Western Laser Eye Associates

LASIK surgery generally takes less than 15 minutes to complete. The majority of patients experience immediate improvement in vision, although complete LASIK recovery can take as long as six months. In some cases, the patient's vision takes this long to become completely stabilized.

Recovery from LASIK surgery is generally considered to be short lived. Dr. Anderson Penno may require that you wear some form of protective eye wear for the first day or two following the procedure. You may also be prescribed antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, eye drops or a combination of these.

Finally, dark glasses may be required if you experience any sensitivity to bright lights immediately following your LASIK surgery. Your doctor will likely recommend that you go to sleep immediately after surgery to avoid any post-operative pain that may occur. When you awake, your vision will already be markedly improved.

Complications from LASIK surgery are possible, although very rare. Most patients are able to return to work and regular daily activities the following day after the procedure. Nearsighted patients may experience some initial difficulty reading in the first few days.

Post-operative discomfort is generally very little, if any and follow-up exams are regularly scheduled to be sure you do not experience any unexpected complications.

Typical outcomes from LASIK eye surgery are:

• Nearsighted patients usually return to functional vision one day after the surgery.
• Farsighted patients usually experience dramatic results one day after surgery. Distance vision may be blurry at first, but this will improve.
• Astigmatism conditions are harder to treat, but most patients still experience dramatic improvements.

In general, do everything you can to rest your eyes and do not rub them for the first 24 hours after receiving LASIK eye surgery. Aside from any unforeseen complications, this will be the largest part of your LASIK recovery. To schedule an appointment, please contact Dr. Ellen Anderson Penno today.

If you are considering laser vision correction in Calgary Alberta or elsewhere, don't be afraid to ask your refractive surgeon tough questions. LASIK or PRK may take only a few minutes to perform but you need your good vision for years to come. Here are some questions you may wish to ask your surgeon:

1 How long have you been doing laser vision correction surgery?
2 How many laser vision procedures have you performed total?
3 How many refractive procedures have you performed in the last 12 months?
4 How have your results been with the surgeries you perform?
5 What kinds of complications have you seen, and am I at a higher risk for any specific complications?
6 How many laser vision surgery candidates do you decline?
7 Do you use wavefront technology in your evaluation and treatments?
8 What is the chance I will need an enhancement or second treatment to achieve good vision?
9 What is the worst complication of laser vision correction you have had and what was the final result?
10 If you intend to use an excimer laser, is it broadbeam, variable spot, or flying spot? What are the benefits and possible side effects of this type of laser?
11 Have you ever had malpractice insurance problems, malpractice claims, or license revoked?
12 If another doctor will be comanaging pre- and/or postoperative care, can I see you at any time without my comanaging doctor’s authorization?
13 What should I expect my vision to be like for the first few weeks after surgery?
14 Will you perform a complete refractive examination including evaluating the medical health of my eyes both before and after surgery?
15 If you recommend LASIK, how will you make the flap?
16 Do you measure tear production prior to surgery?
17 Will you measure the size of my pupils when naturally dilated in a dimly lit room prior to making a recommendation about surgery?
18 Do I have to stay out of contact lenses before evaluation and surgery?
19 How often and when will you perform postoperative examinations?
20 How will my occupation, leisure activities, and hobbies influence my candidacy and results or PRK or LASIK surgery?
21 Is there anything in my medical history that would make a difference in my candidacy or result of laser vision correction surgery?
22 Does being pregnant or contemplating pregnancy make a difference for laser vision correction surgery?
23 What are your qualifications to perform this surgery? Do you have any board certification or other specific certifications?

You may wish to discuss some or all of these points with your laser vision correction surgeon. There may be other questions you may wish to ask. A qualified and experienced surgeon should be willing to take the time to answer all your questions before recommending laser vision correction.

Questions about outcomes or complications from LASIK or PRK surgeries should be easily answered by your surgeon - any experienced laser vision correction surgeon will have had a few complications over their career. It is not possible to have a complication rate of zero with any type of surgery including LASIK or PRK.

Some of these questions might be answered by the technical staff, by reading written materials provided by your surgery center, or by viewing the laser vision correction centre's website. Be sure you ask your surgeon any additional questions that you may have before surgery.

For your complimentary laser vision correction assessment in Calgary Alberta with Dr. Anderson Penno call 547-9775 or contact us on www.westernlasereye.com.

Healthy eyes are beautiful. Whether or not you have had LASIK or PRK the following tips will help you keep your eyes healthy and beautiful:

1. Replace your eye make-up about every 3 months. If you ever have an eye infection it is advisable to discontinue make-up until the infection has cleared and replace all products used around the eyes. If you have laser eye surgery, your surgeon may recommend you avoid make-up for a period of time following PRK or LASIK.

2. Never use testers at cosmetic counters as they may harbor infectious agents.

3. Practice good eyelid hygiene. Remove all eye make-up before going to sleep. Avoid waterproof products as they are more difficult to remove. Eye make-up removers often contain products which may contribute to plugging of the oil glands which line the eyelids. It may be helpful to soak the lids with a warm wet cloth for 3 to 5 minutes once or twice per day (only use warm water and a face cloth - never use heating pads or microwave as it may burn the lids).

