Are You a Good Candidate For LASIK?

/0 Comments/in , /by

For many people tired of juggling glasses or contact lenses, LASIK surgery seems like an appealing solution, and for good reason. The procedure has been around for years, and advances in technology have made it safer and more effective than ever before, not to mention the freedom it brings as far as improved eyesight. If you’re interested in this groundbreaking procedure, the first step is talking with your optometrist to determine if you’d make a good candidate.

Age and Eye Health

Most Champaign, IL optometrists recommend LASIK only for adults whose vision has been stable for at least a year. If your prescription changes frequently, it’s better to wait. Beyond that, healthy eyes are a must. Problems like severe dry eye, advanced glaucoma, cataracts, or corneal disease may disqualify you or point toward other treatment options.

General Health Factors

Your overall health matters as well. Conditions such as autoimmune disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or medications that interfere with healing can complicate recovery. Lifestyle is another consideration. People involved in contact sports or jobs with a high risk of eye trauma may need to think carefully, since impact can affect surgical results. It’s a big decision—one that you and your optometrist should make together.

Expectations and Consultation

Perhaps the biggest factor is mindset. LASIK offers excellent results, but it isn’t perfect. Many patients still use reading glasses later in life or need lenses for certain activities. The goal is improvement, not perfection. A comprehensive exam and consultation with an eye doctor remains the best way to know if LASIK in Champaign, IL is appropriate.

If you’ve wondered whether you qualify, scheduling that eye exam is the first step. By reviewing your prescription, corneal thickness, and health history, your optometrist can tell you if LASIK is a safe, effective option for your needs. Contact Champaign Eye Professionals today to learn more.

How Long Does LASIK Recovery Take?

/0 Comments/in /by

Tired of wearing glasses? If you’re a good candidate, LASIK eye surgery may be an option to consider. This procedure helps correct vision problems, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, allowing you to see clearly without corrective lenses or reducing the need for them. Our optometrists in Champaign, IL, offer co-management for LASIK before and after surgery. Here’s what you can expect if you have this procedure done.

Immediate Post-LASIK Symptoms

You may have eye discomfort right after surgery once the effects of anesthesia wear off. Other symptoms you may experience include blurry vision, light sensitivity, dry eyes, and eye irritation.

Symptoms During the First Week of Recovery

Discomfort and irritation usually get better the same day as your procedure. But some symptoms, like blurriness, might last for about a week. You may also still have dry eyes during this time.

Symptoms That May Last for Months

With LASIK co-management in Champaign, IL, our optometry team can provide more detailed info on what to expect during recovery. You might have dry eyes that last for several months after surgery, for example.

Post-Surgery Instructions to Follow for Recovery

We’ll provide instructions to help the recovery process, like wearing sunglasses and reducing eye strain. You’ll also have activity restrictions for a month or more.

Overall Timeline

It can take up to a year or more to fully recover from this surgery. Following post-op instructions helps minimize this time.

Set Up a Consultation for LASIK Today!

Are you considering getting this surgery so you don’t have to wear glasses anymore? At Champaign Eye Professionals, we offer LASIK co-management in Champaign, IL, helping you determine if this treatment is right for you and providing care after surgery for a healthy recovery.

After LASIK – What Does Co-Management Look Like?

/0 Comments/in /by

After LASIK surgery, your need for vision care continues. The surgery will likely improve your vision to 20/25 or even better, but that does not mean you never need to see the eye doctor in Champaign, IL. As part of our LASIK co-management service, Champaign Eye Professionals offers LASIK aftercare to ensure your vision stays good and your eyes stay healthy.

What Is LASIK Co-Management and Aftercare?

At Champaign Eye Professionals, we partner with LASIK surgeons to help screen patients for this procedure. While we don’t perform LASIK at our office, we do help our patients take advantage of this treatment if it is a good option for them. Before LASIK, we help our patients maintain good vision and eye health, so they are well prepared for the surgery.

A key component of LASIK co-management is LASIK aftercare. Because we understand LASIK surgery, we can offer post-operative care to our patients. This often costs less than it would at the surgical center, and it also helps our patients maintain their eye health with eye doctors in Champaign, IL, whom they already know and trust.

Aftercare from LASIK looks similar to traditional vision care. We will screen you for any changes to your vision, eye health concerns, and overall eye care needs. However, we will also monitor healing from LASIK and provide care for any concerns, such as dry eye, that develop after surgery.

Glasses After LASIK

While LASIK is designed to eliminate the need for glasses, sometimes patients will find that their eyes do change as they age. A common need is the need for reading glasses as a patient gets older. Again, with LASIK aftercare at Champaign Eye Professionals, you can have regular screenings to see if this is necessary.

LASIK is a great way to restore your vision. Aftercare with Champaign Eye Professionals, your eye doctor in Champaign, IL, you can maintain your vision and eye health well after surgery.

How to Know if You’re a Good Candidate for LASIK

/0 Comments/in /by

Have you grown tired of depending on eyeglasses or contacts for clear vision? LASIK eye surgery may be an option for you to consider. Our optometrists in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals offer co-management for this procedure. We can help you determine if LASIK is the best choice for you, considering various factors.

