Of course it is essential that you get the right glasses for your eyes and don’t waste your time. If you have read my blog on refractive errors then i’m confident you’re not completely lost, however the next step is knowing what your optician has put down on your prescription in order for you to enter your glasses details into the sites so you can get the perfect glasses for your eyes.

If you don’t have a prescription, bookmark this site, make an appointment at your local optician and then come back as soon as your ready. You need to remember not to be pressured into buying glasses you don’t want when at the optician. Come back here and ill lead you to the glasses you really want, your eyes deserve it.

Vision wizard

right now you may be confused and intimidated by the crazy numbers on your glasses prescription. I have broken it down into simple glasses knowledge that you can easily use to purchase your glasses online in the near future.

Your glasses prescription

this allows a glasses lens to be made that corrects your eyesight whether it be myopia (short-sight), hyperopia (long-sight), astigmatism (uneven sight) or presbyopia (old-age sight). There is a number representing the power of your glasses lens and is measured in diopters.

There are three important numbers

For example (-5.00 0.01 180 ) the first number is your degree of sightedness (minus means near-sighted, plus means far-sighted), the second number is your degree of astigmatism (can be plus or minus but it is not important), the third number is the axis of your astigmatism (many people do not have astigmatism so some of the numbers may be unimportant)

For this example prescription the person has moderate near-sightedness and very slight astigmatism in the horizontal axis.

Luckily it’s easier than you think…

Almost all of the sites I have recommended on my site have easy entry glasses prescription options that make it efficient and simple to order the right glasses. However just in case there is something you don’t quite understand I have listed some important glasses prescription terms.

D.V. = abbreviation for distance vision

n.V. = abbreviation for near vision

o.D. = abbreviation for oculus dexter (right eye)

o.S. = abbreviation for oculus sinister (left eye)

o.U. = abbreviation for oculus uterque (both eyes)

spherical correction = refers to when a lens must be symmetrical in both axes

cylindrical correction = refers to a lens that corrects errors in only one axis

axis = vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines in relation to the eye

pd = pupillary distance; the distance between pupils of both eyes. It will be necessary for you to obtain your pupillary distance but this can be done with the help of a friend

Now you understand glasses…

Most of the glasses you buy online will require a prescription, so now you know what everything means you can easily go off right now and buy a pair. Follow the link below to go to my site where you will find all the sites and information you need to get your perfect glasses, quickly and easily.

If you have a problem playing contact sports such as handball or football because of issues with corrective lenses related to myopia, hyperopia or an astigmatism, you might be considering lasik – meaning you’ll need to consider lasik eye surgery cost as well. The reason is that lasik eye surgery cost is considered an elective form of cosmetic surgery by most insurers. This is not the case for active duty military personnel, since corrective lenses can be a nuisance – and even a hazard – on the battlefield; therefore, such persons can usually get the their lasik eye surgery cost covered by the government.

Otherwise, you’re pretty much on your own.

Lasik eye surgery cost in and around the Denver, Colorado metro area are about average when compared with the rest of the nation; currently, lasik eye surgery cost in Loveland, Aurora and other communities along the Front Range run between $500 and $1500. A number of different factors can affect the exact lasik eye surgery cost for a given individual. Among these factors are the amount of pre-operative treatment that is required; any post-operative follow-up treatments; necessary prescriptions; the instruments and technology involved; and finally, the skill, training and experience of the surgeon.

The issue of technology is a significant one. While not all lasik surgeons have yet adopted the latest lasik techniques, those that have incur greater expenses because of the newness of the technology. In addition, some corporations that manufacture the equipment used in lasik procedures have demanded royalty payments when such procedures are performed, adding an additional $50 – $200 per eye to lasik eye surgery cost.

Nonetheless, the more skilled and experienced lasik surgeons are turning to these improved instruments and techniques for the benefit of their patients – and when it comes to your eyes, this addition lasik eye surgery cost represents an excellent investment. In fact, going with a “bargain” provider may not be a wise decision; there are several lasik eye surgeons who specialize in repairing the damage done by less qualified surgeons.

