Wearing heavy frames and poking yourself in the eye are no longer the only two choices for those visually challenged.

Vision correction surgery is the new trend for eye treatment. Hauser-Ross did about 600 procedures in 2004, said Kristi Weydert, laser vision correction coordinator for Hauser-Ross Eye Institute and Surgicenter, 2240 Gateway Drive in Sycamore.

Several forms of surgery are now available for vision correction surgery.

Older forms include radial keratotomy (RK), when an incision is made manually to flatten out the central cornea to correct vision, and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), when a laser is used to make the corrections.

The most recent form of surgery is LASIK, Laser in-Situ Keratomileusis, a procedure where a flap is cut out of the cornea and a laser is used to reshape it.

“It is much more precise than the RK. The visual outcome is almost immediate and there is less discomfort,” Weydert said.

The newest FDA-approved LASIK procedure, CustomVue, also is offered at Hauser-Ross and is the preferred treatment, Weydert said.

CustomVue allows doctors to measure each individual’s vision and develop a plan specifically for the patient.

The CustomVue is the most precise in correcting vision and also is used to reduce post-operative glare in people who have large pupils, she said.

The laser vision correction surgeries can be used to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.

Both the LASIK procedures and the PRK take about 20 minutes to conduct.

The laser runs for about 15 to 20 seconds, Weydert said. The remaining time is just preparation.

Both eyes can be done on the same day or through two surgeries about one-to-two weeks apart.

Patients see a change in their vision within a couple of days, Weydert said. The flap itself can take one to six months to heal.

As with any surgery, there are risks, Weydert said.

There is a 1.2 percent of any complications impairing a person’s vision, according to a information handbook from Hauser-Ross.

Risks include flap complications, loss of best-corrected vision, infection, glare/halos, dry eyes and undercorrection/overcorrection.

After surgery there are some activities restricted until healing is complete, such as not wearing make-up for a week and wearing protective eye goggles when sleeping for a week.

The main reason people decided against correction surgeries is because of the cost, Weydert said, especially since the procedures are still typically not covered by insurance.

Hauser-Ross charges $1,850 per eye for the CustomVue and $1,450 per eye for the LASIK. The prices include all follow-up exams for the next two years.

Prior to the procedure every patient is evaluated. The eye health is examined along with the prescription, curvature of the eye and the thickness of the cornea, Weydert said. A patient must also be 21 years of age and not pregnant.

A person can be denied the surgery if they have experienced corneal or retinal diseases, cataracts, glaucoma or a history of eye muscle problems.

In addition, the patient’s expectations are evaluated.

“They can only expect vision after surgery to be what they get from their glasses and contacts,” she said.

Eyecare

Regardless of what route a person takes to see better, all three require patients to have their eyes examined regularly.

Whether people wear a prescription or not they are recommended to have their eyes checked at least every two years, Jurkovic said. For those with a prescription, every year is recommended.

“I go because my vision gets progressively worse so, I feel I need to go once a year,” said Trudi Aukland, a junior secondary education major.

At a typical eye exam, a patient’s vision is checked, depth perception, color vision, eye pressure and an eye health examination is performed.

The exam is to check the overall health of the eye including high blood pressure, diabetes, cataract and glaucoma, Jurkovic said.

“Every part of the eye [is checked] from the eye lid to the nerve in the back of the eye and everything in-between,” Brundies said.

The eye can show signs of health problems in other areas of the body.

“The eye is a very telling organ,” Brundies said. It can foresee health problems in the eye before it travels elsewhere in the body. For instance high blood pressure.

“Eyes are the window to your soul,” he said.