Nearsightedness – All Treatment Options At Horizon Laser Vision
Nearsightedness is a refractive error that many of our patients suffer from, in which images of distant objects are blurry. At the same time, a person with myopia (the clinical term for nearsightedness) can see objects that are close by very clearly. This condition occurs when the eyeball becomes a little longer than normal. Hence, light rays do not fall straight on the retina, but instead fall in front of it. Myopia can be corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses. Based on the severity of your condition, you may need to wear them continuously or only for certain activities such as reading, watching films or driving.
Many myopic patients choose to use contact lenses and eyeglasses for years, delaying finding a permanent solution for their problem such as laser vision correction surgery. Contact lenses or glasses should be adjusted to focal changes of the eyes as the individual grows older. Teenagers and children are in the most pronounced growing stages and they should be examined annually to ensure that their prescription has not changed. Sharona Optical stores in the Phoenix metro area have professional opticians with great knowledge of which glasses are most suitable to match your face and eyes.
The shape of the face and individual requirements should be taken into account when trying to fit you with eyeglasses. The opticians at Sharona Optical centers are well trained in selecting the correct frames that complement your look. The stores also offer warranty for their eyewear and work in tandem with Horizon’s ophthalmologists when necessary. Our expert opticians train patients who wear contact lenses for the first time on how to insert and remove them, how to take care of the lenses so that they last longer.
A permanent solution for nearsightedness became a viable option with the invention of laser refractive surgery. Refractive errors such as myopia can be corrected effectively and precisely. There are different types of refractive surgeries – mainly PRK, LASIK, Epi-Lasik, LASEK, and implantable contact lenses to correct myopia. In PRK (also called Photorefractive Keratotomy), the epithelial layer of the cornea is removed and the doctor corrects the corneal length. PRK is best suitable for patients with thin corneas. Epi-LASIK is a surgical procedure in which a thin epithelial corneal flap is created. Epi-LASIK is suitable for patients who cannot undergo other refractive surgeries and is similar to PRK.
In a typical bladeless LASIK surgery, the corneal flap is created by laser and then another laser reshapes the cornea and thereby corrects the refractive error. LASEK is a procedure in which a solution of alcohol is used to weaken the top layer of the cornea and it create a thinner flap of the cornea than with LASIK. Implantable contact lenses (ICL) are inserted into the eye as part of a surgery that can improve myopia as well as other conditions.
Horizon Eye Specialists and Lasik Center has four branches in Goodyear, Scottsdale, Peoria and Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. We consider the various corrective approaches and match them to the needs of each of our patients. Click here to schedule a consultation with one of our ophthalmologists.