Important COVID Notice

Refractive surgery

Fact or Fiction: Discussing LASIK Myths

Posted on by Maria Afonso in iLASIK, Vision

1

Laser Vision Correction procedures have been around for 20 years now, constantly making progressive changes in technology, treatment plans, and financing options. As with any other surgical procedure, your first instinct is to gather as much information as possible in order to help with your decision to move forward.

For as long as laser vision correction procedures have been around, there has been a sharing of information and, more often than not unfortunately, misinformation! Unless you are a LASIK expert, it can be hard to sort through and determine what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to laser vision correction procedures. There is so much information available regarding these procedures, you may not even know where to start!

Luckily, here at Bense Vision, we are experts in all things LASIK, and want to help give you the correct information you are looking for. Let’s take a look at some of the most common LASIK myths, and distinguish once and for all what is fact, and what is pure fiction.

LASIK surgery is painful!

This myth is complete fiction! While LASIK is a surgical procedure, pain is kept under control with the use of eye drops that numb your eyes during the duration of the procedure, which only lasts about 20 minutes from start to finish. Typically, patients will feel pressure during a portion of the procedure, but the actual laser reshaping is completely pain-free. Additionally, you may be provided a mild sedative prior to LASIK if you are experiencing anxiety.

LASIK can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and even astigmatism.

This myth is absolutely true! Many think that LASIK is only meant to or able to treat nearsightedness, but that thinking is incorrect. Advances in laser vision technology mean that many common refractive errors can be treated with LASIK. If you happen to have a more serious refractive error, there are other surgical options available to treat your vision as well.

LASIK surgery can make your vision worse.

This is one of the biggest fears potential laser vision correction patients have prior to undergoing their surgery. Some people are under the belief that laser vision correction can damage your eyesight, and even make you go blind! This couldn’t be further from the truth. No one has ever gone blind from a LASIK procedure, and since the surgery only affects the front surface of your eye, complications are very rare.

You will never have to wear corrective lenses again after LASIK.

This is a trickier LASIK myth, and it is understandable why so much misinformation exists. LASIK will correct your current vision issues, meaning if your vision stays the same for the rest of your life after LASIK, you will be fine! However, since no laser vision correction procedures can stop the natural aging process, it is common for LASIK patients to wear glasses for reading, or for activities such as night driving, when they get older.

Long-term side effects of LASIK are unknown.

This is another myth that can be counted as pure fiction. As mentioned before, laser vision correction procedures have been around for more than 20 years! Given this, the sample size of LASIK patients is more than large enough to state that long-term complications or side effects are not only known, but are virtually non-existent.

Discussing LASIK Myths at Bense Vision

We are committed to providing our patients with the most knowledgeable, professional, reliable, and state-of-the-art eye care solutions available. At Bense Vision, your vision is important to us. We have performed thousands of successful LASIK procedures, and are proud to offer the highest-quality treatment and technology available. Part of the Bense Advantage is being able to enjoy the benefits of our premier laser vision correction facility, including the expertise of Dr. Bense himself, and the support of his highly skilled staff.

If you are having vision problems, and are looking into ways to finally be free of those contacts or glasses, we want to help put you on the right track towards better vision. During your free consultation at Bense Vision, we will be happy to discuss any LASIK myths, frequently asked questions, and any other concerns you may have regarding your laser vision correction procedure.

The information on laser vision correction procedures can be entirely overwhelming if you don’t know where to look. We pride ourselves on being able to clear up the most common LASIK myths out there to help make your laser vision correction journey a smooth one. If you’ve heard or read any information about LASIK that you don’t see addressed here, please feel free to contact us and we will happy to set the record straight!


10 Interesting Facts about Eyes

Posted on by Maria Afonso in Bense, Eyes, iLASIK

Eyes are complex and amazing organs. Sight is so valuable because not only do eyes allow us to see the beauty in the world around us, but they can also reveal a lot about your health.

eye facts

Here are 10 interesting facts about eyes that you may not have known:

  • The muscles that control your eyes are the most active muscles in the body. They may be small, but they are very hard working.
  • On average, you blink 12 times per minute.
  • Eyes have more than 2 million working parts.
  • Over a normal lifespan, you see close to 24 million images. See the world through perfect vision with LASIK.
  • It’s virtually impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
  • Everyone is colour blind at birth.
  • The eye is the only place in the body that has exposed veins, arteries, and a major optic nerve that can be viewed. Since eyes can reveal a lot about your health, optometrists can investigate the eye without any incisions.
  • 80% of vision problems are avoidable and curable, making routine eye exams critical for the detection of eye related problems.
  • Eye size never changes! They stay the same from birth to death.
  • Eyes use more brainpower (65%) than any other body part.

 

Bense Vision

Healthy eyes contribute to your overall health. At Bense Vision, we care about the investment in your eyes. Specializing in iLASIK™, we are the premier laser vision correction centre in Atlantic Canada and the only facility offering the procedure in Newfoundland. Find out if you’re a candidate by booking a free consultation today. Bonus: celebrating 20 years of experience, now receive 20% off!

 


The Value in Seeing Clearly: 3 Benefits of LASIK

Posted on by Maria Afonso in Bense, Eyes, Vision

Quick, safe, and effective, LASIK has become one of the most popular methods in treating common eye conditions. If you are nearsighted, farsighted, have an astigmatism or glaucoma, LASIK might be for you! Here are 3 reasons why you should consider LASIK to permanently correct your vision:

Benefits of LASIK

  1. Glasses and Contact Lenses

If you have glasses or contact lenses then you know all too well that they can be a hassle. From itchy, red, irritated eyes to random blurs in vision, contact lenses can be quite uncomfortable. In addition they require routine cleaning and maintenance which, if you’re not an avid cleaner, can increase your risk of bacterial eye infections. In addition, remembering to take them out every night can be a real pain in the neck when you’re about fall asleep. Why not make your life easier by dropping the rules and responsibility of having contacts and get LASIK! With LASIK you can also forget about the frustration of losing or even breaking your glasses.

