Excimer laser
The Excimer laser is perhaps the best known of all lasers because of its use in laser vision correction surgery such as laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The Excimer, or pulsed gas laser, emits an ultraviolet light beam, vaporizing tissue by breaking down molecular tissue bonds in a minute targeted area. It is called a cold laser because it doesn’t produce heat that could have harmful effects to the surrounding tissue.

The Excimer laser is precise. Each pulse of the laser removes about 1/500 of the thickness of a human hair. Its precise depth and area control are significant in surgical applications such as refractive vision correction. YAG laser

An acronym for yttrium-aluminum-garnet, the YAG laser produces short-pulsed, high-energy light beams to cut, perforate, or fragment tissue. This laser may also be called a neodymium-YAG or ND-YAG laser.

Cataract patients often have the misconception that a YAG laser is used to remove their cataracts, but no lasers are used in cataract surgery. This misconception occurs because up to 75 percent of cataract patients develop a condition known as posterior capsular opacification, a clouding of the residual lens capsule left in place after cataract surgery. This gradual loss of vision resembles the symptoms of cataract development, making some people believe that their cataracts have grown back.

The YAG laser is commonly used to vaporize a portion of the capsule, allowing light to pass through to the retina. The procedure is completely painless, takes only a few minutes in the office, and is effective in eliminating the cloudy condition.

Holmium laser
Also known as the infrared holmium YAG laser, this laser is used in a refractive surgery procedure called laser thermal keratoplasty (LTK) to correct mild to moderate cases of farsightedness and some cases of astigmatism. Unlike the Excimer laser, which reshapes the cornea by removing or ablating tissue, the Holmium laser produces infrared light that reshapes the cornea by causing tissue to constrict. The pulsations from the Holmium laser are computer-controlled to produce a pattern of 8 to 16 tiny beams in concentric rings around the periphery of the cornea. The heated fluid in the spots where these beams hit the cornea creates a series of tiny craters. The subsequent shrinkage pulls in the periphery of the cornea, causing the center to bulge, much like tightening a belt, and thus correcting farsightedness.

Argon laser
The argon laser is filled with argon gas that produces blue/green wavelengths. These particular wavelengths are absorbed by the cells that lie under the retina and by the red hemoglobin in blood, but the blue-green wavelengths can pass through the fluid inside the eye without damage. For this reason, the argon laser is used extensively in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, a severe disorder of the retina that causes blood vessels to leak. The argon laser can burn and seal these blood vessels.

Retinal detachment is another serious eye problem that can be treated by the argon laser. The laser is used to weld the detached retina to the underlying choroid layer of the eye.

Several forms of glaucoma, which is a leading cause of blindness, are also treated with argon lasers. The very serious angle closure glaucoma, for instance, is sometimes treated by using the laser to create a tiny opening in the iris, allowing excess fluid inside the eye to drain to reduce pressure.

Macular degeneration, a severe condition that affects central vision in older adults, is sometimes treated with an argon or krypton laser. In this treatment, the laser is used to destroy abnormal blood vessels so that hemorrhage or scarring will not damage central vision.

Twenty-Twenty Vision also mentioned as 20/20 vision is generally tested at a distance of 20 feet from the eye chart. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see the small letters; a person with normal vision can see 20 feet away from the eye chart.

Visual acuity is the medical term for sharpness of vision. It deals with the sharpness, or discrimination, of central vision, rather than the extent or clarity of peripheral vision. Refractive errors, which can be corrected with eyeglasses, are the most common cause of poor visual acuity. These include myopia, or nearsightedness; hyperopia, or farsightedness; and astigmatism. Myopia is a reduced ability to see distant objects clearly, hyperopia is a condition that initially causes difficulty in seeing nearby objects and progresses to affect distance vision, and astigmatism is blurred vision caused by abnormal curvature of the front surface of the cornea.

