Lasik Surgery Blog

Lasik Surgery Made Available For Low Income Families

The Pepose Vision Institute in St. Louis and the University of Missouri School of Optometry started a program back in 2001 that provided Lasik surgery to low income families. Now the program also includes providing emergency personnel the ability to undergo Lasik surgery.

In total there have been over 188 surgeries performed with the average people chosen are between the ages of 20-55 and make less than $25, 000 per year. However, the income limitation does not apply to emergency personnel.

People chosen to have the surgery are required to pay $70 to cover the beginning examination. While screenings and post surgery care is done at Southern Illinois University’s East St. Louis Center, the surgeries are completed at the Pepose Institute.

However, even though it is popular with emergency personnel, Dr. Mujtaba Qazi stated he hoped that more poor people would take advantage of this offer, in which Lasik surgery typically costs between $3,000-$5,000.

The Gift Of Lasik

Austin, Texas ophthalmologist Dr. Steven Dell is spreading some holiday cheer this year, by giving five needy people the ability to undergo lasik surgery.

According to Dr. Dell, “These days using the technology that's available, we can pretty much correct every type of glasses prescription that there is. In that past we've only been able to treat near sightedness or astigmatism, now we can pretty much treat everything with a degree of safety and reliability we just haven't had in the past”.

Dr. Dell will offer his services by choosing five lucky people who have been nominated by the society. Nominations can be submitted until Dec. 19 to Dell Laser Consultants.

Finding The Right Lasik Doctor Not Easy

According to an article entitled, “>Choosing A Lasik Doctor Continues To Be Challenging”, it seems as if patients have a hard time finding the right doctor to perform their surgery.

This is summed up eloquently by Glenn Hagele of USAeyes.org, who stated, "Even a decade after Lasik became available and over 5 million U.S.

surgeries, the average patient is better equipped to select a toaster than an eye surgeon”.

Hagele goes on to say, “Surgeon selection is the most critical step for any Lasik patient. The doctor is even more important than the laser because no amount of technology will compensate for an inferior surgeon. The number of previous surgeries and claims made in paid advertisements are not enough to make such an important decision."

Hagele ends the interview by stating that consumers should remember that ‘Lasik surgery is not just medicine but a business transaction’. He cautioned buyers to be aware.

Lasik Sought By A Select Few

According the Associated Press Writer, Carla Johnson, Lasik surgery is only sought after by a select few. Even though the surgery has been able to successfully restore almost perfect vision, only a few people who wear glasses will have it.

This is due to the fact that only a few people have the health insurance necessary to undergo the procedure, or the $3,000-$5,000 dollars as an out of pocket expense. Johnson described Lasik surgery as a luxury item.

Also according to Dr. Colman Kraff, eye clinics are using every method to lure people in, “You listen to the radio, you hear the ads,'' said Chicago refractive surgeon Dr. Colman Kraff. "A lot of it is trying to market to the patient to scare them a little bit into having one procedure over another”.

This can further complicate a person’s decision to have Lasik surgery.

10 Year Anniversary For Lasik Surgery

It has been estimated that approximately 2 million people had Lasik surgery. This is particularly important as Lasik reaches it ten year milestone. According to Dr. Paul Azar, "It's a tremendous procedure, and I'm a big advocate of it," Azar said. "By far, the problems are very limited compared to the results. I've done it for seven to eight years, and people keep wanting it because it's a safe, effective operation. It's the 'Wow' operation, because that's the reaction for people when it's done."

Usually the people who have undergone Lasik surgery are in the late 30’s with an income of approximately 88,0000 per year. This information was revealed by Dave Harmon who is president of Market Scope. Harmon went on to say,

“Their education level is significantly higher than average," Harmon said. "Very few people in their 20s have it done. Very few people in their 50s have it done.

You can find out the >full details of the article here.

Lasik Surgery Popular With Emergency Workers

Concerned about being able to see, has had an increase in emergency personnel having the lasik surgery procedure done. Usually they will choose the Lasik with IntraLase Method as discussed in this article.

According to Dr. Stephen Updegraff, "While LASIK has always been a safe and effective procedure, the IntraLase Method offers patients the benefits of LASIK without the blade. With its enhanced safety profile and superior visual outcomes, the IntraLase Method is the procedure of choice for patients considering LASIK."

This was apparently the reason why Ron Reyna, a police officer chose to have the procedure done:

"Being able to properly see is perhaps one of a police officer's strongest weapons. Having to wear glasses was not just a hassle, but a real detriment to my safety on the job. I chose LASIK with the IntraLase Method after getting recommendations from my doctor and from others who had had the procedure. Now, whether I'm chasing a suspect or protecting my family, I can concentrate on what I'm doing and not worry about losing my glasses,” he stated.

Good News In The Future For Lasik Patients Who Develop Presbyopia

In an article written by Shari Roan of the LA Times, people who have had Lasik surgery completed eventually realized that the surgery does not protect them from the presbyopia prevalent at a older age.

However, there might be treatment for this, if the research being conducted by Refractec, Inc.  produces positive results. The study by Refractec, Inc. is based on researching if older post-Lasik surgery patients are able to undergo conductive keratoplasty for their presbyopia.

According to ophthalmologist Dr. Daniel Durrie, “There were no patients who were dissatisfied. There was a significant improvement in near vision, and their distance vision was unaffected”. Dr. Durrie went on to say, “"Patients are very interested in this. These are highly successful Lasik patients who say they'd really like to have a procedure (for presbyopia) that doesn't cut or remove anything. And conductive keratoplasty is a very simple procedure”.

So if further testing show positive results as well, Refractec will petition the FDA to let them carry out the procedure.

An Increase In Procedures Predicted For 2006

According to Adelia Cellini Linecker, a reporter for the Investor’s Business Daily, more consumers are considering corrective eye surgery.

This information comes as a result of a survey completed by the Vision Council of America. The survey revealed that more than 33% of the people interviewed where considering throwing away their glasses and opting for corrective eye surgery.

This news is particularly hopeful to LCA-Vision, who has opened corrective eye surgery centers in numerous states. The company’s profits showed a decline between the years 2000-2002, but increased during the next two years. If the survey by the Vision Council of America is on target, analysts predict an increase in the number of corrective eyesight procedures leading to greater revenue.