Carter Eye Center Lasik Vision Correction Blog - Dr Harvey Carter, Dallas TX

WavePrint™ Technology at Carter Eye Center in Dallas Texas

2010-10-18T17:24:00.001-05:00

No two eyes are alike. When you decide that laser vision correction is right for you, you should come in knowing that your procedure will be unlike anyone else’s. Custom LASIK uses WavePrint™ technology that essentially creates a map of your cornea. This corneal map is as unique to you as is your fingerprint.

Custom LASIK uses a wavefront-guided laser that accurately maps the eye and knows how to correct your vision with exact precision. Called CustomVue, this kind of LASIK is more likely to give patients 20/20 vision.

When you undergo a wavefront diagnosis, this is done separately from your actual procedure. Your eye is mapped and the measurements are fed into the laser that will be used during the actual procedure. A 3-D map is created to be used by your eye surgeon, Dr Harvey Carter. They can see which irregularities in your eye are keeping you from seeing clearly.

One of the main benefits of wavefront-guided LASIK is the correction of higher order aberrations, such as halos, starbursts, and ghosting (faint second image). Both the quantity, or distance, and quality of your vision is corrected with this state-of-the-art technology.

If you would like to learn more about WavePrint technology and how it can help restore your vision, please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas today.

LASIK Enhancements at Carter Eye Center in Dallas Texas

2010-10-14T17:05:00.002-05:00

LASIK has an overwhelming success rate. Still, there are occasions where the procedure gives you unsatisfactory results or there is a LASIK complication that causes problems post-surgery. When this happens, it is possible to get a follow-up, or LASIK enhancement, procedure.

It is normal for vision to fluctuate in the weeks after your LASIK surgery. This does not mean that your LASIK did not "take" and that you need an enhancement procedure. However, if this continues, or you continue to feel discomfort and pain, tell your eye doctor. If your vision is still blurry several months after LASIK, you may need to undergo a LASIK enhancement.

During your LASIK enhancement, Dr Harver Carter in Dallas, uses tools that are specific to this kind of surgery. An excimer laser is used again to do any minor reshaping of the cornea that is needed. Vision is almost always restored after this LASIK enhancement to the patient’s satisfaction. Some patients may benefit from phakic IOLs or PRK rather than LASIK.

It is important for you to understand, and your eye doctor should tell you, before your LASIK surgery that you should have realistic expectations. Although 20/20 vision is what we strive for, it is not possible with every single LASIK patient. You may still need to wear glasses while driving or during other events.

If you believe you may need a LASIK enhancement, please contact the experienced LASIK surgeons at the Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas today.

LASIK Lasers

2010-09-20T14:24:00.001-05:00

There are some differences when it comes to the laser used to perform LASIK, but these differences don’t seem to matter much to the average LASIK patient. They simply want their vision improved. Fair enough. However, laser technology moves quickly and the laser that was the go-to technology ten years ago is not necessarily the best piece of equipment for your eyes today. As a result, there is more than one kind of candidate because there is more than one kind of laser.

Types of LASIK Lasers

The types of excimer lasers used in LASIK include:

• Spot scanning lasers – commonly used and scanned across the cornea to produce the area to be cut, or ablated. These lasers allow customized ablations and treat astigmatism

• Slit scanning lasers – small beams linked to rotational devices with slits that enlarge. Scanned across the holes during your LASIK procedure to create the area of ablation. If an eye tracker is used with the laser, there is less chance that there will be overcorrection and less risk of decentration (glare, halos, and double vision)

• Wavefront guided laser – Wavefront-guided lasers first create a map of the eye and then shape the cornea in exactly the way the patient needs it. Slit scanning and spot scanning can use wavefront-guided lasers

There are many different lasers within these types. The kind of laser used depends on your pupil size, the ablation speed, and more.

If you would like to learn more about LASIK lasers and are in the Dallas, Texas area, please contact the experienced LASIK doctors at the Carter Eye Center today.

PRK

2010-09-10T14:22:00.001-05:00

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) predates LASIK as a refractive surgery. However, it was not approved by the FDA until the mid 1990s. It is now used regularly as an alternative to patients who may not be ideal candidates for LASIK. This includes patients whose corneas are too thin for a successful LASIK outcome.

The PRK procedure is performed with an excimer laser to remove corneal tissue and reshape the cornea. It can correct astigmatism by smoothing an irregularly shaped cornea. Patients who are nearsighted or farsighted can benefit for PRK, and 20/20 or 20/40 vision can be achieved.

PRK is performed on an outpatient basis. The actual surgery itself may take only about a minute. Although you are awake for the entire procedure, it is completely painless with the use of anesthetizing drops.

There may be mild discomfort following the PRK procedure, but this can be taken care of with medication if it becomes too much for you. You will also be given antibiotic drops and prescribed anti-inflammatory medication. You may not see the final results of your PRK procedure for several weeks or months.

If you are interested in finding out if you are a candidate for PRK and are in the Dallas, Texas area, please contact the experienced PRK doctors at the Carter Eye Center today for an initial consultation.

At the Forefront of Ophthalmology

2010-08-30T13:05:00.000-05:00

LASIK is one of the marvels of modern medicine, the fulfillment of a longstanding dream of scientists and visionaries. In the 1950s, for example, Isaac Asimov wrote of a world where eyeglasses existed only as an affectation or fashion accessory, and with ongoing advancements in LASIK technology expanding its availability to more and more people than ever, that dream may be becoming a reality.

But there are other untreatable threats to vision that currently elude the reach of modern ophthalmology. Macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinitis pigmentosa all threaten the vision of millions of Americans. Fortunately, ophthalmology continues to advance, and revolutionary new treatments for these diseases may be just around the corner.

For macular degeneration, a condition in which the highly sensitive central area of the retina becomes damaged, most commonly with age, ophthalmology researchers report that they have used nanotechnology to deliver gene therapy to the eyes of mice, temporarily halting the progression of the condition.

For glaucoma, studies of the relationship between BMI and normal-tension glaucoma may reveal the hormonal underpinnings of the condition, allowing for better prevention and treatment.

For retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disease that leads to blindness by causing atrophy of light-sensing cells, starting with the color-sensing cells of the retina, ophthalmology researchers are focusing on genetic manipulation to restore vision in the light-sensing cells of the retina.

If you have talked to a doctor in the past about a ophthalmologic condition and been told you just had to live with it, it is possible that recent innovations have changed that. Like LASIK, new innovations in ophthalmology are constantly changing the way we treat vision conditions. To talk to a leading-edge ophthalmology practice, please contact Carter Eye Center today for a consulation.

LASIK for Correcting Residual Refractive Errors after Cataract Surgery

2010-08-25T13:01:00.000-05:00

Most cataract surgery patients get good results from their surgery, but some have residual refractive errors after the procedure. Although cataracts will all be gone, patients sometimes have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism. Most of the time, this is limited compared to the benefits of having the cataracts removed, but if you are bothered by blurry or distorted vision after cataract surgery there are many correction options available.

Like before your cataract surgery, glasses or contact remain an issue, but many ophthalmologists recommend refractive surgery, especially LASIK. LASIK and other types of refractive surgery have the advantage of being able to simultaneously correct multiple refractive errors at once.

There are some limitations of refractive surgery after cataract surgery, however. In particular, several factors may affect your results:

• Your risk for dry eyes
• Depletion of special cells on your cornea
• Post-surgical medications
• The type of IOL used

At this point, there is too little data to make definitive evaluations, but a limited number of studies and anecdotal experience by doctors show that multifocal IOLs (like ReZoom and ReSTOR) may make results less predictable.

