How to Know if Intacts Are Right for You

Intacts are corneal implants that are much more flexible in terms of replacement and removal than laser surgery. These implants provide a virtually maintenance free alternative to wearing contacts and are perfect for patients who have slight to moderate nearsightedness. Intacts preserve the natural shape of the cornea and can be removed and/or replaced as the need arises for example if your vision worsens in the future. In patients who are nearsighted, light rays that pass through the cornea in order to provide an image do not properly focus on the retina. Intacs corneal implants adjust the shape of the cornea just enough to allow these light rays to properly focus on the retina.

This gives you crisp, clear vision. During the corneal implant procedure, there is no tissue removed like in many other procedures. The implants simply change the curvature of the eye by adding very thin ring segments instead of removing the actual eye tissue. And, if you need a stronger vision correction in the future, intacts can be replaced with another size giving you perfect vision for as long as you want. They can also be removed easily.

Patients with corrections that are between -1.00 and -3.00 diopters are prime candidates for intacs provided that they are generally healthy and are at least 21 years old. You also need to have had stable vision for no less than one full year prior to having the implant procedure. Your eye doctor can further discuss the possibility of intacts for your vision correction with you and determine if you are a good candidate for these implants.

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How to Know if Intacts Are Right for You

Intacts are corneal implants that are much more flexible in terms of replacement and removal than laser surgery. These implants provide a virtually maintenance free alternative to wearing contacts and are perfect for patients who have slight to moderate nearsightedness. Intacts preserve the natural shape of the cornea and can be removed and/or replaced as the need arises for example if your vision worsens in the future. In patients who are nearsighted, light rays that pass through the cornea in order to provide an image do not properly focus on the retina. Intact corneal implants adjust the shape of the cornea just enough to allow these light rays to properly focus on the retina.

This gives you crisp, clear vision. During the corneal implant procedure, there is no tissue removed like in many other procedures. The implants simply change the curvature of the eye by adding very thin ring segments instead of removing the actual eye tissue. And, if you need a stronger vision correction in the future, intacts can be replaced with another size giving you perfect vision for as long as you want. They can also be removed easily.

Patients with corrections that are between -1.00 and -3.00 diopters are prime candidates for intacts provided that they are generally healthy and are at least 21 years old. You also need to have had stable vision for no less than one full year prior to having the implant procedure. Your eye doctor can further discuss the possibility of intacts for your vision correction with you and determine if you are a good candidate for these implants.

Read more about Intacts

What You Need to Know About Lens Implants

Lens implants are becoming very popular as a way of improving vision. Most of the lens implant surgeries done today are to help patients who have cataracts. There are millions of people throughout the world who undergo cataract surgery every year. This surgery entails replacing the natural lens in the eye with a lens implant or artificial lens. A newer, intra-ocular lens implant surgery is being done today that uses much the same technology and surgical technique of this traditional cataract surgery as well as newer techniques and technology. There are different types of lens implant surgeries and choosing the one that is best for you will depend on several factors including your condition, your overall health and the recommendation of your eye doctor.

The average cost of lens implant surgery typically runs between $1,500 to just over $3,000 for each eye. This cost will depend on the severity of your condition, your regional location, your surgeon and a few other factors as well. Most insurance companies now cover the costs of lens implants when those lenses are needed in order to replace the eye’s natural lenses, typically when cataract surgery is involved. If you are planning to undergo lens implant surgery for improved vision and do not have cataracts, your insurance company may not cover the cost.

Most eye care centers offer some form of financing however that can help you to better afford the surgery. Over the course of a lifetime, lens implant surgery may actually cost much less than traditional contact lenses, bifocals and regular prescription eyeglasses.

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Finding a Houston Eye Center that Offers ICL

When choosing a Houston eye center, it is important to find one that offers more than one option. Many eye centers offer Lasik these days, but other procedures are important as well. Visian ICL for instance, is a wonderful procedure that can help you to do away with glasses and traditional contact lenses. These are intraocular lenses that are inserted directly into your eye. They work with your natural lenses and can be used to help those who suffer from nearsightedness. The lenses are permanent and require no maintenance once they are inserted. For those who are unsure of Lasik or who are simply looking for a more permanent way to improve their vision, ICL is a good choice.

