Dentists Can Have LASIK Too!

“As a Dentist I rely on my vision to do my job.  I have worn glasses and contacts since I was a kid.  I never gave Lasik much thought.  I thought it wouldn’t work for me due to the line of work I’m in.  I wear magnifying glasses while I work over my contacts and this has worked for some time now.  Over the past six months or so the contacts have been bothering me and aren’t as comfortable as they used to be.  One of the dental hygienists that works for me told me about Dr. Buck and I made an appointment.  After the preliminary testing, Dr. Buck said I would be a great candidate.  I was so excited at the thought of not wearing glasses or contacts I scheduled the surgery right then and there.  Here I am six months out of having Lasik and I am so happy.  I wish I hadn’t waited so long!”

If you or some you know is tired of the hassle of glasses or contact lenses for seeing at distance and would like to find out if LASIK might be a good vision correction option, please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Improvement in Glaucoma Blindness Rate

Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million people in the United States and over 60 million globally. Although the disease is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, the probability of going blind from glaucoma has been significantly reduced due to advances in diagnosis and treatment. In office use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to study and measure the nerve fiber layer of the retina and optic nerve as well lasers and implantable microscopic devices to change the risk of blindness from glaucoma. Researchers from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine studied the change in the rate of blindness from glaucoma over 2 consecutive 20 year periods and found that the rate of blindness was decreased by half but still remained unacceptably high! The best ways to avoid vision loss from glaucoma are to know your risk factors-such as family history, African and Hispanic descent, smoking, diabetes and sleep apnea, and be sure to schedule regular eye exams with glaucoma testing within timeframes recommended by your eye doctor.

If you or someone you now is concerned about their risk of glaucoma, schedule an eye exam at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354

Aging, Cognitive Decline, Vision & Hearing

Many people seem to think that getting older and normal aging results in an almost certain loss of cognitive abilities and nothing can be done to slow or halt this decline. Research doesn’t actually support this thinking, especially with regard to maintaining good vision and hearing. Researchers  studied a group of people 50+ years of age from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and found that there is a clear pattern whereby seniors who work to avoid sensory impairment-particularly vision and hearing-do not experience the same magnitude or speed of cognitive decline as those who have a single sensory impairment and more so a dual sensory impairment. The message is quite simple-seniors and those at risk for age related memory loss and cognitive decline need to be sure to maintain their eye health and vision and hearing.

If you or someone you know-especially those in the senior age group-has not had a thorough eye health and vision exam, please schedule an appointment at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Help for Keratoconus with Corneal Cross Linking

Keratoconus is a disease of the cornea in which the normally round dome like shape undergoes thinning and begins to bulge. This results in light entering the eye being irregularly focused and blurring of vision. Early on, the vision changes from keratoconus can be managed with eyeglasses and even later with contact lenses. However, keratoconus is progressive and many sufferers require cornea transplant surgery. The use of a new treatment option called Corneal Cross Linking appears to be successful in the treatment of keratoconus and stabilizes the shape of the cornea either significantly or completely halting the disease progression. 

If you or someone you know suffers from keratoconus and would like to know more about corneal cross linking, schedule an eye exam at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Common Drugs & Light Colored Eyes Increase UV-Related Eye Problems

Did you know that some common drugs and light colored eyes can actually increase your risk of UV related eye problems? Even for many people who are taking certain drugs and have light-colored eyes they are unaware of the increased risk of certain eye diseases and conditions.

Studies have shown that, in addition to skin cancers, accumulated ultraviolet exposure from the sun can heighten the risk of eye diseases such eye cancer and cataracts, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Intense UV exposure can also cause temporary blindness known as photokeratitis, while extended sun exposure is linked to growths such as pterygium, or surfer's eye. Consumer market research demonstrates that about half of the patients taking antibiotics containing tetracycline, or fluoroquinolones like Cipro, some birth control and estrogen pills and certain anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as ibuprofen Advil and naproxen sodium Aleve are unaware that these medications are “photosensitizing” and increase the risk of eye problems from UV rays. In addition, more than half-54 percent of Americans-have light-colored eyes-blue, green or hazel which are more susceptible to UV damage. While people with eyes of any color can develop UV-related eye diseases, light eyes and sun exposure are associated with an increased risk of rare eye cancers, such as iris and uveal melanomas.

While it is just common sense to wear UV eye protective sunglasses, those in the higher risk groups above should be particularly cautious about UV eye protection-particularly if you work or spend a great deal of time outdoors. To learn more call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.