In any event, most Denver area lasik providers offer excellent financing – often at zero interest. When spread out over the course of several months, the difference in lasik eye surgery cost between a skilled, experienced lasik surgeon and one less qualified is relatively small, often amounting to little more than a dollar a day.

LASIK eye surgery has been performed on more than one million of people in the world. Almost all of them are satisfied with the results – they have been able to eliminate the dependence on corrective eyewear and most of them even don’t need prescribed glasses or contacts to see and read anymore.

Having heard of such results, you may begin contemplating LASIK eye surgery. But unfortunately, LASIK surgery is not for everyone. Many people are considered as good LASIK candidate, but some people do not meet the criteria. You have to visit your doctor and consult with him or her, take a comprehensive eye and health examination, answer some questions and your doctor will then determine whether you are eligible for LASIK eye surgery or not, because it is very important to ensure the successful of the LASIK procedure that will be performed later.

The best candidates for LASIK are those with mild to moderate levels of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and a combination thereof – myopia with astigmatism or hyperopia with astigmatism. As technology is evolving rapidly, the future LASIK eye surgery is expected to treat severe refractive errors.

The next criterion is that you must be over 18 years old and have had a stable glass glasses or contact lenses prescription for at least two years. Some doctor may reject patients who are younger than 20 years old because their visions are still unstable.
Potential candidates should be free from certain diseases such as diabetes, ocular herpes simplex, glaucoma, keratononus, cataracts or any eye diseases.

You are not eligible for LASIK if you are pregnant or nursing and have fluctuating hormones. Also an ideal candidate must be a fast healer and have no disease that may affect wound healing such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and HIV. If you are currently taking certain medications such as retinoic acid and steroids that may prevent proper wound healing, you are not a good LASIK candidate.

If you have meet all the conditions needed, it is also important for you to understand the benefits, outcomes, risks and complications of LASIK. If your expectations are too high and unrealistic and you are not a risk taker, you will be rejected by your doctor for LASIK eye surgery.

Besides the criteria from doctor, you also have to consider the LASIK cost, if it is affordable or not and whether your health insurance covers this type of surgery. Usually, the cost is ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 per eye and it may costs more if you choose Wavefront LASIK or bladeless LASIK (IntraLase). Of course it is better for you to ask and discuss the price with your doctor.

After all, if you are eligible for LASIK eye surgery, it is completely up to you to decide whether you choose to continue to the next step of LASIK procedure or just stop there because you are not willing to bear the risks.

It’s true that LASIK can eliminate a person’s dependency on eyeglasses and contact lenses. It can correct a variety of refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. However, LASIK surgery is not for everyone. There are certain conditions that might preclude LASIK in case of a particular patient. Age is one such factor taken into account when determining whether a patient is a viable LASIK candidate or not.

It is a known fact that people experience a constant change in vision throughout adolescence and sometimes well until the mid to late 20s. That is, the refraction stabilizes typically around the age of 18. For myopic people, the benchmark is somewhere between the mid to late 20s. Undergoing LASIK prior to that age is nothing but a futile attempt to achieve enhanced visual acuity, since the patient will nevertheless require another surgery when the prescription stabilizes.

A preoperative examination conducted prior to the age of 18 might result in incorrect measurements, and consequently, an appropriate correction via LASIK. Patients suffering from a higher degree of myopia or astigmatism should defer the surgery a wee bit longer than others – normally until the age of 21 or so. In essence, you must have had a stable prescription for at least two years, and then only you should plan to undergo LASIK surgery. If you wish to go for custom LASIK, the minimum age is the same as that for conventional LASIK.

There is no upper age limit for LASIK surgery. Even a 50 or 60 year old person may opt for LASIK. The point is that LASIK can very well correct the refractive error of a myopic patient at any stage of the patient’s life, provided the patient’s eyes are otherwise healthy. That is, LASIK will impart clear distant vision to any person irrespective of the age. However, age related deterioration of the vision may still occur. For instance, almost every person suffers from presbyopia (or short arm syndrome) beyond the age of 40. Presbyopia entails the loss of accommodation power of the lens. Hence, people typically require reading glasses after the age of 40.

