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Can I go blind if I have LASIK…and does LASIK hurt?
Every day we have patients call to inquiry about LASIK eye surgery…and the number one question they ask: “how many people have gone blind due to LASIK”? According to the FDA there have been no reported cases of a patient going blind due to LASIK.
Second most asked question: Does LASIK hurt? No. Because anesthetic eyedrops are used during surgery, the procedure is not painful. Patients may feel a moderate amount of pressure around the eye during surgery as the instruments that hold the eyelid may cause minor discomfort. After surgery, some patients may experience tearing, irritation, and light sensitivity. These sensations are all temporary and will improve within the first day.
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Thank You Dr. Wade
I was afraid to have cataract surgery on my 2nd eye because my 1st eye was botched 11 years ago by another surgeon.
This is what I want to share: during cataract surgery on my 1st eye the surgeon ruptured my posterior capsule. I later learned he should of stopped and stabilized the tear – but he continued with the surgery. This mistake has resulted in a longstanding iritis (a serious condition that can lead to vision loss) and eye pressure problems. I had to have additional surgery and to this day I must apply a steroid drop 4 times a day.
I was afraid to have surgery on my 2nd eye, but because of Dr. Wade’s character and experience – he gave me the confidence to have cataract surgery on my right eye and the outcome was successful with no complications! I’m very grateful to Dr. Wade and his staff and I would highly recommend the Eye Center of Texas.
Thank you Dr. Wade….!
C. Trevino
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Traditional vs Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgeries in the United States,and 3 million Americans elect to have cataract surgery each year.If a cataract is not removed and the lens replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL),the cataract can actually cause blindness.
When it comes to cataract surgery, there are many choices. Several different IOLs are available, which perform various functions. There are also 2 different methods of cataract surgery…traditional cataract surgery and laser-assisted surgery (blade free).Both methods are effective and safe, but differ in technique.
Traditional Cataract Surgery
Traditional cataract surgery is safe and extremely effective. A surgeon makes a tiny incision in the side of the cornea to remove your clouded lens. Using a process called phacoemulsification, your surgeon will insert a small probe in your eye. The device releases ultrasound waves that break up the lens so it can be suctioned out.
Using the same small incision, your surgeon will then insert the IOL into your eye. The incision is so tiny that it usually does not even require sutures, and the eye tissue seals itself. This procedure is done on an outpatient basis, takes about 15-20 minutes, and has a very quick recovery time. Most patients are back to normal activities within a day or two.
Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery (Blade Free)
This procedure provides the same outcome as traditional cataract surgery but uses a different method. It utilizes a femtosecond laser to break up cataracts. Your surgeon will use special software to create a surgical plan with a 3-D image of the eye. The plan includes the location, depth, and length of the cataract in all planes. Using the unique map of your eye and the settings created in the software, the femtosecond laser will actually create the incisions and assist in the cataract removal.
Light energy from the laser causes disruption of tissue borders with minimal damage to nearby tissue. The old lens is removed, and then, the new lens is inserted. Recovery time is very similar to traditional cataract and most patients are back to normal activities in a day or two.
Which method is best for you?
When having a cataract evaluation at ECT, your doctor will talk to your about your options. Both methods have proven success rates. Bottom line, if you have a cataract you should take steps to have it removed because if it’s not removed the cataract can cause blindness.
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June is Cataract Awareness Month
How is a cataract detected?
Cataract is detected through a comprehensive cataract evaluation eye exam that may include the following tests:
- Visual Acuity: A visual acuity test measures your quality of vision at certain distances. Your doctor will ask you to read letters of various sizes from a chart. Your eyes will be tested individually and together to measure the accuracy of your eyesight at different distances. A visual acuity test is an easy, painless, and quick way to diagnosis cataracts, although more tests will be needed to make sure cataracts are the cause of your vision problems.
- Contrast Sensitivity: Contrast sensitivity testing is similar to visual acuity testing but places greater emphasis on how cataracts can decrease image contrast due to light scattering and glare caused by the cataract. Eye doctors consider contrast sensitivity testing to be a more realistic measurement of true quality of vision.
