Surgical Options for Almost Every Vision Problem
Published by on March 28, 2016
There are five common vision problems we see almost every day here at Kugler Vision: myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, presbyopia (age-related loss of near vision) and cataracts. These types of vision prescriptions that, today, we have excellent vision correction options available to help patients reduce and in most cases eliminate their reliance on glasses and contacts.
Vision correction – also known as refractive surgery – is performed to improve the focusing ability of the eye. Procedures – such as LASIK, ASA, lens implants and cataract surgery – reshape the cornea or implant a lens inside the eye to in order to correct vision.
Five Common Vision Conditions
1. For instance, if you are nearsighted (myopic) you have a steep cornea, which causes light rays to focus in front of, rather than on, the cornea. This makes it difficult to see things far away. Refractive procedures such as LASIK or ASA can reduce the curvature of the cornea to improve your distance vision.
2. If you are farsighted (hyperopic) you have a flattened cornea that focuses light rays behind the retina –the result is it is hard to see things up close. Laser vision correction can help increase or steepen the curvature of the cornea to sharpen your reading and near vision.
3. With astigmatism, the cornea is irregularly curved and shaped, which causes the light rays to be focused inaccurately into the eye, so your vision is generally blurry and out of focus. Today’s refractive surgery techniques can treat astigmatism by reshaping the irregular cornea to achieve a smooth and symmetrical curve, improving the focus of light into the eye for clear, crisp vision.
4. When our patients in Omaha reach around the age of 40, we begin to hear complaints about a gradual increase in blurriness in the near-vision range. This is presbyopia: an age-related vision condition that impacts vision for reading, sewing and other close-range activities. In presbyopia, the eye’s lens becomes more rigid and this lack of flexibility results in a limited range of focus. Fortunately for those who don’t want to deal with reading glasses, there are lots of options for treating presbyopia. Surgeons can recommend specialty LASIK or ASA procedures as well as lens replacement to treat presbyopia.
5. A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens, which blocks light to the retina resulting in poor vision. Cataract surgery removes the clouded lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens. Today’s lens technologies do more for cataract patients by not only eliminating the clouded lens, but also correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Chances are, if you have a vision problem and find corrective lenses such as glasses and contacts a challenge to your lifestyle, there is probably a vision correction option available to you for consideration. The best way to find out is to come in for a consultation to discuss your specific vision and needs. We look forward to working with you to achieve your vision goals.
Lance Kugler, MD, is a specialist in LASIK and vision correction surgery and CEO of Kugler Vision. A proud Omaha native, he is passionate about improving lives through clear vision. Dr. Kugler serves on several national boards, and his practice is recognized internationally as a center of excellence. Dr. Kugler is one of the original founders of the Refractive Surgery Alliance, an international organization comprised of over 350 of the world’s leading vision correction surgeons; he also served as its first president. In 2019, Dr. Kugler was selected as a TEDx speaker, and delivered a talk in Omaha about the worldwide epidemic of nearsightedness and refractive solutions. Dr. Kugler is an Associate Professor of Refractive Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, has been published in many medical journals, and participates in numerous clinical studies to advance the field of vision correction surgery. Additionally, Dr. Kugler is proud to be a Board Certified Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery & Visual Sciences. Dr. Kugler and his wife are proud parents to five active kids. When he has a spare moment, he enjoys skiing, tennis, travel, and fine coffee.
Leave a Reply