Decisions about LASIK after cataract surgery must be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about cataract surgery, LASIK, and other refractive surgeries, please schedule a consultation at our Dallas practice today.

Eye Injuries after LASIK

2010-07-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about 2,000 eye injuries occur daily in US workplaces. The chances that you may suffer an eye injury after LASIK are equal to the changes that you will suffer one before corrective eye surgery.

Immediately after LASIK your eye is more susceptible to an injury than before the surgery or after the flap has healed.

A flap is created on the surface of your eye to allow the laser access to reshape your cornea during the LASIK procedure. Because your eye has a unique makeup which allows the flap to re-seal itself to the rest of your eye relatively quickly without sutures, it is common to simply allow your eye to heal without any assistance.

But the fact that your eye does not require sutures after LASIK the way other types of surgery do does not mean that your eye heals immediately. There is a typical period of 2 to 4 weeks during which the eye flap is still healing and may be relatively easily detached, particularly if you are struck in the eye.

If you experience trauma to your eye during the postoperative healing time, you should make an appointment to see Dr. Carter immediately. While you may not immediately noticeable any eye injury, taking the precaution of having Dr. Carter examine your eye can prevent costly and painful complications which may arise later.

Please learn more about eye injuries after LASIK by contact Dr. Carter at Carter Eye Center, serving patients in Dallas, Texas, and the surrounding areas.

How does your vision change over time following LASIK?

2010-07-20T14:37:00.001-05:00

While LASIK is a permanent procedure, you may experience some changes in your vision after you have undergone LASIK treatment. For most patients, changes in the eye take several years before they become noticeable, and are usually not severe enough to require retreatment.

As we age, most individuals become more farsighted, and resort to holding documents and items with fine print at arm’s length until we choose to invest in reading glasses. This is not a symptom caused by LASIK, but rather the natural progression of age. LASIK may not protect you from the natural aging of your eyes.

If you frequently read in low light or work for long periods of time at a computer, you are more likely to experience eye changes after LASIK. Like eye aging, the effects of prolonged computer use and reading in low light may not become noticeable instantaneously, but may take several years to develop.

You can protect your eyes from these kinds of changes by:

Reading in well-lit areas
Taking frequent breaks from the screen by focusing on something far away for several minutes each hour
Closing your eyes periodically to let them rest
Using proper ergonomic positioning of your computer monitor.

To learn more about eye changes after LASIK please contact Dr. Harvey Carter at the Carter Eye Center, serving patients in Dallas, Texas.

How Long Does the LASIK Procedure Take?

2010-06-21T10:17:00.000-05:00

LASIK is a simple procedure to explain and likewise takes a relatively short time to perform. The entire LASIK procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye, during which a flap is created by a semi-circular incision on the surface of the eye.

The flap is folded back and the laser is used to reshape the cornea, either to flatten it to correct nearsightedness or create a slope to correct farsightedness. The actual time that the laser takes to make this correction is typically less than a minute for each eye.

Your entire LASIK appointment will likely require less than an hour to complete with the actual procedure comprising about 30 minutes. After the procedure has been performed, Dr. Carter will examine your eyes to ensure that they should heal appropriately, and may give instructions on caring for your eyes while they heal, as well as set a follow up appointment.

Alternative Surgeries

If you are undergoing an alternative to LASIK, the amount of time may vary greatly from that required by LASIK. Each procedure is unique and while several of them use lasers much like LASIK, either to create a flap or to correct the shape of the cornea, the preparation or parts of the procedure may vary.

Please contact Carter Eye Center today to learn more about LASIK and its alternatives that are available in the Dallas area of Texas.

LASIK Misconceptions

2010-06-01T10:14:00.003-05:00

LASIK will give me 20/20 eyesight.

Many patients believe that LASIK will offer them 20/20 eyesight, but in reality most patients who undergo Wavefront/CustomVue LASIK have better than 20/20 eyesight afterwards.

I will have some negative side effects with LASIK.

Not all LASIK patients experience complications. In fact, most patients do not experience any permanent side effects. While many patients may experience night vision halos or dry eyes, these symptoms usually dissipate after a few weeks or months, and the end result is 20/20 or better vision with no negative side effects.

LASIK is more expensive than wearing contacts or glasses.

While LASIK does require a sizeable initial financial investment, the overall cost of LASIK is much lower than the cost of glasses and contacts over a lifetime. The average patient spends as much as $750 a year on contacts, eye glasses, and eye exams. Over the course of a lifetime this adds up to multiple thousands of dollars more than the cost of laser eye surgery.

I have to pay for LASIK out of pocket.http://www.cartereyelasik.com/contact.html

While some individuals may choose to pay for LASIK with cash, many patients are able to use one of the following to help cover the cost of LASIK:
HSA
Financing
Monthly payment plan
Please contact Carter Eye Center today to learn more about LASIK options in the Dallas, Texas area.

LASIK and Swimming

2010-05-25T17:06:00.000-05:00

Many patients come to Carter Eye Center looking forward to enjoying their favorite pastimes without the need for contacts and eyeglasses. But some activities may be potentially dangerous to your eyes for a period of time after you have had LASIK surgery.

One activity with possibly the highest potential for negatively effecting eyes after LASIK is swimming. Whether you are an avid ocean swimmer or pool swimmer, you should take extra care to protect your eyes from coming into contact with pool or seawater.

Because the ocean, rivers and lakes are full of microscopic organisms, there is a high potential for damage to your eyes if they are exposed to these bodies of water before your corneal flap has completely healed. A microscopic organism which slips under the surface of your cornea may create very dangerous complications.

Like natural bodies of water, swimming pools and hot tubs contain microorganisms, chlorine, and other chemicals which may be very painful if they are allowed to enter your healing eye.

If you are intent on swimming after your LASIK procedure, you should wear fully protective eyewear, such as goggles which seal the eye completely from water contact for at least 4 weeks after your LASIK procedure. If you undergo an alternative laser eye surgery procedure, Dr. Carter may recommend that you avoid exposure to non-filtered water for as much as 12 weeks.

To learn more about LASIK and swimming please contact Carter Eye Center, serving LASIK patients in the Dallas area of Texas.

LASIK and Eye Sensitivity

2010-05-17T17:03:00.001-05:00

Many patients ask about negative side effects of LASIK, and one common side effect is that of light sensitivity. For most patients light sensitivity diminishes after a few days or, at the most, weeks. Occasionally a patients becomes more sensitive to light after a few days or weeks, and if you experience this type of side effect, you should return for a follow up exam.

Sensitivity after LASIK is uncommon in a debilitating ratio. While light sensitivity is perhaps the most noticeable type of sensitivity after LASIK, others are common and often directly related to no longer wearing contacts.

Wind sensitivity - If you wear contacts, you may experience sensitivity to wind or dust after your LASIK procedure. This often occurs because your eyes are used to being constantly protected by your contacts, and are not used to the experience of feeling wind against the surface of the cornea.

Dry eyes - Patients who used to experience dry eyes with contacts may experience it more noticeably after LASIK, particularly if you are used to using eye drops to keep your contacts moist. You may still use eye drops, but should use drops designed for eyes without contact lenses.

Less Sensitivity

Some patients find that their eyes are less sensitive after LASIK, which is also not uncommon. Because you no longer place contacts in and remove contacts from your eyes on a regular basis, the surfaces of your eyes are less likely to come into contact with dust and fluids which may be transferred from your hands.

