Researching LASIK Surgeons

You can spend years deciding to improve your vision though LASIK. Research on the Internet and feedback from others who have had similar experiences can aid in your process. However, regardless of how many people you ask about LASIK, without a full LASIK consultation you will never know for sure if you are a good candidate.

The LASIK consultation also allows you to “interview” the surgeon to make sure you are putting the best possible professional in your corner. Below are some questions you should ask your LASIK provider. If he/she cannot or will not give acceptable answers, it is best to continue researching other providers.

LASIK Surgeon Questions

•  What professional organizations are you certified by and what organizations to you belong to?
• What specific training do you have in LASIK surgery?
• How many years of LASIK surgery experience do you have?
• How many LASIK procedures have you performed?
• Where do you perform LASIK procedures?
• What are the potential risks and complications of LASIK and how are they handled?
• Does my overall health make me a good candidate for this procedure?
• Do you think LASIK will produce the results I want?
• How much will LASIK cost? Are there any hidden charges? Are there financing options?
• Exactly how will LASIK be performed?
• What type of technologies do you use?
• What do I have to do before, during and after LASIK?
• What will the recovery entail and what kind of external help will I need?  
• What are my options if I am dissatisfied with my surgical outcome?

Armed with this information, you can make an informed decision about improving your vision through LASIK.

Dr. Spivack at Spivack Western Slope offers free LASIK consultations and a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation to take the first step in the LASIK discovery process. To schedule your consultation, visit spivackwesternslopelasik.com or call 970-928-9752.

Moo-ve Into Better Vision with LASIK

Did you know that July 18, 2013 is Cow Appreciation Day? In honor of this unique observance, here are a few fun facts about how cows’ eyes differ from human eyes:  

• Cow eyes are larger
• Cows cannot move their eyes like humans; they must turn their heads
• Cow eyes glow at night
• Cow eyes are oval shaped
• Cows have only black irises

At Spivack Western Slope, we’re not in the business of treating cow’s eyes; however, we are in the business of correcting the human vision problems of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism through LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK won’t make your eyes glow at night like cows, but it just might free you from the need for contacts or glasses. The LASIK procedure actually changes the shape of your cornea so light can be focused onto your retina properly, resulting in clear vision, even 20/20 vision, for many patients.

If you’d be interested in learning more about how you might be able to moo-ve into better vision with LASIK, contact Spivack Western Slope today to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. Call us today at 970-928-9752 or visit us online at spivackwesternslopelasik.com.

Happy 4th of July!

Have a safe and fun 4th of July from Spivack Western Slope!

Scared of LASIK? Get the Facts!

If you’ve been living for years with nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, constantly annoyed with contact lenses and glasses, you’ve undoubtedly heard about how LASIK can improve your vision. You may have even gone so far as having a LASIK consultation to find out that you are, indeed, a good candidate for the procedure. So why haven’t you taken the plunge and had LASIK eye surgery?

Maybe it’s the cost of the procedure (although there are excellent financing options available). But maybe you are apprehensive – scared, even – about having someone perform a procedure on your eyes. It is understandable to have anxiety about LASIK, but consider this: According to the Eye Surgery Education Council, “LASIK vision correction has the highest patient satisfaction rate of any elective surgery: 95.4%, according to a 10-year survey of scientific studies from around the world. And new advances in technology now deliver better outcomes than ever. The majority of patients enjoy 20/20 vision or better after laser vision correction. Nearly all patients achieve 20/40 or better, which is fully functional and good enough to drive legally in most states without corrective lenses.”

Other studies have shown that there are more than 700,000 LASIK procedures performed in the United States every year. Satisfied patients express feelings of amazement because they can see with clarity, first thing in the morning; play sports, swim and travel without worrying about glasses or contacts; and have clear peripheral vision.