- Slit Lamp: A slit lamp is a special type of microscope that magnifies your eye so your doctor can examine the lens to determine the presence and severity of a cataract. Your doctor will ask you to place your chin on the chin rest of the slit lamp. A light will then be directed at your eye. By looking through the slit lamp, your doctor can examine the lens to determine the degree to which it is clouded.
- Pupil Dilation: Pupil dilation is a common test used in diagnosing cataracts. Clouding of the lens is not noticeable until a cataract reaches an advanced stage. When your eye is dilated, however, the pupil increases in size, offering a view of your entire lens. By thoroughly examining the lens, a doctor can determine whether or not a cataract is affecting your quality of vision.
If you have or think you have a cataract, we recommend you talk to your family optometrist or schedule a cataract evaluation with us at one of our five locations.
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Cataract Surgery
If your doctor tells you that you have a cataract and it should be removed, it may be frightening to consider. But, once you understand what a cataract is, how it will be removed, and the life-changing benefits cataract surgery can bring, you’ll likely wish you’d had the procedure sooner.
Did you know a cataract can progress until eventually there is a complete loss of vision in your eye and neither diet nor medical treatment will make a cataract go away? However, cataract surgery can help restore your vision. Our surgeons, Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade offer state-of-the-art cataract procedure – performed without the need of needles, sutures or patches, offering patients a rapid, more comfortable recovery of clear vision.
Today, cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure performed in the U.S. and one of the most successful! At the time of surgery the cataract is removed and you will receive a lens implant that will help correct your vision. Historically, neither astigmatism nor presbyopia (the need for reading glasses) was surgically correctable, which required patients to wear glasses after cataract surgery. With today’s amazing technology, cataract patients are given the opportunity to correct the majority of their vision problems by choosing full range vision IOLs. Thousands of ECT’s cataract patients have chosen full range vision IOLs and now enjoy life without glasses!
The lens that is best suited for your vision depends on the unique characteristics of your eye and lifestyle. At Eye Center of Texas, you will not only find a multitude of surgical options to fit your needs, but a caring staff and doctors to help guide you through the process.
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Cataract Surgery Now Gives Patients GREAT Options…
The old stigma of being diagnosed with cataracts has been transformed through technology into some pretty exciting choices! Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) are lens implants that are placed in the eye after the eye’s natural crystalline lens is removed because of a cataract. At Eye Center of Texas, we offer several IOL options to meet your overall vision goals and lifestyle after cataract surgery:
Monofocal (traditional) IOLs provide a single focal point designed to provide clear distance vision. This means you will be able to see objects far away and will most likely need glasses for reading and any type of close detailed work.
Multifocal (Presbyopia-Correcting) IOL
Most people over age 50 lose their ability to read without glasses due to presbyopia. Multifocal (Premium) IOLs now make it possible to regain the close-up vision you may have had when you were younger.
Multifocal IOLs have multiple focal points, designed to replace the natural lens affected by the cataract and correct presbyopia (the ability to focus up close) in order to provide a full range of vision; near, far and in-between. The Multifocal Lens design also offers enhanced image quality.
Toric (Astigmatism-Correcting) IOL
Toric IOLs can correct astigmatism, which is a condition where the cornea is warped so light rays entering the eye cannot focus on one spot of the retina. This results in distorted, blurry or even double vision. Toric IOLs are lenses with a single focal point to provide distance vision and enhanced image quality.
Prescription Glasses
Corrective eyeglasses or contact lens can be worn following cataract surgery to correct excess astigmatism to allow for best corrected vision.
To learn more about IOL options, please feel free to contact Kathy or Steve at 713-395-1515.
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Considering LASIK… Do Your Homework.
So you’re thinking about having LASIK Eye Correction? GREAT…now do your homework. The first thing to research is the surgeon. The second thing is technology (get this…many LASIK surgeons still create their patients flaps with the microkeratome (blade) system. Last, but not least… price (many people put price over surgeon and technology).
The Surgeon: Our surgeons, Dr. Mayo and Dr. Wade are two of the top LASIK surgeons in Texas. Together, they have performed over 60,000 LASIK procedures and are considered “the doctors…doctor” – meaning more Houston eye doctors refer their patients to them. Dr. Wade is also one of a select number of surgeons in Houston that offers the Visian ICL procedure – a procedure for extremely nearsighted people that probably are not candidates for LASIK.
