Possible Cause for High-Grade Nearsightedness Discovered

A recent study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics has identified gene mutations associated with severe, high-grade myopia (nearsightedness). Researchers at Duke Medicine found these mutations in the SCO2 gene that metabolizes copper, which is important to regulate oxygen levels in eye tissue. When there is too much oxygen, the eye’s development can be altered.

"This is the first time a gene mutation for autosomal dominant nonsyndromic high-grade myopia in Caucasians has been discovered," said senior author Terri Young, M.D., MBA, professor of ophthalmology, pediatrics and medicine at the Duke Eye Center, Duke Center for Human Genetics and the Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS). "Our findings reflect the hard work and collaboration of our international research team."

"Our findings, plus information from the literature, suggest that copper deficiency could predispose people to develop myopia," Young said. "While this wasn't directly tested in this study, it's possible that our diets - which are deficient in a number of minerals and vitamins - play a role, and it may be something as easy as taking a supplement with copper that helps thwart the development of myopia."

Other factors besides gene mutations are likely responsible for myopia development. Additional myopia research will continue.

Nearsightedness is one vision condition that is often corrected through LASIK eye surgery. However, laser vision correction is not appropriate for all patients who have myopia, especially high-grade. The FDA has approved certain lasers to treat varying levels of myopia, even up to -.12 diopters; however, some doctors may recommend a different type of procedure for patients who don’t meet the right vision requirements.

If you have any degree of nearsightedness and would like to know if you are a good candidate for LASIK, contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center in Richmond to schedule a LASIK Consultation: 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com.

Another Reason to Get Your Kids Outside

Getting your kids to play outside may not only help prevent obesity…it may also be beneficial for their eye health.  According to two studies done in Taiwan and Denmark, spending more time outdoors may help minimize or prevent nearsightedness (myopia) in children. The full research was published in the May issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Genetics are often responsible for the development of myopia in children, but these studies have shown that the environment may also play a factor. According to Medical News Today, nearsightedness has increased in the United States by more than 65% since 1970, and researchers are studying why this condition is increasing so rapidly in the U.S. as well as in other countries.

The Taiwan study compared students who were required to spend 80 minutes of recess outdoors per day versus students who were not. Those who were required to play outdoors had fewer instances of myopia. In the Danish study, students’ axial eye length was tested for students in seven different groups with varying access to daylight hours. (When the axial eye length becomes longer, myopia worsens.) The children who experienced less daylight had larger axial eye growth than those exposed to more daylight.

Nearsightedness is one condition that can be corrected by LASIK eye surgery in adults. At Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center, we would rather help patients prevent nearsightedness, if possible, but we are also focused on helping adult patients correct their vision problems through LASIK.

If you are nearsighted and would like to see if LASIK could correct your vision, contact Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center today at 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation in Richmond.  

Give Dad the Chance at Better Vision

Father’s Day is June 16 this year. Your good ‘ole dad probably has dozens of neckties, fishing lures and golf pants in his closet, so why not give him a gift that may help him view his work and play in a whole new light?

LASIK eye surgery has given millions of Americans the freedom from wearing contacts and glasses to correct their nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. And while LASIK doesn’t always produce the exact same results for every patient, advanced LASIK technology has made this procedure a possibility for more people than ever. No LASIK center can absolutely guarantee 20/20 vision after LASIK, but many patients do experience these types of results.

Of course, you can’t just go out and buy LASIK for dad, or even yourself for that matter, without first having a LASIK Consultation. An eye surgeon must evaluate a patient’s health first to make sure he or she is a good candidate for the procedure. The surgeon will look at the thickness of the cornea, perform corneal mapping, tear film and pupil size evaluation and assess the patient’s overall medical health.

What you can do is schedule a LASIK Consultation for dad with us at Lipstock LASIK and Catarct Center in Richmond. Dad may need a bit of a push to pursue vision correction, and Father’s Day could be the perfect opportunity. We’ll take good care of him – we promise!

If you think your dad might benefit from LASIK eye surgery, contact us today at 804-288-1543 or lipstocklaser.com to schedule his LASIK Consultation. If he’s approved for the procedure, we have LASIK financing options to help make LASIK affordable for virtually any budget.

Cool Facts About Dolphin Eyes Part 3

“A dolphin’s pupil has a type of built-in shade. When our eyes are exposed to light, our pupils get smaller to let less light in. Dolphins have a kind of lid, called an operculum, that slides down to cover most of the pupil when it is bright. It almost looks like two pupils when this ‘lid’ comes down.”

-          Joy Clausen Soto, Senior Dolphin Trainer at SeaWorld

Humans don’t have instant shades on our eyes. We have to wear sunglasses to protect our eyes from the harsh sun. When you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, it’s often necessary for you to purchase expensive prescription sunglasses to be able to see in sunlight.

LASIK has allowed millions of Americans to expand their sunglasses collections with a multitude of cheap sunglasses by correcting their refractive errors.

In a LASIK procedure, a surgeon creates a thin flap on the cornea that is peeled back to allow access to the underlying corneal tissue. This can be done using a microkeratome or femtosecond laser. Once the flap has been created, an excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea (correct the refractive error) so it can properly focus light on the retina (the back of the eye). This is the actual vision correction step in the procedure. Once the cornea is reshaped, the flap is put back into place so it can heal. The entire procedure only takes minutes per eye.

Like any surgical procedure, LASIK does carry risks. You should always have an open discussion about all of the risks of LASIK with your surgeon before you make any decisions to move forward with the procedure. You should also remember that even if you have 20/20 vision, it’s still important to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. You’re not a dolphin, after all!

Find out if cheap sunglasses might be in your future. Contact Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center in Richmond to schedule a LASIK Consultation and see if you’re a good candidate for LASIK. Call 804-288-1543 or visit lipstocklaser.com today.