For most people, all of our typical routines are usually thrown out the window when summer rolls around. Our main priority is trying to soak up as much sun as possible and we realize that our health concerns tend to make their way to the back burner. Now, with fall just around the corner, it could time to get back into healthier routines and when we do, to put our vision first. When it comes our vision, nearly 30 per cent of the population in Canada is nearsighted, yet each year many of us avoid a more permanent solution and opt to renew a contact lens prescription or pick out a new pair of glasses. While this may seem like a quick and less expensive solution, in the long-term it is a kind of approach that loses its appeal and effectiveness.
Ophthalmologist describe Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, as a ‘refractive error’, which means that the eye cannot bend or refract light properly to focus on images clearly. When we have Myopia, we can see close objects more clearly than distant objects and this happens because the corneal curvature has become too steep. As a result, the object we’re seeing falls in front of the retina and we end up seeing a blurred image.
Recognizing the Signs & Symptoms
With Nearsightedness, the most distinctive symptom we’ll recognize is blurry vision when looking at objects or paths in the distance. For example, we may be able to see the words clearly on an iPad, but would have trouble seeing words clearly on the television.
Some of the other symptoms we may experience with Myopia are squinting, headaches and feeling fatigued when you are driving or playing sports or anything activities that require you to keep a ‘keen eye on the ball’. In the average person, these symptoms typically start between the ages of 6 and 12 and can stabilize around the beginning of adulthood. However, it’s not unusual to develop these symptoms past your young adult years or for them to worsen over time.
Treat, Don’t Mask Myopia
Although it’s common for your Ophthalmologist to prescribe glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision, many of us are choosing laser eye surgery because it’s more of an effective long-term solution. It also ends up costing you more in the end to choose glasses or contact lens as they add up on annual basis. At Image Plus, with corrective surgery, your surgeon can reshape the contour of your cornea, which making it possible for your eye to focus correctly. This means clearer, sharper vision immediately and the freedom that comes without being held back by contact lenses or glassno more contact lenses or glasses!
The Image Plus team , uses the most advanced corrective procedures like iLasik, PRK with iDesign WaveFront and Visian to correct Myopia. iLASIK, one of the more popular corrective procedures for nearsightedness, takes less than one minute to adjust each eye –with minimal recovery time!
Bladeless Laser Surgery
There are numerous ways and types of treatments to fix your nearsightedness, and it starts with your surgeon creating a flap out of your corneal tissue. In earlier laser procedures, this was created with a blade called microkeratome, however all of our procedures at Image Plus are blade-free. So instead, we create a laser or IntraLase flap. Next, your surgeon will lift the flap, which reveals a layer of the cornea. Your surgeon will then use an excimer laser on the cornea to treat your vision. The flap is replaced and it adheres to the cornea within seconds. Using the IntraLase flap means significant improvements in safety and precisions, with better results. In fact, more patients achieved 20/20 with iLASIK as compared to traditional LASIK!
At Image Plus, we know your eyes are unique and that there are many factors to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for laser eye surgery. Book a complimentary assessment with one of our vision care specialists and we’ll test your eyes thoroughly and take the opportunity to discuss how our team can help you!