
Millions of people suffer from refractive errors that prevent them from doing everyday things without difficulty. Those who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism must like to know how nice it would be to wake up, play sports and swim without having to worry about breaking or chipping glass or struggling with contracts. Having to worry about glasses and or contacts can be hassle especially in summer time when one would like to go swimming but getting water in the eyes might be painful with contacts or cause dry eyes. If one suffers from a curved cornea which results in blurry vision and is unhappy with contacts and glasses he or she should consider having
Lasik.
The Lasik is an outpatient procedure that is often referred to as simple and fast. During Lasik a
Los Angeles eye surgeon will reshape the cornea with a laser. The cornea is the transparent tissue that covers the colored part of the eye the pupil and the dark part in the center of the eye. The cornea is a clear and smooth glass as tough and durable as plastic. The procedure generally takes about fifteen to thirty minutes. Numbing drops are placed inside the eye, so while some patients complain of an uncomfortable feeling others feel nothing but pressure on the eye. Reshaping the cornea results in improved vision, in fact over ninety percent of Lasik patients realize somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40 vision after surgery.
In order to consider having
laser eye surgery the patient must be eighteen years or older, is in good overall health, have had a stable vision prescription for at least a year, have no eye disease, sufficient corneal thickness, and has available down time. Although Lasik eye surgery is referred to as simple and easy one must be a fully qualifying candidate to obtain minimal risk and have the best possible results. When undergoing any surgery one should be aware of all the possible side affects. After surgery the patient may be asked to wear a transparent eye shield to prevent rubbing. When it comes to
laser vision correction Los Angeles surgery side affects are not permanent and generally only last two to three days. For Lasik eye surgery the ESEC places serious vision threatening problems at less than one percent. Other side affects that can be cured with medication include eye infection, chronic dry eye and Lasik cornea flap problems. After surgery some patients complain of blurry vision, dry eyes, discomfort or pain, pink or red patches on the white of the eye, ghost vision, star burst around light and scratchiness. These side affects generally disappear with the healing process; however, if the symptoms persist a second surgery may be required but is rare.

Many studies have shown that visual impairment can have far-reaching consequences on an individual’s employment, socioeconomic status and general health. Until recently, however, the effects of prenatal and childhood biological and sociologic factors on adult vision were poorly understood.
A recent study by Rahi et al from University College London, United Kingdom, investigated whether adult visual function is influenced by early life biological and social factors. The authors found that specific determinants can have a marked effect on the eventual manifestation of adult visual impairment. Those determinants include low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, maternal smoking during pregnancy and certain markers of socioeconomic deprivation in childhood.
The population-based study gathered data from 9330 individuals from the 1958 British birth cohort. This unique database contains health information regarding every person born in Britain within a single week in 1958. In this vision study, the authors selected participants for whom medical information was available from medical examinations conducted from birth to middle age.
Study participants were examined at age 44 or 45 years for near, distance and stereo visual acuity. Examination results indicated the following:
1.3% had visual deficits that prevented them from passing a driving test and were defined as having socially significant visual impairment.
0.9% of the study participants had severe visual impairment or blindness. Logistic regression and other methods were used to determine the relationships among vision functions, early-life influences, and health and social outcomes in middle age. The study’s authors said that the statistically significant results were repeated for all causes and levels of visual impairment.
Interestingly, the authors noted that the same early-life factors that appear to affect adult vision also correlate with other diseases and conditions, such as hypertension, as noted in other health studies. Because visual impairment can be devastating to an adult’s lifestyle and overall health, researchers said the findings are especially important and may lead to future studies to determine prevention strategies, as well as aid in early diagnosis of these conditions by better determining which young children might be at greatest risk. By identifying risk factors early, researchers hope to improve the eventual quality of life these individuals will experience when they reach adulthood.
In order to ensure that ones eyes are healthy He or she should see a leading Los Angeles Ophthalmologist, Dr.
Andrew Caster runs a successful ophthalmology practice in Los Angeles. He is also a well known
Los Angles Lasik Surgeon. If one is interested in the health of their eyes or needs more information about what
laser vision correction Los Angeles procedures are available for ones condition please
Andrew Caster MD.