If you have had LASIK and experience eye sensitivity, you should schedule a follow up appointment with Dr. Carter to ensure that it is not an indication of an injury or negative side effect. Please contact Carter Eye Center today if you are in the Dallas area of Texas and have questions about eye sensitivity after LASIK.

LASIK Follow Up Treatments

2010-04-18T16:15:00.002-05:00

When patients ask about follow up treatments, they are usually referring to either:

Follow up exams
Corrections for LASIK complications

The first of these types of follow ups is a regular part of LASIK treatment and should not be avoided, and the second is sometimes necessary, particularly if you have worked with an inexperienced or poorly trained eye surgeon.

Carter Eye Center includes initial follow up exams with your LASIK procedure, and offers corrective treatments for individuals who have experienced negative side effects from laser eye treatment.

Follow Up Exams

Dr. Harvey Carter will schedule one or more follow up exams after your LASIK procedure to ensure that your cornea is healing appropriately. During your follow up exams, Dr. Carter will examine your eye and also check your vision acuity.

Laser Eye Surgery Corrections

If you have experienced a complication following your LASIK surgery at another LASIK center, we welcome you to allow us to provide you with corrective treatment. While dry eyes and mild halos with night vision are considered a somewhat common side effect of LASIK, other complications, like double vision or blurry vision are usually correctible, and you should discuss your options with our experienced and highly trained team.

Please contact Carter Eye Center today to schedule your follow up appointment or with questions regarding corrections for your laser eye surgery if you are in the Dallas area of Texas.

How Much You Save with LASIK

2010-04-02T16:13:00.002-05:00

Many patients contact Carter Eye Center to ask about the cost of LASIK, but what they really want to know is not the amount of dollars and cents they will be paying, but whether the value of laser eye surgery is greater than the financial investment. The answer is a very simple yes.

Most eye surgeons will refer you to the cost of contacts and glasses spread out over your lifetime. That cost of a one-time LASIK procedure is lower than the cost of eye exams, contacts and glasses over the span of your life is easy to see. But many patients contact us with concerns about the safety of LASIK and the need for repeat procedures.

As though the financial benefits of LASIK surgery were not enough, consider the amount of time you save by not having to mess with contacts in the morning, or search for reading glasses in the evening. Your annual eye exams and waiting on prescriptions to be filled become things of the past when you have 20/20 eyesight.

If you would like more information on the savings in time and money associated with LASIK, please contact Dr. Harvey Carter at Carter Eye Center today, serving Dallas, Texas, and the surrounding areas.

LASIK Tourism

2010-03-19T13:43:00.000-05:00

Medical tourism is a term that has become better known over the last decade. You may have heard about it in terms of women going to Mexico for breast implants or to other locations for cancer treatment.

Where many Americans may be visiting other countries for some medical procedures, many foreign nationals are coming to the US for LASIK procedures. The US offers the greatest concentration of experienced eye surgeons in one country, and many individuals choose to combine a one-day procedure with tourism in celebration of their 20/20 eyesight.

Dr. Harvey Carter sees patients from all over the world for LASIK and alternative laser eye surgery procedures. With the nature of laser eye surgery creating immediate results, patients usually need only one day for recovery, and are able to use the remainder of their time in the US performing whatever relaxing activities they choose.

If you are interested in LASIK tourism, Carter Eye Center can provide you with recommendations on:

Accommodation
Sight seeing
Transportation
Activities
Recovery

To learn about LASIK tourism to the US and Dallas, Texas, please contact Dr. Harvey Carter at Carter Eye Center today, and change the way you see the world.

History of LASIK

2010-03-09T12:22:00.002-06:00

Surgical vision correction was visualized as early as the 1930's but did not get a kick start until the 1940's when it was studied by Japanese ophthalmologists. The first successful vision correction surgeries were performed in the former USSR by Dr. Slava Fyodorov. But early vision surgery was performed with traditional surgical tools and produced vision which, though improved, tended to fluctuate from day to day.

Corrective vision surgery came to the US in 1978, and was performed in Fyodorov's style. But in 1980, application of the excimer laser, originally created to assist in making computer chips, was expanded for surgical use. Excimer lasers, like those used for modern LASIK, are considered a "cool" laser which produces no heat. The laser beams created by excimer lasers are invisible to the human eye but are able to incises tissue at a microscopic level.

Excimer lasers eventually led to the invention of Wavefront technology, the most precise form of laser eye surgery available today. Wavefront and CustomVue lasers are so precise that they allow eye surgeons to produce predictable, stable results, unlike the original eye surgeries of the 1960’s. Though LASIK history has taken several turns, the modern result is a procedure that can correct most types of vision problems in a painless procedure which yields virtually instantaneous results.

Please contact Carter Eye Center today to learn more about the history of LASIK and how we are helping Dallas, Texas, see clearly without the aid of contacts or eyeglasses.

ReSTOR®

2010-02-20T11:52:00.000-06:00

The AcrySof® ReStor® intraocular lens (IOL) is a cutting-edge vision correction technology that is implanted into patients' eyes to correct both near and far-sighted problems. Most of these problems are created by either cataracts or presbyopia, an ailment related to aging.

When patients undergo ReSTOR® and are fully healed, many say their eyesight is better than they ever thought possible. Basically, ReStor® lenses are the ideal combination of the benefits of time-tested cataract surgery and the advantages of leading-edge vision correction technology.

Many people who previously had poor vision don’t even need bifocals after surgery.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, four out of five ReSTOR® patients go completely free of the need to wear any type of correction. Other benefits people enjoy are the ability to read fine print effortlessly as well as seeing better in poor lighting conditions.

The AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL is one of the many alternatives available to create the best vision correction for you. At the Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas , Dr. Harvey Carter and his team are well-trained in all of the latest procedures including this one. Besides ReSTOR®, many different options exist and one will be the perfect one for you. Please contact us today.

Wavefront LASIK Technology

2010-02-04T11:46:00.001-06:00

Wavefront-guided LASIK technology is a rapidly growing segment of the vision correction field and can deliver results around 25 times more precise than those delivered through standard LASIK surgeries.

This is one of the many technologies that Dr. Harvey Carter and his team at the Carter Eye Center utilize to improve your vision.

Wavefront uses the patented WaveScan technology to create an ultra-accurate picture of your eye and its imperfections. Once this is created, this picture is then downloaded into the excimer laser which uses it as a guide.

The rising popularity of Wavefront technology is due to its high success rates. These rates are largely due to the fact that Wavefront can help create a 3-dimensional, 360-degree view of your eye down to the very last minute detail.

This is important for vision correction because even though you may have the same glasses prescription as millions of other people, no two people have the same wavefront pattern.

Another name for Wavefront technology is CustomVue. This procedure is one of many that we perform on a regular basis at the Carter Eye Center. Because everyone’s eyes and vision problems are unique, it's best to get a consultation and have an experienced eye surgeon like Dr. Carter walk you through the range of corrective possibilities. Please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas, an established team of vision correction medical professionals, to set up an appointment today.

Questions About LASIK

2010-01-15T09:59:00.000-06:00

What is LASIK?

The term LASIK is an acronym for Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. This procedure uses a laser with its cool beam of light to shape the cornea—which is the outer surface of the eye—to correct vision and better focus light passing into the center of the eye, or the retina. Some of the conditions this fixes are nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

How safe is LASIK?

LASIK is deemed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be a successfully tested procedure and meets the normal levels of safety of most types of surgeries. LASIK is computer controlled and the surgeon can turn the equipment on and off at their discretion.

