Problems With Prescription Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses

Fumbling for glasses in the middle of the night and blurry peripheral vision are all too familiar complaints for most people with poor vision; contact lense wearers often suffer from dry eyes or increased eye sensitivity. And it seems like everyone has lost a contact lense or broken a pair of eyeglass frames at the least opportune time.

Meet Max the Mole

“Blind as a bat” might be the go-to joke for heckling the vision-impaired, but moles’ eyesight–or lack thereof–rivals that of bats. Which brings us to Viso Lasik Medspas latest patient, Max the Mole. Max suffered from all the common impaired eyesight complaints, perhaps more extremely than even the most nearsighted human. A humorous new cartoon depicts his daily dilemmas with poor eyesight, as well as a new outlook on life after Lasik eye surgery.

Blade-free custom Lasik is an innovative new Lasik procedure performed successfully by Viso Lasik surgeons every day. This non-invasive surgery takes less than 15 minutes and has the power to really change your life–just like Max. Many patients even report better than 20/20 vision.

Save $1000 With the Max the Mole Discount

If you’ve ever considered Lasik eye surgery, now is the time to learn more. Check out the Max’s story at MaxTheMole.com and contact us today for a free consultation. And if the idea of perfect vision without glasses or contact lenses wasn’t enough, we’re offering $1000 off custom blade free Lasik surgery when you mention Max the Mole. So call today to set up an appointment, and don’t forget to tell us Max sent you.

The Guide Dog Foundation

This year, the party benefited The Guide Dog foundation, with ten percent of the evening’s proceeds going to the organization that helps train and place guide dogs for the blind. Three puppies-in-training from The Guide Dog Foundation For The Blind made a special appearance and a heart-warming addition to the evening, as they greeted guests and representatives nearby answered questions about the foundation.

Complimentary peppermint martinis garnished with mini candy canes promoted the “minty” theme along with a delicious spread of hors d’oeuvres and mini desserts provided by Paris Bakery. Guests enjoyed tours of the facility, received mini-treatments, and entered to win raffle prizes while chatting with VISO LASIK MEDSPAS’ team of skilled medical staff who debriefed guests on the latest in laser vision correction and non-invasive anti-aging treatments.

Viso Lasik Medspas Prizes and Packages

Special Medspa promotions for guests who booked during or before the event included 20 percent off on double or nothing gift cards, stocking stuffers such as the VISO Facial and Jet Set Massage gift package, New Year, New You packages (50 units of BOTOX & Juvederm Ultra Plus) and Clear Vision packages (LASIK surgery with the VIP Passport Program). Additional specials on LATISSE and SmartLipo were also available.

A table of raffle items for four lucky winners included: one IPL facial or laser genesis treatment from VISO LASIK MEDSPAS, a gift basket of dental products from Dr. Jiveh of Smiles By Jiveh, a “spa day” from Michael Angelo Salon & Spa (includes manicure, pedicure, haircut, blow-dry and European facial), and a 60-minute AVEDA Elemental Nature Facial from Colorist Hair Studio.

Each guest left with a sweet take-home treat of special holiday Buttercream Cupcakes in egg nog and peppermint flavors, branded with a customized VISO LASIK MEDSPAS sticker on the box. This event was tons of fun and for a terrific cause. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event, and hope to see some new faces!

You’re invited to join us for our annual holiday celebration filled with peppermint flavored goodies, spa pampering and holiday cheer. This Thursday, December 3rd visit our Wellington, Florida office and indulge yourself. There will be food, prizes and fun for everyone. RSVP to 561-795-4772 or email tknorr@visolasikmedspas.com.

We’ll be doubling the value of gift cards and donating 10% of all proceeds to The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, so you can feel good about your purchase…whether it’s a gift for a friend or a holiday surprise for yourself.

We’d love to see you there, so please, RSVP and join us this Thursday, December 3 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m at 2515 State Road 7, Suite 210 in Wellington, FL!

It’s smart to be cautious about your health, and it always pays to do your homework. But it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, we’ve seen tons of patients over the years and learned a thing or two about common questions and concerns people have about LASIK eye surgery. These should help put your mind at ease and point you in the right direction for further research. At the very least, you know you’re not alone in questioning the idea of voluntarily placing a laser near your eyeball—even in the name of better vision.

Here are the top three concerns we’ve found people have when researching LASIK eye surgery. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and you should discuss any questions you have with your eye doctor or LASIK surgeon. Feel free to contact us for a consultation so we may answer any additional questions or concerns you may have.

