Are you expecting a tax refund this year? If you are, and you have been thinking about getting rid of your glasses and contacts forever, consider using your refund to pay for permanent vision correction with LASIK.

LASIK may cost more than contacts or glasses over the course of a single year, but it will pay for itself in eye care savings after several years. As far as surgical procedures go, it is fairly affordable. You may be surprised to find out that your tax refund will cover some, or maybe all of the procedure.

Though your health insurance probably won’t pay for LASIK, your Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account may. Check with your plan and find out if the money in your FSA or HSA can be used to pay for LASIK. In most cases, it can.

Once you’ve reviewed your finances, make your appointment for your free LASIK consultation with Dr. William Boothe. He has been performing LASIK at Boothe Laser Center since the 1990s, and is one of the most experienced surgeons in the world. No one has performed LASIK more times than Dr. Boothe.

LASIK vision correction surgery is a safe and effective procedure for permanent eyesight correction. But if the idea of surgery on your eyes makes you nervous, don’t worry. There are ways to increase your chances of having a successful procedure. One of these is to see Dr. William Boothe, an experienced LASIK surgeon, and have him use Wavefront technology to map out your eyes.

Wavefront technology uses a low energy laser to map out your eye. This gives Dr. Boothe complete picture of how your eye focuses, and allows him to see exactly what needs to be done to correct your vision. Wavefront mapping often reveals problems that were not apparent before, and increases your chance for a successful LASIK procedure.

Patients who have opted for Wavefront mapping and customized Intra LASIK to correct their vision at Boothe Laser Center achieve 20/20 vision or better, 98% of the time. If these sound like the odds that you would like for your vision correction surgery, make an appointment for your free consultation today.

Dr. William Boothe has been performing LASIK on patients in the Dallas area since the FDA first approved the procedure in the 1990s. Since then, he has performed over 121,000 LASIK procedures.

With his extensive background in medicine and eye surgery, you can trust Dr. Boothe to care for your eyesight. He is the most experienced LASIK surgeon in the world, and has been trusted by people from all walks of life. Many professional athletes that rely on perfect eyesight to do their jobs come to Dr. Boothe to perform their LASIK surgery.

You don’t have to be an athlete, though, to want to see well. If you are sick of your complaints about your blurry vision and your glasses or contacts, call Boothe Laser Center for an appointment, today. You’ll get a chance to review any questions you have about LASIK, and discuss with Dr. Boothe if the procedure is right for you.

LASIK eye surgery is a simple outpatient procedure where a laser is used to reshape the cornea to improve your vision. LASIK has been performed successfully for about 15 years in the United States, and millions of people worldwide have been enjoying the effects of it. However, like any surgical procedure, there are some risks involved with LASIK.

One of the big risks of LASIK is patients having unrealistic expectations of what their vision will be like after surgery. There is no guarantee that your vision will be perfect after the procedure. While your surgeon will do their best to improve your vision, they may not be able to make it perfect. However, most patients who undergo LASIK are able to pass their driver’s license exam a short while after surgery.

It’s possible during LASIK to have your eyes overcorrected or undercorrected. That’s because every individual responds differently to the laser used to reshape the tissue of your eye. Often this is temporary and your vision improves as your eyes heal. If after a few months you still don’t have clear vision, you may be a candidate for a LASIK enhancement.

It’s also possible to end up with astigmatism after the LASIK procedure. This is rare, and can be treated with further LASIK enhancement.

When you are reviewing the risks for LASIK surgery, remember that you can minimize them by having an experienced surgeon perform your procedure. Dr. William Boothe at Boothe Laser Center has been performing LASIK since it was approved by the FDA, and has more experience with the procedure than any other surgeon the world. Make an appointment for a consultation today to talk with Dr. Boothe about your LASIK procedure.

LASIK surgery to correct blurred vision has been successfully performed for over 15 years, and millions of people now have clear vision because of the procedure. If you have blurry vision and are ready to permanently get rid of your glasses and contacts, you are probably interested in finding out more about LASIK.