Is LASIK painful?

Before the surgery begins, patients are given anesthetic eye drops to counteract any potential pain. The majority of LASIK patients say that they undergo some very minor pain for a day or two afterward. However, most say that pain is more like pangs of temporary itchiness in their eyes.

These are just a few of the many questions people have about LASIK. The Carter Eye Center is a great resource for learning more about the many different possibilities for vision correction. And if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Harvey Carter to talk more about your specific condition, please contact the experienced professionals at Carter Eye Center today. We serve patients in and around the DFW Metroplex.

About CustomVue LASIK

2010-01-08T09:56:00.001-06:00

CustomVue LASIK is an incredibly accurate and customizable type of LASIK vision correction that uses advanced technology and software to gain a crystal-clear picture of the patient's cornea and eye.

Everybody's visual map is unique, no two are alike. Thanks to this map, an expert surgeon like Dr. Harvey Carter has a valuable tool to help guide him in performing super-precise vision correction. The outcome for most people is 20/20 vision or better. One group who can especially benefit from CustomVue LASIK are people who have undergone another type of vision correction procedure that wasn’t as effective as it should have been.

Before the CustomVue LASIK procedure, the team at Carter Eye Center employs computers to create a hyper-accurate picture of your eye. During the surgery the excimer laser used by Dr. Carter is guided by software utilizing this data.

CustomVue LASIK may indeed be the ideal surgery for you. But i'’s best to consult with a multi-disciplined vision correction surgeon because your needs are unique. Whether it is LASIK, LASEK, Visian ICL™, CustomVue or over ten other types of treatments, Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas is experienced and can help you find the perfect vision correction. The Carter Eye Center will seek the ideal solution for your vision needs.

Clear Lens Exchange (CLE)

2009-12-17T15:55:00.000-06:00

Clear Lens Exchange (CLE) is a type of cataract surgery and a great option for those who wouldn't be the best candidates for LASIK. Other names for CLE are Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) and Refractive Lens Replacement (RLR). Monovision and presbyopia are two of the many problems CLE can fix.

About the CLE Procedure
The patient's lens is replaced with a plastic or silicone intraocular lens (IOL) that is formed to correct far-sightedness and near-sightedness. CLE, however, is not considered an option for correcting astigmatism. This may require either LASIK, PRK or All-Laser procedures.

Keep in mind that traditional IOLs cannot accommodate the difference between viewing long and close-up distances, but newer innovations like Crystalens and ReZoom can. CLE is often the solution of choice for early-stage cataract treatment—especially when the person has presbyopia.

Two advantages of CLE are that it is a proven procedure, successfully performed for many years, and it minimizes any potential for damage to the cornea. On the downside, myopia sufferers increase their risk of vitreous or retina problems and this type of surgery can't accommodate very well.

CLE is the type of surgery best performed by a well-rounded vision correction surgeon with an extensive cataract treatment background. Dr. Harvey Carter, in Dallas, Texas has performed virtually every type of cornea-based corrective surgery.

The Carter Eye Center offers a consultation to see if CLE or another type of surgery would be the best option for you. Please contact Dr. Carter and his team of vision correction professionals today. We serve patients in and around the DFW Metroplex.

Is PRK Right For You?

2009-12-04T15:52:00.002-06:00

PRK, which stands for photorefractive keratectomy, is one of the older vision correction procedures still widely performed today. Historically, this was the most common type of refractive surgery worldwide, and the Food and Drug Administration approved the special excimer laser and its cool, ultraviolet beam of light in 1995.

How PRK Works

PRK is painless and in clinics like The Carter Eye Center, it is performed on an outpatient basis. And besides the mild sedative at the outset of the surgery, no other sedation is needed and the surgery takes only a minute. The laser beam is hyper-accurate and removes microscopic pieces of corneal tissue to slightly bend the shape of the cornea. This is called ablating, and the end result is a rounder cornea that focuses light better than before.

Both nearsighted and farsighted individuals can benefit from PRK, and astigmatism sufferers can have this fixed as well because of the fact that it reshapes the eye.

At The Carter Eye Center, we help determine if PRK would be the ideal treatment—or if another is a better option—for you through a number of ways. Through corneal topography, we first "map" the shape of your cornea to give an accurate picture.

Corneal topography, along with an idea of your medical history, then helps us determine the next steps. If you would like to know more, as well as receive a free consultation, please contact Dr. Harvey Carter and his team of experienced professionals today. We serve clients in and around the DFW Metroplex.

What is LASEK?

2009-11-15T17:32:00.001-06:00

While The Carter Eye Center has helped improve the lives of thousands with LASIK surgery, this procedure isn’t the best solution for everyone. Any reputable, experienced eye surgeon should be expert in the array of vision-improving procedures out there. LASEK, for instance, would be a viable alternative to LASIK for people whose corneas are too long or too thin for traditional LASIK.

In LASIK, the surgeon cuts into the cornea lens to create a microscopic flap to help reshape the eye. Laser energy is used inside this flap.

In LASEK, which stands for laser epithelial keratomileusis, the only incision is to the very outer layer of the cornea, the epithelium. This is less invasive than LASIK. The surgeon then uses an excimer laser directly to the outer cornea lens itself. This focused energy reshapes the outer lens to improve a patient’s vision—the ultimate goal is perfect 20/20 eyesight.

Though a newer technique than LASIK, LASEK is already reducing the incidents of post-operative complications due to the fact that there isn’t an internal flap created.

Though this is a fairly recent innovation in the world of vision correction, the Carter Eye Center is rapidly making advances in this arena, and any residents in the Dallas, Texas area looking to improve their vision should contact Dr. Harvey Carter and his team at Carter Eye Center for a consultation today.

Visian ICL™

2009-11-03T17:27:00.001-06:00

Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005, Visian ICL™ is another corrective procedure that may be perfect for someone who is searching for a better option to cumbersome eyeglasses and time-consuming, uncomfortable contact lenses. The Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas is a great resource for getting more information about this cutting-edge, life-changing procedure.

What is the Visian ICL™?
The company Visian is a maker of the ICL, the Implantable Collamer Lens. The ICL is a lens that, after it is implanted through surgery, can permanently correct nearsightedness (myopia) and many other visual problems that millions live with. It looks just like a contact lens and works on the same principles, only the Visian ICL is surgically inserted between the iris and the cornea.

From beginning to end, the ICL procedure takes less than ten minutes. At Carter Eye Center, our team works both effectively and efficiently when it comes to ICL. Once healed, the ICL lens will stay in place permanently. Also, this procedure doesn’t cause any pain, because the eye can’t feel the intrusiveness of the procedure or the lens once it is in place.

Many former contact lens wearers who have undergone ICL enjoy many benefits, but one of the biggest is that they feel they enjoy all of the benefits of contact lenses yet don’t deal with any of the annoyances of contact lenses.

Like contacts, the Visian ICL™ slightly alters the direction that light enters the eye, improving the focus and eliminating the blurriness you used to experience every day. If you live in the Dallas, Texas area, it would be a good idea to contact Dr. Harvey Carter, a leader in this procedure.

More about IntraLase

2009-10-19T16:51:00.002-05:00

The all-new IntraLase technique brings so many opportunities and possibilities to the world of laser vision correction. People who do not qualify for traditional LASIK surgery, or have previously undergone corneal surgery but would like to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism should look into this new procedure.

