Lasik | VSP Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Lasik’

LASIK & AMP; Botox Side Effects

Posted on January 26th, 2012 by fashionmaven

So, I’m in my 40′s, feel great, in decent shape, good health, wonderful family, awesome boyfriend, super network of friends…so what’s there to complain about, right? Just two little problems…declining vision and wrinkles!

I’m truly grateful for all I have including my glasses, contacts, crows feet and marionette lines yet what if I could have it all? LASIK surgery and Botox. Problems solved.

Here’s my thinking…get Botox first. Relax the wrinkles on my forehead, furrowed brow lines, crow’s feet, and the marionette lines around my mouth. That way when I get LASIK the first thing I’ll see is how incredibly young I look. Brilliant.

With that in mind, I decided to check into the side effects of Botox. Risks directly related to eye problems (there are others side effects too so be sure to check them all out) include double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids, swelling of your eyelids, and dry eyes. I already have dry eye! Yikes. This information deepened my furrowed brow lines because I started worrying about how these side effects might impact the LAISK piece.

I called my friends at The Laser Centers (TLC) and they shared some very good information: If you don’t follow your postoperative instructions from your facility and/or eye doctor, you could potentially get droopy eyes. Patients are cautioned not to lie down after Botox. After LASIK, patients are told to take a nap. So TLC would never do LASIK and Botox on the same day.

After Botox, patients should be up and moving so that the Botox doesn’t settle. If it settles in one place, such as near the eye lids, it can cause a droopy eye lid which leads to an incomplete blink and can result in dry eye. TLC hasn’t found any problems with Botox and LASIK as long as patients do not have both procedures done on the same day. Additionally, TLC screens patients for incomplete blink and/or dry eye and if Botox (or something else) is the cause of those conditions, they remedy those causes before proceeding with any vision correction surgery.

What’s the next step? Understanding LASIK surgery risks. After that, making a decision. Botox and LASIK? Botox only? LASIK only? I’m not sure yet, but I feel like I can make a better informed decision. Hope it helps you too.

Fashion Maven

P.S. Check out Rebates and Special Offers on vsp.com for exclusive member savings on LASIK!
P.P.S. Watch our very own Jill N. go through her five part LASIK surgery journey.

File under: eye health, LASIK, Special Offers, Technology, vision benefits, VSP Blog News | Tagged: amp, botox, botox injections, botox side effects, eye surgery, laser surgery, laser vision correction, Lasik
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Jill’s Laser Vision Correction Journey – Part 5

Posted on January 18th, 2012 by Jill N

So now what?

Did you cringe? Did you make it through the last video? Wasn’t too bad right? Well fortunately, neither were the next few days. I tried to do my best to capture what I was feeling, seeing and experiencing during the days immediately the following surgery. What I find a bit hilarious is that my first day after video diary did not come out quite as clear as I had thought it would. Check it out and you’ll see why! I apologize for that but hopefully you all understand

By the way, the after care I received by Furlong Vision is a great example of the quality of care you can expect to receive through one of the VSP Laser VisionCare facilities – by far one of the best experiences I have had during an outpatient procedure. Dr. Furlong called my husband within 3 hours of us leaving the office to check in on how I was doing, and when I ran out of drops a few days after, I left him a message and he called us back in less than 15 minutes with a prescription already sent to my local pharmacy ready to fill.

And the fact that my eyes were done by the same man who Jim Harbough, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers football team, trusted to do his LASIK (I found that out after the fact), was just icing on the cake.

Missed my first four updates? You can check them out here:

Part 1: The VSP Laser VisionCare program

Part 2: My Consultation

Part 3: The decision

Part 4: The Surgery

As always, please comment or send me an email at prteam@vsp.com with any questions you might have about this process!

File under: LASIK | Tagged: Lasik
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A Mom’s Laser Vision Correction Journey – Part 2

Posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Jill N

You said what about my corneal thickness??