 

2.   Cost of Contact Lenses

The lifetime costs of contact lenses can be significantly more than the one time procedure required for LASIK (depending on factors such as your age and the type of lenses you require). Just think about the number of boxes of contact lenses you purchase a year. Bense Vision’s price match guarantee means if you spot a lower price advertised for LASIK, we’ll match it!

 

3.   Seeing Clearly

Did you know that over an average lifespan you see close to 24 million images. Don’t you want to see the world around you with the sharpest vision? In most cases, vision can be restored to 20/20 with LASIK. What could be more perfect than perfect vision! With the Bense Lifetime Satisfaction Plan if we are unable to correct your vision to 20/20 the first time, we offer free enhancements for life if you meet the requirements of the plan. Eligibility for the plan can be determined at your initial free consultation.
Have a question? Get in touch with one of our experts to have all your questions answered by professionals who have seen many eyes get better vision.


LASIK/PRK Xtra™ Surgery now available in St. John’s and Eastern Canada

Posted on by Wanda in Bense

We are pleased to announce that Bense Vision is the first centre in Atlantic Canada to offer LASIK/PRK Xtra™ Surgery with the corneal crosslinking system from Avedro®. Internationally this revolutionary technology has shown a remarkable efficiency in reducing the risk of developing secondary keratoconus or corneal ectasia after refractive eye surgery in selected patients, and an enhanced precision and outcomes for many refractive errors like hyperopia, high myopia, high astigmatism cases, and in patients previously thought to be poor candidates for refractive eye surgery.

Although Traditional LASIK or PRK Surgery is considered to be one of the safest and most successful procedures performed in medicine today, there are definite risks involved with these surgeries. Important examples applicable to this discussion include the development of corneal ectasia (a type of keratoconus) one to two years following surgery, and regression of treatment effect in many cases especially in hyperopia and high myopia patients.

Although some of the steps are still performed manually with a steel blade (microkeratome) by about 30% of North American surgeons, the majority of surgeons have now abandoned the use of this outdated technology and have now adopted the use of blade-free Femtosecond Laser technology instead. Despite these advancements, there remains a certain percentage of patients that are not ‘suited for surgery’ because of thinner corneas, abnormal topographic assessments, and other outliers or are at a higher risk of developing the two above-named coplications.

This is where LASIK or PRK Xtra™ is totally and undeniably of great use. By adding a simple 2- minute painless procedure to the standard LASIK or PRK procedure, Bense Vision can virtually guarantee a profoundly better and safer outcome in the type of patient we recommend to undergo the Xtra™ procedure. The procedure involves saturating the corneal stroma beneath the flap with Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) for about a minute then irradiating the stroma with UV light after the flap has been replaced for a minute or two.

The Avedro System is the only such system in St. John’s and can now automate many of these steps, adding a greater amount of precision to the entire crosslinking procedure and potentially make surgery even safer and more predictable.

A reproducible precise procedure, improves the predictability of the final visual and refractive outcome. This procedure may allow ophthalmologists to meet the demands of a certain segment of their refractive patient base that desire a safer LASIK or PRK procedure, and to obtain the same results that have been accomplished with other laser vision correction procedures.

All patients that are seen at Bense Vision who meet the recommended criteria will be offered this new technology. If they decline this treatment option, the Traditional Blade-free LASIK/PRK options are still available if no contra-indication exists. The fee is $500 per eye in addition to the LASIK or PRK procedure fee.


Bense Vision offering KAMRA™ Corneal Inserts in St. John’s

Posted on by Wanda in Bense

images1The most significant advance in presbyopia surgery in the past 100 years has been the development of the KAMRA™ Corneal Insert. We are proud to be one of the first centres in Canada to offer this incredible surgery with the AcuFocus™ presbyopia system. This system utilizes the small-aperture technology used in the KAMRA™ inlay. This is a very simple yet elegant approach to improve ones near vision whilst not affecting the distance vision in a significant way.

Using the AcuTarget Diagnostic Unit (ADU) to precisely measure the position and direction of the pupil centre and the corneal vertex (coaxial viewed light reflex) which is needed to accurately centre the corneal implant enhances the precision of the system. It automates many of the steps that were previously performed manually with a direct ophthalmoscope or the use of non-coaxial excimers. The precision of the laser allows for enhanced safety and excellent visual outcomes.

The AcuFocus KAMRA Corneal Insert® has a number of unique advantages over traditional presbyopia Surgery:

  1. No intraocularinvolvement
  2. Avoiding many of the traditional side-effects seen with LASIK and PRK
  3. Lower risk of infection
  4. Adjustable (centration) and removable
  5. Can be combined with other refractive surgeries or procedures
  6. Potential for clearer vision early postoperatively with very little adverse effect on ones distance vision
  7. No further adjustments needed with further aging

The AcuFocus KAMRA Insert is a revolutionary presbyopia treatment that is safe and precise. The advent of this technology has made it possible for more patients to seek treatment and obtain simultaneous clear near and far vision, including patients with astigmatism.

This technology can be applied to people who:

  • Have had previous cataract surgery and now need reading glasses
  • Have had previous LASIK/PRK surgery and now need reading glasses
  • Simply need reading glasses at age 40 years or beyond

To learn more about the KAMRA Insert surgery in St. John’s, contact Mike Bense, EyeMD at Bense Vision to schedule a complimentary comprehensive consultation.