Bellevue LASIK & Cornea Blog | Dr. Leavitt and Dr. Farag

Whether you need corrective lenses or eye surgery your eye doctor will be your partner in every decision you have to make. So it makes sense to choose the right eye doctor before you invest time and money.

People are often confused about the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist. Optometrists are best known for providing eye exams for the purpose of prescribing glasses or contact lenses. Although most are referred to as doctors, they are doctors of optometry, abbreviated O.D., and are not medical doctors. Their scope of practice is limited to diagnosing and treating refractive disorders. Some states extend their practice to include treating glaucoma, cataracts and retinal diseases.

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who, like Dr. Kent Leavitt, have degrees either as an M.D. or like Dr. Christina Farag, who is a doctor of osteopathy, abbreviated D.O. Ophthalmologists can diagnose and treat any disease or disorder of the eyes, and the effects systemic diseases, such as diabetes, have on the eyes. Ophthalmologists are well-known as eye surgeons, providing laser surgery, cataract surgery and other surgeries, treatments, and lenses with the goal of improving vision.

Please contact Dr. Kent Leavitt at Bellevue LASIK & Cornea serving patients in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Olympia, and Tacoma, Washington, for a complimentary consultation about how to improve your vision.

Great news! Bellevue LASIK & Cornea is now offering a cosmetic enhancement for the eyes – Latisse™, an easy way to thicken and lengthen your eyelashes.

Latisse has received FDA approval to treat the condition known as hypotrichosis – inadequate eyelashes. Dr. Leavitt can prescribe this for you and you can apply it to your eyelashes very easily each night.

Hair, including eyelashes, grows only part of the time. It has a growth phase and then a resting phase. Latisse works by extending the growth phase, which allows more eyelashes to grow, and enables them to grow longer. Latisse also increases the amount of melanin in the eyelashes – the pigment that gives them their color.

How to Use Latisse
Latisse is supplied in a kit with a container of solution and a number of sterile applicators. You place a drop of solution on an applicator and draw it gently across the base of your upper eyelashes. Use a separate applicator for each eye to avoid any cross-contamination. Do this every evening as part of your preparations for sleep.

After four weeks you will notice your eyelashes becoming longer, thicker, and darker. Because Latisse operates only during the hair’s growth phase, about four months are needed for your full results. They will be quite dramatic.

If you are getting ready to have LASIK you may be able to stop wearing glasses. That in itself will change your facial appearance a lot. Think of the increased attractiveness if your eyelashes are darker, thicker, and longer. Women have used eye makeup since ancient times because beautiful eyes have always been a great asset. You will not need to use mascara or eyeliner any more if you use Latisse instead.

If you would like to learn more about Latisse, please call or email our office today and we will schedule a personal consultation for you with Dr. Kent Leavitt.

If you are considering an intraocular lens implant, you might feel confused about the differences, benefits and disadvantages of each type. Today's advanced technology has provided excellent options for lens implantation, but Crystalens, made by Eyeonics, Inc., offers some unique advantages over other types like ReZoom and ReSTOR.

The most important feature of the Crystalens implant is autofocusing, the ability of the lens to move back and forth, controlled by the eye's ciliary muscles. The natural lens changes its own curvature according to how distant objects are. This is known as accommodation. The Crystalens mimics this, being attached to those same ciliary muscles.

Crystalens is the only IOL that offers this feature.

The best candidates for Crystalens are young, active individuals who need clear nighttime vision for driving but don't mind wearing reading glasses. There is a bit of a learning curve as the eye muscles learn to refocus. Crystalens is also an excellent option for lens replacement for cataract patients.

At Bellevue Lasik and Cornea, leading LASIK surgeon Dr. Kent Leavitt works closely with patients to provide a thorough vision evaluation and determine which IOL offers the best outcome. If you are considering Crystalens, it makes sense to schedule a no-cost consultation with Dr. Leavitt.

