Choosing the Right Procedure for You
People in the greater Baton Rouge area have long looked to the Williamson Eye Center because of its national and international reputation as a leader in research and patient care to lead the way, and in fact, pioneer many of the microsurgical procedures for vision correction used in the United States today. What patients may not know, however, is which procedure is right for their particular vision problem. The following list may help patients in deciding which procedure best suits their vision needs.
Refractive Lens Implants
A cataract is a cloudiness of the natural crystalline lens of the eye. This usually occurs naturally as people age. However, cataracts can also form following trauma or use of some medications. As vision becomes blurred from the cataract, it is removed. It is common in this circumstance to implant an artificial lens into the eye (called an IOL [intraocular lens]) to replace the patient’s natural lens. The Williamson Eye Center pioneered cataract surgery under topical anesthesia with clear corneal incisions and was one of the first in the world to perform this procedure and pioneered the technique which is used now widely throughout the United states. Usually this surgery is performed as an outpatient under local topical drops, and a patient may recover his vision the same day as surgery without being put to sleep or the use of any stitches.
New in cataract surgery is the use of refractive lens implants. The ReStor lens and the ReZoom are multifocal lenses, which are implanted to correct far, near, and intermediate vision in patients who are having cataract surgery.
The most promising refractive lens, however, seems to be the Crystalens. This lens is actually able to focus or accommodate much like the natural lens. The Crystalens allows improvement of both distance and close vision, and many patients can do without their glasses after cataract surgery. The Williamson Eye Center has performed more Crystalens implants than anyone in the state of Louisiana. Patients receiving this new lens seem to be very happy with this procedure and are less dependent on glasses after cataract surgery than ever before.
LASIK
The most publicized and popular eye surgery procedure over the past several years has been LASIK. This surgery is performed as an outpatient using a specialized Excimer laser, which allows the surgeon to sculpt the corneal tissue with a cool ultraviolet light. There is very little pain and almost no downtime. This procedure is used to effectively correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. The Williamson Eye Center built the first laser vision center in Louisiana in 1995 and went on to develop its own special techniques for LASIK vision correction using the VISX laser system.
ICL
ICL stands for Implantable Collamer Lens. Dr. Charles Williamson was part of the FDA study for development of this lens implant to correct high levels of nearsightedness and farsightedness. These lenses are used for patients who are either too nearsighted or farsighted to be in the range for LASIK surgery for vision correction. Dr. Williamson has performed these surgeries on patients from all over the United States who have sought out the Williamson Eye Center as an answer to their vision problems that could not be corrected by LASIK.
Making the Right Choice
When choosing a refractive procedure, the most important choice you make is to choose a highly qualified doctor with an educated team you can trust to fully inform you of the risks and benefits of these procedures. Patients should understand the treatment options for their vision as well as significant differences between these technologies. Most of this technology is available to all doctors, and the cost of these procedures may vary greatly. Ultimately, the difference seems to be the quality of the surgeon and the technical expertise of the doctor who performs the procedure. Your vision is your most precious gift. When it comes to your sight, you should avoid the high cost of cheap surgery.