But before you make an appointment, it’s important to realize that there are risks involved with the surgery, just like with any procedure. Here are some things you should be aware of:

• • Discomfort – after surgery, some patients have complaints of irritated eyes, but this is usually temporary.
  • Night vision problems and halos – many people report seeing glare and halos at night after LASIK, but most of the time this clears up in a few months.
  • Cornea flap problems – if the flap on your cornea is not cut properly, it might not re-adhere and heal properly, leading to issues in the future.
  • Dry eyes – many people experience dry eyes after LASIK, but it can be treated with drops and usually goes away as your eyes heal.
  • Over or undercorrection – if your vision is not corrected enough or too much, you may need to have an additional LASIK procedure again to fix your vision.

When you have your consultation with Dr. Boothe at Boothe Laser Center, you can review these possible complications and ask any questions that you have. Dr. Boothe will examine your eyes and determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure.

Wishing that you could keep great eyesight is not enough. You have to be proactive about your eye care, or else it will one day fail you. There are many life factors that could cause your eyesight to diminish, including exposure to harmful chemicals or sunlight. Other reasons include poor diet, not using eye protection, and not receiving eye exams from facilities like the Boothe eye care center.

Wear Protective Wear When Playing Sports

If you enjoy playing sports, you should take the extra initiative to protect your eyes by wearing protection eye gear. There are sporty goggles that you can purchase, which are commonly worn by soccer and basketball players.

Eat a Healthy Diet

It’s easy to fall into an unhealthy diet when you’re living in America, especially with the easy access to fast food restaurants. To keep your eyes healthy, you should eat vegetables, fruits and grains that have plenty of vitamin C, vitamin E, Omega-3 EFAs and calcium. You should also pay close attention to your blood vessels, which can deteriorate when you eat a poor diet (grease, red meat, sodium, sugar, etc.).

Get Regular Eye Exams

Don’t wait until you have an eye problem to go to receive Boothe eye care. Set an appointment before then to keep an eye on the health of your eyes. Sometimes, an issue can be detected before it becomes an actual problem.

The winter can be devastating to the eyes. Depending on where you live in the country, winter weather can be brittle and windy, which can dry out your eyes. Your eyes are at a higher risk during this time of year, causing temporary or even permanent damage. When either happens, you can visit the Boothe eye care center for a checkup. During the winter, UV rays are attacking the eyes from two areas – from the sun and the reflection of the rays bouncing off of the ground.

Few people realize that they have to care for their eyes during the winter. They think that summertime is the only time to wear sunglasses. Because the UV rays reflect off of the ground during the winter (especially when there is snow on the ground), the eyes are at risk of getting cataracts and sunburn. Then combine this with the dry air and cool breeze and you have a triple whammy.

Protecting Your Eyes

In order to protect your eyes during the winter, it’s important that you wear sunglasses that have UV ray protection (between 99-100% blockage). You should also purchase a humidifier in your home to help counteract the dry air that heaters can cause. If you are wearing contact lenses, make sure to limit how much alcohol you intake. Your contacts should be kept moist, so bring along solution and eye drops to do so. If the contacts dry out, it can stick to your eyes and even change their shape.

If you are having problems with your eyes, contact Dr. William Boothe at the Boothe eye care center.

Most health insurance plans only provide for corrective lenses or contacts, and only for a certain number of times in a given period (for example, two prescriptions every two years). Also, many health care plans do not provide for vision care at all. As Lasik surgery is considered “elective,” health insurance will usually only pay for the procedure if it corrects severe impairment and that impairment cannot be treated with prescription lenses. Dr. William Boothe can help you to determine if you might be eligible for insurance payment under these criteria.

However, the Boothe Eye Care Center will help the patient arrange financing for the Lasik procedure. It is relatively easy to arrange such financing if the patient’s credit history and income are satisfactory. Another option is if the patient is enrolled in a Flexible Spending Plan, or FSA. This is a medical expense savings account that can be used for elective as well as medically necessary surgeries. The Boothe Laser Center can explain to you what the IRS rules are for FSAs and help you determine if this is a viable option.

Not all people are good candidates for laser eye surgery. The Boothe Eye Care Center gives a list of the people who are the best possible candidates for the surgery, but they also warn others that they might need to look into other options. For example, people with vision that isn’t -1 through -12 diopters of nearsightedness should probably consider other options, since their eyes aren’t bad enough to warrant spending the money for surgically corrected vision.