Dr.
Andrew Caster would like to inform people about age-related macular degeneration. (AMD) Age related macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of blindness in adults in the United States, affecting more than 1.75 million Americans. While some risk factors for AMD, such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension, are well known, recent studies indicate that smoking appears to have a significant impact on an individual’s chances of developing the condition.
In an editorial, the BMJ (British Medical Journal) cited studies finding that greater than 25% of all cases of AMD with visual impairment or blindness can be attributed to current or past smoking exposure, making it the leading modifiable risk factor for the condition.The editorial considered multiple studies conducted worldwide that evaluated the correlation between smoking habits and the eventual development of AMD, which involves degradation and eventual loss of central vision.
Treatment of AMD remains limited. Identifying and eliminating or reducing risk factors is currently the primary mode of prevention.
The analysis focused on data collected from 12,468 patients in 3 cross-sectional studies that indicated current smokers were 3-4x more likely to develop AMD as were men and women who had never smoked. By comparison, smokers are 1.6x as likely to develop ischemic heart disease as nonsmokers -- about half the risk or less of developing AMD – although the association between ischemic heart disease and smoking is much more recognized.
In three additional and separate studies of AMD in smokers and non-smokers in North America, Australia and Europe, smoking emerged as the strongest environmental risk factor for developing the condition. Studies also revealed that smokers developed AMD about a decade earlier than nonsmokers.
The good news: Smoking cessation appears to have a positive effect, decreasing the risk of developing AMD over time. Despite the clear evidence supporting the correlation between smoking and the risk of AMD, the researchers also noted that public awareness of the link is lacking and added that physicians and other health-care professionals are in a prime positions to educate patients about the very real vision-related risks of smoking and visual impairment.
Andrew Caster MD agrees that one should be aware of how other behaviors may harm the vision. Staying cautious and keeping healthy habits may benefits ones eyesight or better their chances of being a candidate for
Lasik or other
laser vision correction Beverly Hills Procedures.

Lasik has an incredibly high success rate, and many more people opt to have Lasik every year. Even in this bad economy the price of Lasik goes up more every year. Some people may fear having a surgeon poke and proud in ones eyes but the fact is that surgery is known to last twenty minutes at most. Besides the procedure being very short most patients and surgeons agree that the only thing felt during the surgery is a bit of pressure on the eye as if someone was pushing down on their eye. During the surgery the surgeon will add numbing drops to the eye and have it held open with two prong like devices and it should be more or less painless, however doctor
Andrew caster MD says patients complain of feeling a bit of an uncomfortable feeling but generally no pain and the procedure is always done faster than the patient expected. Apart from
Lasik being a very simple surgery with minimal risk because of new technology it also has great benefits including:
- Freedom- Studies have shown that most Laser vision correction Beverly Hills patients have 20/20 to 20/40 vision, this is enough to eliminate the worry of losing or breaking glasses and having to fill expensive contact prescriptions. Although Lasik is a costly option after some time of filling contact prescriptions the amount of money spent is the same. One does not have to worry about things like swimming or golfing with the worry of glasses or contact there eyes will be free and clear.
- Immediate results- Most patients can see a vast amount of difference in their eyesight immediately following surgery. The patients eyesight will continue to improve every day as they heal.
- Quick procedure-As I mentioned above the procedure is safe and quick. Most surgeons say it last the duration of fifteen minutes.
- Improved confidence- Many Beverly Hills Lasik patients say after their Lasik surgery they experience everything feeling a completely new away about it. Surveys and research have shown that seeing clearly can make a person more outgoing and comfortable in social situations boosting their confidence levels.
Lasik is not the only laser vision correction procedure that can have great results. Some may not qualify for Lasik due to weak and fragile corneas or extreme dry eyes and for those there are other procedures that can be done for the same great results. If one is not candidate to have a laser correction procedure he or she should look into implantable contacts, which also has a great success rates and several benefits.
Your eyes are your windows to the world. But to your eye doctor they're also windows to your overall health.
"The eyes are one of the body's most amazing organs. They reveal a great deal to an eye doctor who not only can detect early signs of cataract and macular degeneration but symptoms of hypertension, diabetes, stroke, high cholesterol and even multiple sclerosis," says Dr. Farid Eghbali, associate doctor at the Maloney Vision Institute, the premier Los Angeles laser eye surgery center.
Even if your vision is excellent or you've had vision correction surgery such as Los Angeles LASIK, a comprehensive eye exam once a year is recommended strongly, especially for adults, for early detection of both eye diseases and other health problems, Dr. Eghbali said.
What is a comprehensive eye exam and what can it reveal?
To begin with, said Dr. Eghbali, "The doctor will thoroughly review your family and personal health history. Your eyes will be tested to determine how clearly you see. Your eye pressure and field of vision will be tested to diagnose glaucoma. After your eyes have been dilated, we will be able to look inside your eyes for signs of a wide range of health problems."
For example, he said, approximately 16 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Additionally, nearly 5 million are unaware they have diabetes which goes undiagnosed.
Vision loss leading to blindness occurs in as many as 24,000 diabetic patients every year. Visual impairment does not develop until the disease has advanced into its later stages. At this point, not even surgical vision correction Los Angeles can reverse vision loss. People with diabetes are 25 times more likely to become blind than are people without diabetes. However early signs of diabetic eye disease can be readily seen with an annual dilated pupil eye examination.
Not only is diabetic eye disease easily detected through an annual dilated eye examination but, when discovered in time, severe vision loss or blindness can be prevented. Diabetes also increases the risk of glaucoma, which has no warning signs, by 300 percent. Having regular eye examinations and being aware of the risk is among the best preventive measures you can take, Dr. Eghbali said.
If you need a recommendation of a general eye doctor or a Los Angeles LASIK surgeon in your area please visit our website at www.maloneyvision.com for the list of our affiliated doctors or call us at 310-208-3937.
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