Technology: Many LASIK surgeons in the Houston area are still using metal microkeratomes (blades) to make flaps. The difficulty with flaps being make with microkeratomes – is the chance of a significant complication is much greater than with the IntraLase (blade free) method for creating flaps. Our LASIK surgeons, Dr. Mark L. Mayo and Dr. Edward C. Wade used the blade microkeratomes for years, but as soon as a safer and more precise technology was available, they changed over. Now, all our flaps made during the iLASIK procedure are blade free IntraLase. Our surgeons love the safety and exact nature of the blade free flap making experience.
Additionally, some Houston LASIK surgeons are still doing non-custom LASIK procedures. At the Eye Center of Texas we only offer the Advanced CustomVue Wavefront–guided VISX excimer laser technology for a truly customized experience. When you match the IntraLase method with the CustomVue Wavefront laser vision correction procedure, you get the absolute best results. iLASIK is the latest and most advanced LASIK procedure available – and it’s the only technology the Eye Center of Texas offers.
Price: If you check around, you will find that we are not the most expensive…but then we are not the cheapest. We are right in line with the other reputable Houston LASIK surgeons…but in addition to having surgery by at one of the top LASIK centers in the county – you will receive a ‘limited lifetime warranty’. Very few LASIK surgeons offer this. And if you need a little help with payments, you may want to consider Care Credit Financing. This makes it easier for those patients that would like to ease the burden of payment.
Call the Eye Center of Texas at 713-395-1515 to schedule your FREE iLASIK evaluation.
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March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month
March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month. Whether you work on a computer, or use power tools at your job, it’s important to keep eye health and safety in mind…since the gift of sight is irreplaceable.
More and more workers using technology suffer from computer vision syndrome. Computer vision syndrome is a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer use. Computer vision syndrome symptoms can range from physical fatigue to eye twitching. If you think you are suffering from symptoms of computer vision syndrome, it’s important to see your eye doctor.
However, if you are like most people who work on electronic devices all day, there are things that you can do to prevent computer vision syndrome. Here are some tips that you can use:
- See An Eye Doctor: The first step to preventing computer vision syndrome is seeing your eye doctor for an eye exam. It is a great way to keep tabs on your eye health. Tell your eye doctor if you are a heavy user of electronic devices during your daily routine.
- Get to Know the 20/20/20 Rule: If you work on a computer at your desk, take a 20 second break every 20 minutes and shift your vision to something else 20 feet away.
- Make Sure to Blink: When you work at a computer or on other electronic devices, you are less likely to blink. However, you need to blink because it keeps your eyes moist and prevents dry eye. So remember to blink when you are working at your computer.
- Take Mini Breaks: Most people only take two 15 minute breaks throughout the work day, but if you take shorter more frequent breaks from working on your computer, it will be a lot easier on your eyes. Make sure to get up, stretch, and move around during your breaks so that your eyes get a chance to rest.
- Computer Eyewear Is An Option: Your eye doctor may be able to prescribe computer eyewear that can help alleviate eye strain if you are heavy electronics user.
If your job requires the use of heavy machinery, be sure to remember safety glasses. All it takes is a tiny sliver of metal, a particle of dust or a splash of chemical to cause significant and even permanent eye damage.
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Will I Have 20/20 Vision After LASIK Surgery?
One of the most common questions we get asked at the Eye Center of Texas is: Will LASIK give me 20/20?
Will LASIK give me 20/20?
It’s a great question, and the answer depends on your best correctable visual acuity. When you come in for your free LASIK evaluation we will gather data about your eyes including: visual acuity, refraction, measurement of current glasses, measurement of night time pupil size; measurement of corneal thickness, corneal topography and Wavefront analysis. (Related: LASIK consultation preparation & What does LASIK fix?)
Based on your results, our doctors and staff will take as much time as necessary to help you understand your expectations and explain the risks and benefits of this amazing procedure.