Other people who might not be eligible for laser eyes surgery include patients with retinal or corneal disorders, since laser surgery will not make their disorders go away. The surgery might correct the vision problems for a while, but it isn’t a cure and it’s an expensive option for a solution that will last only so long. People with autoimmune disorders also need to be aware of the risks before getting eye surgery. They still might be able to have the corrective surgery done, but they need to discuss the hazards with their eye doctors first. The Boothe Eye Care Center also does preliminary checks on patients before surgeries to better inform them about the risks and what sort of vision issues that eye surgery is designed to fix. If you don’t know if you qualify to be a candidate for laser eye surgery, contact Dr. Boothe today to discuss your options.

Three common eyesight impairments are nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism (a general asymmetry or deformation of the eye’s lens). These are all caused by either defects in the eye’s musculature or a defect of the lens or cornea. The latter condition is by far the more common and can be corrected by surgical means. The Boothe Laser Center performs Lasik, or laser refractive surgery, on patients with vision problems due to corneal or lens defects.

Dr. Boothe corrects mild to moderate vision defects with Lasik refractive surgery. The shape of the cornea is subtly altered by laser incisions and then re-sealed. Most patients experience little or no discomfort, and the procedure is usually done in less than a day. Many patients report immediate vision improvement upon completion of the surgery.

The Boothe Eye Care Center offers a free initial screening to determine if refractive surgery is right for you. Most persons 18 years of age or older will benefit from the surgery if their eyes are otherwise healthy and do not suffer from any abnormalities that could affect postoperative healing.

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins that you need to develop and keep good eyesight. It fights free radicals in the body and also repairs tissue. By taking in vitamin C every day, you will be able to reduce your chances of developing eye problems like cataracts and AMD. It also makes your ocular blood vessels and capillaries healthy.

It is common for people 55 years and older to develop cataracts. This is a condition that causes a cloudy or opaqueness in the eyes, where it should look clear. In most cases, cataracts form in both eyes. In rare instances, infants and young children could develop this condition. You should try to intake around 300 mg of vitamin C per day. A study was taken that showed women who took vitamin C for over 10 years had a 64% less chance of getting cataracts.

Vitamin C is also good for creating defenses that protect you from AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration). By taking 500 mg of vitamin C per day, this can be prevented, along with other chronic eye diseases.

To have your eyes checked or corrected, make an appointment at the Boothe laser center.

Nearsightedness is a common issue among people with vision problems. Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, happens when the curvature of the cornea changes. This causes the light that enters the eye to hit the wrong part of the retina, causing blurry vision. With nearsightedness, people will often complain of headaches or eyestrain, if they have to focus at a distance for very long.

Glasses and contact lenses are commonly used to treat nearsightedness, but they have their own issues. Both glasses and contacts can make eyes sensitive and cause headaches. There’s also the expense of keeping them updated and the hassle of keeping them clean.

That’s why some people who suffer from nearsightedness choose to permanently correct their vision with LASIK. LASIK is a simple, painless outpatient procedure that has most patients seeing significantly better by the next day. At Boothe Laser Center, you can have your LASIK procedure performed by Dr. William Boothe, the most experienced LASIK surgeon in the world. Make an appointment, today, for a consultation and to review your options for surgically correcting your nearsighted vision.

An eye examination includes the following procedures:
Visometry: This is when the patient is tested on their visual acuity by looking at a table with letters, numbers, or marks and indicates them as referenced by an ophthalmologist. At first, the patient does this with no glasses or lenses. Then the patient performs the same test with glasses or lenses. Reduced vision is an important symptom in the diagnosis of eye diseases.
Tonometry is a measurement of intraocular pressure. This procedure can be done in several ways (by air tonometer, weights (for Maklakov), palpation, etc.). Its measurement is mandatory for people over 40 because the risk of glaucoma increases from that age.

Refractometry is a definition of the optical power of your eye eye (refraction). The procedure is currently being implemented with an automatic refractometer, which greatly facilitates the work of the ophthalmologist. With this method refractive error such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are diagnosed.

