Dr. Levinson's Lasik Blog

What is Included in a Free Laser Vision Consultation?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:30:00 +0000

A Free Laser Vision Consultation requires about 60 to 90 minutes and includes the following:

~ Detailed history of wearing glasses: The ideal candidate is at least 18 years of age with stable glasses or contact lens prescription for at least 1 year.

~ Detailed history of contact lens wear: Contact lenses may change the shape of the cornea and affect its prescription. However, you do not need to discontinue wearing your contact lenses for the initial consultation. If you wear your contacts to the consultation, please bring your current glasses (if you have some).

~ Detailed history of ocular or systemic diseases and medications: Some eye diseases and medications can affect the suitability of a candidate for Laser Vision Correction.

~ Detailed history of previous ocular problems such as lazy eye, strabismus (eye misalignment caused by muscle imbalance), or the need for special glasses to prevent double vision.

~ Detailed history of any previous eye injury.

~ Assessing lifestyle needs: The candidate’s work or recreational activities and needs can influence vision correction strategies. For example, different strategies can affect depth perception and the ability to see near or far.

~ Determination of uncorrected vision and vision as corrected by glasses or contacts.

~ Determination of the prescription of visual error with a refraction in each eye to establish the amount of surgical correction that is needed and develop the appropriate surgical treatment.

~ Assessment of the surface of the cornea by mapping its topography (corneal curvature orshape).

~ Measurement of pupil size in dim and room light. Pupil size is an important factor in counseling a candidate about night vision and planning the appropriate laser vision correction treatment.

~ Wavefront analysis to determine if you are a candidate for Customized Wavefront treatment.

~ Measurement of corneal thickness (pachymetry). The amount of LASIK correction may be determined in part by corneal thickness.

~ Glaucoma testing by measuring the intraocular pressure of the eyes to determine if you are predisposed to glaucoma.

Patients who are found to be good candidates for surgery can then choose if we are a fit for their Laser Vision Correction needs.

WHAT IS IN THE COST OF LASIK SURGERY?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:10:00 +0000

When gathering information on Laser Vision Eye Surgery, you will find out that the average cost of surgery varies depending on the various providers and the wide range of pre-operative testing conducted and the post-op care that is included.

There is a wide variety of equipments used, with varying costs, for testing and surgery. Varying technologies and equipments are required for measuring corneal thickness, corneal topography, eye tracking, etc. and all this is reflected in the cost towards the surgery.

The cost of Laser Eye Surgery includes a variety of costs, including:
Lease and maintenance of all devices used in the procedure, such as Microkeratome and corneal ring segments, etc.
A royalty fee of around $100 to $150 to the manufacturer of the excimer laser. This covers the cost of developing the equipment.
In case of the Custom LASIK procedure, a royalty of about $150 to $250 is to be paid to the laser manufacturer.
Costs covering Microkeratome blades, medications, and other surgical items, such as gowns, gloves and masks, etc. to keep the operation sterile.
Overhead, such as salaries of the surgical and office staff, the surgery center, rent, office equipment, office administration, etc.

Average Cost of LASIK Surgery - How it is Charged

As mentioned earlier, the cost of LASIK surgery depends upon various factors, and is generally quoted, per eye basis. The price quoted is always indicative and will finally depend on the type of procedure and the type of correction chosen. Although many may quote a figure of $600 per eye, approximately, the average cost is rarely less than $1,200 per eye.

Newer surgical procedures and the advent of newer technologies are the main causes of the rising average cost of LASIK surgery. LASIK with IntraLase is more expensive than LASIK with Microkeratome. The LASIK flap is created by a laser in the IntraLase procedure, whereas in the Microkeratome procedure, the surgeon uses a microkeratome blade to carry out the procedure. This raises the average cost of LASIK surgery by about $400 per eye.

Taking into account all the overheads, and the costs, rents, etc. of the equipment, and the procedure itself, the average cost of LASIK surgery is around $1700 to $2400 per eye.

Is LASIK Safer Than Contacts?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:46:00 +0000

In a study conducted in 2006, researchers at Oregon Health and Science University's Casey Eye Institute, suggested it may be safer, in the long run, to have LASIK surgery than to wear contact lenses. Now, a new survey may explain why the conclusions of that study may, indeed, be correct.

