Nearsightedness otherwise known as myopia means a person experiences blurred vision when attempting to see objects far from them. The condition happens when the eyeball itself becomes elongated or the cornea (the clear front cover of the eye) itself elongates. This results in too much curvature so when the light passes through it does not converge correctly resulting in blurred vision. In the United States it occurs in about 30% of Americans. When distance charts are read nearsightedness becomes identified when visual acuity lists as 20/40. The top part of the fraction correlates to the number of feet the letter becomes clearly identified. The bottom number of the fraction tells the smallest letter size read.
Treatments for Nearsightedness
Most people begin with prescriptive eyeglasses to correct myopia. As anyone knows from using eyeglasses it can be rather inconvenient and the more active one is the more inconvenient it can become. Contact lenses have been another option to correct nearsightedness. The expense of maintenance with the liquid solutions and the contact lens prescription itself can become expensive. Therapy for the eyes for people with stress related nearsightedness takes care of the issue quite well when it is a temporary condition. Refractive surgery procedures such as LASIK takes care of the condition for years successfully for more permanent conditions.
The Best Option
According to the FDA and the American Ophthalmology Society LASIK eye laser surgery has been deemed the best procedure to correct nearsightedness particularly if it is mild to moderate. Patients who have 6 diopters (a unit of measure or refractive power of the lens itself) the surgery gave 20/20 vision around 72% of the time. Then 96% of the time gave 20/40 vision or better. Patients whose diopters measured 6 to 12 diopters having LASIK surgery found that around 64% had 20/20 vision or better. Moving up to the 20/40 vision range the figure lists around 94%.
How to Decide
If a patient wants to improve their nearsightedness they should consider all the options. Sugarland Eye & Laser Center in Houston offers counseling from its staff and consultations from its doctors. Though LASIK has been deemed the best, other procedures exist that may be the best option for that particular patient such as radial keratotomy, corneal ring implant, PRK, epi-LASIK, and intraocular lens implants. The only way to truly decide is to talk to the doctor about laser eye surgery risks, benefits, and probabilities of correction for that patient’s particular nearsightedness.
Cost
Many times insurances classify LASIK as a cosmetic procedure so a patient need to talk to their insurance agency about payment. Many doctors who perform LASIK offer a series of payment plans to cover the cost. The cost varies by clinic, but be aware to get the best outcome of the procedure is dependent upon the skill and knowledge of the doctor doing it. Reputable clinics like Sugarland Eye and Laser Center do consultations first before proceeding. Not all patients are a candidate for the surgery. Do your research. Talk to your chosen physician. Then enjoy the benefits of good eyesight.
Sugarland Eye & Laser Center leads in providing premium LASIK technologies to Houston, Sugar Land, and the surrounding region. The center’s award-winning medical director introduced revolutionary technologies such as iLASIK to the region. This technology is used by NASA astronauts, Navy SEALS and Air Force fighter pilots. At Sugar Land Eye & Laser Center, you can now receive the same treatment. For more information, please call (281) 240-0478.
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