Vision Disorders

While many vision disorders are not always severe, they can be inconvenient for those who have less than perfect vision. Although contacts and glasses are some of the most common fixes to improve vision, many people grow tired of the monotony of having to wear glasses and contacts. They can be very inconvenient because there is always the risk of breaking your glasses, and ripping or losing a contact. In addition, many people who have very active lifestyles feel that wearing glasses and contacts actually slow them down and prevent them from fully enjoying life. However, since most people who wear contacts and glasses have a difficult time seeing without them, going without these vision aids is out of the question.

Until recently, those who had any type of vision disorders were doomed to a life of contacts and glasses, however, LASIK surgery has become a popular option in order to improve the vision of those who need it. Vision problems occur when the eyeball is not shaped correctly, preventing the eye from properly refracting the light. When the light is not correctly refracted, the vision is in a sense distorted and unclear. The beauty of LASIK surgery is the fact that it corrects the shape of the eyeball, allowing for the proper refraction of light, resulting in clearer vision.

Often referred to as nearsightedness, myopia is a condition where people find it difficult to see things that are far away but they have no problem seeing things up close. Many people discover this very early in life because certain settings make it nearly impossible to conceal nearsightedness. In school settings, many teachers notify parents of this condition in their students because most people try to compensate for the inability to see far distances by squinting, and because of this, squinting is always a tell-tale sign of nearsightedness. Although this may seem like a temporary fix, it is not a method of actually correcting vision. While many people, notice their difficulty seeing far distances around the age of 10, some people begin squinting at a much younger age. Although some people don't necessarily notice this condition when they are young, it becomes very apparent when they start driving and notice that the road signs are difficult to read. With this type of vision problem, the cornea is actually curved at such a steep angle that basically causes the light to refract too quickly, and as a result, objects that are far away seem blurry. LASIK surgery helps this condition by flattening the curve of the cornea, resulting in improved vision.

Another common vision issue that people face is having trouble seeing things that are close, but no difficulty seeing things that are far away. The technical name for this condition is hyperopia, and many people feel that they'd rather deal with this type of eye condition that allows them to see things clearly at a distance. However, although it may seem more convenient, it is still a hassle to deal with. Since this type of condition isn't as noticeable as nearsightedness, some people don't actually notice it until they are older. With farsightedness, the cornea is flattened, and LASIK surgery helps to improve vision by actually reshaping the cornea, allowing the patient to see more clearly.

You may have heard of an astigmatism, but very few people know what that actually means. We already know that a misshapen cornea is the reason for most eye disorders, and an astigmatism is no exception. When the cornea is shaped in such a way that is causes vision problems at any distance, that is a classic case of an astigmatism. With this type of eye issue, instead of being round, the cornea is shaped like an oval or a football. Because of this, the vision is blurred and it is increasingly difficult to focus on objects that are both near and far away. Although those who have an astigmatism can easily wear glasses to correct their vision, the oval shape of the cornea makes it difficult to wear hard contact lenses, however, soft contact lenses are a better option for those with this condition. With LASIK surgery, a flap is created that corrects the vision and stabilizes the cornea.

Although LASIK surgery may seem like the miracle treatment, it is important to weigh all of your options and consult more than one doctor before deciding to have the surgery.

• Myopia - Most people with nearsightedness typically wear glasses or contact lenses to deal with the problem. LASIK is another option.
• Hyperopia - People with farsightedness have no problem seeing objects at a distance, however close objects become blurry.
• Astigmatism - A type of refractive error that causes blurred vision. Along with myopia and hyperopia, it is the most common vision disorder.
• Presbyopia - Steady deterioration of vision that normally occurs with age. This condition can add to existing vision disorders such as myopia and create a compounding effect.
• Cataracts - Elderly people who start to experience cloudy vision should be evaluated by an eye doctor to check for developing cataracts.