Happy Holidays from all of us here at Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons! As this year comes to a close, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our wonderful patients, many of whom were kind enough to share their stories in our Spotlight Patient blogs. It has been our honor and privilege to be able to serve this fine community, and we look forward to being able to do so for many years to come.
The coming year promises to be an exciting one, with many new breakthroughs in optical and vision enhancing technology just around the corner. The addition of our new LenSx® cataract laser this year has allowed board certified ophthalmologist Dr. William Segal to create consistent incisions and openings in the lens capsule that are up to 10 times more precise than those that can be made during a manual procedure. This unparalleled level of precision combined with sophisticated, real-time image guidance and computer assisted control allows for every intraocular lens replacement procedure to be customized to the specific contours of each individual eye.
We are also pleased that our on-site Optical Center, headed by our Comprehensive Consultative Optometrist Dr. Marc Lay, has been able to help so many people overcome visual difficulties with eyeglasses or contact lenses and achieve a more satisfying quality of life.
The future has never looked brighter at Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons, and we thank you all for your support. We hope that we have been able to bring just a little bit more light into your worlds as well. From all of us here at Georgia Eye, may you enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!
With almost 20 million procedures performed in the United States alone, LASIK laser vision correction surgeries have become an extremely popular way for people to decrease or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contact lenses and treat common vision problems like myopia, hyperopia, and even astigmatism. At Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.C., we talk to patients about LASIK surgery almost every day. Here are answers to five of the questions we are asked most often about this treatment.
Am I a candidate for LASIK surgery? Ultimately, whether you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery is determined by the strength and thickness of your glasses or contact lenses, as well as the shape and health of your cornea. Those over the age of 18 who are seeking good uncorrected vision, but are tired of the hassle and ongoing expense of contact lenses can usually benefit from LASIK surgery. However, about 20% of potential patients may be deemed ineligible for LASIK due to preexisting health conditions, such as severe dry eye, certain corneal diseases, previous eye injuries, or diseases that may affect wound healing. Additionally, because LASIK surgery involves the creation of a flap in the outer cornea, physical trauma to the eye can, in some cases, cause significant complications to those who have had the procedure. Photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK surgery, is often performed as an alternative to LASIK surgery for patients in law enforcement or the military, or who regularly participate in boxing, wrestling, martial arts, or other activities in which blows to the face and eyes are a normal occurrence. I recommend that you come in for a free evaluation and bring your old glasses or contact lens prescription for our review in order to determine which procedure is right for you.
Does LASIK surgery hurt? LASIK corrective surgery itself is not painful and extremely convenient. The eyes are numbed with eye-drops prior to the procedure, although patients may experience some pressure on the eye and the eyelids. Afterwards, most experience little or no discomfort, but in some cases the eyes may feel scratchy, gritty, or watery. These symptoms are usually temporary and pose only a minor inconvenience for most patients. The procedure itself takes only about 15 to 20 minutes. Both eyes are most frequently treated at the same time, however it is possible that the second eye may be done anywhere from one day to a few days to months after the first eye, depending on the circumstances.
What is the recovery time for LASIK surgery? Many patients notice improved vision immediately after the procedure, and most are functional without their corrective lenses at the one day post-operative exam. The majority of patients are able to return to their normal activities the next day, and continue to see a gradual increase in their visual acuity during the first five to seven days after the procedure.
What are the possible complications of LASIK surgery? In an extremely small percentage of patients, undesirable side effects can arise which include chronic dry eye and problems with night vision and halos. The majority of these symptoms usually subside, and some patients say that the night vision or halos are no worse than they experienced with their contact lenses. For reasons that are not completely understood, the eyes do tend to be drier than normal for up to six months after LASIK, requiring frequent use of lubricating drops and sometimes temporary punctual plugs to keep the eyes better lubricated.