Severity of Refractive Errors

How nearsighted or farsighted are you? Or how bad is your astigmatism? LASIK can help if you have moderate or mild refractive errors. It’s not designed for those with more severe astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness.

Eye Conditions

Do you have any eye diseases or problems? Some of these, such as retinal diseases or keratoconus, may make LASIK unsuitable for you. If this is the case, we’ll discuss other options for correcting your vision.

Age

Are you at least 18? LASIK is meant for those whose eyes and vision are fully developed. For those who are younger, our eye doctors will need to discuss other vision correction options, such as a different type of lens for glasses or contacts.

Medical Conditions

Do you have any underlying health issues that may affect your ability to heal or put you at greater risk of complications, such as diabetes? You’ll need to manage these conditions to be considered a good candidate for LASIK.

Cost

Note that LASIK isn’t usually covered under vision insurance so we’ll need to make sure it’s an affordable option for you.

Set Up a LASIK Consultation Today!

Are you considering this procedure so you can see better? At Champaign Eye Professionals, we offer co-management for LASIK in Champaign, IL, including consultations and follow-up appointments. Let’s discuss whether this surgery is right for your eyes!

 

What to Expect With LASIK Recovery Times

/0 Comments/in , /by

LASIK surgery is a very popular procedure that has helped millions of people around the globe to get good vision. For those who find that they’ve grown tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses just to go about their daily lives, the idea of LASIK is almost too good to pass up. If you undergo LASIK, you should know that there is a recovery period after surgery. At Champaign Eye Professionals, we provide pre and post-operative support to patients who have LASIK. It’s called LASIK co-management in Champaign, IL, and we welcome any questions you may have related to this service. In the meantime, here’s what you can expect with LASIK recovery times.

Immediately After Surgery

You should organize for someone to drive you home afterward, because right after having LASIK, it’s common to experience mild discomfort, such as a gritty sensation, light sensitivity or watery eyes. These symptoms make it just a little uncomfortable to drive, so to be on the safe side, get someone else to help out. The symptoms will abate in a few hours, but for good measure, you should plan on resting. Avoid things that may strain your eyes, like reading, sewing and the like. Instead, rest your eyes and consider playing music or listening to an audio book or something similar. Your eye doctor will give you protective glasses or an eye shield, so you should use that as instructed, too. This will help to prevent you from accidentally rubbing your eyes, as well as to block out excess light.

Ongoing Recovery

By the end of the first week, many patients notice significant improvements in their vision. However, some may still experience dryness or glare, particularly at night. It’s crucial to follow your optometrist’s aftercare instructions, including attending follow-up visits and using lubricating drops as needed.

LASIK recovery is generally smooth, but results and timelines vary. And your optometrist in Champaign, IL will be with you the whole way!

LASIK Recovery: What to Expect

/0 Comments/in /by

For anyone who suffers from poor vision, you know what a benefit LASIK surgery could provide. Even if your vision isn’t terribly awful, it can feel burdensome to be saddled with having to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses or both for your entire life. Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t need to wear anything in order to see as well as the average person? With LASIK, you might be able to. If you are considering LASIK in Champaign, IL, here’s what you can expect on the recovery side of things.

Immediate Post-Surgery Effects

Right after your LASIK procedure, you may experience some discomfort, such as a scratchy or gritty feeling in your eyes. This is normal and typically subsides within a few hours. Some patients also experience mild blurriness or haziness as their vision begins to stabilize.

The First Few Days

It’s important to avoid straining your eyes by reading or using screens too much during the first few days. Most patients can return to their normal activities within 24 to 48 hours, but it’s crucial to follow all post-operative care instructions.

The Role of LASIK Co-Management

LASIK co-management is the collaboration between your LASIK surgeon and your primary eye care provider to monitor your recovery. After the surgery, you’ll have follow-up visits to ensure your eyes are healing properly and to track your visual progress. Your optometrist may also offer support by providing ongoing care and addressing any concerns that arise during recovery.

Long-Term Healing

While most LASIK patients experience significant vision improvement within a few days, full recovery may take several weeks to months. During this time, your eyes may continue to adjust, and you might experience slight changes in vision. Continued follow-up care with your optometrist in Champaign, IL is key to maintaining optimal results.

Is Lasik a Cost-Effective Surgery?

/0 Comments/in /by

The cost of LASIK depends on a wide array of factors. Some people spend more than $4,000 per eye! These high costs typically prompt people to ask whether the costs are worth it and what factors they should consider before pulling the trigger. Below, we explore a few different things to keep in mind, including convenience and quality of life.

The Straight Costs of Glasses and Contacts

Even with a solid vision plan, the costs of glasses and contacts can add up over the years. This is more than just buying the actual products; it’s everything from cleaning solutions to cases to unexpected rips or breaks. When you total it all up over the course of a decade, people might be surprised at just how much they spend. Anoptometrist in Champaign, IL can tell you that LASIK may have a high upfront cost, but it can theoretically last for decades (possibly forever) if your prescription doesn’t change.