The study of color vision. This method is carried out by means of special tables (Tables Rabkin). It is used to determine the color vision disturbances such as Protanopia, Deuteranope, or color weakness (type of color blindness) in your eyes.

Perimetry is the definition of human peripheral vision. This is an important method to diagnose glaucoma, partial atrophy of the optic nerve, etc.
Biomicroscopy is a method for studying the anterior segment of the eye by using a slit lamp (specialized microscope). With biomicroscopy, ophthalmologists can see large increases in eye tissues such as conjunctiva, cornea, as well as the deeply lying structures – the iris, lens, and vitreous body.

Ophthalmoscopy allows the doctor to see the fundus (the inside of the eye) and retinal vessels. This is one of the most popular and important techniques in the diagnosis of eye diseases. The procedure is done without contact using a special device such as an ophthalmoscope or lenses.

Ophthalmometers is a definition of corneal refractive power in different meridians. This makes it possible to determine the degree of corneal astigmatism. The study is carried out using a special device called an ophthalmometer.

Determination of the angle of strabismus. This is a simple procedure where the doctor determines the angle of squint when the patient looks into an ophthalmoscope and watches the reflection of light on his cornea.

Probing (bougienage) tear ducts – This procedure is most often carried out in infantsand the elderly, where often there is a narrowing of lacrimal points. It is performed under local anesthesia using special expanding probes.

Boothe Eye Care & Laser Center is equipped with modern technologies, allowing a full examination of the patient for the presence of myopia, glaucoma, cataracts and other eye diseases, and to determine the need for Lasik.

Every year the number of people suffering from nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism increases and they are forced to use glasses or contact lenses. However, these methods of vision correction are not suitable for everyone, and not all are willing to tolerate these problems. To solve the issue of restoring visual acuity to its optimal level, laser corrective surgery should be considered. Boothe Eye Care Center is a leading ophthalmic clinic for laser correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Dr. William Boothe most often performs Lasik or IntraLasik correction surgery.
The essence of Lasik surgery is this: with a special “planer” – microkeratome – the superficial layer of the cornea is partially cut and is pushed aside like a page in a book. In the opened area, Dr. William Boothe uses the laser to change the optical power (curvature) of the cornea to remove the “extra” diopters contributing to myopia. Then the pre-cut layer of the cornea is laid back in place. The process of healing to the main part of the cornea occurs very quickly. The patient will be able to clearly see by the evening of the same day. The operation is ideal for those who suffer from myopia.

While venturing on a serious step such as an operation, it is very important to choose a medical center with which you entrust your vision. A multidisciplinary medical center like Boothe Eye Care & Laser Center is not only equipped with the most modern diagnostic and surgical equipment, but Dr. William Boothe has more than 15 years of experience with conducting similar operations. By C=contacting us, you will get in the capable hands of experienced surgeon – Dr. Boothe – who will conduct a thorough preliminary examination. He will also determne the obvious and hidden contraindications for surgery. Dr. Boothe will tell you in advance about all possible positive and negative effects after laser vision correction. Together with the doctor you decide the most appropriate types of post-operative treatment.
Many patients who have been denied of laser vision correction due to the characteristics of the cornea now have a chance to correct their vision. The laser beam forms a thin section of the cornea when compared with a cut conducted by microkeratome. A combined Femtosecond laser effect is performed on a system of Intralase FS, and Wave light Allegretto 4000 using the technique of personalized ablation.

Before you consider laser eye surgery it is necessary to pass a detailed examination. This will provide confidence in the feasibility of laser vision correction. You wil receive this 100% individual preoperative assessment in our center.

Dr. Boothe carries out surgeries for following diseases:
• Myopia, hyperopia
• All types of cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Strabismus
• Retinal detachment
• The central chorioretinal dystrophy
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Pathology of the vitreous
• Removal of foreign bodies
• Restoration of lacrimal tract

LeBron James

LeBron James is a professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is known as “King James” because of his high achievements the sport. James began his career at age 18, when he signed his first contract with Nike sportswear and started to play for the Cavaliers. In the first season he established himself as the first successful young basketball player in league history to score forty-one points in a game. In 2003-2004 he was named as NBA Rookie of the Year and many others titles including NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
James suffered a long time from poor vision. In September of 2007 he made the decision to undergo laser eye surgery. A few days after his delicate eye procedure, he was in good condition and was able to continue his strenuous off-season workouts.