What are the results of LASIK surgery? The vast majority of patients (well over 95%) have reported satisfaction with the results of their procedure, with most achieving uncorrected vision of 20/40 or better. In some cases, minor enhancement procedures may be required in order to optimize the final outcome. Although laser vision correction is considered a permanent procedure, it does not prevent any age related conditions that may develop later, such as presbyopia or cataracts. Such conditions, if they occur, would need to be treated in their normal matter.
If you are interested in any of the many services offered at Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons, or would like to make an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam, please contact Georgia Eye today. Be sure to follow Dr. William Segal and Dr. Marc Lay on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more tips for healthy eyes.
Roswell native, US army veteran, and retired Chevron Oil employee Roger is no stranger to visual issues. With poor eyesight for as long as he can remember, Roger got his first pair of glasses back when he was only seven years old. As the years went on, his astigmatism became more and more severe, until Roger was officially diagnosed nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other.
But it wasn’t until his granddaughter was diagnosed with a scratch on her cornea that he met Dr. William Segal. Impressed with the office’s friendly and congenial atmosphere, Roger began using Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons for all of his family’s eye care needs. Eventually, Roger underwent treatment for glaucoma with Dr. Segal, and it was during the follow-up checks that Roger’s growing cataracts were first discovered.
“For years, Dr. Segal told me that I would have to get them taken care of sooner or later, but he never pressured me. I always figured that since I had managed for most of my life with glasses it wasn’t that big a deal. But Dr. Segal was right. My eyes just kept getting worse.”
Still, it wasn’t until Roger’s wife underwent cataract surgery with Dr. Segal and had the lenses in both of her eyes replaced with top of the line ReSTOR® premium intraocular lenses that Roger finally decided to have the procedure himself. Dr. Segal removed the damaged lenses from Roger’s eyes and replaced them with artificial intraocular lenses in an outpatient procedure that lasted less than an hour.
“I felt reborn!” Roger said. “The entire experience was excellent and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve worn heavy glasses for almost all of my life, and now I only need them for reading. It’s like living in a new world. Dr. Segal is a very good man.”
If you are interested in sharing your experience with Dr. William Segal, Dr. Marc Lay, or the Georgia Eye family, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us. Be sure to follow Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons, P.C. on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more patient stories and tips for healthy eyes.
Your eyes are extremely precise and delicate instruments, capable of detecting even minute amounts of light or subtle shifts in color, but this sensitivity also makes them extremely vulnerable to damage and injury. According to the United States Injury Registry Summary report, more than 50,000 people permanently lose all or part of their vision as a result of the more than 2.5 million eye injuries that occur annually. While as many of 90% of these injuries can be prevented through the use of protective eyewear, like that carried in our on-site Optical Center, you may not always be able to protect yourself from unforeseen occurrences. So it is extremely important to know what to do when eye trauma does occur.
Injuries to the eye are most commonly the result of airborne particles of sand, glass, wood, plastic, or metal that get blown into the eye. If this occurs, it is important to remember that the eye itself produces tears, in part, to flush such irritants from the clear front layer of the eye, or cornea. Our eyes “water” precisely because the body is trying to protect itself from these foreign bodies. If the material is small enough, you may be able to assist your body’s natural defense mechanism by gently pulling the upper eyelid down over the lower and blinking repeatedly, flooding the eye with extra tears. If this is insufficient to dislodge the particle, carefully flush the eye with a sterile saline solution and use a moist cotton swab to gently wipe away the foreign body. Avoid rubbing the eye, as this could aggravate the injury and cause the foreign particles to scratch the cornea.
Larger objects can pose a much more serious problem, possibly penetrating the cornea and becoming lodged inside it. If you are treating an eye that has been cut or punctured by a foreign object, seek the immediate attention of a medical professional. Do not attempt to wash the eye or remove anything stuck in it. Instead, protect the eye from accidental rubbing by covering it with a rigid, circular object — cutting out the bottom of a paper cup will create an effective protective shell that can cover the eye without touching it. Do not put pressure directly on the eye but simply affix the protective covering using a piece of tape and go to an eye doctor or emergency room right away. Similarly, if the eye has been forcibly struck by a blunt object, like a baseball for example, apply a cold compress to the area around the eye, but do not put direct pressure on the eyeball itself. If there is bruising, bleeding, or a change in vision, or if it hurts when the eye moves, see a board-certified ophthalmologist, like Dr. William Segal, right away.