4. To avoid allergy or sensitivities introduce one product at a time. Wait at least 2 weeks between introducing new products.

5. Apply make-up to clean lids. Do not apply make-up along the eye side of the lashes as this area contains oil glands that may be prone to plugging in some people. This may be particularly important for people who suffer from dry eyes or seasonal allergies.

Keep your eyes healthy and beautiful. More information can be found at http://aao.org/newsroom/release/20080501b.cfm.

At Western Laser Eye Associates, Dr. Anderson Penno and staff are committed to the health of your eyes before and after LASIK or PRK. For more information call 403.547.9775 or check out www.westernlasereye.com.

LASIK is a surgical procedure that reshapes your cornea to improve your eyesight and lessen your dependency on contacts or glasses. In my ophthalmology practice, I consider LASIK one of the most rewarding refractive surgery procedures because it offers patients not only improved vision but an improved lifestyle. Patients are amazed at how a simple and quick LASIK procedure can provide clearer vision than they have enjoyed in years or even decades.

If you are wondering whether you are a good candidate for LASIK, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are my eyes fully developed (usually this means you are 18 years or older)?
• Do I have realistic expectations about what the procedure can and can't do?
• Have I had stable vision for a year prior to the surgery?
• Am I in generally good health?
• Do I have the proper type and degree of refractive error (nearsightedness, astigmatism, farsightedness, etc.)
• Am I tired of wearing and maintaining my contact lenses or glasses?

If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then LASIK surgery might be a good option for you. Please contact Dr. Anderson Penno at Western Eye Association for more information about what LASIK surgery can do for you and to schedule a free consultation.

People that are not good candidates for LASIK surgery may want to consider PRK surgery. PRK surgery does not involve the creation of a corneal flap, thus making it a generally safer and more effective choice for those individuals who have:

• thin corneas
• corneal scars
• corneal dystophy
• large pupils
• or other types of eye conditions

Individuals in certain occupations may also chose PRK surgery over LASIK surgery if their professions do not make LASIK the safest choice. These professions include:

• Pilots
• Law enforcement officers
• Athletes
• Military personnel

People whose lifestyles involve a lot of contact sports may also want to consider PRK over LASIK surgery.

While PRK surgery is safer than LASIK, it also takes longer to recover. Most people will have to realize that they will not be able to return to work or other activities for at least a week. Long-term healing will take place over a few months where your vision will continuously improve and become sharper and more focused.

Deciding whether LASIK or PRK surgery is best for you should be done in consultation with an experienced and compassionate ophthalmologist. Please contact Dr. Anderson Penno at Western Eye Association for more information about what PRK surgery can do for you and to schedule a free consultation.

We are excited to be offering Wavefront guided treatments at Western Laser Eye Associates using Calgary's newest laser. In Calgary LASIK remains the most common laser vision correction performed, but photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is making a come back. As reported on CNN today, PRK is becoming a more popular choice for many patients and surgeons in recent years due to it's safety and effectiveness. The CNN article outlines a number of alternatives to LASIK ( http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/04/30/lasik.alternatives.ap/index.html ).

Dr. Anderson Penno has been a long time advocate of PRK and is pleased to offer advanced surface ablation with PRK. With the new technology available on the Visx S4 IR excimer laser and WaveScan WaveFront mapping system, an individualized map can be used to treat fine variations in addition to the overall correction for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. While PRK requires about a week before return to work, it is an excellent alternative to LASIK and may add a measure of safety for many patients.

It is important to understand your options and to have a thorough discussion with your surgeon before deciding which surgery may be best for you. More information can be found at www.westernlasereye.com or by calling 547-9775.

4/25/08 Physicians testified Friday on behalf of the American Academy of Opthalmology (AAO) as part of the US FDA ongoing study on LASIK satisfaction. They presented information from studies that involved thousands of LASIK patients over the past 15 years. Over 16,000 eyes have been studied since 1993. For the majority of patients the outcome of LASIK is excellent and poor outcomes are rare. The goal of this study is to understand how patient satisfaction can be improved even further.

The AAO supports the FDA's planned prospective study on quality of life following LASIK surgery. Over 15 million people worldwide have had LASIK, and in the past several years technology has improved. The prospective study will give a better understanding of the factors which contribute to dissatisfaction following LASIK.

There are alternatives to LASIK. For many patients PRK may be a safer alternative to LASIK. With PRK there is no corneal flap so the complications are lower at the time of surgery, and there is less risk with future eye injuries as there is no flap that can get damaged or dislodged. PRK does require approximately one week for recovery before return to work. For patients over 55 years old, refractive lensectomy may be an alternate option. All of these options should be discussed with the refractive surgeon before making a final decision about which procedure is best for you.

If you are interested in laser vision correction more information can be found at www.westernlasereye.com or by calling 403.547.9775 to schedule a complimentary evaluation with Dr. Anderson Penno.