LASIK Thoughts ...

What is LASIK?

customlasik — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:01:19 +0000

In the time it takes you to clean your glasses – watch this informative LASIK video to find out what LASIK is all about. Then take the next step – find out if you are a candidate for LASIK. Book your FREE Consultation online today.

Gene therapy provides a new outlook on inherited blindness

customlasik — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:00:56 +0000

A new study confirms that patients with inherited blindness may have a shot at restoring some of their vision using gene therapy. This article, courtesy of WebMD, interviews a women named Tami Morehouse, who underwent the new treatment with much success.

Gene Therapy Helps People With Inherited Blindness See

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Feb. 8, 2012 — Functionally blind for many years, Tami Morehouse calls the gene therapy that partially restored her sight nothing short of a miracle.

Morehouse was the first of 12 patients with a rare congenital retinal disease to receive the experimental treatment in one eye three years ago, and she is one of just three who has now had the gene therapy in both eyes.

The 47-year-old Ohio social worker and mother of three says before having the treatment she worried everyday that she would lose what little sight she had left.

“This treatment literally gave me a much brighter future,” she says. “My world just lit up and I saw things much more clearly. Soon after the second treatment I went out to dinner with my husband and I looked down and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I can see the glass sitting in front of me.’”

Gene Therapy Targets Eye Mutation

The study Morehouse took part in was among the first to show that gene therapy can improve vision in people with inherited blindness.

The updated findings prove that treating both eyes is safe and beneficial, says researcher Jean Bennett, MD, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania.

Patients received injections of healthy copies of a dysfunctional gene into their eyes in an effort to get the cells to work better.

The injections worked so well that Bennett and colleagues plan to treat the second eyes of the remaining five children and four adults who took part in the original study.

“There was some concern that the first injection would set up an immune response, causing the body to reject the second injection,” Bennett says. “If that happened, the benefits to the first [treated] eye could be threatened.”

But that is not what happened.

After having the injections in their second eye, the three patients were better able to see in dim light, and two of the three were able to navigate obstacles in low-light situations.

Half of Patients No Longer Legally Blind

All of the patients had an inherited, degenerative retinal disease called Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), which is caused by a mutation in the RPE65 gene and generally progresses to blindness by mid-adulthood.

Morehouse says her vision became worse with each of her three pregnancies.

By the time she reached her early 40s, she saw little light or color, and most objects looked like “dark, hazy, blurry blobs,” she says.

The treatment involved injections of a genetically engineered virus that carried a normal version of the RPE65 gene.

After the first injections, the vision of six of the 12 study participants improved to the point that they were no longer classified as legally blind.

“One of the children who took part in the original study was riding a bicycle within a year,” says study co-author Manzar Ashtari, PhD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “This is a child who used a cane and held on to adults to guide him before having the treatment.”

The hope is that similar therapies targeting other mutations can be used to treat a large number of inherited diseases that cause blindness.

Katherine A. High, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who also worked on the study, says there are now 200 known genetic mutations that cause vision loss.

Because LCA is a degenerative disease, there is also hope that the treatment may one day be used in very young children, or even babies, before vision loss has occurred.

“For many genetic diseases — not just this one — early intervention will hold the key to optimal outcomes,” High says.

Morehouse is most excited by this promise.

“If this treatment or treatments like this one can keep children from losing their vision in the first place and spare them the struggles that I had growing up, that is truly a miracle,” she says.

Would you change your eye color?

customlasik — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:00:20 +0000

Wikimedia Image

Some people believe that your eye color says a lot about your personality. Have you ever wondered what you would look like if your eyes were a different color? Maybe you have even gone so far as to try color contact lenses. But what is you could change your eye color permanently… would you? Recently a new procedure was unveiled that promises to change your brown eyes blue. Sorry folks who are not of the brown eyed persuasion, it only goes one way currently.

Check out this article from The Star chronicling this new technology, and feel free to comment below and share your thoughts!

New laser procedure can permanently change brown eyes to blue

November 2, 2011- The Star

A California scientist says he has developed a quick and easy laser procedure to permanently change brown eyes to blue without damaging vision.

Gregg Homer of Stroma Medical told KTLA.com that he has been working on the technology for 10 years.

Even brown-eyed people have blue eyes underneath the brown layer of pigment, Homer said.

He uses a laser tuned to a specific frequency to remove the brown pigment from the surface of the iris. The procedure takes about 20 seconds.

When laser energy is absorbed by the eye’s brown pigment, Homer says the pigment tissue changes and then the body sheds the altered tissue, changing brown eyes to blue within two to three weeks.

The brown tissue never regenerates.

Homer told KTLA.com that tests have shown no signs of tissue damage so far. He still has another year of research to complete on the procedure.

Homer is a former entertainment lawyer turned law professor who obtained a science degree at Stanford while teaching, Stroma CEO Doug Daniels told the Orange County Register. Homer already holds several patents.