How IntraLase Works

Sometimes referred to as "a bladeless procedure," "all laser," the IntraLase laser has the precision to create a corneal flap as thin as 100 microns. Other procedures create corneal flaps between 100 and 200 microns. This reshaping of the corneal flap is the key thing that helps correct your vision.

A significant reason some don't qualify for LASIK is that their lenses are too thin or not round enough. Thanks to infrared laser energy, IntraLase aims at the cornea and creates a flap through inserting the correct pattern of microscopic spaces in the lens itself. Ophthalmologists like Dr. Carter can target specific, minute areas of the lens without having the beam affect any other part of the eye.

In traditional LASIK, the surgeon creates this corneal flap with a blade called a microkeratome and uses an excimer laser to remove corneal tissue. IntraLase is bladeless and reduces chances at scarring.

If you live in the Dallas area and would like to learn more about IntraLase—or most importantly—sit down with Dr. Harvey Carter, an experienced eye surgeon, that can help discover the ideal path to better vision for you. Contact our LASIK office in Dallas today.

Visian ICL™

2009-09-24T16:50:00.000-05:00

Eye glasses and contacts can be annoying and expensive. Both may become lost, both can be damaged, and both can be just another headache in your already busy life. For years people have been looking for a solution that can permanently solve the issue of having to wear glasses or contacts. Many people find success with LASIK, but there are those who are not good candidates or do not want to undergo this procedure.

One alternative to LASIK is the implantable collamer lens, or ICL. One of the manufacturers of these lenses is Visian, and used by Carter Eye Center. The ICL is surgically implanted to correct nearsightedness, and is placed just behind the iris and in front of the eye's natural lens. Once it has been placed, you will not be able to see it or feel it, unlike contacts if they begin to irritate your eye. Also unlike contacts, once the Visian ICL™ has been placed, there is nothing more that you need to do with it.

The ICL procedure can be completed in less than ten minutes. A small incision is made at the edge of the cornea and the ICL is placed behind the iris. Due to the small size of the incision, healing is very quick. You will notice an improvement in your vision almost immediately and no one will be able to tell that the ICL is there behind the iris.

If you are interested in a permanent solution to nearsightedness, please contact the experienced Visian ICL™ doctors at Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas.

The Crystalens® Difference

2009-09-16T16:49:00.000-05:00

Presbyopia is a condition attributed to aging eyes, which often leads to the development of cataracts. For many years, the solution has been cataract surgery in which the natural lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL replaces the natural lens and helps to restore clear vision.

While IOLs have been around for years, they have mostly been monofocal, meaning that you may only see objects at a distance, which still means you need reading glasses to see things close up. However, the Crystalens® IOL is one of a number of multifocal lenses allowing people to see at different ranges. Crystalens® functions very similar to your natural lens.

Accommodation

Your natural lens is able to focus at many different distances due to accommodation. This is the process of the muscles relaxing and contracting, which change the shape of the lens. This allows for refractive differences as light is reflected differently on the retina at each distance. As we age, the ability of our lens to accommodate decreases. However, the flexibility of the Crystalens® IOL allows similar accommodation as your natural lens, unlike the rigidity of monofocal lenses.

The accommodation ability of Crystalens® IOLs makes them a more versatile option for cataract patients than other IOLs.

To find out more about how Crystalens® IOL can improve your vision in the Dallas, Texas area, please contact Carter Eye Center to consult with the first ophthalmologist in the US to implant the FDA approved Crystalens®.

Crystalens® Procedure

2009-08-15T15:42:00.000-05:00

Crystalens® IOLs are used to replace the natural lens after cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed in the world. And the Crystalens® implant procedure can be done in an outpatient setting in a matter of minutes.

The procedure begins with numbing drops placed in the eye and local anesthetic is given. A micro-seal is made at the edge of the cornea and the natural lens is gently suctioned away. The Crystalens® IOL is then implanted.

Recovery time from the Crystalens® IOL procedure is also a relatively short. You will be able to see an improvement in your vision almost immediately. Due to the small size of the incision made in the eye, you will also be able to return to normal activity very quickly. You will be surprised at how well you will be able to see things at all distances. For many people, this may be clearer than they’ve been able to see for years.

Though there are some risks, these are minimal and every effort is made to reduce them as much as possible by the experienced eye doctors at Carter Eye Center. You will be able to discuss these when you come in for an initial consultation.

If you are interested in clearing up your vision with Crystalens® IOL and live in the Dallas, Texas area, please contact Carter Eye Center to consult with the first ophthalmologist in the US to implant the FDA approved Crystalens®.

Advantages of Visian ICL™ scheduled 8/20/09

2009-08-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

For many years, glasses and contact lenses were the only two ways to get perfect vision. When people started to get LASIK, it added another option, but some people who want to improve their vision are not candidates for it. Over the last four years, many people have discovered that implantable collamer lenses, made by Visian, are a good compromise when they don’t want to wear glasses or contacts and are not able, or do not want to get LASIK.

As a surgically implanted lens, Visian ICL™ is a permanent solution to wearing corrective lenses. The ICL is placed behind the iris and in front of the eye’s natural lens. With the ICL, many of the drawbacks of wearing contact lenses are not there, such as the discomfort of contacts drying out or getting something in them.

The procedure itself can be done in an outpatient setting in as little as ten minutes. Recovery may be as short as one day and you will notice how well you can see immediately. The incision required to fit the ICL is extremely small and is placed on the corner of the cornea.

One of the benefits of using the ICL is that it includes a UV blocker. It has been known for some time that increased exposure to the sun’s rays on your eyes can also increase problems, such as cataracts. The built in UV blocker prevents harmful UVA and UVB rays from the eye, which may prevent eye disorders.

While Visian ICL™ is made to be a permanent solution, if a complication arises or a rare side effect occurs, the lens may be removed. This should be a great relief to those who are concerned about the “permanency” of this procedure.

If you are interested in how the Visian ICL™ can improve your vision and your quality of life, please contact Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas for an initial consultation.

How Long do LASIK Results Last?

2009-07-29T16:01:00.000-05:00

When you have your vision corrected with a LASIK surgery or one of its alternatives, the laser reshapes the cornea. That is the front clear covering over the iris and pupil. That reshaping changes the way the cornea bends light as it enters the eye, which in turn changes the way images focus on the eye’s “camera film”, the retina at the back of the eye.

That laser reshaping of the cornea’s curvature is permanent. It is done on the cornea’s middle layer, not on the top surface. The surface (epithelium) is an unstable layer. Part of its function is to protect the eye from dust and foreign bodies. The eye’s tears flow over it to wash such things away, and the cells in the surface layer replace themselves continually.

In that respect it resembles the skin, where the surface layer is also a protective one, and also continually replaces its old discarded cells with new ones that rise from a deeper layer.

When the cornea’s middle layer is reshaped to focus light clearly on to the retina, the eyes now have permanently clear vision – until mid-life. After the age of about 40, presbyopia begins to develop, and near vision starts to become blurry. This is an age-related condition that happens to everybody. The problem in not in the cornea’s curvature, but in the lens.

Causes of presbyopia are not fully understood, but the favored long-standing theory is that the lens becomes stiffer with age. It gradually loses its ability to steepen its curvature. Both the cornea and the lens are focusing structures. The LASIK-corrected cornea will continue to focus well but the lens becomes less able to “accommodate” to different distances. Accommodation is the ability to switch focus from near to far to intermediate and see everything in focus.

Presbyopia is most often and most easily corrected with reading glasses, but there are other possible treatments, such as an intraocular lens.