Types of Vision:
20/20 vision
If you have 20/20 vision, it means that when you stand 20 feet away from the chart you can see what the “normal” human being can see. In other words, if you have 20/20 vision your vision is “normal” — a majority of people in the population can see what you see at 20 feet.
20/40 vision
If your vision is 20/40, it means that someone with normal vision can see an object from 40 feet away distance, while you can see the same object from 20 feet distance.
20/15 vision
If your vision is 20/15, it is even better. What someone with normal vision sees 15 feet away, you could back up to 20 feet and see the same object.
20/10 vision
If your vision is 20/10, it is even better. What someone with normal vision sees 10 feet away, you could back up to 20 feet and see the same object.
6/6 vision
Most of the world (except the U.S., Britain, Canada, and few other places), use the metric system. 6/6 is the metric equivalent of 20/20; 6/12 is the metric equivalent of 20/40; 6/120 is the equivalent of 20/400; and so on.
20/400 vision
If your vision is 20/400, it means that someone with normal vision can see an object from 400 feet away distance, while you can see the same object from 20 feet distance.
20/200 is the cutoff for legal blindness in the United States.

Bellow is few steps to improve 20/20 vision.
Look up, down as far as you can repeat 4 times
Look right, left as far you can repeat 4 times
Look upper right, lower left as far as you can repeat 4 times
Look upper left, lower right as far as you can repeat 4 times
Don’t do this, 2-3 days after you have done the exercises listed above. Circle your eyes counter clockwise and clockwise 5 times
Squeeze your eyes tight for 3 seconds.
Put your arm up look then look at something 40 ft away.
Palm your eyes for 3 minutes

Just like no two sets of fingerprints are the same, no two pairs of eyes are accurately alike either. Because of this, there are different types of lenses for different types of eyes.

Contact lenses are the best alternative to glasses. Contact lenses are thin discs that when placed over the cornea of the eye serve to act as an alternate for eyeglasses. Contact lenses are also used by those who have had cataract surgery, as they can help the eyes to heal a bit faster.

The eyesight problems that are corrected by contact lenses are the similar as the conditions corrected by eyeglasses and include the following:

- Astigmatism (distorted vision)
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Presbyopia (need for bifocals)

Types of Contact Lenses:-
Bifocal Contact Lenses – It provides both near and distance vision
Colored Contact Lenses -It give your eyes a subtle or dramatic change
Custom Contact Lenses – It could work for you if other options fail
Disposable Contact Lenses – It enable a healthier wearing experience
Extended Wear Contact Lenses -It is for safe overnight wear
Gas Permeable (GP) Contact Lenses – It is for the ultimate in crisp vision
Monovision – It is an alternative to bifocals for presbyopia
Orthokeratology Lenses – It is for overnight corneal reshaping
Prosthetic Contact Lenses – It is mask eye injury or disfigurements
Silicone Hydrogel Contacts – It is transmit more oxygen to your eyes
Special-Effect Contact Lenses- It is let you become a leopard or cheetah
Specialty Lenses – It is for the “hard-to-fit” patient
Toric Contact Lenses – It provides good vision if you have astigmatism

Tips to take care of the contact lenses -
Maintain hygiene while handling contact lenses. Wash your hands with awareness before touching the lenses.
Don’t leave your lenses lying around. When not in use, store them in the suitable container with the cleaning solution. A dusty atmosphere and chemical fumes may spoil your lenses, if they are left exposed. So use the storage box provided.
Daily sterilization of your lens is a must for soft lens users. Sterilization refers to cleaning of the lenses with the prescribed cleaning solution, which are sold along with the lenses. This daily routine will help in preventing eye infections.
Clean the lenses daily only with a cleaner prescribed by your doctor. Normal water must not be used for this, as it is not sterile and may spoil the lenses. Spoiled lenses will create eye problems.
The lenses must settle on the eye properly. If they do not do so, please consult an eye doctor without delay. Do not keep waiting, hoping things will settle down automatically.
You may need to change the storage fluid daily. If the cleaning solution or the storage fluid is impure, or the container is dirty, this may spoil the lenses and, in turn, your eyes.
In case you experience any sort of pain, watering, redness, discharge, decreasing vision or heaviness, remove the lenses immediately and consult your doctor.
The lenses may need to be changed periodically, depending upon their life extent.

Lasik costs have reduced as the process has happen to more familiar. Patients can repay for Lasik expenditure with money, check, or credit card. A lot of doctors too suggest Lasik financing to facilitate cover the Lasik surgery expenditure.

