Here is a great interview of the owner of, CrossFit Seattle – Dave Werner. The interview was conducted by, Dr. Wendy Schauer, D.C., R.K.C. of – www.HappyNewYou.com. The interview has many references to some of the leading researchers and their findings on how important “Functional Movement” is to over all health, especially back pain. It also covers the role that the Russian Kettlebell can play in overall health and fitness.
Travellers going to Australia to visit relatives with young babies are being asked to get immunised against pertussis before they travel.
There is no pertussis-only vaccine available in the UK – the only vaccine containing pertussis is Repevax® which is a combined vaccine against tetanus/diphtheria/polio/pertussis.
GP surgeries cannot provide this free of charge to adult travelers, but it is available through travel clinics such as the Globe Travel Health Centre.
Source: TRAVAX Health Protection Scotland
For further advice, contact the Globe Travel Health Centre on 01603 667323
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced that of 563 Medicare Advantage plans rated nationwide, only 11 Medicare health plans with prescription drug benefit earned 5 stars for 2013 — the highest overall rating for quality and service.
Each year through the Medicare Star Quality Ratings system, CMS rates Medicare health plans (both parts C and D) on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars representing the highest quality. The overall scores are based on more than 50 care and service quality measures across five categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy services.
In addition to receiving high-quality care and service, 5-star excellence means that Medicare beneficiaries may enroll in a 5-star plan from Dec. 8, 2012, to Nov. 30, 2013, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period.
Leading the nation with six of the 11 Medicare health plans earning 5 stars was Kaiser Permanente. The Kaiser Permanente 5-star Medicare plans are those operating in California, the Northwest, Hawaii, Colorado, Ohio and the Mid-Atlantic States. Kaiser Permanente’s Georgia region is the top-rated plan in its area with 4.5 stars.
Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the Medicare Star Quality Ratings by visiting kp.org/medicarestars or medicare.gov, or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, has become one of the most popular vision correction surgeries in the world, with thousands of procedures performed every year. The numbers, however, don’t paint the whole picture. A surgery’s true measure of success is how many patients are satisfied with their results! The Eye Surgery Education Council (ESEC), a leading provider of eye surgery information, is reporting on just that.
“LASIK vision correction has the highest patient satisfaction rate of any elective surgery,” explains the ESEC, “95.4%, according to a 10-year survey of scientific studies from around the world.” Clearly, this degree of patient satisfaction speaks volumes. Furthermore, the ESEC reports that “In a recent study, about 97% of LASIK surgery patients said they would recommend it to a friend or relative.” While LASIK is not for everyone and there are risks and benefits to consider, these figures certainly speak for themselves.
LASIK Results
So, what can LASIK do for you? First, let’s take a look at the procedure itself. LASIK eye surgery improves vision safely and precisely by reshaping the cornea to correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. The procedure is tailored to your specific medical needs.
Of course, the goal of every LASIK procedure is 20/20 vision. Looking at one of the most common eye issues, nearsightedness, the ESEC reports that “Studies of mildly or moderately nearsighted patients show that one year after having LASIK surgery: 98% have obtained 20/20 vision.” So, do you think LASIK may be right for you? The only way to find out is to schedule a consultation!
LASIK Consultation
To schedule your LASIK consultation, contact us today. Our offices are located in Winchester, serving Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Book your appointment at (540) 722-6200. We look forward to working with you.
Spine-health.com is proud to announce that it was recently ranked one of the top 50 most visited health websites, according to ComScore, a global leader in measuring the digital world.
Spine-health.com joins the large general health websites that make up the bulk of the top 50, and was one of the few “vertical” websites – sites that focus in on a particular aspect of health. Spine-health.com focuses exclusively on the spine, and covers conditions that cause back and neck pain.
Dr. Jay C. Grochmal, a laser eye surgeon in Baltimore, is launching an innovative website to enhance his ability to help his vision correction patients. In collaboration with Rosemont Media™, a medical website design firm in San Diego, CA, Dr. Grochmal’s new website is a comprehensive resource of information showcasing the range of procedures he offers, including vision correction procedures such as LASIK, and treatment for eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataract surgery in Baltimore, MD and the Washington, DC area.