Fear of Lasers Involved with LASIK Eye Surgery

Yeah, we know it sounds a little weird at first: you are paying someone to beam a laser at your eye. Even after hearing testimonials of people with better than 20/20 vision, it’s still a weird concept. But the beauty of lasers is that they are more accurate than any other surgical instrument available today. Doctors across disciplines are always looking for less invasive ways to cut patients less, and lasers make this possible.

The reality is, LASIK is more uncomfortable than anything else. Imagine a day at the dentist, where your mouth is stretched wide for several minutes. Painful? Not really. But uncomfortable and a bit awkward? You bet. And just like at the dentist, we use a local anesthetic so the procedure is practically painless. Most of the fear people associate with LASIK surgery centers around the idea of a laser and is more mental anguish than physical pain.

Cost Concerns Regarding an Elective Procedure

As an elective procedure, most health and vision insurance plans do not cover LASIK surgery. However, as it is becoming a more common, and sometimes even most effective, method of vision correction, you should check with your provider to see if they cover any part of the cost of LASIK surgery. Also check with your employer, as some companies have referral relationships or discount programs for employees.

Even if you will be paying all or most of the LASIK bill yourself, you have many options to help defray the cost. We offer 100% financing at a competitive rate, as well as referral incentives that can pay you back up to the full cost of your surgery. And when you think about how much you will spend over the course of a lifetime on eye doctor visits, glasses and contacts, you can actually end up saving by undergoing LASIK eye surgery. Just be careful to avoid LASIK “sales and specials” offering super reduced rates; in these cases, you get what you pay for, and not in a good way.

Blade-Free Custom LASIK vs Traditional LASIK

Laser eye surgery always uses a laser to correct vision problems, but traditional LASIK surgery uses a metal blade to slice the corneal flap to begin the surgery. Some still practice this method of laser vision correction, but the safest and most accurate LASIK surgery is blade-free and uses a laser to both cut the cornea and correct vision. This eliminates sight-threatening complications that have been seen with the use of a blade, as well as reduces post-procedure dry eye, glare, and halo problems.

Why the difference? Blade-free is more customized to your eye, giving more precise and accurate results, and some say faster recovery. It is the most state-of-the-art LASIK eye surgery available, and a good investment.

Got more questions? Give us a call toll-free at 866 970-8476.

LASIK Terms to Know

A glossary of LASIK eye surgery definitions and descriptions you need to know when before researching or undergoing laser eye surgery.

20/20 Vision

Common expression of normal eyesight. The first number refers to the distance, in feet, between an eye chart and an eye whose vision is being tested. The second number is a comparison of a normal eye and the tested eye. The higher the second number, the more impaired the vision. For example, if a person’s vision is assessed at 20/100, it means that this person must be only 20 feet from the chart for it to look as clear as it does to a normal eye 100 feet away.

Ablate

In surgical terms, to remove. The “ablation zone” refers to the area of tissue that is removed during laser surgery.

Blade-Free LASIK

Also referred to as “All-laser LASIK” or “Bladeless LASIK.” This is a type of corrective corneal surgery that uses a laser keratome device to cut a corneal flap for LASIK surgery, instead of a scalpel.

Cornea

The clear, front part of your eye that bends (or focuses) the light and provides most of the focusing power; the cornea is the primary focus in vision problems, particularly with nearsighted or farsighted patients.

Keratectomy

The surgical removal of corneal tissue.

Keratotomy

The surgical incision (cut) of a cornea.

LASIK

Acronym for “Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis;” a type of laser eye surgery that requires creating a flap in the cornea with a microkeratome and using a laser to reshape the underlying cornea to improve vision.

PRK

Acronym for “PhotoRefractive Keratectomy,” a different type of laser eye surgery that involves the removal of the surface layer of the cornea (epithelium) by gentle scraping and use of a computer-controlled excimer laser to reshape the stroma.

Visual Acuity

Manner of referring to the clearness of vision or the ability to distinguish details and shapes or objects.

For more information on LASIK eye surgery or other vision correction procedures, as well as an expanded definition of terms, please visit FDA.gov.

Cataract surgery is often described as a challenge, and a procedure that is never quite routine, as individual patients respond differently to treatment and eyes are one of the more sensitive spots for surgery. But a primate patient is an altogether different story—but in this case, one with a happy ending. And that one happy ending could mean many more for other animals with failing eyesight.