Restoring 20/20 vision during LASIK surgery
Our Houston LASIK surgeons, Dr. Mayo and Dr. Wade only offer the IntraLase (blade-free) method for creating flaps in the superficial layers of the cornea. The IntraLase method is the safest and most precise way to make flaps in the cornea. Additionally, we only offer the Advanced CustomVue Wavefront-guided VISX excimer laser technology to reshape the underlying cornea. Your fingerprint is unique to you as your visual system is and the laser creates a custom fingerprint of your visual system.
The laser vision correction ablation automatically centers and automatically tracks the eye and shuts off automatically is there is movement. With iLASIK, there is iris registration. With iris registration, the laser looks at pinpoint areas of the iris and centers the laser vision correction on those specific areas. Bladeless Custom LASIK with iris registration is called ‘iLASIK’ and is the most progressive and advanced way to perform LASIK.
Better than 20/20 vision with LASIK?
With the combination of Dr. Mayo and Dr. Wade’s great surgical skills and the iLASIK technology…many of our patients achieve better than 20/20…that’s right…better than 20/20. We’re in this with you, from the first evaluation, to after-LASIK care and beyond. For further reading, visit our LASIK recovery timeline which covers questions like, “How long after LASIK can I see 20/20?”
Call us at 713-395-1515 to schedule your free iLASIK evaluation or contact us now…you’ll love your new vision!
Eye Center of Texas is the premier LASIK eye institute in Houston, with over 75,000 LASIK procedures and running.
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So You Have a Cataract…
Today I met Kate P. she’s 62…in great health…and has cataracts. After talking with her for awhile, she admitted her optometrist told her she had cataracts (over a year ago), but she was too scared to see a surgeon. She’s couldn’t tell me why she was scared…she said maybe because she thought the surgery would go bad and she would be blind or because she thought they would “just go away”. She realized her vision was too poor to drive at night…and she didn’t want to be forced to stay home because of her terrible night vision. So finally…today she had her cataract evaluation, talked with Dr. Mayo about her options…and booked her cataract surgery. Just before Kate left, she told me after meeting Dr. Mayo, our staff, and learning more about cataracts…she was relieved and felt she was in great hands and is looking forward to her new…clear vision.
Just in case you don’t know…
- Most cataracts are related to aging…and by age 80 more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had a cataract.
- No one knows why the eye’s lens changes as we age…they just do.
- When symptoms begin to appear, you may be able to improve your vision for a while using new glasses stronger bifocals, magnification, appropriate lighting or other visual aids, but eventually surgical intervention will be necessary to see clearly again.
- Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with more than 3 million Americans undergoing cataract surgery each year.
- While cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgeries…your outcome is highly dependent on your surgeon’s skill, volume and experience. It’s import ants to find a skilled ophthalmologist who not only has a long track record of success , but one who will also make you feel comfortable.
- Additionally, you want to find a practice that embraces both proven traditional tactics for cataract surgery, as well as the latest in technological advancements for the best results possible.
Today, cataract surgery is one of the easiest, most common, and safest surgeries performed in the United States. You should consider it as soon as vision problems start to interfere with usual activities.
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Our Locations
Houston/Bellaire
6565 W. Loop S., Suite 650Bellaire, TX 77401
Medical Office:
713-797-1010
Medical Fax:
713-357-7276
LASIK/Near Vision:
Office: 713-395-1515
Fax: 713-357-7278
Pasadena
4415 Crenshaw RoadPasadena, TX 77504
Medical Office:
281-977-8800
Medical Fax:
281-977-8877
Sugar Land
15200 S.W. Freeway, Suite 130Sugar Land, TX 77478
Medical Office:
281-277-1010
Medical Fax:
281-277-4504
Clear Lake
455 E. Medical Center Blvd., Suite 110Webster, TX 77598
Medical Office:
281-332-1397
Medical Fax:
281-282-9152
Katy
Greenhouse Medical Plaza2051 Greenhouse Road, Suite 110
Houston, TX 77084
Medical Office:
346-547-7070
Medical Fax:
281-214-2971
The Woodlands/Conroe
100 Medical Center Blvd., Suite 118Conroe, TX 77304
Medical Office:
936-647-1610
Medical Fax:
936-647-1620