Additional Factors

Glasses and contacts take time to maintain, and they can interfere with your quality of life. For example, if your contacts become dry by the end of the day, that can impact your ability to drive late at night. Or if your glasses fog up in the rain, you can potentially lose your vision at a particularly critical moment.LASIK in Champaign, IL fixes many of these safety issues so that you can be a little more confident no matter what comes your way.

Find LASIK Surgery in Champaign, IL 

LASIK surgery is more than just deciding whether or not to have the procedure. If you have questions about who the best surgeon is or what you can expect from each visit, you can talk to the staff at Champaign Eye Professionals. Here, we can help you coordinate all the details so you can make the right decision.

3 Reasons You May Need to Wait for Lasik

/0 Comments/in /by

LASIK surgery may be a relatively routine procedure, but there are rules that doctors still need to adhere to. If you’re ready to have it, we’ll examine a few factors that may impact your eligibility.

Prescription Instability

LASIK surgery in Champaign, IL fixes your eyes based on how they function at the time of the event. Should your eyes change afterward, you can end up needing glasses or contacts to see again. Your vision is less likely to change after you turn 25, thanks to the reduction of hormonal fluctuations, but your eyesight can technically change at any time.

You’re Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Much like age can mess with your hormones, so can pregnancy and breastfeeding. Most eye doctors in Champaign, IL, recommend waiting at least a few months after you’re finished breastfeeding to have a better idea of what your vision will be.

Health Factors

Your eye and overall health can impact the surgery’s success. If you have unresolved issues, such as diabetes, infections, or severe dry eye, a doctor may recommend waiting until the problems are under control. Please note that not every health issue will require you to wait and is typically judged on a case-by-case basis.

Visit an Eye Doctor in Champaign, IL

While it can be frustrating to wait for LASIK, it’s ultimately less hassle for you in the long run. Even if you can dramatically improve your vision before your prescription changes again, the goal is to give you a crystal-clear sight for as long as possible.

If you have questions about your eligibility, the staff at Champaign Eye Professionals is here to help. We co-manage our LASIK patients, coordinating and communicating with surgeons to smooth and streamline the process.

Does a VSP Typically Cover Lasik?

/0 Comments/in /by

Numerous insurance companies can offer a vision savings plan (VSP), each with its own version of the popular policy. If you’re wondering if LASIK in Champaign, IL, is covered, we’ll look at how it impacts your out-of-pocket costs.

Elective Vs. Medically Necessary

VSPs cover medically necessary surgery instead of elective (optional) surgery. However, just because LASIK is considered optional doesn’t mean you’ll have to pay the full costs. Depending on your plan, you may have partial coverage.

To get the best possible deal, you can combine any available insurance benefits you have with payment options. The best course of action is usually to get no- or low-interest financing to pay off the costs without spending a lump sum. Remember the larger savings of foregoing glasses or contacts after the surgery.

How Much Is LASIK?

The cost of LASIK depends on everything from your refractive errors to the technology used to the surgeon you choose. For instance, if you get custom LASIK, which treats both higher- and lower-order aberrations, you’ll pay more than traditional LASIK. In other words, the more severe your vision disorder, the more likely you’ll need custom LASIK. However, LASIK costs are capped per eye, so you can rest assured that you won’t pay over the maximum limit.

LASIK in Champaign, IL

When most people see an eye doctor in Champaign, IL, to treat everything from astigmatisms to near-sightedness, it can get messy to have to then deal with a LASIK surgeon. At Champaign Eye Professionals, our staff offers a co-management solution that ensures smoother communication and fewer hassles for our patients. If you want to learn more about the program, reach out today to see how we can facilitate the process.

4 Myths About LASIK

/0 Comments/in , /by

The next time you visit your optometrist, be sure to ask about LASIK in Champaign, IL. If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, there’s a chance that your vision can be permanently adjusted using the advanced technology of LASIK. You’ll almost certainly have questions about this procedure, so here are some myths you must also be aware of.

1. You’ll Never Need Glasses Again

Every person’s experience with LASIK differs. Spending upon your eyesight, to begin with, LASIK may not completely eliminate the need to wear glasses ever again. Some people who get LASIK find that they still need reading glasses for close-up work such as reading or sewing.

2. LASIK is Too Dangerous

LASIK was developed out of hard work and 50 years of research before it was finally approved as a vision correction procedure by the FDA in 1999. Since then, with an extremely high success rate, LASIK has been performed on countless individuals worldwide. Like any surgery, LASIK carries risks, but these risks have been minimized, and LASIK is considered to be very safe.

3. LASIK Doesn’t Last

LASIK is a physical correction of eyesight with permanent effects. They do not wear off. What does change is people’s eyes over time. A person is still susceptible to all the changes that can happen with aging, including macular degeneration, cataracts, and more. Because of this, other treatments may be needed years later, such as eyeglasses, cataract removal, and similar.

4. LASIK is Very Painful

Most patients feel little to no pain during LASIK. There may be a sensation of pressure, but since numbing drops are used, the pain level is low to non-existent. Also, the recovery time is very short, with many people returning to their normal routine after just one day.

Contact your optometrist in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals. We’ll answer all your questions and see if you are a good candidate for LASIK.