Stroma will present the research and findings at a medical device investing forum in California later this month.

Homer believes the procedure will be available outside the United States in 18 months and in the U.S. in three years.

It will cost about $5,000.

Homer told KTLA.com that thousands of people have already emailed him expressing interest.

“A blue eye is not opaque, you can see deeply into it, and a brown eye is very opaque. I think there is something very meaningful about this idea of having open windows to the soul.”

For more on this article and others, please visit The Star.

What does your eye color say about you…?

customlasik — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:00:15 +0000

Brown eyes are produced because the eye has an abundance of color pigment present. Blue eyes on the other hand, are a result of a lack of color pigment… Did you even know there is a laser procedure being tested to change your eyes from brown to blue? But what does your natural eye color say about you…? Do you believe there is a certain personality associated with different eye colors? Check out this article from EgoDevelopment on what you eye color means about your personality.

Choose Your Eye-Color Personality

January 16th, 2008

1. BLUE EYES – Blue eyes are the most attractive and the most popular eye color. Blue eyes are a recessive gene so natural baby blues are becoming rare. Since blue eyes are lighter than other eye colors, they attract more attention. People with blue eyes are pretty, adorable and sensitive. Blue eyes do all they can to make other people happy. People with blue eyes are kind, polite and happy company. People with blue eyes can remain calm under the most stressful circumstances.

- Light Blue Eyes: Peaceful with low physical endurance.

- Deep Blue Eyes: spiritual, intense computer loverz.

2. HAZEL EYES: Hazel eyes are a mixture of brown and green. These people go with the flow and can adapt to any situation. Hazel eyes say that you are spontaneous, fun loving, and sociable. If there is more brown your hazel eyes are, the more accessible you seem to others. The greener they are, the more mischievous you will seem. Haze eyes are a real treat because they tend to change color depending on your mood. People look at hazel eyes and think of unpredictability and amusing.

3. GREEN EYES: Green eyes are very rare and instantly hypnotize anyone who gazes into them. People with green eyes project freedom and mystery. Green eyes are definitely the sexiest of all eye colors. People with gray eyes are strong in nature and leaders. They are able to see both sides of an argument and settle disputes. Directness is their strong suit. Affectionate with people they are close, but keep their distance with new acquaintences until they have proven themselves trustworthy.

4. BROWN/BLACK EYES: People with brown and/or black eyes are thought of astrustworthy and responsible. People seem to seek advice from people with brown eyes. People with brown eyes love to please. They are great lovers and they know how to make their partners feel special. Brown eyed people are practical, sensible and cautious too in nature.

5. Grey Eyes: People with gray eyes are strong in nature and leaders.They put the most passion into their relationships. People with gray eyes are creative and imaginative. They take romance very seriously and long for permanent love.

No matter what your eye color is, you will have stereotypes that come along with them. You were born with your natural eye color for a reason. Your eye color is unique and fits your personality so do not change a thing.

For more from EgoDevelopment please visit: http://www.egodevelopment.com

TLC Patient Laila Moysey Blogs about her TLC LASIK Experience

customlasik — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:21:44 +0000

Take a read of Laila Moysey’s Blog.

Laila had LASIK performed at our TLC Moncton location, Feb 2012.

Her husband had giving her LASIK as a Christmas gift. Nice husband!!!

On her blog she has talks about her fears leading up to the procedure which have since been proven unfounded and how the hardest part of the procedure is going without her contact for two weeks prior to the procedure. She also has a detailed account of her entire LASIK experience with TLC Moncton.

If you are interest in LASIK and want to hear about it first hand this blog post is a must read. Thank you Laila for sharing your story!

Interested in learning more about LASIK at TLC visit your local center for a FREE Consultation.

Feast Your Eyes on This!

customlasik — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:21:01 +0000

Just in time for summer EyeCare America along with celebrity chefs from across the country to create the “Feast Your Eyes on This!” An amazing cookbook that provides healthy summertime recipes which include foods rich in eye-healthy vitamins and antioxidants.

You can download your FREE copy of the great cook book here http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/eye-health-news/upload/FeastYourEyesSummerFinal-reduced-V2.pdf

According to the EyeCare America website …“Approximately 10 million Americans suffer from Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a devastating eye disease and a leading cause of vision loss in people 65 years or older in the United States. Although there is no cure for AMD, recent studies show that eating foods rich in antioxidants, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc, may reduce the risk of AMD or slow its progression in some people.”

Check out “Feast Your Eyes on This!” for recipes rich in antioxidants. Remember to share this with your friends and family! And let us know how your recipes turn out!

Did you know…?

customlasik — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:30:01 +0000

Newborn babies don’t have tears. The proper tears don’t start to appear until the baby is between 3 and 12 weeks old…

Glaucoma Health Minute

customlasik — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:30:42 +0000

TLC Laser Eye Center (Michigan-Lansing and Kalamazoo) surgeon Dr. Kevin Lavery discusses glaucoma on this health minute… Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in America, and can be treated if caught early. Check out this quick informational video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrlFEX8nfnA&feature=channel_video_title

Did you know…

customlasik — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:30:45 +0000

The size of baby’s eyes stays the same size from birth, but nose and ears never stop growing!

