KaChoo! Is it a Cold or the Flu?

You know the feeling. It starts with a slight tickle in your throat, or the feeling that something “isn’t quite right.” Then…boom! You’re sick.

But how do you know if you have a common cold or the full-blown flu?

The flu typically comes on fast, while a cold can start slowly and gradually become worse. The symptoms of each condition are different, too.

Cold Symptoms

• Nasal congestion
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Itchy throat
• Fatigue
• Mild cough

A cold typically lasts about three days, but congestion may continue a week or more. Sometimes cold complications develop, which can lead to sinus infections, bronchitis, ear infections or asthma attacks.

Flu Symptoms

• High fever
• Extreme muscle aching over your entire body
• Major fatigue
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nasal discharge
• Dry cough
• Vomiting or stomach pain (in children)

Flu symptoms can last one to two weeks. Flu complications can lead to pneumonia, dehydration, sinus infections, ear infections, hospitalization or even death.

Whether you have the cold or flu, these illnesses can wipe you out and zap your strength. When you are sick, the last thing you want to worry about is fumbling for glasses to read medication bottles or make your way to the restroom in the middle of the night. Successful LASIK vision correction in Richmond can help to minimize – or even eliminate – those added discomforts when you are ill. LASIK works by using a laser to correct your specific refractive error that causes blurry vision at near, distant or all vision distances. If you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism in Richmond, LASIK might be right for you. 

It is estimated that between 5% - 20% of people in the United States get the flu every year, and it’s safe to say that a large majority of those people wear corrective lenses. Flu season starts in the fall and really gains strength in January and February. But this pesky virus can continue wreaking havoc well into the spring months.

The flu is spread when flu germ droplets land on you via coughs, sneezes or by touching a surface that is laced with the virus. These germ droplets can be anywhere: on shopping cart handles, school desks, phones, books, door handles, etc. The flu virus can live on hard surfaces up to eight hours! To minimize your risk of getting the flu, keep your distance from people who are sick, frequently wash your hands and avoid touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

Your best defense against the flu? Get a flu vaccine! Seasonal flu vaccines work by causing antibodies to grow in the body two weeks after vaccination. This year’s vaccines protect against three types of viruses. The type of protection included in each year’s vaccination is different to keep up with the changing flu viruses. The flu vaccine is available as a flu shot or as a nasal spray. 

Your best defense against blurry vision caused by a refractive error? Get LASIK in Richmond at Lipstock! Our LASIK technology helps most patients achieve 20/20 vision, but the procedure is not right for everyone. Dr. Lipstock can determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK through a comprehensive eye exam.

Contact Lipstock LASIK & Cataract center today to schedule a free LASIK Consultation…before flu season knocks you down. You can call 804-288-1543 or schedule an appointment anytime day or night by visiting lipstocklaser.com.

Will Glasses Stand the Test of Time?

Popular Mechanics recently published an online article titled “10 Things That Will Disappear in the Next 110 Years.” We thought we would share that list with you:

1. Eyeglasses
2. Video game consoles
3. Postage stamps
4. C batteries
5. Keys
6. Snow tires
7. Telephone poles
8. Band-Aids
9. Wallets
10. Flathead screwdrivers

The article didn’t go into any specifics on why the publication’s editors felt these items would no longer be relevant. However, at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center we can take a guess at one reason why the #1 item on the list might phase out: LASIK vision correction. LASIK is already helping thousands of people in our area eliminate their need for glasses or contacts. It’s a laser procedure that corrects vision for people who are nearsighted, farsighted or who have astigmatism, but it’s not for everyone. If a patient’s corneas are too thin or if other eye problems exist, an alternative to LASIK may be recommended. The only way to know for sure if LASIK might reduce or eliminate your need for eyeglasses is to schedule a free LASIK Consultation at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center by calling 804-288-1543 or visiting lipstocklaser.com.

It’s possible that no one reading this blog will know for sure if all of these 10 things will be gone in 110 years. But it’s going to be interesting to see what the future holds for all types of technology, including vision correction.

Things You Can't Do With Glasses

Take Steps to Achieve Your (Vision) Dreams

What are your dreams? Most of us have one or more personal aspirations. The Dream Come True Foundation has designated January 13, 2014 as National Make Your Dream Come True Day. So, rather than listing nebulous New Year’s resolutions this year, use January 13 to actually take steps to make those dreams a reality.

Improving vision is often a dream for individuals who have to wear glasses or contacts. When you are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, seeing the world clearly without the aid of vision correction devices may seem like an unobtainable goal.

However, at Lipstock Laser & Cataract Center, we have helped thousands of people achieve their dream of 20/20 vision and visual freedom through LASIK vision correction. The problem is that many people leave LASIK in the “dream” category, without ever truly investigating if they can afford LASIK and if the procedure will work for their eyes.

January 13 is the perfect day to schedule a free LASIK Consultation and really take that first step. Dr. Lipstock offers free LASIK Consultations to determine your LASIK candidacy, discuss LASIK financing options and answer all of your questions about LASIK.

Contact us today to make your vision dream a reality! Call 804-288-1543 or visit lipstocklaser.com. 

How Does LASIK Correct Myopia?

Myopia, also called nearsightedness, is a vision condition that affects approximately 30% of people in the United States. This condition makes it difficult to see objects that are far away, so corrective lenses are often prescribed to see things like white boards/SMART boards in school, televisions, movie screens or road conditions when driving.

Distant objects are difficult to see is because light is not focusing properly on the back of the eye (the retina); the cornea is too steep or the eye is too long. Light ends up focusing in front of the retina so distant objects appear blurry.

LASIK eye surgery corrects myopia by reshaping the inner layers of the cornea so light will focus on the right spot on the retina. Only a microscopic amount of tissue is reshaped using a laser, but the results can be amazing. In fact, many people achieve 20/20 vision (or better) after LASIK vision correction.

If you are nearsighted and are tired of wearing corrective lenses, look into LASIK today by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation at Lipstock LASIK & Cataract Center. This Consultation will tell you if your cornea is thick enough to support this procedure or if a different procedure would be more appropriate for your eye structure and still give you the results you want. Contact us today at lipstocklaser.com or 804-288-1543. 

Elephant Eyes

      In honor of National Elephant Appreciation Day on September 22, here are some facts about elephant eyes:

• Their eyes are very small, only about 1.5” in diameter
• The location of their eyes on the side of their heads allows for peripheral vision but not depth perception; the trunk creates a large blind spot in their vision
• They have three eyelids: an upper, lower and one that moves vertically for more protection
• Their long eyelashes keep foreign matter out of their eyes
• They have the same visual pigments as humans with red/green color-blindness
• Their range of vision is only about 30 feet - some people might say that elephants are nearsighted!

Because of their poor vision, elephants use their sensitive trunks to navigate. Their poor vision does not hinder their ability to orient themselves, and that’s a good thing since vision correction surgery just isn’t performed on elephants!

It is, however, performed on millions of Americans every year. At Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center, we’ve performed many LASIK vision correction surgeries to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK in Richmond is considered to be one of the safest medical procedures when performed by an experienced surgeon like Dr. Lipstock. Of course, there are risks with any type of surgical procedure, so it’s always advisable to get all of the facts about LASIK before you decide to pursue this popular procedure.

One way to get the facts is by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation at Lipstock LASIK and Cataract Center. You can find out if your eyes have the right characteristics for LASIK and you can get all of your questions about LASIK answered.

So don’t forget to take a minute to appreciate elephants on September 22 (an elephant wouldn’t forget). And, if you’re stuck wearing glasses or contacts, contact us today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation at lipstocklaser.com or 804-288-1543.