After meeting with Cathy to learn more about the VSP Laser VisionCare program, I immediately called my VSP doctor’s office, Natomas Eyeworks, to schedule a consultation appointment. They advised me to take out my contacts that night and to wear my glasses until my appointment date, which was scheduled for two and a half weeks later. When I asked if I could get in earlier they said it was important for me to be out of my contacts for about that amount of time so my eyes would be back to their regular shape (ummmm…side note, I had no idea that contacts actually changed the shape of your eye! I am learning new fun things every day!). So I stocked up on lens cloths, polished up on my karate skills to keep AJ’s hands off my glasses and counted down the days.

During my consultation I went through a number of a tests and checks to see if my prescription and eye health were good candidates for laser vision correction. I also learned about the various surgery options that were available such as the difference between LASIK and PRK.

Watch the video below to see what I learned during my consultation that could completely change what my surgery experience will be and why, for the first time, I was disappointed when a doctor’s test came back telling me I was thin…

Stay tuned for my next video where I meet with Dr. Furlong, my eye surgeon, to learn which surgery procedure ultimately will be right for me as I go through my pre-op appointment and find out exactly what my surgery and recovery will be like. Will I qualify for LASIK which has a shorter and easier recovery time? Or will I be advised to go with PRK which has the same great results but will require additional recovery time and be slightly more uncomfortable? I know which one I want, but we will see…

See what happens next in Part 3: The Decision

Miss Part 1? See it here: The VSP Laser VisionCare program

File under: LASIK | Tagged: "eye and vision", "eyes vision", "LASIK consultation", "vision and the eye", laser vision correction, Lasik, LASIK facilities, LASIK laser eye, vision correction, VSP
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All I want for Christmas is two clear eyes (not four)…

Posted on December 16th, 2011 by Lisa P.

Jill N., aka Eye Need Coffee Mommy

A few months ago, I was driving to work wondering to myself why it was so foggy when the news had said it was going to be a beautiful clear day. It wasn’t until I was halfway into my commute that I realized it wasn’t fog, I had just once again forgotten to put my contacts in. It was at that moment that my Christmas wish became that much clearer.

As a working Mom of a Houdini-like 15 month-old, wearing contacts the majority of the time became a necessity for me. As anyone who has ever spent more than 5 minutes near a kid this age, you quickly realize how fast they can be at de-accessorizing you. Whether it is earrings, necklaces, hair clips or eyeglasses, the likelihood these items will no longer be on your person, or will shortly be covered in an amazing amount of finger smudges, is always high.

However, as I am also a working mom of a 15 month-old, I realize that my brain is not always as turned on as it potentially could be first thing in the morning, and remembering to actually put in my contact lenses obviously has been a challenge as well. So what is a girl to do? Aha! LASIK!

The excitement and possibility of having a great solution to help simplify yet another part of my life got me all giddy. Great! Ummm…so now what?

File under: LASIK | Tagged: laser vision correction, laser vision surgery, Lasik, VSP, VSP member benefits, VSP Vision Care
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Pablo Sadoval of San Francisco Giants has eye surgery

Posted on November 18th, 2011 by Jessica H.

The San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval underwent laser surgery on his left eye today. He had tried contact lenses and sports eyewear, but found them disruptive, according to the full article.

Learn more about sports eyewear.

Read about St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jason Motte‘s eye troubles.

File under: LASIK, sports | Tagged: eye surgery, Jason Motte, Lasik, pablo sandoval, san francisco giants, sports, St. Luis Cardinals
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Your LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Questions … Answered!

Posted on December 20th, 2010 by Liz B.

Jim Feinstein is Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, TLC Laser Vision Centers.

Over the last week and half, we received a bunch of questions in response to our LASIK Q & A post! We’ve combined them into the most frequently asked and Jim Feinstein, Sr. VP of Sales & Marketing of TLC Laser Eye Centers, was gracious enough to answer them for us! Jim is responsible for overall sales and marketing functions for TLC Laser Eye Centers and Sightpath Medical.

Q: Does it hurt?

A: For most patients, the feeling of anxiety and the fear of the unknown is worse than the actual procedure. Anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye just before surgery begins and you may be given a mild sedative. After your procedure, your eye may feel a foreign body sensation or irritation for a few hours, but most patients are quite comfortable after taking a short nap.

