CLEVELAND, Ohio. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Lasik correction surgery has revolutionized how doctors treat vision problems. Now there’s a new way to personalize the procedure. It’s offering results that are easy to see.
Nate Crooks has spent most of his life struggling to see clearly.
“It was pretty difficult. Everything was blurry all the time,” described Crooks.
He decided Lasik surgery was his best bet.
“I just didn’t want to be restricted with glasses or contacts,” explained Crooks.
Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic offered Crooks a new approach called topography-guided Lasik.
Ronald Krueger, M.D., an ophthalmologist at the Cleveland Clinic told Ivanhoe, “It’s really been the best outcome of a FDA study of laser vision correction to date.” (Read Full Interview)
Before the procedure, doctors map out a patient’s topographic eye measurements by using 22,000 data points on the cornea.
“The mapping of what we’ve captured is downloaded into the laser with all the specifics,” explained Dr. Krueger.
The mapping allows doctors to custom treat each unique contour shape of a person’s eye. A clinical trial showed about 93 percent of patients achieved 20/20 vision a year after surgery. Almost 65 percent had 20/16 vision or better. About 40 percent actually saw better than with their best pair of glasses.
Dr. Krueger said, “It puts us in a place where we can actually talk about and say we could make you better than your glasses.”
Crooks had the procedure a few weeks ago and he’s thrilled with the results.
“Absolutely perfect. I can see 20/15. It’s pretty incredible to wake up and see everything crystal clear,” Crooks told Ivanhoe.
Candidates for this procedure are patients with certain forms of nearsightedness and nearsightedness with astigmatism.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Supervising Producer; Julie Marks, Field Producer; Milvionne Chery, Assistant Producer; Brent Sucher, Editor.
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS – RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: Better Lasik, Better Vision
REPORT: MB #4158
BACKGROUND: Nearsightedness is a common vision condition in which a person can see objects nearby clearly, but objects farther away are blurry. Approximately 14 million Americans aged 12 years and older have vision that is 20/50 or worse. The condition tends to run in families and may develop gradually or rapidly, often worsening during childhood and adolescence. A basic eye exam can confirm nearsightedness and the condition can be easily corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Another treatment option is surgery.
(Source: http://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/data/national.htm, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nearsightedness/basics/definition/con-20027548)
LASIK EYE SURGERY: Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery is a procedure that corrects certain vision problems. It was approved by the FDA in 1999. The surgery reduces or eliminates the need for eyeglasses or contacts. During the surgery, doctors change the shape of the dome-shaped transparent tissue, or cornea at the front of a person’s eye. The doctors bend, or refract, light rays to focus more precisely on the retina rather than at some point beyond or short of the retina. This allows for clearer, sharper vision. So far over 28 million Lasik procedures have been performed nationwide.
(Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/lasik-eye-surgery/basics/definition/prc-20019041)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: A new approach is raising the bar on Lasik surgery. Topography-guided Lasik surgery is offering a way to personalize the procedure for many. Doctors map out a patient’s topographic eye measurements by using 22,000 data points on the cornea. The surgery is performed using the WaveLight Topolyzer Vario Diagnostic Device, proprietary treatment planning software, and either the Allegretto Wave Eye-Q or WaveLight EX500 Excimer Laser systems. People with astigmatism really benefit because astigmatism is different in every single person in terms of its shape and distribution and doctors can map that out in great detail and custom treat it so it gets the most regular shape. The procedure is recommended only for those 18 years or older.
(Source: http://ophthalmologytimes.modernmedicine.com/ophthalmologytimes/news/topography-guided-procedure-raises-bar-laser-vision-correction-outcomes)
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Victoria Vinci
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