Visian ICL is perfect for patients who do not qualify for Lasik. If you are too nearsighted for the Lasik procedure of the corneas of your eyes are too thin or shaped irregularly, this can give you the freedom of not wearing glasses and not having to constantly maintain your contact lenses. It is a reversible procedure and the lenses cannot be felt once they are inserted. You can have perfect vision after just an hour or so once the lenses are inserted and the procedure only takes a couple of minutes.

If you are considering your options for permanent or maintenance free vision improvement and do not qualify for Lasik surgery due to the condition of your eyes, Visian ICL is a good choice. You can live freely without the use of contacts or glasses and still enjoy better vision.

Finding the Right Doctor in Houston for Lasik Surgery B

If you have decided that to look into getting Lasik surgery and live in Houston, you should do a little research first to determine which eye center is the best. You want doctors who are highly-trained and professional in every aspect of Houston Lasik surgery because the better skills they have, the better chance you have at having a pleasant experience. Doctors should first perform an evaluation on you to see if you are a candidate for the procedure. Although with 94 percent of patients who want Lasik surgery qualifying, the doctors should still thoroughly examine you for:

• Pupil size


• Cornea thickness


• Eye moisture


• Current vision prescription


• Your eye’s health


• General health and pertinent medial history

You also need a doctor who has experience. Board certified doctors are usually the best ones because they show they have what it takes to pass an extreme test and deliver excellent service to their patients. Having a good track record speaks for itself and can reflect positively upon the Houston eye center. Performing about 40,000 successful operations says a lot about a place that offers Houston Lasik surgery because that means people are willing to place their trust in the hands of their surgeons and they also have a solid reputation.  

The tools they use are equally as important. Most skilled surgeons performing Houston Lasik surgery these days use Wavefront Lasik technology or IntraLase laser technology because they are more accurate as well as painless. Using blades for Lasik eye surgery is going out of style and many doctors do not utilize this method anymore. Lasers are the wave of the future and that is happening now. Read more about Houston Lasik surgery

What Should Your Houston Lasik Eye Center Provide?

Choosing an eye center may seem like a very difficult task particularly given the various types of treatments that are available for different vision conditions. When searching for a good Houston Lasik eye center, there are many things that you should keep in mind. Simply choosing the nearest eye center or selection one based strictly on cost is not always the best avenue for you to take. You need to consider your individual vision problem and choose a center that offers a variety of services. Your chosen eye center should be one that will work with your regular eye doctor to ensure that you are receiving the best care possible.

You should also choose a center that offers a variety of vision procedures including bladeless, PRK, cataract treatment and surgery and treatments for glaucoma. It is important that you receive the most comprehensive care for your eyes and choosing an eye center based on cost or location proximity may not always be in your best interest. While there are many eye care centers located in and around the Houston area, it is important to choose one that your regular eye doctor recommends so that he or she can work with the eye center to ensure you are well taken care of.

If you are unsure of just which Houston Lasik center you should visit, check with your regular eye doctor and inquire about a referral or do your own bit of research and choose a center that offers a variety of services and treatments for various eye diseases and conditions. Read more about LASIK

The Average Cost of Lasik Surgery

The actual cost of Lasik surgery will differ from one area to another as well as from provider to provider. It is important to understand that the cost of one Lasik procedure is only for one eye. You will need to double the cost if you need both eyes corrected. If you get a price quote from a provider, be certain that you verify whether that cost is for one or both eyes. You should also understand that many surgeons add extra charges for using newer technology such as a wavefront analysis that provides a more precise correction.

You may also incur charges for procedures that are done to shape your eyes and other steps done during your Lasik procedure. When attempting to determine your overall cost, you will need to speak with your Lasik surgeon and find out what the additional charge will be for every aspect of your surgery. Overall, the prices for Lasik have not changed drastically over the past year or so. For laser-based correction such as Lasik, the typical cost is just a bit over $2,000. Again, this is the cost for each eye so if you need both eyes corrected, your basic cost will likely be $4,000 or more.

The average cost for non-customized procedures that use excimer lasers not guided by wavefront analysis is around $1,500 per eye. Those including wavefront analysis are around $2,200 per eye. Once you have chosen a Lasik surgeon, you can determine what your actual cost will be for the overall surgery.

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