If you are over the age of 45, you have trouble seeing your cell phone, reading a magazine, looking at a computer screen or reading a book. You are not alone; everyone will eventually develop presbyiopia — the need for up-close magnification. Another common condition people over the age of 55 typically experience is cataracts. Cataracts are the clouding of the natural lens inside the eye.
There are many options available at Morris Eye Group to help correct your vision — we can correct for distance, intermediate and/or up-close vision. Some involve procedures to permanently correct your vision, while others are temporary solutions such as glasses and contact lenses. At Morris Eye Group, we take time to evaluate each patient individually to come up with the best options possible depending on the patient’s goals and medical needs.
Options For Correcting Vision:
• LASIK
• PRK
• Visian ICL (Internal Collamer Lens)
• Cataract Surgery
• Refractive Lens Exchange
• Glasses
• Contact Lenses
LASIK
LASIK is a life-changing procedure that thousands of people elect to have each year. LASIK is very successful and safe procedure that is performed on patientswho wish to get rid of glasses and contact lenses. The procedure is painless and takes about 20 minutes to complete. During the procedure, a small flap is made on the top layer of the cornea; this layer is lifted and a cool laser reshapes the cornea to give the patient the vision they desire. At Morris Eye Group, we have invested in our own state-of-the-art laser suite using the best technology possible to help our patient achieve their vision goals. We use the Visx S4 Excimer Laser with Wavescan Technology to deliver personalized vision for each patient. This modern technology allows us to treat patients who are nearsighted (myopic), farsighted (hyperopic), and those with astigmatism.
PRK
PRK is another treatment for patients looking to get rid of glasses and contact lenses and is similar to the LASIK procedure. Unlike LASIK, a flap is NOT created during a PRK procedure. Instead, a tiny amount of tissue (the top surface lining called the epithelium) is removed before the laser treatment reshapes the cornea. The epithelium grows back over the course of about a week. Because of this, healing time can vary from patient to patient and can take longer when compared to a patient who has had LASIK. However, the vision a PRK patient achieves is equivalent to someone who had LASIK — the only difference is the healing time. PRK is recommend for some patients depending on their medical history, corneal thickness, occupation and other factors the doctor may deem as important.
Visian ICL (Internal Collamer Lens)
The ICL is a breakthrough technology that allows for patients with high amounts of nearsightedness to achieve vision without glasses or contact lenses. The ICL is an implantable lens that is surgically placed in front of the natural lens inside the eye. This procedure is perfect for someone who is nearsighted (myopic) with little to no astigmatism. The procedure is painless and takes about 15 minutes to complete. This is a great alternative for someone who cannot have laser vision correction or elects this procedure over others. The ICL is completely removable and provides excellent visual results. It does not have some of the side effects laser vision correction can have, including halo, glare or dry eye.
Cataract Surgery
Cataracts are the clouding of the natural lens inside the eye. This clouding tends to happen gradually over time. Early-stage cataracts do not always need surgery as there are other visual aids that can be prescribed to provide better or corrected vision for a patient. Eventually, the cataract will progress to a point where the patient will have trouble seeing, even with visual aids. There is no need to worry, as cataract surgery is a very common and painless procedure. The procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye and after surgery the patient can expect to heal within about a week or two. There are several intra-ocular lens options available today. Some involve the patient needing glasses after surgery, while others allow a patient to be glasses-free for most activities. This decision about lens implants is made by both you and your surgeon, and will depend on your medical and lifestyle needs.
Refractive Lens Exchange
This is a great option for patients looking to achieve excellent bi-lateral vision for distance, intermediate and up-close. The procedure is performed just like cataract surgery; the difference is the patient does not have a dense cataract. Once a person has Clear Lens Exchange, they will never need to have cataract surgery. This is the only option available for patients who would like to achieve bi-lateral vision for distance, intermediate and up-close.
Glasses
Some people never become comfortable with the concept of permanently changing their vision through a procedure. Glasses are a great alternative for those who need correction and either do not want to have a surgical procedure to correct their vision or simply like the way they look in glasses. At Morris Eye Group, we offer over 5,000 frames to choose from, several great brands and affordable packages.
Contact Lenses
Contacts are another option for those who do not wish to permanently correct their vision with a surgical procedure. There are several brands and types of contact lenses available on the market today. Our opticians and optometrists are excellent at fitting and finding contacts to best suit each individual and their needs.
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