Is there anything to help aging eyes?

customlasik — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:05:11 +0000

Research conducted on mice, showed signs that vitamin D can reduce the effects of aging in eyes, and actually help to improve the vision in older eyes. Scientist are hoping that these findings will prove that a vitamin D daily supplement my be the answer to help fight age related eye diseases such as glaucoma.

Vitamin D could combat the effects of ageing in eyes

Featured on HealthNews 01/16/12

Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have found that vitamin D reduces the effects of ageing in mouse eyes and improves the vision of older mice significantly.

The researchers hope that this might mean that vitamin D supplements could provide a simple and effective way to combat age-related eye diseases, such as macular degeneration (AMD), in people.

The research was carried out by a team from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University CollegeLondon and is published in the current issue of the journal Neurobiology of Ageing.

Professor Glen Jeffery, who led the work, explains ”In the back of the eyes of mammals, like mice and humans, is a layer of tissue called the retina. Cells in the retina detect light as it comes into the eyes and then send messages to the brain, which is how we see. This is a demanding job, and the retina actually requires proportionally more energy than any other tissue in the body, so it has to have a good supply of blood. However, with ageing the high energy demand produces debris and there is progressive inflammation even in normal animals. In humans this can result in a decline of up to 30% in the numbers of light receptive cells in the eye by the time we are 70 and so lead to poorer vision.”

The researchers found that when old mice were given vitamin D for just six weeks, inflammation was reduced, the debris partially removed, and tests showed that their vision was improved.

The researchers identified two changes taking place in the eyes of the mice that they think accounted for this improvement. Firstly, the number of potentially damaging cells, called macrophages, were reduced considerably in the eyes of the mice given vitamin D. Macrophages are an important component of our immune systems where they work to fight off infections. However in combating threats to the aged body they can sometimes bring about damage and inflammation. Giving mice vitamin D not only led to reduced numbers of macrophages in the eye, but also triggered the remaining macrophages to change to a different configuration. Rather than damaging the eye the researchers think that in their new configuration macrophages actively worked to reduce inflammation and clear up debris.

The second change the researchers saw in the eyes of mice given vitamin D was a reduction in deposits of a toxic molecule called amyloid beta that accumulates with age. Inflammation and the accumulation of amyloid beta are known to contribute, in humans, to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the largest cause of blindness in people over 50 in the developed world. The researchers think that, based on their findings in mice, giving vitamin D supplements to people who are at risk of AMD might be a simple way of helping to prevent the disease.

Professor Jeffery said ”When we gave older mice the vitamin D we found that deposits of amyloid beta were reduced in their eyes and the mice showed an associated improvement of vision. People might have heard of amyloid beta as being linked to Alzheimer’s disease and new evidence suggests that vitamin D could have a role in reducing its build up in the brain. So, when we saw this effect in the eyes as well, we immediately wondered where else these deposits might be being reduced.”

Professor Jeffery and his team then went on to study some of the blood vessels of their mice. They found that the mice that had been given the vitamin D supplement also had significantly less amyloid beta built up in their blood vessels, including in the aorta.

Professor Jeffery continues ”Finding that amyloid deposits were reduced in the blood vessels of mice that had been given vitamin D supplements suggests that vitamin D could be useful in helping to prevent a range of age-related health problems, from deteriorating vision to heart disease.”

Professor Jeffery thinks that this link between vitamin D and a range of age-related diseases might be linked to our evolutionary history. For much of human history our ancestors lived in Africa, probably without clothes, and so were exposed to strong sunlight all year round. This would have triggered vitamin D production in the skin. Humans have only moved to less sunny parts of the world and adopted clothing relatively recently and so might not be well adapted to reduced exposure to the sun. Secondly, life expectancy in the developed world has increased greatly over the past few centuries, so reduced exposure to vitamin D is now coupled with exceptionally long lifespan.

Professor Jeffery said ”Researchers need to run full clinical trials in humans before we can say confidently that older people should start taking vitamin D supplements, but there is growing evidence that many of us in the Western world are deficient in vitamin D and this could be having significant health implications.”

Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC Chief Executive said “Many people are living to an unprecedented old age in the developed world. All too often though, a long life does not mean a healthy one and the lives of many older people are blighted by ill health as parts of their bodies start to malfunction.

“If we are to have any hope of ensuring that more people can enjoy a healthy, productive retirement then we must learn more about the changes that take place as animals age. This research shows how close study of one part of the body can lead scientists to discover new knowledge that is more widely applicable. By studying the fundamental biology of one organ scientists can begin to draw links between a number of diseases in the hope of developing preventive strategies.”