Dr. Grochmal’s website features detailed descriptions of both corrective and cosmetic procedures such as eyelid surgery in Baltimore, as well as a doctor biography, patient testimonials, and financing options. In addition to the in-depth breakdown of the procedures and treatments Dr. Grochmal provides, his website also includes direct links to his social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter to foster the growth of an online community centering around his practice and his patients’ experiences. Please welcome to the web, www.grochmaleye.com!
Recently, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued an advisory opinion regarding two types of Proposed Arrangements between an anesthesia provider (AP) and physician-owned ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). This came as a result of a request for an opinion from an AP who, because of competitive market pressures, was considering one of two new business relationship models. Under the AP’s current professional arrangement, the ap offers exclusive anesthesia services to ASCs, employs personnel to meet the anesthesia needs of the ASCs, and independently bills patients and third party payors, including Medicare, for professional fees. The ASCs bill the same parties for professional services plus a facility fee for materials and ancillary staff.
Under Proposed Arrangement A, the AP would continue to provide exclusive anesthesia services to the ASC and to bill independently. Additionally, the AP would pay a market value “management services” fee to the ASC for each non-Federally funded patient. The ASC would both collect this fee and continue to charge a facility fee to Federal and third party payors.
Under Proposed Arrangement B, the ASC physician-owners would set up a separate subsidiary to exclusively provide anesthesia services to their patients. The subsidiary then would hire the AP as the exclusive independent anesthesia services contractor, handle all billing with the assistance of the AP and its staff, pay the AP out of fees collected, and retain any profits.
In analyzing the legality of the two arrangements, the OIG considered two questions: 1. Does either arrangement violate the Federal anti-kickback statute, and, 2. Would any safe harbor protection apply?
Under the anti-kickback statute, it is a criminal offense to offer, pay, solicit, or receive any remuneration for referrals reimbursable by a Federal health care program. This statute seeks to ensure that referrals are based on sound medical judgment and not financial or other incentives. Regarding Proposed Arrangement A, although the AP would pay a management services fee only for non-Federal health care program patients, this does not reduce the risk that the fee might be paid by the AP to induce referrals from the ASC of all types of patients. Additionally, the arrangement allows the ASC to be paid twice for the same services, and this could unduly influence the ASC to select the AP as the exclusive provider. The OIG concluded that Proposed Arrangement A could violate the anti-kickback statute. No safe harbor protections apply.
Safe harbor protections for ASCs, employment, and personal services and management contracts were determined to not apply to Proposed Arrangement B. The Subsidiary does not qualify as a Medicare-certified ASC because it would not provide surgical services, only anesthesia services. As such, its income and the profits distributed to the ASC physician-owners would not be protected by any safe harbor provisions. Additionally, the OIG is concerned about exclusive arrangements between those who refer business (the ASC physician-owners), and those who furnish goods or services reimbursed by a Federal health care program (the AP). The AP and the ASC physician-owners both would benefit financially in Proposed Arrangement B, with the AP receiving its negotiated rate and the physician-owners receiving residual profits from the subsidiary after expenses and payment to the AP. The OIG concluded that Proposed Arrangement B would permit the physician-owners to receive compensation in the form of profits from the subsidiary from referring patients to the AP; this payment would be for services that they themselves could not provide. The more than minimal risk of fraud and abuse and the prohibited remuneration both would be in violation of the Federal anti-kickback statute.
Physicians should be aware of this development, as it may affect current and future professional relationships. A health care attorney can offer assistance in interpreting the potential impact of the OIG decision and evaluating the need to restructure business arrangements.
Randal J. Thomas, M.D., director of Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Health Clinic, and colleagues found that patients who participate in cardiac rehabilitation after having heart interventions such as angioplasty, stents and clot-busting drugs have a 45 percent lower mortality rate.
The research team studied data from more than 2,300 patients between 1994 and 2008, and recently published the results inCirculation.
Only about 40 percent of patients in the study participated in cardiac rehabilitation. These findings are particularly important for interventional cardiologists, Dr. Thomas says, because encouraging patients to pursue cardiac rehab after their procedure can potentially save more lives than previously thought.
Ted Eytan, MD, gives a tour of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health to Peter Levin, the chief technology officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Photo credit: Henry Wei, MD, Presidential Innovation Fellow.) On Twitter, you can follow Levin at @pllevin and Wei at @henryweimd.