Poor contact lens care habits
Synovate, Inc., a global market research company, recently asked 508 contact lens wearers a number of questions about how they care for their contact lenses, and the results were startling. All respondents were over age 18 and wore their lenses on a daily wear basis (removing them prior to sleep every day). The survey of contact lens wearers revealed:

* 40% do not wash their hands prior to handling their lenses.
* 20% do not use fresh solution when cleaning their lenses.
* 40% have put their lenses in their mouth to clean them.
* 70% wear their contact lenses when swimming.

These behaviors cause more bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to be transferred to the eyes, increasing the risk for serious eye infections. Couple these statistics with the fact that an estimated 38 million Americans wear contact lenses, and you have a huge number of people who are putting themselves at risk for sight-threatening eye infections.

In fact, according to the Casey Eye Institute study, over a 30-year period, the risk of a contact lens wearer experiencing significant vision loss due to a contact lens-related eye infection is 5 times greater than the risk a LASIK patient has of experiencing a similar vision loss due to a surgical complication.

The iLASIK Procedure

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:03:00 +0000

I have been performing iLASIK for the past 18 months. The iLASIK procedure combines all of the latest, all-laser LASIK technology in one efficient LASIK platform. It's safe and precise. In fact, thanks to studies using iLASIK technology, recently, all branches of the U.S. military and NASA approved LASIK for their service men and women. That's why 90% of my patients choose the iLASIK procedure!

The technology used in the iLASIK procedure have been in use for many years and is extremely safe. With approximately 17 million LASIK procedures performed to date, LASIK is the most common elective vision procedure in the United States. You can afford it! Financing options are available that can help make iLASIK a reality for you.

Richard Levinson, MD
LASIK surgeon

NASA Approves All-Laser Lasik

noreply@blogger.com (Em's account) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:05:00 +0000

The National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) has approved All-Laser Lasik technologies for use on U.S. astronauts. The NASA decision was made following review of extensive military clinical data, which showed the combination of femtosecond laser (IntraLase) for LASIK flap creation and wavefront-guided excimer laser for corneal sculpting provides superior safety and vision.

"NASA's approval is further evidence that today's LASIK exceeds all established standards of safety and effectiveness," said Steven Schallhorn, M.D., retired captain of the U.S. Navy, investigator in multiple studies involving use of LASIK and other refractive surgeries for treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, and Medical Director for Optical Express.

The information from this blog is directly from www.usaeyes.org/lasik/library/nasa-lasik.htm

CustomVue Wavefront Technology Can Significantly Improve Your Night Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:13:00 +0000

Those of you who love the idea of ditching the glasses or contact lenses by way of LASIK surgery but hate the possibility of experiencing night-time issues such as glare and halos, should very much consider Custom LASIK with Wavefront Technology. The computer-generated three dimensional mapping of your corneas with CustomVue Wavefront scanning can reduce the chances of any long term glare and halo issues. By taking into account the higher order aberrations - or subtle abnormalities - on one's corneas, the CustomVue technology can very precisely smooth the inner portion of the cornea into the peripheral area, thus alleviating any ridged areas that could potentially allow light to reflect and scatter between these ridged points. Custom Wavefront Technology improves the quality of your vision after LASIK, especially at night.

Joey Swanson
Refractive Surgery Consultant
303.393.0347

Monovision: An Option To Reading Glasses

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 21:02:00 +0000

With Monovision or monofit, one eye is set with the Laser to focus at distance and the other eye is set to focus at near. Monovision is a very popular and effective Laser Vision Correction option at our office. Dr. Levinson himself has his vision set like this and he performs LASIK and cataract surgery without the use of glasses. If you are over the age of 40 and considering LASIK, Dr. Levinson strongly encourages you to understand the option of monovision. Please call for a free consultation if you would like to discuss this option with Dr. Levinson.

Joey Swanson
Refractive Surgery Consultant
303-393-0347

Glaucoma Patient Has 20/20 Vision!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 18:27:00 +0000

One month after the initial PRK procedure our glaucoma patient's vision is now at 20/20 with no complications. As you recall, Dr. Levinson had to experiment with the glaucoma eye drops and post PRK eye drops to take in to account proper healing of the PRK while not surrendering the patients well being concerning glaucoma. The pressure in the eyes did fluctuate during the past month but is now stable and normal. The patient does not complain of any haze or dryness, post surgery.