If you would like to learn more about LASIK and its likely results in your own case, please call or email LASIK surgeon Dr. Harvey Carter today for a free personal consultation. We look forward to working with you.

LASIK Age Requirements

2009-07-19T16:00:00.000-05:00

To have a LASIK surgery, you need to be an adult -- over the age of 18. There is a good medical reason for this. Our eyes and vision continue to develop through the adolescent years and do not stabilize enough for laser vision correction until approximately 18 years of age.

For a LASIK vision correction to be effective and long-lasting, the eyes need to have the same prescription for at least a year. If LASIK were to be done on eyes that were still changing or developing, the reshaping would not hold and vision would again become blurry.

On the other end of the age continuum, an older person might be a good LASIK candidate, or might not, depending on other eye conditions. Dr. Carter would do a thorough eye exam and vision test. If the lens is beginning to develop early cataracts, that would need to be addressed first. There would be little purpose in correcting the corneal shape for better vision if the lens was becoming cloudy and impairing vision.

Similarly, if an older person is developing glaucoma, that would need treatment. There is no cure for glaucoma, but it can be managed with eyedrops that lower the pressure inside the eye. Dr. Carter would determine whether laser vision correction would be appropriate. Other eye conditions that tend to occur during or after mid-life would be assessed and may disqualify you for LASIK.

To learn more about your LASIK candidacy and have your questions answered, please contact our vision correction office today for a free personal consultation.

IntraLase

2009-07-09T15:54:00.000-05:00

IntraLase (also called IntraLASIK and blade-free LASIK) is one of the LASIK alternative procedures. It is often an excellent option for people who are not good candidates for LASIK because of their corneal thickness.

IntraLase uses a second laser to create the corneal flap before treatment begins. The LASIK flap requires a minimum corneal thickness but not everyone has that. But if you have thinner-than-average corneas, you can still have laser vision correction (other things being equal), and IntraLase is a choice we offer here at Carter Eye Center.

Two Lasers Used
The second laser is an extraordinarily fast-pulsed laser and highly programmable. According to your treatment plan, Dr. Carter will set this laser to penetrate only so far into the cornea, and only within the designated treatment area. Each pulse creates a microscopically tiny bubble beneath the corneal surface and the laser scans back and forth across the treatment area until it is entirely filled with these bubbles. It takes only seconds.

This has the effect of loosening surface tissue in a very precise way. Dr. Carter can then gently lift a thin layer of cells, move it to the side, and proceed safely with your vision correction plan. The IntraLase laser creates a custom-thin flap that will heal by itself with no stitches necessary. In LASIK, the flap is created with a microkeratome, a sophisticated and very precise blade. But it cannot create as thin a flap as the IntraLase laser can.

Vision improvement after IntraLase can be as dramatic as after LASIK. You can have the same Wavefront diagnosis that is done for Custom LASIK, and this gives a more precise treatment than was done in the early LASIK procedures before Wavefront technology was developed.

If you would like to know more about LASIK and IntraLase, please call or email our vision correction office today to schedule a free personal consultation.

Alternatives to LASIK

2009-06-25T13:41:00.000-05:00

When LASIK was first offered in the mid-1990s, some people had it done who were not good candidates for it. Over the years, eye surgeons have learned more and more precisely who makes a good LASIK candidate and who would do better with a somewhat different procedure.

That increased practical knowledge has led to the development of several LASIK alternative procedures, designed to give safe and effective vision correction to people who are not good LASIK candidates.

The most common problem that disqualifies a person for LASIK is thin corneas. LASIK requires a surface flap to be folded back to give the laser access to a deeper cornea level. Since LASIK works by removing (ablating) some of the corneal tissue to reshape it, there must still be enough corneal thickness to hold the eye’s shape. If LASIK is done on an eye with too thin a cornea, a problem called ectasia can develop, where the cornea bulges forward and distorts vision.

Therefore LASIK alternative procedures use different methods to create a thinner flap than LASIK can create.

Four LASIK Alternatives at Carter Eye Center

LASEK: which uses a diluted alcohol solution and an implement called a trephine to raise a thin layer of surface tissue.
PRK: which creates no corneal flap at all. Instead it removes a thin sliver of surface tissue completely. After the vision correction is done, you wear a bandage contact lens to protect the eye while the surface cells grow back. This makes for a little longer recovery period but vision improvement is just as excellent as in other LASIK alternatives and it avoids all the complications that can potentially arise from the corneal flap.
Clear Lens Exchange: which replaces the eye’s natural lens with an artificial lens and restores your vision at all distances. You can choose from several lenses, according to your particular eyes, needs, and lifestyle.
The Visian ICL™: which stands for Implantable Collamer Lens and which is positioned in your eyes without removing the natural lens. It is like a contact lens placed behind the iris, in front of the natural lens.

With all these choices, we can offer a safe and effective vision correction to just about anyone. Why not call or email our Dallas, Texas LASIK office today and schedule a free personal consultation?

Life After LASIK – Much Improved!

2009-06-22T13:39:00.000-05:00

The vast majority of people who have their vision corrected using LASIK are very happy with their results. LASIK corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The correction is instant and permanent.

When your procedure is finished and you are given the OK to go home (you will need a ride home), you can already see so clearly that most people are startled and astonished and full of wonder. They have never had this freedom of vision, where they can look from their watch to the child crossing the street to the mountains on the horizon and it is all equally clear.

LASIK Recovery
The first day or two your eyes will be a bit sensitive to light. In fact the first day you might just want to sleep. But you can return to normal activities in a day or two and typically leave your glasses at home. A day or two is the immediate recovery period and full recovery is thought to be three months. Over that period your vision will slowly improve even more. You will probably have dry eyes in this period and your eye surgeon will prescribe moisturizing eyedrops. The dryness will resolve itself in a few months.

When you are fully recovered, you will be delighted at the freedom you now have.
• You can perform better in sports without glasses
• There is no more bother with contact lenses falling out or getting lost
• You can add more spontaneity to your life, going out for a movie, a bike ride, a picnic, without any vision concerns
• You can pick up any printed material and see it clearly
• The computer monitor will be crystal clear

Each person has their particular joy according to their lifestyle and favorite activities.

Dr. Carter will want to check your eyes in follow-up visits. They will become less frequent and will end after about a year.

Please contact LASIK surgeon Dr. Harvey Carter today if you would like to learn more about LASIK and whether you are a good candidate for it. We hope to see you soon in our friendly Dallas, Texas vision correction office.

Selecting a LASIK Surgeon

2009-05-22T16:41:00.000-05:00

When you start to look for a good LASIK surgeon, it is best to take your time about it and be thorough. Look into each surgeon’s background, qualifications and experience because you would not want to entrust your vision to someone unqualified or a doctor who would be practicing on your eyes.

You can collect some names by doing Google searches for your area, such as “LASIK surgeon Dallas” or “Houston Eye surgeon”. Each website will have a page on the surgeon’s training and qualifications. Make sure it states that the surgeon is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, because that certification makes it legal for the doctor to practice in the U.S.

When you have a short list of potential LASIK surgeons, contact each one to schedule a free consultation. Bring a written list of all your questions. If a surgeon does not seem to have time to answer them clearly, move on to the next surgeon. You would want to choose one who communicates clearly and takes time to make sure you understand your vision correction surgery.

The Surgeon’s Experience
When you are talking with each LASIK surgeon, ask him or her how long they have been in practice and how many times they have performed LASIK (expect 1,000 or more times). Make sure they offer Custom LASIK rather than only traditional LASIK. Custom LASIK gives better results, especially for night vision.