Millions of Americans receive medical implants yearly and those who do presume that the implants are safe and will alleviate, or at least help to ease, their specific medical problem. However, according to a May 2012 article in Consumer Reports, “Dangerous Devices”, most implants (artificial joints, defibrillators, surgical mesh) have not been tested for safety and effectiveness. The “testing” is done on the patient who has the medical device implanted. In other words, patients are living with implants that often times give them more pain and suffering than not having had the implant at all. According to the article, the FDA is not testing medical devices and most times all that is needed for the device to be placed on the market is for the manufacturers to “. . . file some paperwork and pay the Food and Drug Administration a user fee of roughly $4,000 to start selling a product that can rack up millions of dollars in revenue. . . .” Frequently, it takes years before the FDA even tests a product or reclassifies it to a high-risk category.
It is crucial for doctors, as well as their patients, to research a medical implant thoroughly before implantation, as the consequences can be debilitating. An orthopedic surgeon, for example, who had an all-metal hip replacement (the same type of device he implanted in his patients) experienced medical issues of increased chromium and cobalt levels in blood, sleep disturbance, constant pain, mood swings and anxiety, hearing loss, tinnitus, and visual problems.
Meiselman, Denlea, Packman, Carton & Eberz P.C. offers legal advice to physicians on medical issues. If you need legal assistance or guidance on a matter regarding your practice, please call our office.
Rosebud O. Roberts, M.B.Ch.B. with the Division of Epidemiology, discusses a study that measured the incidence of MCI and its subtypes using published criteria. Results showed a statistically significant difference between incidence rates among men and women. The study also found that individuals with only a high school education developed either aMCI or naMCI at a higher rate than those with some higher education.
The study was published in the Jan. 25, 2012, issue of Neurology.
ABSTRACT Objective Although incidence rates for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have been reported, few studies were specifically designed to measure the incidence of MCI and its subtypes using published criteria. This study estimates the incidence of amnestic MCI (aMCI) and nonamnestic MCI (naMCI) in men and women separately.
Methods A population-based prospective cohort of Olmsted County, Minn., residents age 70 to 89 on Oct. 1, 2004, underwent baseline and 15-month interval evaluations that included:
The Clinical Dementia Rating scale
A neurologic evaluation
Neuropsychological testing
A panel of examiners blinded to previous diagnoses reviewed data at each serial evaluation to assess cognitive status according to published criteria.
Results Among 1,450 subjects who were cognitively normal at baseline, 296 developed MCI.
The age- and sex-standardized incidence rate of MCI was 63.6 (per 1,000 person-years) overall, and was higher in men (72.4) than women (57.3) and for aMCI (37.7) than naMCI (14.7).
The incidence rate of aMCI was higher for men (43.9) than women (33.3), and for subjects with ≤12 years of education (42.6) than higher education (32.5).
The risk of naMCI was also higher for men (20.0) than women (10.9) and for subjects with ≤12 years of education (20.3) than higher education (10.2).
Conclusions The incidence rates for MCI are substantial. Differences in incidence rates by clinical subtype and by sex suggest that risk factors for MCI should be investigated separately for aMCI and naMCI, and in men and women.
We al know this…smoking is bad for us. You can’t be healthy and smoke. I don’t care how many times a week you go to the gym, it doesn’t matter how much cardio you do, being able to swim like Michael Phelps won’t help you if you smoke. But, even though we know it, there are still millions of people doing it every single day. There are actualy some people who have a 2 to 3 pack a day habit. That is 40 to 60 cigarettes a day!
Let’s break that down. One cigarette takes on average about 8 to 10 minutes to smoke (from lighting it, to smoking it down to the filter). On the low end that is 320 minutes of smoking a day OR 5.3 hours! On the high end you’re looking at 600 minutes of smoking OR 10 full hours dedicating your time to a deadly addiction.
I’m not even mentioning the time it takes to leave your desk, walk outside of your office (smoking at your desk went out of fashion in the late 80′s – about the same time that Miami Vice went off the air (remember Don Johnson’s character, Sonny Crockett was always smoking at his desk) and find a place at least 25 feet away from the building (that is the law here in Washington State) and then light up.
Even on just a common sense level we know that that this is insanity. How can we be productive when we’re having to walk away from our work two or three (or more times) a day to go outside for a cigarette. I’m not even talking about having to be stuck out in miserable weather conditions to “enjoy” something that is wreaking havoc on your body. Think about this…the time that is spent smoking is making you less productive. It’s probably even keeping you from reaching your goals. Let’ say that it’s 4 times a day that you smoke outside of your office. You smoke once before work, twice during work, and once after work…that’s about 1 hour a day that you gave away to cigarettes that you can’t get back.
