Comments on: High Myopia (Short-sight) and Laser Eye Surgery http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/ Your personal on-call laser eye surgeon Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3642 Dave Allamby Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:47:14 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3642 Hi nrg. A history of cold sores on the lips is fine, and no problem for laser eye surgery. It is important though that there is no active infection on your lips at the time of surgery. Regards, David Hi nrg. A history of cold sores on the lips is fine, and no problem for laser eye surgery. It is important though that there is no active infection on your lips at the time of surgery.
Regards, David

]]> By: nrg http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3639 nrg Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:25:33 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3639 What if one has cold sores on the lips. Can they spread to the eyes ? What if one has cold sores on the lips. Can they spread to the eyes ?

]]> By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3638 Dave Allamby Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:23:57 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3638 Dear nrg, Yes you are quite correct. Having a history of herpes keratitis is a contraindication for laser eye surgery. One can try to pretreat with antiviral agents, but may not prevent re-activation of the virus. Regards, David Dear nrg, Yes you are quite correct. Having a history of herpes keratitis is a contraindication for laser eye surgery. One can try to pretreat with antiviral agents, but may not prevent re-activation of the virus.
Regards, David

]]> By: nrg http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3635 nrg Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:46:43 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3635 Dear Doctor i have seen one websites claiming that those who are carriers of herpes keratitis should not have lasik. Is carrying herpes virus a strong contraindication for laser myopia correction surgery ? Thank you ! Dear Doctor
i have seen one websites claiming that those who are carriers of herpes keratitis
should not have lasik.

Is carrying herpes virus a strong contraindication for laser myopia correction surgery ?

Thank you !

]]> By: nrg http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3634 nrg Sat, 14 Apr 2012 03:33:44 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3634 Dear doctor how long will it take to fix a myopia of -9.5 using the latest lasers (either schwind or wavelight) thank you very much ! Dear doctor
how long will it take to fix a myopia of -9.5 using the latest lasers (either schwind or wavelight)
thank you very much !

]]> By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3357 Dave Allamby Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:26:13 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3357 hi Ini, My choice for your prescription is blade free femtosecond LASIK, including any wavefront/aspheric option. C-Ten is a variant of PRK and offers no benefit apart from possible slightly faster epithelial healing, nothing actually new. There is a comment below in this list from a patient that had C-Ten. Regards, Dave hi Ini, My choice for your prescription is blade free femtosecond LASIK, including any wavefront/aspheric option. C-Ten is a variant of PRK and offers no benefit apart from possible slightly faster epithelial healing, nothing actually new. There is a comment below in this list from a patient that had C-Ten.
Regards, Dave

]]> By: Ini http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3345 Ini Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:35:39 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3345 Hello Dave, I'm 38 and looking at having LASIK. My vision is -6.50 in the right and -6.00 in the left. What kind of surgery will you advise? I hear there's a new one called C-Ten. Pls help Hello Dave,

I’m 38 and looking at having LASIK. My vision is -6.50 in the right and -6.00 in the left.

What kind of surgery will you advise? I hear there’s a new one called C-Ten. Pls help

]]> By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3232 Dave Allamby Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:11:46 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3232 hi Vicki. I think there is no real difference between 298 and 300, which I agree is the right limit. However there is little hard science to get that number, but that is the figure most of us use. In view of your possible lupus, you might consider the 4th generation Starr ICL, which is available in toric forms to also correct astigmatism as well as your high level of short-sight. This avoids layering your cornea and possible healing complications (very hard to say if that would actually happen, but you do have abnormal white cell count so some immune system irregularities). The ICL (intraocular contact lens) lives within the front of the eye, between the cornea and iris. The main risk of ICL is development of cataract. Regards, David hi Vicki. I think there is no real difference between 298 and 300, which I agree is the right limit. However there is little hard science to get that number, but that is the figure most of us use. In view of your possible lupus, you might consider the 4th generation Starr ICL, which is available in toric forms to also correct astigmatism as well as your high level of short-sight. This avoids layering your cornea and possible healing complications (very hard to say if that would actually happen, but you do have abnormal white cell count so some immune system irregularities). The ICL (intraocular contact lens) lives within the front of the eye, between the cornea and iris. The main risk of ICL is development of cataract.
Regards, David

