lasik-surgery

3 Reasons You May Need to Wait for Lasik

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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?

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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

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The next time you visit your optometrist, be sure to ask aboutLASIK 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 youroptometrist in Champaign, IL, at Champaign Eye Professionals. We’ll answer all your questions and see if you are a good candidate for LASIK.

Why LASIK Co-Management Is a Win-Win

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LASIK is a relatively straightforward surgery for most patients and surgeons. However, just because it’s a common procedure doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to coordinate. If you’re looking for LASIK in Champaign, IL, we’ll look at how co-management makes for a more streamlined patient experience and why it can help optometrists and surgeons simultaneously.

An Equal Exchange

LASIK co-management is essentially a referral from your optometrist to a LASIK surgeon. It’s a partnership that’s meant to benefit everyone involved. The optometrist takes care of the pre-and post-operative care and follow-up. The surgeon gets a steady flow of patients, and the price may be lower for the patient (depending on insurance).

How the Patient Benefits

It would be easy to look at a co-management situation and assume that the doctors and staff were the only ones coming out on top. This isn’t so, though. Patients see more benefits than just a lower bill:

  • Familiarity: Sometimes, working with someone you already know is easier. With this option, you don’t have to worry about visiting a new doctor for anything other than the main event.
  • Consolidation: Your patient care will be coordinated by one team, so there are fewer chances of confusion. If you end up at an unaffiliated surgeon’s office, you can end up in a confusing back-and-forth between the two offices. Plus, they’re more likely to miss an important detail about your optical health.

Optometrists in Champaign

If you’re looking for an optometrist in Champaign, IL, who can refer you to a good surgeon, the staff at Champaign Eye Professionals offers co-management for LASIK. We’ve seen countless patients get the vision they want without the hassle, so contact us today to learn more about the program and what it can do for you.

lasik-surgery

Does Lasik Surgery Last Forever?

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Lasik may be a non-invasive surgery, but it’s still a major decision to make for the health of your eyes. If you’re wondering how long it lasts, it should come as good news that the procedure typically lasts forever. Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule. We’ll look at how the surgery works and what you can expect from the results.

Lasik in a Nutshell 

The goal of Lasik is to reshape the cornea, so you’ll be able to see clearly with glasses or contacts. The catch is that your eye can still change after the surgery, which means that if your vision changes, the new shape of the cornea won’t be able to account for those changes.

This is why anophthalmologist in Champaign, IL will wait until their patients meet certain criteria. As long as they can reasonably predict that your vision won’t drastically change as you age, then you can reasonably predict that the surgery will last.

Average Age of Lasik Surgery Patients 

The FDA recommends that no one under the age of 18 should get Lasik surgery. However, most people who get the surgery are much older than that. Usually between 30 – 45, it’s important for an eye doctor to see how your vision performs from year to year.

Eye Doctors in Champaign

If you’re interested in havingLasik in Champaign, IL, Champaign Eye Professionals is here to answer your questions. We offer co-management services, meaning we help you find a surgeon in the area, while helping you with the pre- and post-operative care. If you want to know if you’re a good candidate for the surgery, there’s no harm in finding out more about what the procedure entails and how you can enjoy crisp and clean vision for a lifetime afterwards.

lasik-advantages

What is LASIK and the Benefits?

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LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis and is a surgery designed to correct specific vision problems, including severe nearsightedness, astigmatism, and moderate farsightedness.

At Champaign Eye Professionals, we use a special type of laser to reshape the cornea of the eye, changing how your eye refracts light and helping you see better, usually without the aid of contacts or eyeglasses.

Who is a Good Candidate for LASIK Surgery?

You are a good candidate for LASIK surgery in Champaign, IL, if you are in good overall health with no serious ocular issues and have severe nearsightedness, astigmatism, or moderate farsightedness.

You should not get LASIK if you:

  • suffer from dry eye syndrome
  • are nursing or pregnant
  • have suffered from a recent eye injury or infection
  • have diabetes
  • have an immune disorder
  • are under 18 years old

Your eye doctor in Champaign, IL will be better able to determine if you are a good candidate.

Is LASIK Surgery Painful?

Anesthetic drops are placed in each eye prior to the procedure to completely numb your eye so you don’t feel any pain. Many patients report feeling a slight pressure on their eyes during the surgery itself, and some describe a feeling like a stray eyelash for several hours afterward.

Most patients find that an over-the-counter pain reliever is all you need to alleviate any discomfort post-surgery.

What Are the Benefits of LASIK Surgery?

Some benefits of LASIK surgery include:

  • Improved vision, usually resulting in no longer having to wear contacts or eyeglasses
  • Long-term time and cost savings from not having to purchase eyeglasses and contacts or check your vision regularly
  • Convenience from no longer not being able to see when you wake up, go swimming, play sports, and more!

How Long Does LASIK Eye Surgery Take?

LASIK surgery is an in-office procedure that usually takes less than 10 minutes per eye, depending on the amount of correction you need. You should plan on spending about 90 minutes at our office when you come in for LASIK.

Are the Results of LASIK Surgery Permanent? 

LASIK surgery is permanent in the vast majority of patients. However, in a limited number of cases, the patient may experience regression, but this can almost always be easily corrected by follow-up treatments known as LASIK enhancements.

If you’d like more information on LASIK eye surgery, please feel free to contact us in Champaign, IL, at your convenience.