LASIK Costs
Be sure and ask about cost. Make sure that any prices quoted to you are the complete cost. There may be hidden costs, especially if the price seems very low. On average, LASIK costs range between about $1600 to $2300 per eye, depending on what exact procedure is done and whether Wavefront technology is used. Expect some financing help from the surgeon’s office. Many work with a third party healthcare financing company and you can obtain excellent terms.

Once you have chosen your LASIK surgeon, follow his or her instructions exactly. You are paying for this expertise and knowledge born of experience, as well as for the long years of schooling. LASIK complications are sometimes the result of the patient’s ignoring the surgeon’s recovery instructions.

By choosing your LASIK surgeon wisely and then following his or her instructions, you can ensure best results for your laser vision correction. Please contact Carter Eye Center today to schedule your free consultation and learn more about how LASIK can improve your vision.

IntraLase

2009-05-20T16:37:00.000-05:00

IntraLase (also called IntraLASIK and blade-free LASIK) is one of the LASIK alternative procedures. It is often an excellent option for people who are not good candidates for LASIK because of their corneal thickness.

IntraLase uses a second laser to create the corneal flap before treatment begins. The LASIK flap requires a minimum corneal thickness but not everyone has that. But if you have thinner-than-average corneas, you can still have laser vision correction (other things being equal), and IntraLase is a choice we offer here at Carter Eye Center.

Two Lasers Used
The second laser is an extraordinarily fast-pulsed laser and highly programmable. According to your treatment plan, Dr. Carter will set this laser to penetrate only so far into the cornea, and only within the designated treatment area. Each pulse creates a microscopically tiny bubble beneath the corneal surface and the laser scans back and forth across the treatment area until it is entirely filled with these bubbles. It takes only seconds.

This has the effect of loosening surface tissue in a very precise way. Dr. Carter can then gently lift a thin layer of cells, move it to the side, and proceed safely with your vision correction plan. The IntraLase laser creates a custom-thin flap that will heal by itself with no stitches necessary. In LASIK, the flap is created with a microkeratome, a sophisticated and very precise blade. But it cannot create as thin a flap as the IntraLase laser can.

Vision improvement after IntraLase can be as dramatic as after LASIK. You can have the same Wavefront diagnosis that is done for Custom LASIK, and this gives a more precise treatment than was done in the early LASIK procedures before Wavefront technology was developed.

If you would like to know more about LASIK, IntraLase, and another alternative we offer called LASEK, please call or email our vision correction office today to schedule a free personal consultation.

Will I Need Reading Glasses after LASIK?

2009-04-29T09:36:00.001-05:00

Something that many people wonder about is whether they will need reading glasses after LASIK. The answer is that most people will not need reading glasses immediately after LASIK vision correction, but may need them later. In fact, many people with perfect vision during their youth need reading glasses as they age.

We get clear vision when light from an object focuses on the retina, the back part of the eye. When light enters the eye, it passes through two clear portions of the eye, the cornea and the lens, to be refracted (bent) so it focuses on the retina. LASIK and other refractive surgeries like LASEK and PRK correct abnormalities in the cornea that prevent light from focusing clearly. The cornea refracts all light the same, and retains its shape throughout our life, so once LASIK has corrected abnormalities, the cornea remains corrected.

But the lens is different. It changes shape to allow us to focus on close or distant objects, a process known as accommodation. As we age, the lens loses its ability to change shape, making it harder to see objects up close (reading distance), a condition known as presbyopia, which is why we need reading glasses as we get older. Shortly after this, the lens also begins to cloud up with cataracts. The only treatment for cataracts is to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one. Thankfully, new, advanced artificial lenses like ReSTOR and Crystalens may also allow you to see at all distances without the need for reading glasses.

At the Carter Eye Center, we offer our clients vision solutions for an active life, solutions that last a lifetime. Whether you are interested in LASIK vision correction or another alternative, please schedule a vision correction consultation today.

Improved Quality of Life after LASIK

2009-04-28T18:01:00.001-05:00

Vision is our richest sense. From the sight of a loved one in the morning to the burgeoning foliage of spring to the fading colors of sunset to a great book at night, the pleasures of vision are virtually limitless. Not to mention the need for vision to perform every major daily task. Driving, performing our jobs, and working around the house in the evenings and weekend all depend on vision. If you think about how much of your life depends on your vision, it should be obvious how much better your life can be if your vision no longer depends on glasses or contacts.

Just think: when you wake up in the middle of the night and want to know what time it is, you won't have to fumble for you glasses or move up close to the clock, just glance and go right back to sleep. You won't have to get your glasses or contacts on to say hello to your spouse or children in the morning. No more irritation from your contact lenses in the morning. And you don't have to worry about them getting out of place in your eye or getting debris under them, forcing you to take them off and use your out-of-date prescription glasses or suffer with blurry vision. No more glare on your glasses when driving toward the sun or at night.

LASIK laser vision correction offers you clear vision without glasses or contacts. When you consider the thousand daily irritations you suffer with glasses and contacts, it is clear that LASIK will lead to an improved quality of life. Life is made of moments--don't miss another one cleaning your glasses or trying to find your contact lens.

To learn more about how LASIK can improve your quality of life, please schedule a laser vision correction consultation at Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas, today.

Does LASIK Hurt?

2009-03-31T14:53:00.001-05:00

You will not feel any pain during LASIK surgery. Dr. Carter administers anesthetic eye drops to numb your eyes before and during the procedure. This is local, not general, anesthesia, so you will be awake during the procedure. You might feel some pressure, but this won’t be painful. When you arrive for your procedure, you will be given an oral medication to help you relax.

There shouldn’t be any postoperative eye pain associated with LASIK. Some patients report feeling some discomfort after LASIK, and most of those report that it disappears in 12-24 hours. This discomfort is not described as pain. Rather, it is watery eyes, itchy eyes, and sometimes, dry-eye or scratchiness. For most patients who experience any discomfort, this usually resolves as healing progresses over a few days.

The entire LASIK procedure takes about 6 minutes for both eyes, while the actual laser surgery takes only a minute or two. You may find it difficult not to scratch or rub itchy eyes, so, an eye shield can be placed over the eye, especially at night, to prevent rubbing while you sleep.

For answers to other questions about LASIK surgery, please see our Questions page.

Dr. Harvey Carter of the Carter Eye Clinic in Dallas offers his 20/20 or It’s Free™ guarantee of satisfactory results. Please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas for more information and to schedule your free LASIK consultation.

LASIK Risks

2009-03-16T12:31:00.001-05:00

With the advent of new technologies, such as Wavefront technology, the risk of complications resulting from LASIK surgery is lower than ever–under 1% risk. Most of those are temporary. Those few that remain usually succumb to additional corrective treatments.

The accuracy of Wavefront diagnostics improves the surgeon’s access to information about how to shape the cornea. The accuracy of the laser used to ablate the excess corneal tissue increase the number of patients who experience better than 20/20 vision, and virtually ensure corrections between 20/20 and 20/25, with a small percentage between 20/25 and 20/40.

While the list of LASIK complications can seem a little daunting, bear in mind that these usually clear up as healing progresses. Complications, such as dry-eye from LASIK, are easily treated with eye drops, and usually resolve as the nerves heal. Starbursts, glares and halos also tend to resolve with healing. Under correction and overcorrection is virtually eliminated with the Wavefront technology.

