1100.