The decision to have Lasik surgery involves close investigation of the financial implications, as well as the health check risks. The surgery is not inexpensive, but it can be made reasonably priced through a variety of finance options. Financing a surgical process is much like arranging a payment plan for a new car or home with related terms such as upfront costs and interest rates. Though, your eyes are much more precious than a new car and should be treated as such when in view of expenses and choosing a surgeon. Choose top care over price, and then find a payment plan that helps you finance the procedure.

Lasik prices may be different extensively from one provider to other and also depends on lot of other factor. The only general standard is that Lasik and other refractive surgery prices are quoted for each eye.

Keep in mind that one Lasik procedure equals only one eye even if both eyes are corrected on the same day. So the price quoted for a procedure doubles if you intend to have both eyes corrected .Lasik surgeons also may add additional charges for latest technologies; include wave front analysis for further accurate corrections.

You may also be charged additional for Intranasal, a Lasik procedure in which a laser is used in its place of a bladed instrument to make the flap on the front of the eye. In Lasik, this thin flap is lifted so that laser energy can be applied to shape the eye, and then replaced to serve as a kind of natural bandage.

Paying for Lasik throughout Finance Companies -
You primary concern must be that the Lasik surgeon you plan to use approves of the financing company. Since not all Lasik surgeons will work with all financing companies, you may deem asking for a list of approved financing companies before you apply for a loan.
Companies that provide Lasik financing suggest a variety of plans in which you can complete payments in three months, or expand monthly payments for as long as five years. Some companies allow you to spread out payments over time with no incurring any additional cost.
For longer term payments, interest rates can differ to a great extent and range as high as 23.99 percent. A deposit too possibly will be required. Interest rates and deposits depend on personal credit ratings and the Lasik financing company used.

To submit an application for Lasik Financing -
Applying for credit from a Lasik financing company frequently is fast, simple, and alike to obtaining other traditional loans. Several Lasik surgeons too suggest Lasik financing all the way through major companies, making the procedure trouble-free for you. Be sure you are prepared with the right information when you take the subsequent steps that may be needed to complete the application for financing:-
A common credit check requires your full name, permanent address, social security and telephone numbers, and household income.
Some companies as well might ask for a driver’s license number.
You might not need to visit the financing office in person if you fill out paper applications that can be mailed or faxed in. You may be able to obtain application forms from your eye surgeon or by printing out forms displayed on financing company web sites.
You may be asked to suggest the name of the eye surgeon you plan to use for your laser eye surgery, beside with an estimated treatment fee amount.
Naturally, no information about medical history or credit cards will be needed for financing Lasik.

For a large majority of patients, Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is the best way to achieve natural vision. LASIK is now the most popular of all laser vision correction procedures. It is estimated that 1½ to 2 million procedures will be completed in the United States in the year 2000. This highly successful procedure combines the minimal postoperative discomfort and rapid visual recovery of the Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK) procedure with the computer-controlled precision of the Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) procedure.

The LASIK surgeon uses a precise, specialized instrument called a microkeratome to create a very fine layer through about one third of the front surface of the cornea. This forms a “flap” of clear tissue on the central area of the front surface of the eye.

Once this flap is created, the surgeon removes the microkeratome and gently folds the flap, exposing the underlying corneal tissue.

The excimer laser is then applied to alter the curvature of the cornea to achieve the desired optical correction.

After the laser has been applied for the correction of myopia, or nearsightedness, the profile of the treated area of the cornea will be flattened.

Upon completion of the application of the laser, the flap is gently laid back into its original position over the treated corneal tissue. Because of the natural bonding qualities of the cornea, there are no stitches required for your treatment.

It is a painless procedure and is apt for one who has a thick cornea. It also helps in curing mild long sightedness bringing better results. Take care of eyes to enjoy the beauty of the nature around.

As a leading LASIK Chicago specialist, Dr. Sloane believes this refractive procedure has several advantages over both the ALK and the PRK procedures on which it was based. Although it employs the Excimer laser precision control and accuracy of the PRK procedure, the LASIK procedure does not remove any part of the epithelium, the thin, film-like protective outer layer of the cornea, as does PRK, and there is less chance of scarring. Thus, the primary healing process is the resealing of the corneal flap, which usually happens within 24 hours and with little post-operative discomfort. The LASIK procedure can also handle successfully higher degrees of myopia than PRK and can be used to treat cases of farsightedness and astigmatism.