The Primate Patient

Josephine, a 42 year old, 160 pound gorilla and grandmother had lost nearly all of her sight due to old age, and was living a very different life than she was used to at the Miami Metrozoo. But with the help of local veterinary and medical specialists, Josephine’s vision will soon be restored to near-perfect clarity, thanks to a simple cataract surgery that many humans are already enjoying the benefits of.

The roughly 3 hour procedure progressed much like it does in humans—except for the size, and smell, of this primate patient. But Josephine is expected to make a full recovery and be enjoying the sunshine after just a few days.

Animal Eye Surgery On the Horizon

As we all know, humans are very closely related to primates, and so it stands to reason that if LASIK eye surgery can correct other vision problems in humans, it could also be used in our animal ancestors. As Josephine’s doctors noted, her cataract surgery was handled much the same way it is for dogs—meaning man’s best friend could soon be seeing things out of puppy dog eyes.

They found her in good health for an aging ape — the oldest captive gorilla lived to 55 — but nearly immobilized by her poor sight.

Her cataracts were “as hard as baseballs,” said Spektor, and about as impenetrable. But structurally, her eyes were little different from those of human beings.

And so the procedure began as it would for a person, except that the sedated patient — the color of bittersweet chocolate — arrived at 9:29 a.m. in the bed of a pickup truck.

What do you think? Would you consider LASIK eye surgery for your pet? We want to know!

What is LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is a laser vision correction procedure for people who want to end their dependency on corrective lenses. LASIK is the most frequently performed laser vision correction procedure and can surgically provide the same or better correction than corrective lenses. At Viso Lasik Medspas, we use state-of-the-art equipment to perform blade-free LASIK surgery safely and comfortably.

Why Blade-Free?

In the beginning, laser eye surgery used a laser to correct vision problems, but began by slicing the corneal flap with a metal blade. Some still practice this method of laser vision correction, but the safest and most accurate LASIK surgery is blade-free and uses a laser to both cut the cornea and correct vision. This eliminates sight-threatening complications that have been seen with the use of a blade, as well as reduces post-procedure dry eye, glare, and halo problems.

What Kind of Results Can I Expect?

Well over 90% of LASIK patients achieve at least 20/40 vision, and most attain 20/20 or better.  Many patients actually achieve better than perfect vision.

Is LASIK For Me?

LASIK has helped millions of people see clearly and can be used to help individuals who are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism. In some cases, LASIK may not be the best option for vision correction, but there are other procedures available. Discuss with your eye doctor, or contact us for a free consultation. However, general guidelines suggest that you should be at least 18 years old and have a stable eyewear prescription, as well as healthy eyes. You may need to wear glasses and abstain from contacts in the weeks leading up to your surgery.

For more information, or to set up a free LASIK consultation at Viso Lasik Medspas, contact us today!

We do everything for our pets nowadays; from feline fashion to canine cuisine, pampered pets are all the rage. Paris Hilton isn’t the only one stuffing her purse with a miniature pooch, and doggie bags have been replaced with personal chefs—for pets. Animal health insurance, which was laughed at just a few years ago, is now par for the course. The cost of care is rising, and people are willing to invest more and more to keep Fido healthy and pets become an intrinsic part of the family.

Think about it; how many people have you overheard discussing their pets in a way that could just as easily haven been children or grandchildren? “Man’s best friend” has taken on new meaning, and people will stop at nothing to make sure these loyal companions live long, healthy, enjoyable lives—for both their benefit, and for ours.

More Comprehensive Canine Care

Health care for pets is now going well past yearly check-ups and flea collars, in particular for dogs. Dogs are often thought of as more personable pets than cats, and human owners are opting to extend quality time as long as possible. Canine chemo is becoming more commonplace, as is cataract surgery. And now, thanks in part to Viso Lasik Medspas, dogs with failing eyesight can have their vision restored using a procedure much like human refractive laser eye surgery.

It is generally believed that dogs are color blind, yet possess vision that is much sharper than that of humans. We at Viso Lasik Medspas, along with Dr. Anne Gemensky-Metzler, DVM, MS, DACVO, Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, set out to further explore a dog’s visual capacity and determine if “Fido” is an eligible candidate for LASIK.

Veterinary Laser Eye Surgery

“We do many [eye] surgeries on animals,” says Dr. Gemensky-Metzler. “In dogs, cataract removal is the most common surgery that we do. The procedure is called phacoemulsification and is very similar to the procedure done in humans. Success rates for long-term vision [improvement] are about 90% or better.”