What if you took that extra hour to spend with your spouse or children? What if you spent that time working towards fulfilling the dream you’ve always had of owning your own business? How much closer would you be towards achieving your goals?
How much better off would you be financially if you stopped smoking? In 2011 the cheapest place you could purchase a pack of cigarettes at was in West Virginia for $4.74 a pack. The most expensive place was New York at $11.90 a pack! That’s for 20 cigarettes that are literally robbing you of your health, time, and now money.
Again, let’s crunch some numbers…starting on the low end…let’s say that you only smoke 1 pack a day and you lived in West Virginia in 2011 (remember, the prices are always going up) you would be paying $142.20 a month just for the privellege of smoking. If you lived in New York City in 2011 and you smoked 3 packs a day (it can be stressful living in the big city) it would cost you $1,071.00 a month for the privellege to smoke! That’s $12,852.00 a year!!!
There is good news though. First, it really isn’t your fault. This “product” has millions upon millions of dollars behind it that goes into advertising that makes you want to smoke, some of the greatest research minds in the world have forumlated the product to make you addicted. To learn more about “It’s Not Your Fault” click here.
I know that quitting smoking isn’t easy…but it can be done. Do it for yourself, your family, and your finances. I wish you great success in achieving your goal of being smoke free.
C. Daniel Smith, M.D. , chair of the Department of Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Florida, discusses minimally invasive surgical options for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A novel device, a ring of tiny magnetic titanium beads that acts to keep stomach acid from leaking into the esophagus, is now offered at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Read more about the LINX Reflux Management System in the April 11, 2012, edition of MedCity News.
Mayo Clinic in Florida is one of the first health care institutions in the U.S. to offer a newly approved device to treat GERD. Mayo Clinic in Florida helped test the device in patients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the device and treatment procedure on March 22, 2012, for patients with GERD who continue to have chronic reflux symptoms despite taking medication. Mayo Clinic in Florida was one of 14 centers nationally that participated in a clinical trial that led to the FDA’s approval of the device.
About GERD In patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, liquid or food in the stomach flow back up into the esophagus due to the inability of a ring of muscle between the lower esophagus and the top of the stomach to close properly. If drugs aimed at neutralizing the acid in the stomach fails to prevent GERD, an operation designed to correct the mechanical defect is considered. Nearly 2 million patients of those patients could benefit from this treatment, which is much less complex than current surgical options, says Dr. Smith.
The results of the clinical study that led to approval of the device have not yet been published. “The data presented to the FDA, however, revealed striking results when compared to other GERD treatments that have been investigated over the past 20 years,” says Dr. Smith. “The system offers effective control of GERD with limited side effects and thus far an excellent safety record.”
The implanted device is a ring of tiny magnetic titanium beads that is wrapped around the junction between the stomach and esophagus, serving as a mechanical augmentation of the lower esophageal sphincter (the ring of muscle). The magnetic attraction between the beads is strong enough to keep the sphincter closed to refluxing acid, but weak enough so that food can pass through it into the stomach. The device can be implanted using minimally invasive surgery methods.
“I expect this device to be a game changer for the treatment of GERD in select patients who have failed management with drugs,” says Dr. Smith.
Kenneth R. DeVault, M.D. , chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Florida, also participated in the studies. “I have many patients who are searching for something more than medication for their reflux, but have been hesitant to undergo a traditional reflux surgery,” he says. “I think this procedure may well be a very attractive option for that group.”
Drs. Smith and DeVault were consultants to the company that developed the device and participated in the research study. Mayo Clinic licensed related technology to the company in exchange for equity.
According to data collected by the American Medical Group Association’s and Cejka Search 2011 Physician Retention Survey, careers in the advanced health care field are growing rapidly. As such, employment in medical groups for nurse practitioners (“NPs”) and physician assistants (“PAs”) has increased significantly in the past five years. According to the data, 75% of the responses to the survey indicated more NPs and PAs will be hired in the next five years.
Growth in these advanced health care professions is due largely to economics, according to an article in U.S. News and World Report. NPs, for example, can provide patients with many primary health care services at a fraction of the cost of an internist. In addition, FiercePracticeManagement reports that due to physician shortages and the demand to create a medical “team” to care for patients (accountable care organizations, “ACO”), medical groups are employing the NP and PA at increasingly high rates. This gives NPs and PAs the advantage of choosing where to work, thus creating a high turnover rate for these positions. In addition, recruiting and retaining these professionals are challenges to medical groups.