Today, Lasik is the most popular vision correction procedure available. In addition, Lasik is a successful surgery that improves vision for the majority of patients. More than 98% of patients are satisfied with the outcome of their Lasik procedures. LeBron James is sure that “A short time of discomfort is well worth it in order to improve your eyesight, whatever level of basketball you may play!”

The success of your Lasik procedure depends on the performing surgeon’s professionalism and technologies that are used during laser surgery. The Boothe Eye Care Center provides its patients with excellent Lasik results due to their highly experienced surgical staff and modern technology. Dr. William Boothe is one of the most experienced Lasik surgeons in the U.S.. He has personally performed more VISX Custom 3-D Wavefront laser surgeries than other refractive surgeons in the world. The majority of the professional ophthalmologists recommend Dr. William Boothe to their patients because he performs laser eye surgeries at the best level.

The most important part in the surgery is creating the corneal flap and Dr. Boothe performs this step with absolutely accuracy using the femtosecond laser. The laser beam is guided by computer software that creates a corneal flap dependent on the needs of the patient. Because of this innovative technology Dr. William Boothe can pre-determine the progress of the surgery. When the laser successfully reshapes the cornea, Dr. Boothe returns the corneal flap back in place. The process takes about 30 seconds per eye – such a quickly procedure provides faster healing and as a result, a perfect outcome.

If you want to examine your eyes and determine whether or not you are a good candidate for laser eye surgery, contact us to set up a free consultation with Dr. William Boothe at (214) 328-0444.

Sean Williams is the professional basketball and depends on good eyesight to win. “I was tired of using eyeglasses and contact lenses. I dislike wearing eyeglasses and I was always afraid of losing my contact lens during an important game.”

Sean has been suffering from nearsightedness since she was 14. When she started playing basketball, they were cumbersome because they kept falling off and breaking. She hated them and started to look for a more comfortable way to correct vision. After school as an alternative to spectacles, she started to use contact lenses. “It more comfortable, but I couldn’t wear them all day. If I use contact lenses more than four hours my eyes become irritated and red.”

Laser eye surgery has allowed many people leave their spectacles and contact lenses behind. Today, development in the laser surgical area produces various solutions for different vision problems that can be individually customized. Dr. William Boothe is an experienced doctor and he does his work perfectly as professional. The majority of his customers are provided with customized treatment and almost all of them have 20/20 or better vision as a result. Dr. Boothe always looks for an appropriate therapy for his patients even when they were denied at another center. The Boothe Eye Care & Laser Center is number one among professional physicians.

When Sean came to the Boothe Eye Care center she was pleasantly surprised with customer service.  “The environment was very comfortable and I felt inner quiet and peace. The assistant was available any time I needed, and was able to answer all of my questions. Some centers do not devote sufficient time for their customers but Dr. Boothe thinks that success consists of close cooperation with his patients. During my consultation with Dr. William Boothe I felt I had freedom to express my opinions. If I needed, I can contact Dr. Boothe or call his center and talk with the counselors. It was very important for me especially before the day of surgery.”

“I do not recommend looking for a center with a low-price treatment. It’s better to find the best surgeon. I was referred to Dr. Williams Boothe because he is the most experienced IntraLasik surgeon in the world and now I can see better than 20/20. The correction surgery was over in no time without any pain. The healing time was very fast and very soon I was able to return to training. Best of all, I am playing better than over and during the game I worry about winning!”

Glaucoma is a state in which optic nerve of the eye is damaged. This damage of the optic nerve can cause permanent blindness to the individual. But early detection along with proper treatment can protect the eyes from permanent blindness. The optic nerve consists of over 1 million nerve linking the retina and brain. For good vision, your optic nerve should be healthy. According to several scientific studies, damage of the optic nerve is caused by high eye pressure.