The benefits of LASIK far outweigh the risks, starting with the immediate improvement in sight to clear natural vision. When this improvement eliminates the need for corrective lenses, it also opens up many opportunities to do things that were once restricted.

If you’re ready to see naturally, without the use of glasses or contact lenses, please visit The Carter Eye Center in Dallas and contact us for a complimentary LASIK consultation.

Is LASIK Safe?

2009-02-20T14:43:00.000-06:00

LASIK is one of the safest procedures performed today, with a risk of complications under 1%. In the past, LASIK was not recommended for people much older than their early forties, but this age limit for LASIK may be exceeded, as long as you meet other criteria appropriate to the procedure. New technologies and improvements in the LASIK procedure make it available to and safer for many people who did not qualify for previous methods.

NASA has approved LASIK for its astronauts, and LASIK has been approved for emergency first responders, pilots, police officers, and sports professionals. The reliability of the procedure to produce long-lasting improvements in vision, which are uncompromised even by high impact sports, speaks favorably about the safety of LASIK.

Please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas for more information. Please visit our website to learn more about LASIK, Wavefront, and the impressive qualifications of Dr. Harvey Carter and his staff. See what some of Dr. Carter’s patients have to say about their LASIK results.

Am I a candidate for LASIK?

2009-02-11T14:40:00.004-06:00

LASIK surgery is one of the most prominently advertised of all types of eye surgery. As such, it is easy to conclude that LASIK is good for just about every type of vision aberration. This is a misconception. LASIK is not the “one-size-fits-all” vision correction procedure.

While you will need to have a personal consultation and examination to determine if you are a good LASIK candidate, you can get an idea from the more common guidelines. Some that qualify you include:

Wearing glasses or contacts
Preferring not having to wear corrective lenses
Your job requires near-perfect vision without corrective lenses
You are over 18
Your vision prescription has been stable for at least a year
Are not pregnant, nursing, and don’t plan on becoming pregnant for six months
You don’t have certain medical conditions

Our “Are You a LASIK Candidate” page explains more guidelines and details about qualifying for LASIK. Many patients who were told in the past that they were not LASIK candidates may now qualify as a result of new technologies and procedures. Some patients may qualify for procedures such as LASEK, PRK or others.

If something on our list discourages you, please don’t hesitate to contact The Carter Eye Center in Dallas for a free consultation. Dr. Harvey Carter and his highly qualified staff may offer another solution that is just as effective as LASIK but more appropriate to your unique needs.

Carter Eye Center Custom LASIK

2009-01-20T11:52:00.001-06:00

The Carter Eye Center offers custom LASIK using the CustomVue Wavefront-guided LASIK technology. This state-of-the-art technology is both a diagnostic and a surgical tool. It uses laser technology to create a 3-D map of your eye. Using this map, Dr. Carter guides the excimer laser to shape the corneal tissue to give you the best vision possible.

This technology allows the surgeon to take precise measurements, unique to your eyes, for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. It is the CustomVue LASIK technology that enables Dr. Carter to map finite details of your eyes’ corneas. With this precise information for each patient he can produce consistent and excellent results for each one. Most have 20/20 or better vision after LASIK surgery, and virtually all have 20/40 or better–good enough to pass a driver’s test without corrective lenses. Many have better than 20/20 after surgery.

Dr. Harvey Carter offers a free consultation that will determine if you are a good candidate for Custom LASIK surgery. If you are, you’ll be happy to learn that the Carter Eye Center offers the reassurance of Dr. Carter’s experience and success, which allows him to offer you a 20/20 or It’s Free™ guarantee.

Visit our Wavefront FAQ page for more information about Wavefront LASIK. Then, please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas for a free consultation.

LASIK affordability

2009-01-08T11:49:00.003-06:00

When it comes to eye surgery, you want the best surgeon and best care possible. Cost is a major consideration, but LASIK surgery is one of those investments where there is no room to make cost the primary factor.

The majority of people depend upon good vision to do their jobs. Many of these people not only depend upon good eyesight, but, are employed in fields where glasses or contact lenses get in the way. Firefighters, police, emergency rescue personnel, and sports players such as football players or swimmers are just a few examples of people whose professions depend upon the best eyesight without corrective lenses. Glasses can fall off, contact lenses can pop out, and fogging or smudging can affect vision. LASIK might eliminate these concerns completely.

LASIK cost and affordability isn’t always a matter of a fixed fee but is, more importantly, one of value. LASIK affordability should be weighed in relation to several factors:

Quality of care
Eye surgeon’s training, experience, and success rate
Equipment and techniques your surgeon uses
Your need for 20/20 vision
Cost of LASIK compared to corrective lenses. Purchasing and replacing contact lenses or glasses over the years adds up.
Advantages of having clear vision, such as income opportunity

The Carter Eye Center in Dallas assures you of the highest quality care, extensive experience in performing LASIK surgery, state-of-the-art equipment, and affordability. As one of the top LASIK surgeons in the country, Dr. Harvey Carter offers his reassuring 20/20 or It’s Free™ guarantee. He also offers a 12 Months No Payment & No Interest if Paid Within 12 Months payment plan.

Please contact the Carter Eye Center today for more information.

LASIK and Traveling

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While there is only one specific travel restriction after LASIK, there are a lot of reasons why you need to consider post-surgical travel plans carefully.

That one travel restriction is that you cannot drive for a day, or possibly a few days. In part, this is because you might have to wear a shield over at least one eye for some of this time. But your eyes need to rest and heal and give your visual acuity a chance to stabilize so that you can drive safely.

Other than that, travel after LASIK surgery is considered safe. The other restrictions on travel are due to the need for LASIK follow-up examinations and care. These appointments will be scheduled about one week, one month and three months after your surgery, so, you will need to plan for these. Many people travel quite far for their LASIK surgery, even out of the country. They need to plan either to stay in the area for at least three months, or plan to return for their follow-ups. Many of these people fly to their appointments.

If your travel plans include participating in sporting activities, the restrictions will vary from a couple days to several months, depending upon the level of activity. The more strenuous the activity, the longer the period of restriction. If travel includes visiting relatives, playing with children, and lighter activities, restrictions might last as few as three days.

For more information and a free consultation please contact the Carter Eye Cente r in Dallas.

LASIK

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LASIK is an acronym for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. LASIK is a surgical eye procedure for refractive error correction such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and
astigmatism.

LASIK combines the best of two earlier procedures, Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) and Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK). It preserves the “flap” technique of ALK, which preserves the epithelium and stroma tissue, improves healing, reduces risks of this surgery, and uses a laser to reshape the cornea as in PRK.

State-of-the-art equipment offers advances, such as Wavefront technology, which allows precise measurements of the cornea during diagnostics and equally precise ablation during the LASIK surgery. Wavefront laser ablation produces more accurate shaping, and higher rates of 20/20 or better vision results.

New advances in recent years have reduced the risks of side-effects to less than 1%, overall. Some of the side effects of LASIK include seeing halos around lights at night, or vision fluctuations during the day. These are usually temporary.

Dr. Harvey Carter of the Carter Eye Center in Dallas has a consistently high rate of successful LASIK surgery outcomes. More than 92% of his patients leave with vision of 20/25 or better, and virtually none with less than 20/40.

If you would like to eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses, please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas today for a free consultation. While you’re visiting our site please look over the information about the procedures we provide, our experience and qualifications, and our 20/20 or It’s Free™ guarantee.

Welcome...

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Welcome to the blog of Carter Eye Center. Our first blog entry is coming soon. Please check back, and thanks for visiting.