As part of the May 2009 Healthy Vision Month, ophthalmologists around the country attempted to help people become more aware of the dangers of refractive vision problems, as well as solutions. Around 60% of all Americans have such problems, which if left untreated can negatively impact school performance, work performance, driving, reading, and more.

The first step to ensuring healthy eyes, of course, is to seek quality care from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. An ophthalmologist, or doctor who provides total eye care, may ultimately conduct surgery on your eyes, and so it’s especially important to choose your eye doctor with care. Check credentials, make sure the ophthalmologist is board-certified, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about how long the doctor has practiced, surgeries he or she regularly performs, and so on. You may even wish to contact current or former patients for testimonials or recommendations.

Regardless of your choice, you should feel comfortable with and confident in both the care and guidance your eye doctor provides. If you already have an ophthalmologist, ask yourself, “Do I feel like I am getting the best possible care for my eyes? What am I looking for an eye doctor?” Don’t settle for anything less than a doctor you have complete faith in.

If you live in the Seattle area and are trying to find the best ophthalmologist for you, please contact the licensed staff at the Bellevue LASIK & Cornea Center today.

Many people who have vision problems or impairments come to our clinic asking about LASIK procedures. In the past, the unfortunate truth was that not everyone was a good candidate for this surgery. Some – particularly those with thin corneas or smaller amounts of tissue – were simply not eligible for LASIK because of the nature of the procedure.

Thanks to Epi-LASIK, times have changed somewhat. Whereas LASIK involves cutting a flap in the cornea that would be too deep for some patients, Epi-LASK involves using a dull blade to create the flap in only the cornea’s outer layer, which is then lifted away. As with LASIK, the surgeon then uses a laser to sculpt corneal tissue. Because the surgery is like a cross between two different procedures (LASIK and LASEK, namely), it helps us accommodate more patients with different needs.

Some patients remain more suitable candidates for LASIK, but for those who were previously ineligible for this surgery, Epi-LASIK just might provide a relatively comfortable and highly effective solution.

If you live in the Seattle area and would like to learn more about Epi-LASIK, please contact the licensed ophthalmologists at the Bellevue LASIK & Cornea Center today.

For years, patients have come into our clinic requesting or asking about LASIK surgery. The procedure has become so popular, in fact, that many even understand how LASIK is generally conducted. (The surgeon creates and lifts a thin flap in the cornea, allowing him or her to reshape corneal tissue using a laser, resulting in greater focusing power.) Increasingly, however, SBK, or sub-Bowman's keratomileusis, is emerging as a tempting alternative to traditional LASIK surgery.

The biggest difference between SBK and LASIK is in the size of the flap. In SBK, the surgeon uses something called a femtosecond laser to create a thinner, smaller flap. This flap reportedly reduces the change for such complications as dry eye in patients after the surgery.

SBK has steadily increased in popularity, to the point where some estimate that nearly half of all refractive surgeries in the United States are now SBK procedures. At the same time, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery has reported that the ophthalmologists are showing increasing preference for the femtosecond lasers used in SBK procedures.

If you live in the Seattle area and would like to learn more about LASIK and SBK, please contact the licensed ophthalmologists at the Bellevue LASIK & Cornea Center today.

Astigmatism is a common vision problem caused by an irregularly shaped cornea or an irregularly shaped crystalline lens. Astigmatism produces blurry vision, accompanies farsightedness or nearsightedness and can occur in adults and children.

Most people with astigmatism rely on eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct their eyesight. For those who wish to reduce their dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses, refractive surgery is an excellent option available at Bellevue Lasik and Cornea in Seattle, Washington.

Mild astigmatism causes no symptoms other than slightly blurry vision. Moderate astigmatism may cause eyestrain and headaches. Regular vision examinations are needed to detect astigmatism in the early stages. In most cases, astigmatism is hereditary. In some cases, it can be caused by:

• Corneal scarring due to an eye injury
• Eye diseases like keratoconus
• Certain types of eye surgery