As the fluid passes through the eyes, pressure increases and may cause the optic nerve to become damaged. The increased pressure can result in permanent loss of vision. Controlling eye pressure is very important to avoid glaucoma. Blood pressure can also cause optic nerve damage.

It is not certain that people with high eye pressure will develop glaucoma as some individuals have a higher tolerance to eye pressure than others. The occurrence of glaucoma also depends on the tolerance of optic nerve on eye pressure. Patients must undergo a dilated eye checkup that helps the doctor understand if your eye pressure is unsual. Glaucoma can be developed by any individual. Those who are at high risk of developing glaucoma are:

a) Individuals with a family history of glaucoma
b) African Americans above the age of 40
c) Individuals above the age of 60, particularly Mexican Americans.

Dr. Boothe of Boothe Eye Care will recommend comprehensive dilated eye tests to detect glaucoma. The comprehensive dilated eye tests consists of the visual field test, visual acuity test, dilated eye exam, tonometry, and pachymetry. There are two main types – open angle glaucoma and angle closure glaucoma. In open angle glaucoma, the blindness is caused gradually so it will not be detected until it is too late. No blockage can be seen on the drainage canals in the initial stage of open angle glaucoma, but in a later stage you can find blockages. The drainage will be completely blocked in angle closure glaucoma and patients may develop symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, eye pain, and nausea.

There are three types of treatments for glaucoma such as medical, surgical, and laser treatment. Medical treatment is performed by applying eye drops at the primary stage to reduce the intraocular pressure. Surgical procedure is done only on individuals who could not achieve the positive results even after eye drops and LASIK. LASIK is an important treatment for patients with glaucoma. Dr. Boothe is an experienced doctor who will help to cure your glaucoma using LASIK eye procedure. Read reviews from actual patients who have underdone Lasik with Dr. Boothe

Flap complications related to LASIK surgery are uncommon, with only 2% of patients experiencing complications such as incomplete flap, irregular flap, torn flap, or excessively thin flap. The side effects and treatment of flap complications are based on the severity and type. Most flap complications can be fixed and do not result in any loss of vision. According to Dr.William Boothe of Boothe Eye Care, the majority of flap complications can be corrected using eye drops, medications, or additional LASIK surgery.

LASIK flap complications are becoming increasingly less common due to improved screening processes, the introduction of Wavefront technology, and new LASIK procedures. If you are interested in correcting your vision through LASIK, you should discuss potential complications of LASIK with Dr. Boothe. The success of LASIK surgery depends heavily on the skill of the surgeon, but it also depends on the patient. The patient must strictly adhere to instructions given by the doctor after the LASIK eye procedure. During the recovery period, following all of the guidelines provided by Dr. Boothe will help prevent flap complications.

During LASIK surgery at Boothe Eye Care, the corneal flap is created by cutting the epithelial layer of the cornea. The newly created flap is then folded back to give access to the corneal tissue deep inside. After correcting the refractive error, the corneal flap is returned to its original position and allowed to heal on its own. In order to allow the corneal flaps to heal effectively and safely, special eye care and protection is required during the recovery period.

Epithelial ingrowths are a kind of flap complication in which scarring occurs when the lining of the eye goes beneath the flap. This complication may cause distorted vision; however, if there is no visual distortion, you will not need to undergo corrective treatment. If visual distortion needs to be corrected, then Dr. Boothe will lift the flap and scrape away the epithelial cells in a separate procedure. Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis is an inflammation of the cornea that can be treated by using topical steroids or anti-inflammatory drugs. If the inflammation becomes severe, then surgery may be required to remove the inflamed cells to prevent serious vision damage.

Ectasia is a condition in which the corneal tissue becomes too thin, and thus weak. A weak and thin cornea will result in distorted vision and bulging corneal tissue. Ectasia is difficult to correct with additional LASIK surgery, but it can be corrected using contact lenses. Extreme cases of ectasia may require a corneal transplant. Occasionally, the flap may detach from its hinge, resulting in a free flap. Normally, a free flap can be replaced safely and effectively through a surgical procedure. If the free flap is lost or damage, the cornea will repair itself with new cells during the recovery period.

