In Music, the Eyes Have It

The eyes have been dubbed “the window to the soul.” Maybe that’s why so many eye make-up products are sold and why so many songwriters focus on this expressive facial feature in their music…songs like:

•     Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
•     Doctor My Eyes by Jackson Browne
•     Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol
•     Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue by Crystal Gayle
•     When You Close Your Eyes by Night Ranger
•     Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
•     Private Eyes by Hall and Oates
•     For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton
•     Angel Eyes by the Jeff Healey Band
•     Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson
•     Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain by Willie Nelson

If you’re tired of hiding your eyes behind corrective lenses, you should consider laser vision correction. LASIK eye surgery has allowed millions of Americans to showcase their “baby blues” (and other eye colors, of course) for the world to see.

LASIK eye surgery is performed on people who are nearsighted, farsighted and who have astigmatism. No LASIK surgeon can absolutely guarantee that LASIK will free you from corrective lenses forever, but this popular procedure is very effective for most patients…especially when they choose a surgeon who has extensive experience and a proven track record of success…a surgeon like Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center in Richmond.

If you can think of other “eye” songs, share them with us on our Facebook page facebook.com/LipstockLasik  And be sure to contact us soon at 804-288-1543 or on lipstocklaser.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. 

Scared of LASIK? Get the Facts!

If you’ve been living for years with nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, constantly annoyed with contact lenses and glasses, you’ve undoubtedly heard about how LASIK can improve your vision. You may have even gone so far as having a LASIK consultation to find out that you are, indeed, a good candidate for the procedure. So why haven’t you taken the plunge and had LASIK eye surgery?

Maybe it’s the cost of the procedure (although there are excellent financing options available). But maybe you are apprehensive – scared, even – about having someone perform a procedure on your eyes. It is understandable to have anxiety about LASIK, but consider this: According to the Eye Surgery Education Council, “LASIK vision correction has the highest patient satisfaction rate of any elective surgery: 95.4%, according to a 10-year survey of scientific studies from around the world. And new advances in technology now deliver better outcomes than ever. The majority of patients enjoy 20/20 vision or better after laser vision correction. Nearly all patients achieve 20/40 or better, which is fully functional and good enough to drive legally in most states without corrective lenses.”

Other studies have shown that there are more than 700,000 LASIK procedures performed in the United States every year. Satisfied patients express feelings of amazement because they can see with clarity, first thing in the morning; play sports, swim and travel without worrying about glasses or contacts; and have clear peripheral vision.

LASIK is not something to jump into; you should take time to fully research the LASIK surgeons in your area to determine who offers the best technologies and has the best track record of success. Notice we didn’t mention finding the best price. Advances in LASIK technology have bumped up the cost of LASIK slightly, but the overall results are superior and, according to most who’ve had it, well worth the money.
You should also be fully aware of the potential complications of LASIK, which can include:

·         Dry eye syndrome

·         Possible need for glasses or contact lenses after surgery

·         Potentially debilitating vision problems like glare, starbursts, halos or double vision

·         Vision loss

If you want to find out all the facts about LASIK, contact Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center to schedule a free LASIK consultation at lipstocklaser.com or call 804-288-1543. You can also take a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation on this website.

Researching LASIK Surgeons

You can spend years deciding to improve your vision though LASIK. Research on the Internet and feedback from others who have had similar experiences can aid in your process. However, regardless of how many people you ask about LASIK, without a full LASIK consultation you will never know for sure if you are a good candidate.

The LASIK consultation also allows you to “interview” the surgeon to make sure you are putting the best possible professional in your corner. Below are some questions you should ask your LASIK provider. If he/she cannot or will not give acceptable answers, it is best to continue researching other providers.

LASIK Surgeon Questions

• What professional organizations are you certified by and what organizations to you belong to?
• What specific training do you have in LASIK surgery?
• How many years of LASIK surgery experience do you have?
• How many LASIK procedures have you performed?
• Where do you perform LASIK procedures?
• What are the potential risks and complications of LASIK and how are they handled?
• Does my overall health make me a good candidate for this procedure?
• Do you think LASIK will produce the results I want?
• How much will LASIK cost? Are there any hidden charges? Are there financing options?
• Exactly how will LASIK be performed?
• What type of technologies do you use?
• What do I have to do before, during and after LASIK?
• What will the recovery entail and what kind of external help will I need?  
• What are my options if I am dissatisfied with my surgical outcome?

Armed with this information, you can make an informed decision about improving your vision through LASIK.

Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center offers free LASIK consultations and a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation to take the first step in the LASIK discovery process. To schedule your consultation, visit lipstocklaser.com or call 804-288-1543.

Facts About LASIK Recovery

LASIK eye surgery is amazing technology that can correct a person’s nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism (the refractive errors that cause people to need prescription lenses). You can live your whole life with these refractive errors, find out you are an excellent candidate for LASIK and have the procedure done in just minutes per eye – effectively erasing the vision problems.

For most patients, the recovery period for LASIK is faster than you might think. In fact, you may be able to return to work or other normal activities the day after your procedure.

      LASIK recovery steps may include:

• Wearing dark sunglasses when you leave the office 
• Wearing a protective eye shield the first few nights to prevent rubbing while you sleep 
• Taking eye drops to moisten your eyes 
• Taking antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medication 
• Resting at home for a few hours following your procedure, limiting  reading or television watching 
• Taking over-the-counter pain medications, if needed (although most patients do not experience any pain or discomfort during or after the procedure) 
• Taking a bath instead of a shower for the first 24 hours after the procedure 
• Avoiding rubbing your eyes 
• Avoiding eye makeup for several days 
• Avoiding areas that are dusty or smoky for several days 
• Avoiding alcohol consumption for 48 hours after surgery 
• Returning to your LASIK provider for a post-op appointment the day after your procedure

Because your eyes will need to relax, you cannot drive yourself home after LASIK, but you should be able to drive yourself to your post-op appointment the following day. The post-op appointment will identify any complications, such as infection, so it is important to keep your scheduled appointment to ensure your LASIK is successful.

