What to expect during your LASIK consultation

Many patients ask me what is going to happen when they come in for a LASIK consultation and I wanted to take this blog to address those concerns in this blog.

Our LASIK consultation last about one hour. At Mann Eye Institute, we feel it is necessary to give our patients the best possible vision correction outcome. We perform multiple tests on our patients to ensure each person is a great candidate for LASIK.

The first test to be performed is mapping of the cornea. The cornea is the tissue at the front of the eye that is reshaped during LASIK. We must ensure that it has a normal shape and that it will not become too steep or too flat after surgery.

The next test is to determine the prescription of the eye. We also check the eye for any signs of diseases that could affect the outcome of LASIK such as dry eyes, cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Part of determining your prescription, is dilation as it is necessary to fully inspect every part of the eye. Dilating the eye also allows us to get a cycloplegic refraction. The cycloplegic refraction allows us to check the prescription of the eye once the lens is in its relaxed position. This is more important for patients who are getting in their forties. When patients reach their forties, glasses become needed for reading because the lens stays in that relaxed position more frequently. By checking the prescription in this way, we are able to predict how your vision needs will change through the years and account for that change when customizing your LASIK procedure.

Patients appreciate that we have one of the most thorough screening processes in town. Choosing a surgeon to trust with your eyes is a decision that is not to be taken lightly. We have the most advanced diagnostic equipment and lasers at Mann Eye Institute, and we strive to give every patient our complete attention and care. Call us today, 800-MY-VISION, to schedule your free consultation and experience Mann Eye Institute for yourself.

What does it take to be a candidate for LASIK?

You may be considering LASIK, but are curious as to weather or not you are a candidate. Most people are LASIK candidates, but even those who are not can often have their vision improved by another procedure.

The first criterion is that your vision must be correctable with glasses. Some people are not able to see well with glasses or contact lenses. When that is the case, there is a good chance that a different procedure may be more beneficial.

We will also want to make sure that your prescription hasn't changed much recently. If you wear glasses, be sure to bring them in so that we can measure them. If you wear contact lenses, write down the prescription or bring the contact lens package with you.

The thickness of your corneas will be measured as a part of your pre-op evaluation. Thickness is important because LASIK surgery reshapes and thins the corneas. We need to make sure that your corneas will have the thickness that they need to hold their shape after LASIK surgery.

Another important factor is the shape of the cornea. We will create a topographic map of your cornea to see if there are irregular peaks which are not treated well with LASIK.

Irregular areas of steepness may indicate that the cornea is not stable. In order for LASIK to have a lasting effect, the cornea needs to be thick, strong and stable.

Contact lenses will warp the cornea temporarily and distort the corneal topography mapping. It is important to take your contacts out prior to your screening evaluation to avoid making extra trips to the office. Normal soft contact lenses should be taken out one full week prior to your examination. Toric lenses should be out for two full weeks, and hard contact lenses should be out for at least one full month prior to the examination.

We use strict screening criteria because we want every patient to have a wonderful lasting result following LASIK surgery. Approximately 90% of the patients that we see are great LASIK candidates. Those who are not suited for LASIK surgery can still have lasting vision improvements with another procedure such as an Active Life Lens procedure, Intacs or collagen crosslinking depending on each persons individual needs.

If you're ready to schedule your free consultation and find out if you're a candidate for LASIK at Mann Eye Institute, give us a call today, 1-800-MY-VISION. I look forward to seeing many of you in the Austin office soon.

Advanced LASIK laser is coming to Austin

There is always something new and exciting happening at Mann Eye Institute. With so many advancements occurring in the field of refractive surgery, I and my fellow surgeons at Mann Eye Institute have been busy researching these new technologies and learning how they’ll improve outcomes for our patients.

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to perform a LASIK procedure with our new Wavelight FS 200, a femtosecond laser. The FS 200 laser is utilized to create the corneal flap during step one of the LASIK procedure. It was an awesome experience for both my patients and me! The FS 200 is faster than our previous laser, which means a more accurate and safer procedure for our patients as well.

One thing that stood out to me is that immediately following the procedure, my patient’s corneal flap was clearer. The precision of this procedure should allow for patients to have a quicker visual recovery and a greater “wow” factor when they first sit up and realize they can see.

I am very excited about the results we are going to be getting with this new femtosecond laser. We at Mann Eye Institute are excited to be the first practice in Austin with a laser of this kind. If you’re considering LASIK in Austin, give us a call at 800-MY-VISION and schedule your free consultation. Our team of surgeons is looking forward to helping you enjoy incredible vision with this breakthrough LASIK technology.

How lasers are revolutionizing cataract procedures

I am really excited! I spent last weekend in California at a medical meeting where we learned more about the latest breakthrough in cataract procedures. I know this may sound a bit boring, but I promise there are very exciting things ahead.

Within the next few months, we will be using a femtosecond laser in cataract surgery. The femtosecond technology is the same technology that we have trusted to perform blade-free LASIK procedures for about a decade, but we have not had a femtosecond laser for cataract surgery…. until now. This will revolutionize cataract surgery as we know it, increasing the accuracy and predictability of the procedure, as it eliminates the need for a blade.

What does this mean for you?

The number one way this impacts our patients is improved accuracy. The femtosecond lasers provide increased precision, which means a more predictable outcome for our patients. Cataract patients have been asking us for years when we’ll be able to use a laser for their procedure, because they trust the blade-free technology. We’re now excited to say the answer is very soon. We’re currently doing research on this new technology, but can honestly say that we’re looking forward to providing blade-free cataract procedures to our patients.