]]> By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3223 Dave Allamby Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:26:12 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3223 hi Natasha. Good question, glad you asked that. It's a common misconception that 20/20 is 'perfect' vision whereas it is rather a good 'normal' level of sight. We have two levels of vision in standard testing that are better than 20/20, namely 20/16 and 20/12. The maximum that a human eye is capable of is 20/10, beyond which there are not enough photoreceptors in the retina, i.e. not enough 'pixels'. Very few people can see 20/10, but a percentage can manage 20/12 when both eyes are fully corrected with the best lens possible. Our patients who have LASIK typically report that they see better than they did with glasses or contact lenses, which is a testament to what modern LASIK is capable of. However, in your case at 20/12, close to the limit of human vision, there is no headroom left to improve on! Most of our patients are within 0.25 dioptres of the target refraction, i.e. from +0.25 to -0.25 when we aim for zero. You wouldn’t really notice +0.25, but at -0.25 you would drop one line on the chart, i.e. 20/16, without any glasses. Of course, if you choose to wear glasses of -0.25D you would see 20/12, but no-one would choose to do that! Why wear glasses when you can see <em>better than 20/20</em>? if you definitely want near the limit of human vision and a guarantee of that, then LASIK is definitely NOT for you! It comes down to your expectations. We can get in the upper 90s percentage of patients to see 20/16 without glasses, and half to see 20/12 including patients who could not achieve 20/12 previously with glasses or contacts. It’s a personal choice, in the end. But we don't have now or in the foreseeable future, a technology to give 20/12 vision to most or all patients. Too many variables in a biological treatment, with all the variables that humans bring, such as healing responses, immune systems etc. Best regards, Dave hi Natasha. Good question, glad you asked that. It’s a common misconception that 20/20 is ‘perfect’ vision whereas it is rather a good ‘normal’ level of sight. We have two levels of vision in standard testing that are better than 20/20, namely 20/16 and 20/12. The maximum that a human eye is capable of is 20/10, beyond which there are not enough photoreceptors in the retina, i.e. not enough ‘pixels’. Very few people can see 20/10, but a percentage can manage 20/12 when both eyes are fully corrected with the best lens possible.
Our patients who have LASIK typically report that they see better than they did with glasses or contact lenses, which is a testament to what modern LASIK is capable of. However, in your case at 20/12, close to the limit of human vision, there is no headroom left to improve on! Most of our patients are within 0.25 dioptres of the target refraction, i.e. from +0.25 to -0.25 when we aim for zero. You wouldn’t really notice +0.25, but at -0.25 you would drop one line on the chart, i.e. 20/16, without any glasses. Of course, if you choose to wear glasses of -0.25D you would see 20/12, but no-one would choose to do that! Why wear glasses when you can see better than 20/20?
if you definitely want near the limit of human vision and a guarantee of that, then LASIK is definitely NOT for you! It comes down to your expectations. We can get in the upper 90s percentage of patients to see 20/16 without glasses, and half to see 20/12 including patients who could not achieve 20/12 previously with glasses or contacts. It’s a personal choice, in the end. But we don’t have now or in the foreseeable future, a technology to give 20/12 vision to most or all patients. Too many variables in a biological treatment, with all the variables that humans bring, such as healing responses, immune systems etc.
Best regards, Dave

]]> By: Natasha Vidas http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3221 Natasha Vidas Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:30:10 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3221 Dear Dr Allamby I hope this is the right space to ask a question. I came in to FOCUS on Monday (28th Nov) for my laser eye surgery assessment (the staff were lovely and really helpful). After all the tests I was told that I have 20/12 vision with my contact lens correction, which is something I suspected but wasn't sure about. The optometrist explained that not all people can see 20/12 no matter how much one tries to correct their vision with lenses - which is something I didn't know. She said I was quite unusual in that I have a -5 prescription with 20/12 vision (with lens correction). I was told that the statistics for FOCUS and people obtaining 20/12 after surgery was 49%. I am keen to have the surgery done (and have provisionally booked to have it done next Tuesday 6th Dec at 3pm) but I am nervous as I might only end up with 20/20 or 20/15 post-op which is not as good as the vision I currently have with my contact lenses. I would really value your feedback/opinion on this. I guess I am after a little reassurance, not sure that is possible. One of the main reasons I chose to come to FOCUS was the excellent results reported for 20/20 vision post-op i.e. 100%, I didn't realise that that might not translate into my vision being as good post-op as pre-op i.e. 20/12. My other question is, will my corneas be as strong post-op as they are pre-op or does one end up with weakened corneas and if so, what are the implications? Thank you so much. Kind regards Natasha Dear Dr Allamby

I hope this is the right space to ask a question.

I came in to FOCUS on Monday (28th Nov) for my laser eye surgery assessment (the staff were lovely and really helpful). After all the tests I was told that I have 20/12 vision with my contact lens correction, which is something I suspected but wasn’t sure about. The optometrist explained that not all people can see 20/12 no matter how much one tries to correct their vision with lenses – which is something I didn’t know. She said I was quite unusual in that I have a -5 prescription with 20/12 vision (with lens correction). I was told that the statistics for FOCUS and people obtaining 20/12 after surgery was 49%. I am keen to have the surgery done (and have provisionally booked to have it done next Tuesday 6th Dec at 3pm) but I am nervous as I might only end up with 20/20 or 20/15 post-op which is not as good as the vision I currently have with my contact lenses.

