More and more people are trashing their glasses and turning to laser eye surgery for a new view on things. But is laser eye surgery right for everyone? How do you know if you're a good candidate?
Below, ophthalmologist Dr. Julius Shulman sheds some light on the topic.
What kind of vision problems can be treated with these new techniques?
Most vision problems can be treated, such as myopia, which is nearsightedness, hyperopia, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The laser companies first went after myopia because that's the most prevalent, then astigmatism, and now we can treat hyperopia, so the whole gamut of vision problems is covered.
What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is when light does not fall to a point; It's a refractive error which results in everything being blurred, near and far, as opposed to farsighted or nearsighted. So astigmatism is combination of the two.
What are some alternatives to laser treatment?
Well, the obvious alternative is glasses. Contact lenses now can correct almost all refractive errors: myopia, and even astigmatism. Bifocal soft contact lenses and gas permeable lenses are available. And most people probably will have tried contact lenses and certainly glasses before they come to laser eye surgery.
What are some of the negatives of using either glasses or contacts to treat a vision problem?
Glasses are fine up to a point. After you become extremely nearsighted or farsighted, many people feel handicapped.
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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