Can Keratonocus Be Treated With LASIK?

Describing Keratoconus


Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory degenerative eye disease. Keratoconus causes damage to the collagen fibers in the cornea causing them to grow weaker. When it reaches a weak enough point in the fiber it bulges up like that of a hernia. This disorder causes irregular astigmatism, steeping of the cornea, and vision loss in the cornea. This dramatically affects the sufferer’s daily life by making everyday activities like driving, reading and often just completing normal daily activities most take for granted. 

The Vision loss caused by Keratoconus can be mild to severe in one or even both eyes. Keratoconus is diagnosed in 54.5 people out of every 100,000 in the general population. 

With the above said, a percentage of diagnosed patients with keratoconus often seek Lasik out to correct their poor vision. Lasik surgery IS NOT an efficient treatment for those with Keratoconus because of its underlying risks for complications and high incidences of causing a rapid progression of the condition, which requires even more surgery, possibly leading to the need for a cornea transplant.

Diagnosing Keratoconus

Most vision correction surgeons use corneal topography to map out the eyes before treatment. This provided them with a better view of the corneas of each patient case. They use this mapping of both eyes to compare the changes and their differences. Patients must be mapped in both eyes since it is quite useful to detect and evaluate which stage of keratoconus a patient has. Over 90% of patients with keratoconus have it in both eyes and just over 6% are affected in one eye only. Keratoconus often begins in one eye first and then spreads to the other. However, in many cases, by the time the patient is often diagnosed with Keratoconus have been affected in both eyes. 

If patients are not diagnosed properly before Lasik they can develop Lasik-induced Keratoconus or Keratoectasia. There are many symptoms of Keratoconus and proper regular exams of both eyes is best for catching Keratoconus or other vision problems early. Here is a list of Keratoconus symptoms:

Glare and/or light sensitivity

Frequent Prescription Changes

Progressive Nearsightedness

Irregular Astigmatism

High Amounts Of Astigmatism 

Always check with your eye doctor if you feel you have more serious case. In addition, finding someone who is familiar with early signs of Keratoconus is also a wise move since some doctors might not be familiar with the condition off hand. Taking care of your eyes and vision is always a smart decision. Always consult with your eye doctor if there are changes in your eyesight.

What’s A Typical LASIK Eye Surgery Cost?

LASIK Eye Surgery Cost 


Though glasses or contacts are the common vision correction alternatives, LASIK eye surgery has quickly gained in popularity over the last 15 years for those looking to correct their poor vision. Which then comes the question: How much should LASIK eye surgery cost?
No matter where you search on the internet, you’ll never find an exact answer as there are certain variables which differ from case to case as each person’s vision, eye shape and condition are as unique as the individual.
To start with, not everyone’s pupils are the right candidates for Laser eye surgery. However, even in many cases where someone may be a bad candidate, it’s not unheard of for them to be eligible for laser eye surgery. LASIK entails slicing open the flap of fine eye tissue on the top of the cornea, after which a laser light is applied in order to re-shape the cornea to allow light to be refracted properly, thus restoring proper vision.
So How Much Does LASIK Cost?
Commonly, you can expect to pay from $299 a eye, to $3000 and more per eye. Be careful not to jump for the surgical procedure done by a doctor who’s willing to charge you just $299 a eye, generally, and there is a reason for this. Keep in mind all the factors prior to making your final decision. Furthermore, if you see an exact price advertised on LASIK eye surgery, generally it really is on a “per eye” basis, consequently you will pay that price for each eye ball of which is done. There are some instances when you wouldn’t need the two eyes done which means you wouldn’t need to pay for two eye in cases like these.
In recent years LASIK eye surgery cost has been on the decrease due ro increased competition among providers. In the past just before the introduction of lasers, clinical professionals would physically utilize a cutting knife to cut through the tissue above the cornea, manually. Once the surgical procedure was completed, the eye area would typically feel like you had grains of sand inside of them for weeks. However with LASIK these situations are no longer the case, plus visual acuity has been improved substantially, and you ought to notice a striking difference after only the first minutes following the surgical procedure.
With all the above being said including the price levels  of LASIK dropping over the last several years, there’s actually a current trend for prices to be on the rise once more. The reason for the most recent increases are due to the price of more high-tech devices being used, plus a bit in part due to popular demand relating to the process.
For example: In 2006, actual LASIK eye surgery cost was around $1,925 or so, subsequently in 2007 the price of LASIK rose exceeding $2,100. In 2008 one could expect to pay just a bit more than $2,100, and after that in 2009, over $2,150. The increases in LASIK eye surgery cost are likely due to higher insurance costs, newer equipment and the need to attract more highly skilled staff that clinics need to remain competitive. Unfortunately, since LASIK has been getting more popular, rates are unlikely to decrease for the nearest future.
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