Meiselman, Denlea, Packman, Carton & Eberz P.C. offers legal advice to physicians on medical issues. If you need legal assistance or guidance on a matter regarding your practice, please call our office.
As National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month comes to a close, it’s clear that childhood obesity is an issue supported by communities, parents, schools and community programs around the nation.
Recently, the East Bay Community Foundation partnered with Kaiser Permanente to present the Weight of the Nation—a national public health campaign targeting obesity—at the Council on Foundations’ annual community foundations conference in New Orleans. The East Bay Community Foundation is an important partner in the work to combat obesity in our local communities, and the organization demonstrates how community foundations nationwide can lead collaborative efforts in fighting obesity. In this interview, Nicole Taylor, president and CEO of the East Bay Community Foundation, explains the challenges in Northern California that the East Bay Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente are working to address.
Although Colorado takes pride in being the leanest state in the nation, the rate of overweight and obesity among children in Colorado is on the rise. In addition, the rate of childhood poverty is rising faster in Colorado than everywhere else in the nation. Children living in poverty are faced with a number of barriers putting them at greater risk for becoming overweight or obese including less access to nutritious foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Over the last few years, The Denver Foundation and Kaiser Permanente have both supported a nonprofit aimed at addressing hunger in Colorado. Hunger Free Colorado, formerly known as the Colorado Coalition to End Hunger, is the state’s leading advocate to end hunger. It aims to do this by increasing participation in federal nutrition programs, food stamps, and school breakfast and lunch programs.
In this interview, Barbara Berv, vice president of philanthropic services at The Denver Foundation, speaks about their partnership with Kaiser Permanente and Hunger Free Colorado and the goal of eliminating hunger in Colorado.
The City of New Orleans has been taking bold steps to address obesity and fitness on a local level—most especially for the city’s children. In this recent interview, Dr. Karen DeSalvo, City of New Orleans health commissioner, discusses the Fit NOLA Partnership, which aims to improve fitness levels and combat childhood obesity in New Orleans through a number of innovative, data-driven program and policies. DeSalvo’s vision is that through Fit Nola, New Orleans will become one of the top ten fittest cities in the United States by 2018.
The CDC reported November 19, 2012 that the updated number of people infected with fungal meningitis has climbed to 490, and the number of related fatalities is now at 34.
Congressional hearings took place on November 14 and 15 to determine what went wrong at the New England Compound Center now at the center of the growing fungal meningitis outbreak.
Whistleblowers, Lucas Matheny (“Matheny”) and Deborah Loveland (“Loveland”), brought an action against Medco Health Solutions (“Medco”) claiming that Medco and its subsidiaries failed to report and refund to the federal government $69 million in Medicare and Medicaid overpayments. The plaintiffs, former employees of Medco, used the authority of the False Claims Act to bring their lawsuit. The False Claims Act allows private individuals to sue an entity on their own and the government’s behalf. In doing so, the individuals receive compensation for being a “whistleblower”, which is usually between 15% and 25% of the funds recovered, including reasonable expenses, attorney fees and costs.
Matheny and Loveland knew of the overpayments to Medco, but were told that because of insufficient manpower to process the necessary forms, the overpayments would not be refunded to the government. Matheny and Loveland claimed the overpayments were transferred to fictitious patient accounts and perfect records with a zero percent error rate were created using a specific computer program. In addition, Medco filed a false certificate of compliance with the government, knowingly concealing millions of dollars in overpayments.
When the lawsuit was first heard by the court, it was dismissed, due to the court noting that the plaintiffs’ complaint had been amended three times and failed to state a claim. However, on appeal, the court concluded that Matheny and Loveland had sufficiently alleged the existence of a false record. Additionally, the court held that the defendants (Medco) knew the records were false and were to be used to avoid a financial obligation to the government.
The Matheny v. Medco Health Solutions matter is a prime example for healthcare providers to be careful with potential overpayments and how to handle those overpayments should they occur.
Most people have heard of glaucoma, but few know the whole story. In short, glaucoma is an eye condition where the optic nerve becomes damaged, usually as a result of increased pressure in the eye. This damaging of the optic nerve ultimately causes a gradual but serious loss of vision. Untreated, the disease often results in complete blindness.