“Refractive error is uncommon in dogs, however in cases where dogs are near-sighted or far-sighted, corrective contact lenses or Doggles® with corrective lenses have occasionally been used,” says Dr. Gemensky-Metzler. “With more than 45.6 million U.S. households owning pets* and a success rate of vision improvement following cataract surgery in dogs peaking at more than 90%, refractive eye surgery for pets naturally lends itself to further research.”

We share much more in common with our furry friends than an appreciation for long W-A-L-K-S, so it stands to reason that dogs could benefit from many of the same procedures currently available to humans. Stay tuned for the latest in veterinary surgery and to schedule a LASIK consultation for your four-legged friend!

Anyone who suffers from less than perfect vision knows that swimming and other water sports can be some of the most frustrating activities to enjoy. Contacts can sting or get lost, and glasses just aren’t practical. The solution used to be sitting on the sidelines, or taking a chance and never really playing your best thanks to cloudy or unclear vision.

Certainly a pain for anyone looking to enjoy a quick dip on a hot summer day, but not exactly the end of the world. Unless, of course, your world is water polo and you’re good enough to make it on the USA Men’s Olympic Team and are looking forward to competing in 2012. Then, it just might be the end of your world.

Going for the Gold

USA Men’s National Water Polo team member Thomas Hopkins, who is currently training for the 2012 Olympic games, is no stranger to the theory of vision improvement equals game improvement. All his life, Hopkins played with unclear vision, inhibited by the use of contact lenses and glasses. Looking to enhance his game by achieving clear vision, Hopkins received the latest in laser vision correction at Viso Lasik Medspas in Wellington, Florida.

Born into a family of water polo players, Hopkins has been considered a player to watch since high school. He has since won gold medal at 2007 Pan American Games, where he scored nine goals and was part of first-place team at 2005 and 2006 ASUA Cup. Hopkins has played professionally in Hungary since 2008 and will travel to London for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Better Than Perfect Results

Only able to read the very top of the vision chart during his initial pre-operation consultation, Hopkins was a prime candidate for LASIK surgery, and the results have surpassed his expectations. His vision is now better than perfect at 20/20 in one eye, 20/15 in the other.

“I could tell my experience at Viso Lasik Medspas would surpass the quality of any other on the market,” stated Hopkins, post-surgery. “What started with a 20 minute relaxation, preparatory massage followed by a pain-free and comfortable experience, has resulted in vision improvement that will help my game. Look out for me in London 2012!”

Think about it: switching from brand-name to generic cereal or isn’t a big sacrifice, just a slight difference in taste. And a half-price haircut will grow out if you don’t love it as much as your more pricey coif. But most medical procedures are meant to be permanent, making them one place you definitely don’t want to cut corners.

This includes laser eye surgery, and for good reason: think about how important your eyes are to your daily life. Sure, glasses and contact lenses can be annoying, but there are worse situations than corrective lenses– a scary reality many who go for “discount” Lasik surgery soon face. You pay for what you get, and when it comes to your eyes, you want to make sure you get the best.

Why We Are Not a Discount Lasik Center

Yes, Lasik has come down in price as it increased in popularity, and many insurance programs can help defray the out of pocket cost for patients. But there is just no such thing as $299 Lasik; no reputable doctor or surgeon could or would perform this procedure at that low rate.

Viso Lasik Medspas offers state of the art, custom Blade Free Lasik that uses a 3D map of your eye to develop an individualized treatment plan by our world renowned doctors for addressing your vision correction needs. The combination of the expertise of our doctors and cutting edge technology dramatically minimizes any complications associated with a blade cutting across the cornea. Unlike many Lasik centers, Viso Lasik Medspas also utilizes the Allegretto Wave Excimer 200Hz Laser, the most innovative and premier laser available in the world today.

Sales are easy to find right now, but they are not created equal. To paraphrase one of our dealhunting friends, there are just some things you don’t buy generic. The hidden costs of opting for discount Lasik will end up totaling much more than standard laser eye surgery performed by a reputable surgeon—in money, as well as time and stress.

How to Make Lasik Surgery More Affordable

Luckily, there are options to help make Lasik eye surgery more affordable for everyone. At Viso Lasik Medspas, we recognize that it’s hard to put a price on comfort and quality of life, so we’ve done our best to provide financing solutions that cut cost without cutting care.

Our Ambassador Rewards program provides incentives for referring a friend to a Viso Lasik Medspas center and quickly help you recoup the cost of your surgery. We also offer Relief Protection to help you finance your surgery and provide peace of mind if you are unable to pay due to unforeseen or difficult economic circumstances. And our staff is always available to help you with insurance or financing questions along the way.