I would really value your feedback/opinion on this. I guess I am after a little reassurance, not sure that is possible. One of the main reasons I chose to come to FOCUS was the excellent results reported for 20/20 vision post-op i.e. 100%, I didn’t realise that that might not translate into my vision being as good post-op as pre-op i.e. 20/12.

My other question is, will my corneas be as strong post-op as they are pre-op or does one end up with weakened corneas and if so, what are the implications?

Thank you so much.

Kind regards
Natasha

]]> By: Vicki http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3215 Vicki Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:54:36 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3215 Hi Dave, I'm 26. I'm not sure what the total thickness is but the doctor told me I would have 298 after surgery which is just below their usual 300 limit (they said their limit is more conservative than others which I think is 250) and it would be unlikely they could do any enhancements after the surgery. I've been monitored for lupus because I have reynauds and some blood work results that have indicators of lupus (ie high white blood cell count). My mom was also recently diagnosed with it. Vicki Hi Dave,

I’m 26. I’m not sure what the total thickness is but the doctor told me I would have 298 after surgery which is just below their usual 300 limit (they said their limit is more conservative than others which I think is 250) and it would be unlikely they could do any enhancements after the surgery. I’ve been monitored for lupus because I have reynauds and some blood work results that have indicators of lupus (ie high white blood cell count). My mom was also recently diagnosed with it.

Vicki

]]> By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3214 Dave Allamby Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:04:25 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3214 hi Vicki, Do you know your corneal thickness? Why are you being monitored for lupus? You have some symptoms but not antibodies? How old are you? Thanks Dave hi Vicki, Do you know your corneal thickness? Why are you being monitored for lupus? You have some symptoms but not antibodies? How old are you? Thanks Dave

]]> By: Vicki http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-3213 Vicki Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:58:01 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-3213 Hi dave, I'm considering getting laser eye surgery. I have had two consults and was told I am a candidate for wavefront lasik but am on the border for cornea thickness in my left eye. My prescription is -7 in the right and -7.25 in the left. I also have astigmatism (-1.25 and -2.00). I've been monitored for lupus my whole life but not diagnosed and am worried that the combination of autoimmune, high prescription and thin cornea makes me higher risk for complications/needing enhancements. What are your thoughts? Thanks! Hi dave,

I’m considering getting laser eye surgery. I have had two consults and was told I am a candidate for wavefront lasik but am on the border for cornea thickness in my left eye. My prescription is -7 in the right and -7.25 in the left. I also have astigmatism (-1.25 and -2.00). I’ve been monitored for lupus my whole life but not diagnosed and am worried that the combination of autoimmune, high prescription and thin cornea makes me higher risk for complications/needing enhancements. What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

]]> By: Dave Allamby http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-2509 Dave Allamby Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:38:47 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-2509 Hi Jean Unfortunately, you would still have significant myopia and need glasses after LASIK, based on your numbers and with an average pupil size. Just too much myopia, sorry! Best regards Dave Hi Jean
Unfortunately, you would still have significant myopia and need glasses after LASIK, based on your numbers and with an average pupil size. Just too much myopia, sorry!
Best regards
Dave

]]> By: Jean http://lasik-truth.com/lasik-laser-eye-surgery/high-myopia-short-sight-and-laser-eye-surgery/comment-page-1/#comment-2508 Jean Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:23:48 +0000 http://lasik-truth.com/?p=804#comment-2508 I have been wearing RGP lenses for over 10 years now. The prescription in my RGP lenses was stable at -8.5 the entire time. Once I started looking into laser surgery I heard I would need to be out of my RGPs for over a month, so I asked for soft contacts. 3 weeks later I was told my prescription is now -12.5 and I am no longer a good candidate for LASIK. My corneas are around 525 each in thickness and I have net been told I have large pupils so I assume they are average size. Do I have any other options besides PIL/OIL as these are too expensive for me and I don't like the idea of having a lens inside my eye forever. Thanks! I have been wearing RGP lenses for over 10 years now. The prescription in my RGP lenses was stable at -8.5 the entire time. Once I started looking into laser surgery I heard I would need to be out of my RGPs for over a month, so I asked for soft contacts. 3 weeks later I was told my prescription is now -12.5 and I am no longer a good candidate for LASIK. My corneas are around 525 each in thickness and I have net been told I have large pupils so I assume they are average size. Do I have any other options besides PIL/OIL as these are too expensive for me and I don’t like the idea of having a lens inside my eye forever.

Thanks!

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