Now that you have a basic understanding of glaucoma, let’s clear up a few of the most common myths surrounding this serious condition.
Here are the top 5 myths of glaucoma:
1. Myth: Glaucoma is rare. Fact: On the contrary, it has been estimated that over 2 million Americans are suffering from glaucoma. Even more disturbing is the fact that glaucoma remains a leading cause of blindness in the US. 2. Myth: Only patients with a family history can develop glaucoma. Fact: Although certain factors like age and heredity can increase your chances of developing glaucoma, the condition can affect anyone, anywhere and at any age. 3. Myth: Glaucoma cannot be treated. Fact: While there is currently no cure, there are a host of Glaucoma Treatments aimed at minimizing the risk of permanent vision loss. These treatments include medications, eye drops and surgery. 4. Myth: Only patients with glaucoma symptoms should get checked out. Fact: The majority of glaucoma patients do not experience any symptoms before the optic nerve actually becomes damaged. For this reason, regular glaucoma screenings are vitally important.
5. Myth: Glaucoma screenings are painful. Fact: Glaucoma screenings test different things—visual field, pressure in the eye, etc. Each of these tests are not only quick, but non-painful.
Get Checked! Schedule a Glaucoma Screening Today
To schedule a glaucoma screening or to learn about any of the ophthalmology services we offer, we encourage you to contact us today. Our offices are located in Winchester, serving Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Book your appointment at (540) 722-6200. We look forward to seeing you.
Since its inception, laser vision correction has been changing the lives of our patients, enhancing vision and reducing or eliminating our patients’ dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses. Now, our practice is proud to offer what many consider to be the most advanced LASIK system available: iLASIK™. Not sure what this cutting-edge procedure is all about?
Here is our list of the Top 5 Patient Benefits of iLASIK:
Fully-customized procedure. iLASIK is not a one-size-fits-all procedure. Rather, using cutting-edge 3D eye mapping, iLASIK creates a one-of-a-kind image that is used to guide your LASIK procedure. This unique “roadmap” means a fully-customized procedure in keeping with your unique anatomy and medical needs.
Completely bladeless. Where some LASIK systems rely on metal blades, iLASIK creates a corneal flap using a precise laser. This completely blade-free system is an ideal alternative for those hesitant about “going under the knife.” What’s more, this method often results in better and faster healing following the procedure.
Cool laser technology. A second laser – the one used to make the actual vision correction – can be understood as a “cool laser.” Using pain-free, ultraviolet light, iLASIK works to reshape the cornea and achieve better vision. What’s more, vision correction takes only seconds per eye.
Iris registration. Cutting-edge iris registration technology ensures that iLASIK’s laser remains aligned, even if you move your eye. This offers not only a more precise procedure, but very often a quicker procedure as well.
Most patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. Of course, the most important benefit of iLASIK is its remarkable results. And, while each patient’s results will vary, most iLASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision or better following the procedure.
iLASIK in Winchester
To learn more about iLASIK, contact us today and schedule a consultation. Our offices are located in Winchester, serving Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, and you can reach us directly at (540) 722-6200. We look forward to meeting you.
Welcome to the second in our Simplifying LASIK Basics series. In this edition, we’ll highlight what the procedure’s like and types of LASIK in a way that should keep it simple. Hopefully it can help you determine what types of questions to ask your doctor as part of your decision to have LASIK performed.
What’s The Procedure Like? Although there’s more to it than this, here are the basics. Big Picture: Laser technology reshapes your cornea so things look sharper and clearer. Who It’s For: Mainly for anyone who is nearsighted, farsighted or has astigmatism. What Happens: A “flap” is created in the cornea, then the flap is gently lifted and folded back, and the cornea is reshaped using laser pulses to correct focusing problems in the eye. On average, it takes approximately 5 minutes, and may take slightly longer if your vision problems are more severe.
Types Of LASIK. Essentially, there are three basic types of LASIK, each designed to do what LASIK is supposed to do – help you see better, possibly better than you ever have with less dependency on glasses or contact lenses. You may have seen types of LASIK referred to this way: Conventional LASIK, Wavefront-Optimized LASIK, and Wavefront-Guided LASIK (also called Custom LASIK).
