By Dr. David A. Goldman

Dr. David A. Goldman is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and available for consultation on LASIK, cataract, and corneal and external diseases at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at Palm Beach Gardens.

Wouldn't you love to experience life free from contact lenses and eyeglasses?

Imagine seeing near, far and everywhere in between without relying on your contact lenses or glasses.

Vision correction has come a long way and the number of options available grows with advancing technology, which is great news for those who have been told that they were not candidates. People are now being treated who, as recently as a year ago, were not suitable candidates.

Seeing Beyond 20/20

Your vision can now be treated with a wide range of surgical techniques that may improve vision beyond the 20/20 benchmark. For example:

• Custom LASIK uses wavefront technology to produce amazing results that affect your ability to see fine details improving the vision you may have had with glasses. It builds on traditional LASIK, which can achieve the results you get from glasses or contact lenses for nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In clinical studies, 98% of patients who had custom LASIK enjoyed 20/20 vision or better and 70% attained an astounding 20/16 or better.
• Implantable Lenses are now available for those who may not be a candidate for LASIK. Even with the advances of vision correction technology, some people are simply too nearsighted or have corneas too thin to be a LASIK candidate. This no longer means they are ineligible for refractive surgery.

Who may be good candidate for vision correction surgery?

• People over age 18
• Those with no prescription change in glasses or contact lenses for 1-2 years
• Individuals who do not like or cannot tolerate glasses or contact lenses
• Individuals involved in sports or jobs where contact lenses or glasses are inconvenient or interfere, such as firefighting, skiing, tennis, basketball, or water sports

Who is NOT a good candidate for vision correction surgery?

• Patients with corneal diseases or collagen vascular diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or significant problems with wound healing
• Women who are pregnant or nursing

How to get started?

Contact a refractive surgeon who is a board certified ophthalmologist for an evaluation. A complete evaluation will determine if you are a good candidate. Many practices offer free evaluations. During an evaluation, you are given information about the surgery and have the opportunity to have your questions answered. The evaluation is necessary in order to review your general health and that of your eyes, the amount of correction required, and the shape and thickness of your cornea.Since vision correction is permanent surgery, it requires careful consideration, understanding and planning by you and your ophthalmologist.

Source: Health – PalmBeachPost.com