What Really is 20/20 Vision?

It’s widely known that LASIK eye surgery can give some patients 20/20 vision. But what does 20/20 vision really mean?

According to the American Optometric Association, “20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.”

There are varying degrees of vision based on what research has shown that a “normal” person can see. Other examples include:

·         20/10 vision means that you can see at 20 feet what can normally be seen when standing 10 feet away (your vision is better than normal)

·         20/40 vision means that you have to stand 20 feet away from something to see what you should be able to see at 40 feet away (your vision is worse than normal)

·         20/100 vision means that what should be normally seen at 100 feet away requires you to stand 20 feet away to see it (your vision is poor)

·         20/200 vision is considered legal blindness in the United States

Having 20/20 vision does not mean you have perfect vision because other factors, such as peripheral vision, depth perception, color vision, eye coordination and focusing ability play into your overall visual attributes.

If you have less-than-ideal eyesight that causes you to need glasses or contacts to correct your nearsightedness (good close-up vision/bad distance vision), farsightedness (good distance vision/bad close-up vision) or astigmatism (impaired distance and close-up vision), LASIK may help correct your refractive error and put you into the “normal” 20/20 vision range. LASIK surgeons take into consideration many of your unique attributes before recommending LASIK surgery, including your overall eye health, corneal thickness and medical history. 

To find out if LASIK might be able to give you 20/20 vision, contact Inland Eye LASIK in the Inland Empire to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. Call 909-937-9230 or visit inlandeye.com.

Moo-ve Into Better Vision with LASIK

Did you know that July 18, 2013 is Cow Appreciation Day? In honor of this unique observance, here are a few fun facts about how cows’ eyes differ from human eyes:  

• Cow eyes are larger
• Cows cannot move their eyes like humans; they must turn their heads
• Cow eyes glow at night
• Cow eyes are oval shaped
• Cows have only black irises

At Inland Eye Institute, we’re not in the business of treating cow’s eyes; however, we are in the business of correcting the human vision problems of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism through LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK won’t make your eyes glow at night like cows, but it just might free you from the need for contacts or glasses. The LASIK procedure actually changes the shape of your cornea so light can be focused onto your retina properly, resulting in clear vision, even 20/20 vision, for many patients.

If you’d be interested in learning more about how you might be able to moo-ve into better vision with LASIK, contact us today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation in the Inland Empire. Call us today at 909-937-9230 or visit us online at inlandeye.com.

Is LASIK Different from LASEK – Or is it a Type-o?

Most people know that LASIK is a type of vision correction procedure that can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The acronym LASEK is not a typographical error; this is actually a slightly different vision correction procedure that can produce the same results as LASIK. Patients with corneas that are too thin or steep for LASIK can benefit from the LASEK procedure.

In both procedures, a surgeon uses excimer laser energy to reshape the cornea and correct the refractive error. The main difference between LASIK and LASEK is how the surgeon gets access to the inner section of the cornea.

In LASIK, the surgeon creates a corneal flap that is folded back to perform the refractive surgery and then replaced after the procedure. In LASEK, an extremely thin portion of the outer epithelial layer of the cornea is removed with a special tool called a trephine. The refractive surgery is performed and the epithelial layer is replaced.

LASEK Recovery

Recovery from LASEK is slightly longer than with LASIK. While most LASIK patients are able to see with improved vision almost immediately and can usually drive the day following their procedure, LASEK patients may require a week to recover and will have crisp vision within several weeks. Patients can also experience slightly more discomfort with LASEK.

LASEK Advantages

While there are recovery disadvantages, there are some advantages of LASEK. The procedure allows people who were previously not suitable for LASIK to have successful vision correction procedures. 

 LASEK involves the modification of significantly less corneal tissue, lowers the risk of dry eye after surgery and eliminates corneal flap complications. People who play contact sports may also be better suited for LASEK, as corneal strength is not compromised.

Regardless of which procedure your doctor deems prudent for your eyes, most patients can achieve 20/20 or better vision after LASIK or LASEK.

Dr. Blanton at Inland Eye Institute can determine if LASIK, LASEK or a different vision correction procedure will give you 20/20 vision. To schedule your free LASIK consultation, visit inlandeye.com or call 909-937-9230.

Give Dad the Chance at Better Vision

Father’s Day is June 16 this year. Your good ‘ole dad probably has dozens of neckties, fishing lures and golf pants in his closet, so why not give him a gift that may help him view his work and play in a whole new light?

LASIK eye surgery has given millions of Americans the freedom from wearing contacts and glasses to correct their nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. And while LASIK doesn’t always produce the exact same results for every patient, advanced LASIK technology has made this procedure a possibility for more people than ever. No LASIK center can absolutely guarantee 20/20 vision after LASIK, but many patients do experience these types of results.

Of course, you can’t just go out and buy LASIK for dad, or even yourself for that matter, without first having a LASIK Consultation. An eye surgeon must evaluate a patient’s health first to make sure he or she is a good candidate for the procedure. The surgeon will look at the thickness of the cornea, perform corneal mapping, tear film and pupil size evaluation and assess the patient’s overall medical health.

What you can do is schedule a LASIK Consultation for dad with us at Inland Eye Institute. Dad may need a bit of a push to pursue vision correction, and Father’s Day could be the perfect opportunity. We’ll take good care of him – we promise!

If you think your dad might benefit from LASIK eye surgery, contact us today at 909-937-9230 or inlandeye.com to schedule his LASIK Consultation. If he’s approved for the procedure, we have LASIK financing options to help make LASIK affordable for virtually any budget.

LASIK: Good Enough for NASA

If you’re still concerned about the safety of LASIK, consider this: The National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) now accepts astronaut applicants who have undergone LASIK. Many studies were done to ensure that acceptable vision quality was achieved after the procedure. There were also concerns about the stability of the corneal flap that is created for the first step of the surgery. By folding back this flap, the surgeon has access to the underlying corneal tissue to correct the nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. When the procedure is complete, the corneal flap is folded back into place so it can re-adhere.

      The extensive research showed that advanced LASIK provided excellent results:

• Corneal flap fared well in extreme conditions (especially when created with blade-free femtosecond laser technology as opposed to conventional procedures using a metal blade)
• Wavefront-guided LASIK produced superior results (this is technology that uses laser light to identify imperfections in the patient’s eye and create a 3-D map to guide the laser treatment for the most precise vision correction possible)

People in the aerospace environment benefit from being able to see without the hindrance of glasses or contacts (think about glasses floating through the air or trying to clean contacts without gravity!). LASIK has also made it possible for nearsighted people to become astronauts (this wasn’t possible in the past).

Even if you haven’t set your aspirations on being an astronaut, LASIK can open up a whole new universe of possibilities for your everyday life. Many people achieve 20/20 vision – or better – after the procedure and enjoy years of their lives without glasses or contacts.

Of course, not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK. Your corneas may be too thin, you may have medical conditions that will interfere with your healing or your vision problem may be better corrected by a different type of procedure. A quick glance won’t let you know if LASIK is right for you – you need a full eye examination. 

If you’re ready to fix your vision, visit the website of Dr. Blanton at Inland Eye Institute to schedule a LASIK Consultation. Visit inlandeye.com or call 909-937-9230 today.