The formation of wrinkles in the corneal flap is known as striae, which occurs most often in association with the correction of myopia. Striae can occur in hyperopic correction and also due to stress or trauma. Severe striae can result in reduced vision and ghosting. Striae can be corrected by repositioning the flap. A torn or irregular flap may lead to the development of a hole, resulting in a condition known as buttonhole flap. Buttonhole flap can also be caused during surgery by a poorly fitted or worn microkeratome. If this happens, the surgeon must stop the surgery immediately to avoid further damage. The surgeon will allow the flap to heal before performing surgery again.

Keratoconus is a disorder in which the cornea becomes weak, thin, and abnormally shaped. This progressive disorder causes the eye to become cone-like in shape and can result in severe loss of vision. Symptoms of keratoconus usually appear during the late teenage years and gradually progress for about 10 to 20 years. In some cases, the condition will stabilize after a period of time. Keratoconus can affect each eye differently. The symptoms of keratoconus are nearsightedness, astigmatism, glare, blurred vision, frequent prescription changes, light sensitivity, and Munson’s sign (distortion of lower eyelid due to corneal protrusion).

The root cause of this disorder is unknown, but it is believed that genetics play a major role. According to recent research, enzymes in the eyes malfunction, and the resulting chemical imbalance causes the cornea to become thin. Chronic eye irritation, rubbing of the eyes, sun exposure, and incorrect contact lenses can increase the severity of this condition. In most cases of keratoconus, the only part of the eye that is affected is the cornea. The patient’s vision can be corrected to 20/20 using glasses during the initial stages of keratoconus. The only way to diagnose the condition is to take measurements of the cornea or to use corneal topography.

As the condition progresses, vision correction cannot be obtained using only eye glasses. Towards the base of the corneal protrusion, iron is deposited and the corneal tissue will become thin. Fine stress lines, known as Vogt’s striae, can develop gradually and in extreme cases the patient will experience a painful temporary condition known as acute hydrops. Acute hydrops occurs when water enters the thin area of the cornea, which can cause severe scarring. About one in 2,000 people develop keratoconus; however, most patients suffer from a mild to moderate form of keratoconus.

At the onset of the condition, Dr. Boothe recommends gas permeable contact lenses or eye glasses to correct mild cases of keratoconus. Specifically designed contact lenses are essential in severe cases, as the cornea will be more distorted. Each individual will require a unique contact lens design. Dr. Boothe will evaluate the patient’s condition to provide for the best vision results, corneal health, and comfort. The progression of keratoconus can be slowed by using eye drops with riboflavin content and a specific light to help strengthen the collagen present in the eyes.

Conductive keratoplasty guided by a topographic map of the cornea can aid in the correction of corneal irregularities. In this procedure, radio wave energy is applied with the help of tiny probes to reshape the surface of the eye. Customized treatment is made possible by the creation of a topographic map. Intacs, plastic rings placed inside the cornea, can be inserted to help the cornea maintain its shape and stabilize the condition. By maintaining the shape of the cornea, the patient may be able to wear contact lenses.

According to Dr. Boothe of Boothe Laser Center, corneal transplants and keratoplasty procedures are considered last resorts for keratoconus, after other treatment procedures have failed. More than 90% of corneal transplantation surgeries are successful in treating keratoconus. Corneal transplantation helps many patients obtain 20/40 vision or better using contact lenses or eye glasses.

The IFC Advanced Femtosecond Laser was approved by the FDA in 2008. This innovative laser system was developed for patients with unique vision problems. The iFC Advanced Femtosecond Laser allows to Dr. Boothe to offer his patients a more accurate procedure. The first and most important step of Lasik surgery is the flap creation. Successful creation of the flap strongly influences the recovery period and post-operative treatment. The iFC Advanced Femtosecond Laser is one of the latest achievements in laser eye surgery technologies in the world.

The new standard of speed and accuracy allows to surgeon completely customized your eye correction procedure according to your individual cornea. Dr. Boothe of Boothe Eye Care controls all flap creation on a touch screen with high-resolution digital images of the cornea. Since the flap is created without pain or discomfort, patients are highly satisfied with the procedure. Optimal eyesight result is obtained when eye surgery is performed more accurately.