LASIK is not something to jump into; you should take time to fully research the LASIK surgeons in your area to determine who offers the best technologies and has the best track record of success. Notice we didn’t mention finding the best price. Advances in LASIK technology have bumped up the cost of LASIK slightly, but the overall results are superior and, according to most who’ve had it, well worth the money.

You should also be fully aware of the potential complications of LASIK, which can include:

·         Dry eye syndrome

·         Possible need for glasses or contact lenses after surgery

·         Potentially debilitating vision problems like glare, starbursts, halos or double vision

·         Vision loss

If you want to find out all the facts about LASIK, contact Dr. Spivack at Spivack Western Slope to schedule a free LASIK consultation at spivackwesternslopelasik.com or call 970-928-9752. You can also take a free online LASIK Self-Evaluation on this website.

Financing LASIK

Nearsightedness. Farsightedness. Astigmatism. These are the refractive errors that cause people to need corrective lenses. The hassles of keeping track of glasses and contacts and buying new lenses and contact solutions should be enough to encourage everyone to consider LASIK eye surgery. However, what stops many glasses-wearers in their tracks is the cost of LASIK.

In 2011, the average cost of LASIK in the United States was $2,146 per eye. Of course, fees for LASIK vary greatly from surgeon to surgeon depending on where you have the surgery performed and what types of technologies are used. But generally people can expect to pay approximately $3,000-$5,000 for top-notch LASIK vision correction in both eyes.

The good news is that financing is usually available for LASIK. Most reputable LASIK surgeons team up with financing companies like CareCredit® to help their patients afford LASIK through 0% interest or low-interest monthly payment plans over a specified number of months or even years. The monthly payment amount can be set to meet your budget. Often the LASIK practice will help you fill out and submit all of the necessary forms.

Using Flex Plans for LASIK

If your employer offers a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you may be able to set aside pre-tax dollars to use for your LASIK procedure. Make sure you know the limits of your specific plan: Most FSAs require you to use the money within a specific timeframe. Also, make sure you are a definite candidate for LASIK surgery before signing up through your FSA. If you find out you cannot have LASIK surgery, and you have put money into your Flex Account for that specific procedure, you will probably lose that money.

When you consider how much you spend every year on glasses, contacts and related items, LASIK eye surgery may actually be a money-saver. You have to decide: What is your visual freedom worth?

Dr. Spivack at Spivack Western Slope can determine if LASIK can give you 20/20 vision and discuss your financing options. To schedule your free LASIK consultation, visit spivackwesternslopelasik.com or call 970-923-9752.

What Really is 20/20 Vision?

It’s widely known that LASIK eye surgery can give some patients 20/20 vision. But what does 20/20 vision really mean?

According to the American Optometric Association, “20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.”

There are varying degrees of vision based on what research has shown that a “normal” person can see. Other examples include:

·         20/10 vision means that you can see at 20 feet what can normally be seen when standing 10 feet away (your vision is better than normal)

·         20/40 vision means that you have to stand 20 feet away from something to see what you should be able to see at 40 feet away (your vision is worse than normal)

·         20/100 vision means that what should be normally seen at 100 feet away requires you to stand 20 feet away to see it (your vision is poor)

·         20/200 vision is considered legal blindness in the United States

Having 20/20 vision does not mean you have perfect vision because other factors, such as peripheral vision, depth perception, color vision, eye coordination and focusing ability play into your overall visual attributes.

If you have less-than-ideal eyesight that causes you to need glasses or contacts to correct your nearsightedness (good close-up vision/bad distance vision), farsightedness (good distance vision/bad close-up vision) or astigmatism (impaired distance and close-up vision), LASIK may help correct your refractive error and put you into the “normal” 20/20 vision range. LASIK surgeons take into consideration many of your unique attributes before recommending LASIK surgery, including your overall eye health, corneal thickness and medical history. 

To find out if LASIK might be able to give you 20/20 vision, contact Spivack Western Slope in Glenwood to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. Call 970-945-2020 or visit spivackwesternslopelasik.com.