      As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with LASIK, including:

• Mild, moderate or severe dry eye 
• Vision problems, such as halos, glare, starbursts and double vision 
• Need for glasses or contacts after surgery 
• Loss of vision

With or without LASIK surgery, many people develop presbyopia (or the need for reading glasses) as they grow older.

To learn more about LASIK recovery and all the facts about LASIK, contact Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center to schedule a free LASIK consultation at lipstocklaser.com or call 804-288-1543. You can also take a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation.

Reasons for a LASIK Consultation

More than 14 million Americans have had LASIK eye surgery to correct their nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Although this procedure is typically very safe and effective, it is still important to make sure you have all of the facts about LASIK, be 100% confident in the abilities of your surgeon and have the right eye conditions for LASIK. The only way to do this is through a face-to-face LASIK consultation.

Most LASIK surgeons provide free consultations to help you determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK. This is a two-way street; you must be completely honest with the surgeon in explaining your vision expectations and your medical history. You can also determine if you feel a good rapport with the surgeon. First impressions go a long way.

During the consultation you can also discuss:

• The surgeon’s qualifications (you can ask for patient referrals)
• Your overall health and lifestyle choices
• Your vision correction options (these may be different than what you expected)
• What to expect before, during and after LASIK
• Potential risks and complications of LASIK
• How much LASIK will cost and what type of financing options exist

Referrals from family members, coworker or friends are beneficial when researching vision correction procedures like LASIK; however, this is not a decision to make lightly. Choose the surgeon that feels right for you.

Dr. Lipstock at Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center offers free LASIK consultations and a free online LASIKSelf-Evaluation to take the first step in the LASIK discovery process. To schedule your consultation, visit lipstocklaser.com or call 804-288-1543.

Why Your Surgeon Needs to be Local-Part 2

Corporate medicine has its benefits and its downfalls. In regards to the refractive surgery field, there are more downfalls to a corporate practice than there are benefits. Last week we discussed the difference between the doctors at each type of practice. This week, let’s look at the services offered.

The Right Procedure for Your Eyes

Another big difference between local and corporate owned practices are the services they offer. When a corporate practice is set up, it’s one of hundreds, maybe thousands of locations. In order to keep control over the brand name, these practices only offer a very small number of services, sometimes just LASIK and nothing else. Performing LASIK on patients that are not excellent candidates increases the likelihood of side-effects and less than optimal outcomes.

By providing only one service, the headquarters can ensure that each practice is exactly the same, offering the same service, providing the same website, and the same marketing and advertising collateral. They also don’t have to worry too much about training doctors who don’t know anything other than LASIK. This brings the cost of operation down for them and allows the board of directors to earn more money.

All of this is quite the opposite for a local doctor and local practice. The doctor (or a small group of local doctors) decides to open up a practice in order to improve the eye health of the community. The doctor will spend his/her own money because they know they can provide excellent eyesight to their patients. They are vested in their community because they know the people and they care about them.

These doctors will offer different types of services because they know that the best care that can be provided isn’t through one single solution. LASIK isn’t the best procedure for someone with very thin corneas. A patient with this issue may be better suited for PRK. Some patients may not be suited for laser vision correction at all. If this is the case, there are other options but usually only provided by a local ophthalmologist.

A local ophthalmologist can decide which procedures to offer his/her patients. They will be the one responsible for your treatment and follow-up care and they wouldn’t provide anything less just to earn a dollar. They are held accountable by their patients, not a board of directors looking to make a profit.

This all points to a new consideration on your quest for excellent vision:

Would you rather have vision correction performed on you that may not be right, but it’s all the practice offers? Or would you want to be fully examined by the surgeon performing your procedure who can offer other proven procedures that may actually be better for the health of your eyes?

Check back in next week when we continue this topic and discuss Technology.

LASIK & Your Astigmatism

Many people hear that they have astigmatism and it means almost nothing to them except the fact that they cannot see well. Astigmatism is a little harder to correct than just simple nearsightedness or farsightedness. Glasses and contacts may help, but only while you are wearing them.

What is Astigmatism?

Your eyeball is a round sphere. When you are looking at something, your eye detects the light reflected off of the object. This light enters your eye through the cornea, where it is then refracted onto the retina. The retina then sends images to your brain.

If your cornea is not a perfect circle shape, it can distort the light and make it so the light does not reach the retina accurately.

For someone who has astigmatism, their cornea is slight oblong, or shaped more like a football. This results in the person seeing images as extremely blurry.

Can LASIK correct astigmatism?

Many optometrists, or eye doctors, tell their patients that LASIK cannot correct astigmatism. This is untrue.

LASIK CAN correct astigmatism.

However, in order to be 100% sure that LASIK can correct your personal degree of astigmatism, you must have a LASIK exam. It’s the only true way to find out if LASIK can help.

How LASIK Corrects Astigmatism

An ophthalmologist, or eye surgeon, can correct astigmatism with a LASIK laser. The laser will reshape the cornea into a round shape, thus allowing light to accurately refract directly on the retina.

Our LASIK patients are amazed that as soon as the surgery is over, they can see more clearly than they ever have before. The correction with LASIK is fast and permanent. You’ll be able to see clearly right away.

We encourage everyone to participate in our Free LASIK Consultation. Without any obligations, you can find out if you are a candidate, regardless of your degree of astigmatism, and then you can decide if you would like to further pursue the question of “Should you have LASIK?”

Schedule online today!