Joey Swanson
Refractive Surgery Consultant
303.393.0347

Surgeons' Varied Opinions Lead to Confusion

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:47:00 +0000

When researching Laser Vision Correction we think it is important and useful to visit several area LASIK surgeons before making your final decision. Many times opinions vary from doctor to doctor. These varying opinions inevitably can lead to confusion and hesitation. There is no reason for these conflicting reports considering the outstanding outcomes and many quality LASIK surgeons in the Denver area. A good LASIK surgeon should not only be able to perform your surgery with outstanding results he should also be able to explain your options in a clear, easy to understand format, with your best interest in mind - not a "cutting edge" procedure with little proof of long-term stability.

Joey Swanson
Refractive Surgery Consultant
303.393.0347

Use your Flexible Spending Account to Save on LASIK!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:20:00 +0000

Pre-taxed dollars are a great way to pay for Laser Vision Correction. And now is the time of year when most employers require their employees to declare pre-tax dollar amounts for the upcoming year. Here, at our office, we are already starting to see the beginning of flex account patients coming in for initial consultations to confirm that they are indeed good LASIK candidates and to get an exact dollar amount to set aside. We recommend finding out if you are a LASIK candidate before declaring an exact dollar amount so there is no chance of losing your flex money. Remember, if you set aside the money and you’re not a candidate, you may lose your hard earned money.

Joey Swanson
Refractive Surgery Consultant
303.393.0347

Successful PRK on Glaucoma Patient

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 19:13:00 +0000

Thursday, Sept. 14th Dr. Levinson performed successful PRK surgery on a patient who has glaucoma. The patient is a 36 year-old male. He is actually a LASIK candidate, but Dr. Levinson decided on PRK to reduce the amount of pressure placed on the eyes during surgery. Because of the eye drops needed for glaucoma the patient has experienced some dryness in the eyes post surgery. To alleviate the dryness, Dr. Levinson has altered the usage of some of his glaucoma drops for a short period of time. In addition, the patient has had the tear ducts in both eyes plugged while the PRK heals. Overall, the patient has had more follow-up exams than a non-glaucoma, PRK patient would have, but only as precaution and to monitor eye dryness. To anyone with glaucoma thinking about having refractive surgery done, it can be performed successfully, but it is important to find a well experienced surgeon. Also, when looking for a LASIK/PRK surgeon it makes sense to find a place that includes all follow-up exams for the simple reason you may need additional care that could become expensive, if paying for each visit.

Joey Swanson
Refractive Surgery Consultant
303.393.0347

LASIK Is Affordable With ZERO Down and O% Interest For Up To 18 Months!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 17:48:00 +0000

Often times potential Laser Vision Correction patients believe they have more desire and want for Laser Vision Correction then they actually have the means for. At first glance, this attitude can be understood, with average costs ranging between $3,500 and $4,200 for both eyes. However, a closer, more in-depth analysis of price can reveal a far more affordable situation. The easiest way to create a more realistic scenario on life-enhancing Laser Vision Correction is to apply for LASIK financing.
While it is a wonderful feeling to be able to pay for services outright, it is just not possible many times. Here, at Dr. Levinson's office, we encounter many deserving patients of Laser Vision Correction each day who budget and plan accordingly, in an effort to afford such a wonderful procedure. Their solution, often times, is financing with Vision Fee Plan. Because of Dr. Levinson's preferred surgeon status, Vision Fee Plan offers his patients the option of its 18 month, no interest, financing plan. Now, a once unattainable procedure becomes much more realistic with affordable payments.

PRK; An Option For Non-LASIK Candidates

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Levinson) — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 18:33:00 +0000

It seems there have been quite a few PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) procedures at our office over the last month or two. I find often times our patients or patients-to-be believe PRK is outdated, as well as the technology associated with this procedure. In fact, this is not true. To this day, PRK provides patients outstanding results that are achieved with less risk than with the now, more popular, LASIK. In the past, the down side with PRK was the amount of time required to recover and the level of discomfort associated with the procedure. However, over the past several months - with the help of medicated eye drops and Tylenol with codeine - discomfort levels have been very tolerable, according to some of our more recent patients. PRK is a fantastic procedure for correcting refractive errors, with state-of-the-art custom-wavefront technology available. In addition, it can allow patients who are not LASIK candidates (corneas too thin or past retinal detachments) to experience life without correction as well. For more informtation visit http://www.levinsoneyeclinic.com/prefaq.htm#q1.

Welcome to Dr. Levinson's Blog

noreply@blogger.com (CrystalY) — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 20:18:00 +0000

Check back here frequently for Dr. Levinson's insights and observations regarding LASIK and other ophthalmic matters. He will answer questions and share news about laser vision correction as it becomes available. In the meantime, please refer to our LASIK faq's.