People choose Mann Eye Institute because of our experience and commitment to technological advancements. They feel safe knowing we’ve performed thousands of cataract procedures in the last three decades, always working to provide the most advanced technologies that we believe will provide the outcomes our patients demand. We are thrilled to take the next step in cataract procedure technology by offering our patients a femtosecond cataract laser.

Keratoconus: Dodging the cones

One in every 1,000 to 2,000 Americans is affected by Keratoconus, a degenerative disorder of the eye. Keratoconus causes the cornea to thin and change, resulting in a more conical shape instead of a gradual curve.

Keratoconus can cause vision distortion, streaking and sensitivity to light. It is typically diagnosed during childhood and gets worse into the twenties and thirties. The deterioration in vision can affect one’s ability to perform daily tasks like driving or reading.

The great news is that the treatment options for this debilitating disease have been progressing in the recent years. Previously, there were only two treatment options. A patient was given contact lenses to get the best possible vision. Once the contact lenses failed, the only option was a corneal transplant, which is less than optimal as there are serious long term complications, risks and vision issues associated with such a transplant.

Now at Mann Eye Institute, we offer several treatments to improve keratoconic patients’ vision and most importantly, prevent patients from having to undergo a corneal transplant. Our newest treatment option is collagen crosslinking.

Corneal collagen crosslinking (or CXR) is a procedure that is done to actually change the chemical make-up of the cornea. The cornea is exposed to a medicine (riboflavin) and then treated with a UV light. These two things combine to make new bonds within the cornea which strengthens it and creates a more rounded (less conical) shape.

CXR has been performed throughout the world for many years and is the primary surgical intervention in all European countries. It is newer in the US and has yet to be FDA approved, though studies are being performed to gain that approval and those of us who are passionate about doing what is best for our patients are offering the procedure with the proper informed consent.

CXR is just one of the treatments options available at Mann Eye Institute. If you are suffering from keratoconus, please schedule an appointment with us so we can help get your vision to its optimal state.

Photo credit: Eyerobics.com

Meet Dr. McIntire

Hello everyone, I am Dr. Lisa McIntire. I am one of the surgeons at Mann Eye Institute and am relatively new to the team. I joined Mann Eye Institute in January and spend most of my time treating patients in Austin. When Dr. Gus Stern introduced me to the other doctors at Mann Eye Institute, I knew right away that this was the right group for me. The doctors are genuine. The staff is phenomenal. And, they always have the latest and most advanced surgical equipment.

I feel very fortunate to be an Ophthalmologist. As medical students, we didn't have much exposure to Ophthalmology. Most of our time was spent in primary care and general surgery. Fortunately, I had friends in years ahead of me who were studying Ophthalmology. They showed me the light and helped me see that with Ophthalmology we are able to make these drastic positive changes in peoples lives, but not say goodbye to them after its done. We get to treat people throughout their life and sometimes their families too.

When I’m not working or talking about how awesome my job is, I like to bike ride and play outdoors. My husband and I met in college at the University of Southern Mississippi. We bonded instantly over our love of mountain biking. When it was time to start medical training, he pulled up his roots and traveled with me. Our first stop was LSU – Shreveport, where I went to medical school. Then we spent a year in Chattanooga where I did a transitional internship at UT - Chattanooga. (There is lots of great bike riding there!) Next, we headed over the Blue Ridge Mountains to Winston-Salem, where I did an Ophthalmology residency at Wake Forest. Then back to my hometown, New Orleans, where I did a Cornea and Refractive Surgery fellowship at Tulane. During all of that training I managed to have two sons. They are 7- and 4-years-old now and SO much fun!

I’ve spent the last six months here in Austin and they have been great. Before I started at Mann Eye Institute, the Austin office treated mostly LASIK patients. Now, we’re able to treat patients with cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes or any other ocular problem, as well. It’s been exciting to open the practice up to a whole other segment of patients… not to mention, Austin rocks!

If you’re interested in LASIK, Active Life Lenses or another procedure, give us a call at 800-MY-VISION. I look forward to meeting many of you very soon.

Can I use my insurance to pay for LASIK?

I hope everyone is having a great summer. I have been busy starting my training plan for a triathlon in Austin at the beginning of September. When the sweat is pouring down my face in this heat, I am so glad I had Lasik surgery to get rid of my glasses and contacts. Lasik is definitely the best thing to do for yourself if you are into sports.

Mann Eye Institute recently ran a Groupon special in Houston. It became apparent after talking with our team, based on the hundreds of calls we received that there is some confusion out there on the financial aspects of LASIK surgery. I am going to attempt to clear up some of the confusion below, but remember you can call any of our Lasik specialists if you have any additional questions.

LASIK surgery is am incredible life-changing event, BUT most medical insurance companies don’t see it as a medically necessary procedure. There are few to no insurance companies that will pay for the complete LASIK procedure. To them, LASIK is an elective procedure. For an insurance company to pay for any surgery, they require the patient to have a disease or limiting condition, one example would be a cataract. Surgery can indeed fix the cataract diseased eye in almost every case. Unfortunately, being nearsighted or farsighted is not considered a disease, rather it is looked at more as an inconvenience.

That being said, there are vision insurance companies that offer discounts through their policies. Again, there are few to none that will cover the full cost of the procedure. Mann Eye Institute has agreements with several traditional and vision insurance companies so be sure to ask if you have any special pricing for your lasik with your individual insurance provider when you call for your complimentary screening appointment to learn if you could be a candidate for LASIK.

One silver lining is that there are financing options to help those who want to spread the payments over time. For example, you can request two years with ZERO PERCENT interest financing and pay around $150 a month if you meet the financing company's criteria.

Hopefully, some of your questions have been answered as it pertains to the non-medical side of LASIK. Please call 1-800-MY-VISION if you have any other questions.