If you find a LASIK surgeon that you are confident about you will be able to find more information about LASIK laser eye surgery.

All those considering laser eye surgery would be wondering how laser eye surgery works and what its benefits are. Laser surgery is the most exciting procedure in ophthalmology – the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, and treatment of the eye, among others. Laser eye surgery is a refractive surgery, a procedure that corrects refractive errors, such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism (distorted vision).

There are several different surgical techniques performed to correct refractive errors, and according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the laser eye surgery is the most technologically advanced procedure today, for the simple reason that it allows the highest degree of precision.

The first laser approved for eye surgery was the excimer laser, used for correcting mild to moderate myopia. Today, the excimer laser has been approved to be used in two laser eye surgery procedures – Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) and Laser in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK).

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

Before the laser eye surgery, the patient’s eye is mapped and measured. After determining the degree of problem, the corneal change is measured and fed into the laser’s computer. The PRK refractive surgery procedure is done with local anesthetic eye drops. It reshapes the cornea by removing microscopic amounts of tissue from the outer surface. The ultra violet beam of light can precisely cut notches in a strand of human hair and each pulse can remove about a 39 millionth of an inch of cornel tissue in 12 billionths of a second.

Studies show that about 5 percent of those who underwent PRK procedure had to use glasses for their myopic condition and about 15 percent occasionally, while driving.

Laser in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

This procedure is more complex than the PRK procedure. LASIK is performed on all types of myopic conditions. In it, a device known as a Microkeratome is used to cut a flap of corneal tissue, remove the targeted tissue beneath it with the laser, and then replace the flap. In this procedure, the skill of the surgeon matters as he/she is the one making an incision, as compared to PRK where the machine does most of the work.

During laser eye surgery, there is a very little discomfort, and the minor irritation, if any, goes away after a short time. Generally, people can return to their normal routines between one to three days. The only side effects may be glare at night. Normally the laser eye surgeries are permanent, but with age, the eyes change and one may require re-surgery.

Most people wear glasses or contact lenses due to a variety of reasons such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism. All of these conditions are caused when the shape of the cornea does not allow an image to be formed properly on the retina. They result in blurry vision and necessitate a dependence on artificial lenses to correct the vision.

Laser eye surgery is a technique that corrects this problem by reshaping the cornea, so that images are formed properly on the retina. This technique has a high rate of success and is increasingly being opted for by people with vision problems. However, it must be kept in mind, that laser eye surgery, is a surgical procedure, and carries with it the risks inherent in any surgical procedure.

Is laser eye surgery right for you? Well, there are a number of factors that you should take into account before opting for laser eye surgery. Some of these deciding factors include:

Your general health and medical history. If you have suffered or are suffering from eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, blepharitis, iritis, or herpes, you should avoid laser eye surgery as it may further aggravate the infection. Those who have already undergone a previous eye surgery should also avoid repeating the procedure. People with dry eyes or exceptionally large pupils are also unsuitable. Diabetics and pregnant women should also avoid laser eye surgery as fluctuating hormone levels may render the surgery ineffective.

Your age. Laser eye surgery is generally not performed on people under 18 years of age. This is because the body is still in a developing state and the refractive ability of the cornea is still in a process of change. Generally speaking, you should only opt for laser eye surgery if you are at least 20 years of age, have worn glasses or contact lenses for at least 2 years, and the refractive power of your lens has not changed during this period.

Your chosen profession. Eye surgery is not allowed in many professions such as the air force, navy, or the military. Even if a surgical procedure is allowed, you must keep in mind that there is always a chance, no matter how slight, that laser eye surgery could actually degrade your vision further. You should only go ahead with the procedure if further degradation of your vision will not affect your job.

Laser eye surgery is a wonderful procedure. It can help you to do away with glasses or lenses for the rest of your life. However, before you opt for this procedure, do consult your ophthalmologist to find out if it is right for you.