Q.: Is this recommended for a patient with astigmatism?

A: Yes! LASIK can correct all common vision problems including astigmatism, myopia and hyperopia.

Q: Are there any common long term effects?

A: After your procedure, your eye may feel a foreign body sensation or irritation for a few hours, but most patients are quite comfortable after taking a short nap. You will be given drops for your eyes to counteract the potential dryness you may experience for several days following the surgery and the majority of patients return to work the next day. At TLC Laser Eye Centers, risks of the surgery are discussed fully with the patient prior to the procedure. Proper preoperative screening ensures that we proceed with the procedure only when it is medically advisable. Read more »

File under: LASIK | Tagged: cost, discount, hurt, insurance coverage laser, laser eye surgery, laser surgery, laser vision, Lasik, more surgery, numb, pilot license, TLC Vision Centers, VSP, VSP Vision Care
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LASIK Q&A: Ask questions, Get answers

Posted on December 10th, 2010 by Liz B.

Today’s Topic … LASIK surgery!

Considering LASIK eye surgery, but have questions? Here’s your chance to get your questions answered by TLC Vision Centers! Wondering if you are a good candidate for LASIK? Does your insurance cover LASIK? What can you expect during the procedure? Nothing is off limits.

Simply ask your question in the comments section of this post!

We’ll share the answers in an upcoming post next week.

File under: LASIK | Tagged: insurance coverage laser, laser eye surgery, laser surgery, laser vision, Lasik, TLC Vision Centers, VSP, VSP Vision Care
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Thinking about laser eye surgery? Find out if LASIK is right for you!

Posted on December 1st, 2010 by Liz B.

Depending on your plan, most VSP members receive a discount on LASIK eye surgery. If you are curious about LASIK or have been considering laser eye surgery, now is a perfect time to find out more information!

For a limited time VSP members can sign up to receive a LASIK Information Kit or schedule a free LASIK consultation and receive a LASIK gift card at TLC Laser Eye Centers nationwide.

File under: LASIK, vision benefits | Tagged: laser surgery, laser vision correction, Lasik, LASIK surgery, TLC Laser Eye Centers, TLC Vision, VSP Vision Care
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A Little Known Perk from VSP Lets Lasik Patients Use Their Eyeglass Benefit for Non-Prescription Sunglasses

Posted on June 24th, 2010 by Lisa P.

Dr. Michelle Calder Cardwell

Guest Blog: Dr. Michelle Calder Carwell, an optometrist in Northville, from her Visionista Blog.

If you’ve had Lasik surgery and want to upgrade to a new pair of sunglasses this summer, we’ve got a great tip that could save you over $100 on your new shades. Thanks to a little known benefit from VSP, VSP vision insurance members who have undergone Lasik vision correction surgery can use their bi-yearly eyeglass benefit toward a pair of non-prescription sunglasses. Yes, we said that right: If you’ve had Lasik and you have VSP, you can get your non-prescription sunglasses completely or partially paid for.

Normally, the frame benefit can only be applied to prescription sunglasses (for non-Lasik patients.) But if you’ve had Lasik surgery, VSP wants you to still protect your eyes from damaging UV rays and is willing to let you apply your usual frame benefit toward a pair of fantastic suns.

Depending on your particular VSP plan, this benefit can save you up to $150 dollars on non-prescription sunglasses, at a savings of up to 50% off the retail price (or better, depending on brand and model.)

Available Only Through VSP Optometrists. Find a VSP doctor near you!
There are two important things to keep in mind around this Lasik sunglass benefit from VSP:

To use the benefit, you will have to visit a participating, authorized, independent VSP optometrist. Because it requires an VSP insurance pre-authorization from an optometrist.
You will also want to consider whether you may need to use the frame benefit in the next 24 months for reading glasses, versus sunglasses. This is more of a concern among patients and clients who are over 40 years of age and may need reading glasses in the near future, despite their Lasik.

To determine your exact sunglass benefit, please contact VSP’s member services at 800-877-7195, imember@vsp.com. With just a couple pieces of information, they can pre-authorize you in minutes over the phone so you’ll know exactly what you qualify for.