LASIK is quickly becoming a popular method of vision correction. Many people are opting to undergo LASIK in order to lose their eyeglasses forever. If you are having LASIK in the near future, it's a good idea to understand what happens after your procedure. Carefully following your post-op instructions will ensure the best visual outcome.

What Happens After LASIK

What to Expect After LASIK originally appeared on About.com Vision on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 15:01:07.

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If you are scheduled to undergo LASIK eye surgery, you are probably wondering what all you are about to experience. You may have been told how to prepare for the procedure, and what to expect during recovery. But do you know what to expect during the procedure itself?

What Happens During LASIK

The LASIK Procedure: What Happens During LASIK Eye Surgery originally appeared on About.com Vision on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 14:54:11.

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Good thing we have eyelashes...one of the duties of our eyelashes is to protect our eyes from foreign objects. However, some foreign objects seem to slip right by them. Can you imagine how many things would get into your eyes if you didn't have eyelashes?

If something does happen to find its way into your eye, do you know how to get it out?

How to Remove a Foreign Object From Your Eye

"Something's In My Eye" originally appeared on About.com Vision on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 09:08:48.

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Contact lenses are being developed that could provide a continuous supply of anesthetic medication to the eyes of patients who undergo laser eye surgery - an advance that could relieve patients of the burden of repeatedly placing drops of medicine into their eyes every few hours for several days. The research report appears in ACS' journal Langmuir.

Researchers tested whether anesthetics loaded onto this type of lens could release the drugs over time automatically. They found that adding vitamin E to the lenses extended the time of release of three commonly used anesthetics from just under two hours to up to an entire day - or a few days in some instances. The vitamin E acts as a barrier, keeping the anesthetics on the eye, right where they are needed.

_{Source:American Chemical Society. "Extended Pain Relief For Laser Eye Surgery Patients Via Contact Lenses." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 20 Jan. 2012.}

Pain Relief After Laser Eye Surgery originally appeared on About.com Vision on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 at 09:11:13.

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A new study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggests that eating grapes can slow or help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a debilitating eye disease that affects millions of elderly people worldwide.

The antioxidants in grapes may be responsible for the protective effects. "The protective effect of the grapes in this study was remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age even if grapes were consumed only at young age," said principal investigator Silvia Finnemann, PhD, Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University in New York.

Note to self: Eat more grapes.

_{Source: MLA Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.. "Age-Related Blindness May Be Warded Off By Grapes." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2012.}

Can Eating Grapes Really Prevent Blindness? originally appeared on About.com Vision on Sunday, January 15th, 2012 at 15:18:41.

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You probably remember to wear your shades at the beach. But on a chilly, winter day it seems like you wouldn't need to be concerned about grabbing your sunglasses on your way out of the house. Truth is, UV rays can damage your eyes even during the winter months.

Remember to protect your eyes from the sun all year long.

UV Eye Safety

UV Eye Damage: It Can Happen in the Winter originally appeared on About.com Vision on Friday, January 13th, 2012 at 07:40:24.

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Many people suffer from Glaucoma, a sight-stealing disease that has no symptoms. Once vision is lost to glaucoma,the loss is permanent. However, this disease is entirely preventable and there are ways to successfully battle blindness.

Millions of Americans use eye drops to treat this silent sight thief. January is Glaucoma Awareness Month: it's a great time to explore other treatment options that are safe, effective and can cost much less.

One new safe treatment option with a 93% success rate is called Lumenis Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT). SLT is a laser procedure used to treat glaucoma by reducing the pressure in the eye during a single, office procedure. It is also reimbursed by Medicare as well as other insurance providers, minimizing out-of-pocket expenses and potentially saving patients thousands of dollars in prescription medication costs.

Benefits of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT):

• Safe: SLT is not associated with systemic side effects or the compliance and cost issues of medications.
• Selective: SLT utilizes selective photothermolysis to target only specific cells, leaving the surrounding tissue intact.
• Smart: SLT stimulates the body's natural mechanisms to enhance outflow of the fluid in your eye.
• Sensible: SLT therapy is reimbursed by Medicare and many other insurance providers, which minimizes your out-of pocket expenses.

Recommended Reading:

• What Is Glaucoma?
• Video: Glaucoma and the Eye
• Living With Glaucoma

_{Source: Nicole Vanderploeg / Lumenis Marketing}

Hate Eye Drops? New Treatment Option for Glaucoma originally appeared on About.com Vision on Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 at 11:23:15.

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If you are scheduled to undergo a LASIK procedure, it is normal to be feeling a little nervous. However, there are a few things you can do to help calm you nerves. Follow the Boy Scout motto and "be prepared," both in body and in mind. 

Take a look at the following tips to prepare yourself for LASIK.

Preparing for LASIK

Preparing for LASIK originally appeared on About.com Vision on Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 at 09:08:30.

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A child's eyes work together to bring objects into sharp focus. A child's eyes shift focus and work together as a team with hardly any effort.

Did you know, however, that a number of focusing problems can affect a child's vision system?

Focusing Problems and Your Child

Kids' Focusing Problems originally appeared on About.com Vision on Friday, December 23rd, 2011 at 14:46:33.

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Do you secretly long for thicker and longer eyelashes? Until now, sporting longer eyelashes was only possible with the use of fake lashes. However, due to the discovery of a desirable side effect of a glaucoma drug, a treatment for thicker and longer eyelashes may be prescribed by your eye doctor.

All About Latisse

Long, Lucious Lashes...Here's How to Get Them originally appeared on About.com Vision on Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 at 08:57:24.

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