Lastly, eyes can often suffer significant damage if exposed to household cleaners or other caustic chemicals. If this occurs, immediately wash out the eye using the nearest source of fresh water and contact medical assistance. Continue flushing the eye for at least 15 minutes, keeping the eye wide open and allowing the water to run over and cleanse it. You may need to stand underneath a showerhead or place your head directly beneath a running faucet and use both hands to keep the injured eye open while flushing it. Having information about the specific chemical involved (which is usually printed on the packaging) will help emergency personnel treat the injury more effectively. Avoid rubbing the affected area, as this may cause further irritation or damage, and do not cover or put anything over the eye, then go to an emergency room immediately.
If you are interested in visiting our Optical Center or in any of the services we offer, please contact Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons today. Be sure to follow Dr. William Segal and Dr. Marc Lay on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more tips for healthy eyes.
At Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons, we are actively involved in research relating to all aspects of vision. One particularly interesting use of the latest visual diagnostic technology is the early detection of mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions. The majority of concussions are the result of blunt trauma, or a blow to the head, and in children they are most commonly sustained during contact sports such as football, soccer, lacrosse, and hockey. Traumatic brain injuries like concussions often have wide-ranging physical and psychological effects, some appearing immediately after the traumatic event, and many others that may not appear until days or even weeks later. In fact, it is estimated that the vast majority of concussions (approximately 90%) do NOT result in a loss of consciousness, making diagnosis more challenging than previously thought. As a result, concussions are often misidentified as ‘low severity’ injuries. Patients are frequently treated with a ‘sit-and-wait’ approach, and it is only after symptoms have become debilitating that people seek care of their own accord.
Since an estimated 3.8 million recreation and sport-related concussions occur in the United States every year, many are looking for better ways to help diagnose concussion patients so that prompt treatment can be rendered. Although concussions are not visible in routine scans of the brain, they are detectable when important aspects of brain function are measured. This is where an optical examination can act as an invaluable diagnostic tool. More than 50 percent of the neural connections within the brain are involved with some aspect of vision, so many of the earliest signs of traumatic brain injury can be detected by examining the function of the cranial nerves involved in vision and eye movement. For example, damage to the nerves that control the tiny dilations and contractions of the pupil may also cause the pupils to react differently to light or to even be different sizes. Additionally, most individuals that have suffered a concussion will complain of vision related problems, such as blurry vision, light sensitivity (photophobia), eye fatigue, double vision (diplopia), or reading difficulties. Quick, easy to administer sideline visual tests, like the King-Devick Test, have been developed to accurately assess the likelihood of concussion following injury.
Optometrists and ophthalmologists are also crucial in helping rehabilitate patients’ vision after such an injury has been sustained. Because so many of the connections within the brain are involved with the process of vision, it is hardly surprising that vision problems are so common following an acquired brain injury. Concussions can result in a reduction in the eye’s focusing ability, resulting in blurred vision at close or far ranges. This inability to focus can eventually result in headaches, eyestrain, or even double vision when performing tasks that require close focus, such as reading. Many of the visual conditions that result from a concussion can be successfully managed with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, even a relatively small prescription correction can often decrease blurred vision enough to eliminate eyestrain and its related symptoms.
If you are interested in visiting our Optical Center or in any of the many services we offer, please contact Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons today. Be sure to follow Dr. William Segal and Dr. Marc Lay on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more tips for healthy eyes.
At Georgia Eye Physicians and Surgeons we’re committed to exceptional eye care for our patients and their families. We know how much the health of your eyes means for your quality of life. We’re committed to serving your complete eye care needs with the respect and care we would use in treating our own family.
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