Which Type Of LASIK Is Best? Different doctors may use different types for different reasons. At Eye Consultants of Texas, we use a system based on Custom LASIK. It brings together two highly advanced technologies for a procedure branded “iLASIK.” Dr. Labor selected this after careful evaluation, mainly because it has proven to be more efficient and successful than other LASIK technologies he has used. But also, because of what it was designed to do – give the surgeon more control in customizing the procedure to each patient’s eye to get the best results. While the technology itself is extremely important, it’s even more important that your doctor has the skill and expertise to use it! Having been the first in the U.S., Texas, or locally to perform new procedures, Dr. Labor does his homework, and trains extensively on new technologies and advancements before ever putting them to use.
Until our next Simplifying LASIK Basics blog, if you’d like to know more about LASIK at Eye Consultants of Texas, please call our office in Grapevine at 877-516-4364. We’re conveniently located to Dallas/Fort Worth.
This blog is a broad overview of LASIK surgery for general informational purposes only. In no way is it intended as actual medical advice. Always seek a medical or eye care professional for advisement based on your individual health and specific eye care needs.
We are very excited about our 2011 success rates and here are the reasons why. Most people use success rate statistics when making a decision about which IVF clinic to use, but these figures should not be taken in isolation. You should always talk to the clinic about your individual likelihood of success in relation [...]
Millions of Americans are dealing with advanced illness—defined as when health conditions become serious enough that general health declines, and treatment loses its impact. A significant challenge is that the quality of care these individuals receive varies significantly.
The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care, otherwise known as C-TAC, is an organization focused on ensuring everyone, especially the sickest and most vulnerable, receive high-quality care that is consistent with their values and respects their dignity. They hope to transform care for advanced illness through public and private policy, making changes to the care delivery system, and by empowering consumers. C-TAC is bringing together patient advocacy groups, medical teams, faith communities and individuals in an effort to bring about this change as quickly as possible.
To shed more light on these issues and explore potential solutions, C-TAC is hosting a summit on advanced illness care in Washington, D.C., January 29-30, 2013. The summit will explore community-based approaches, cultural issues, public perspectives, and the economics of advanced care. You can read more about the event here.
In this video, Dan Johnson, MD, FAAHPM, national physician lead for palliative care at Kaiser Permanente and a supporter of C-TAC, reflects on the quality of care for people living with advanced illness.
Spine-health.com is proud to announce that it was recently ranked one of the top 50 most visited health websites, according to ComScore, a global leader in measuring the digital world.
Spine-health.com joins the large general health websites that make up the bulk of the top 50, and was one of the few “vertical” websites – sites that focus in on a particular aspect of health. Spine-health.com focuses exclusively on the spine, and covers conditions that cause back and neck pain.
I remember reading some years ago that children laugh somewhere around 300 – 400 times a day. In the same article it said that adults laugh as little as 15 times a day. Wow, that is a huge difference. To me it is sad statement that as we grow older we “lose” (or maybe we stifle) our ability to laugh. Me, I love to laugh. I don’t think that I am quite up to 300 laughs a day…but I get in about 100 a day. I believe that laughter is beneficial and extremely healing. I believe that it can be very therapeutic…not only for yourself, but those around you.
Dr. Richard Schulze said in an interview once that he encouraged his patients to learn 1,000 jokes as part of their healing process. While you might think this to be a tedious and unneccesary task to learn so many jokes, why not instead think of the laughter his patients got from taking on the assignment. While learning 1,000 jokes do you think their minds were focused on their illness or on laughter? I’m guessing that they were focused on laughing.
In his groundbreaking book, “Anatomy Of An Illness”, Norman Cousins describes how he started watching “The 3 Stooges” on a daily basis to “activate” his sense of humor and “regain” his laugh.
There is power in laughter. I encourage you to laugh more every day. I encourage you to make those around you laugh whenever you can.
LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, has become one of the most popular vision correction surgeries in the world, with thousands of procedures performed every year. The numbers, however, don’t paint the whole picture. A surgery’s true measure of success is how many patients are satisfied with their results! The Eye Surgery Education Council (ESEC), a leading provider of eye surgery information, is reporting on just that.
Most people have heard of glaucoma, but few know the whole story. In short, glaucoma is an eye condition where the optic nerve becomes damaged, usually as a result of increased pressure in the eye. This damaging of the optic nerve ultimately causes a gradual but serious loss of vision. Untreated, the disease often results in complete blindness.
Since its inception,