Tag: eyestrain

Eye Care After a Lasik Procedure

A person that is considering a Lasik procedure to improve their vision has two major responsibilities: selecting the best surgeon possible for their budget, and understanding and keeping up with eye care after the Lasik operation is done. Most Lasik procedures go very smoothly, and more than 90% of the patients are happy with their improved vision and have no permanent side effects. Part of this success is due to good care at home once the Lasik procedure is complete.

The first step in having the best care after a Lasik procedure is to understand exactly what is directed by the Lasik physician. The prospective Lasik patient should be given a good understanding of the entire process when they first visit a Lasik center to interview the physician and the staff. On the day of the procedure, a member of the staff should very carefully go over exactly what steps should be done to encourage optimal eye health and healing after the Lasik operation.

One thing that the patient should ask is what side effects are to be expected directly after the Lasik procedure, how long they should last, and which symptoms should be promptly told to the Lasik physician or member of the staff. A number of symptoms, such as fluctuating vision or halos around lights, are to be expected and are not a cause of worry. Ask the staff about any postoperative symptoms that are unclear, to make sure that they are thoroughly understood.

Each Lasik physician has their own recommended procedures for their patients, but here is a list of typical suggestions that most Lasik centers recommend. First, get some sleep as soon as possible after the Lasik procedure is done. This gives a great boost to the healing process. Second, avoid any contact, bumping, or rubbing of the eyes for at least five days after the Lasik procedure. Most Lasik centers have some kind of eye guards to wear at night to prevent patients from rubbing their eyes in their sleep.

Third, try to avoid eyestrain for some days after the Lasik procedure. It is tempting to try to read all of the signs and words that were previously blurry, but avoid this temptation at least for the large part. If any light sensitivity or glare is noticed, wear dark sunglasses for several days until this problem resolves itself. Some common Lasik side effects are temporary halos around lights, especially when viewed at night, but this is not a problem to be concerned with.

It is very important to keep the eyes well lubricated in the days following a Lasik operation. Every Lasik physician will give eye drops to help this, and patient should be especially aware of this before going to sleep. A Lasik procedure may increase eye dryness temporarily, and during sleep this may make the eyelid stick slightly to the eye. When the patient wakes up, opening the eyelid is equivalent to rubbing the eye. The physician should be notified if this happens, for there are other varieties of eye drops that will solve this problem.

Taking these simple steps will give nearly all Lasik patients an easy postoperative experience without any problems.

What is a Wavefront Lasik Procedure Like?

Let’s walk through what a client experiences when attending a Lasik center for a Wavefront Lasik procedure. The procedure itself generally only takes between five and ten minutes for each eye in total, and both eyes are done during the same procedure. The actual time to reshape the eye with the Lasik excimer laser is usually less than 15 seconds per eye.

Any person’s vision problems are generated by small “aberrations” within the eye that prevents the light from focusing objects as they should. The Lasik equipment locates and classifies these aberrations and then processes them so that the Lasik physician will correct these and allow the light to focus properly once the eye has healed.

In a Wavefront Lasik procedure, the patient stares at one point while a light is sent into the eye, which is reflected back and read by a Lasik Wavefront sensor. The distortions in this reflected light are mapped using a small computer within the Lasik system, and then this information is used to guide the laser that treats the eye.
Once the light creates the map for the eye, the Lasik surgeon has to create a small flap to access the cornea. This is done using a laser (this type of Lasik procedure is known as IntraLasik, or bladeless Lasik) or a small blade known as a microkeratome.

This flap is then opened to allow the cornea to be reshaped by the Lasik system.The excimer laser actually reshapes the cornea, which is the crucial part of the Lasik procedure. In order to determine exactly how to reshape it, the map created earlier by the Wavefront sensor is used to direct the beam of light accurately. The Lasik physician uses these precise tools to get the clearest vision results possible.

This custom Lasik procedure can not only correct such standard problems as nearsightedness, but can also address aberrations that create light halos, glare, haze, or starburst patterns. Once the Lasik physician determines that all relevant aberrations have been eliminated, he replaces the flap in its proper position, where it adheres normally and will heal naturally.

As mentioned earlier, this entire Lasik process takes between ten and fifteen minutes per eye. A patient gets a mild sedative and eye numbing drops to make the procedure both relaxing and painless. Most people notice an improvement in vision due to Lasik almost immediately.

Once the Lasik procedure is finished, you will get some eye drop medication to lubricate and protect your eyes. This medication (and the liquid in the drops themselves) may cause some blurring, and so for this reason (and to avoid any eyestrain) you should arrange for someone else to drive you home. It is also a good idea to go to sleep as soon as possible after the Lasik operation in order to promote even faster healing.

To promote optimal healing the Lasik physician often gives a plastic shield to wear over your eyes for the first night or two. Follow closely any recommendations by the Lasik physician. Do further investigation into this great new Lasik procedure, and get a clearer focus on your future!

FACIAL MASSAGE

The oldest known Facial massage in human history dates back to the third century B.C. where it was written about in an ancient Chinese medical text. Scientists have discovered many subsequent ancient medical records in archeological digs conducted in Greece, Persia, Japan and India. All these early-day writings have one thing in common; their Facial massages were described in vivid details but always as part and parcel of total body massage therapies in which specific pressure points on areas of the face and neck were depressed sufficiently to loosen obstructions in the flow of the vital energy which is also known as gi. The standalone Facial massage of the recent Western world was popularized in the twentieth century Europe before it was inducted into the North American world of cosmetic and beauty treatments. As a result, Facial massage came to be regarded as the job for estheticians, cosmetologists and makeup artists rather than massage therapists.

In the cosmetic and beauty arena, the Facial massage is administered with the intent to slow down the natural aging process and to attain younger, healthier and more vibrant looking and feeling facial skin. However, Facial massage also has therapeutic benefits as it can relieve and mitigate stress, migraine headaches, premenstrual syndromes (PMS) as well as sinus congestion.

In spite of their growing demand as entire massage sessions of their own, Facial massages are not precluded from total body massage treatments. Needless to say, Facial massage treatments which are performed the entire session are much more comprehensive and include many elements which are not included in Facial massages that are part of full body treatments. In both instances, though, gentle yet stimulating upward strokes are used in circular or semi-circular gliding movements. A typical and basic Facial massage will include the following procedure and usually in that same specific order:

* With the client comfortably reclining on his or her back on a treatment table and the professional seated closely to the clients head, the face is thoroughly cleanses and wiped dry.
* A lubricant such as a cream, a lotion or oil is applied to the entire face and neck area. The Facial massage will begin with repetitive rounded movements and will include every part of the face as well as the neck, ears and scalp. Crucial pressure points will also be stimulated in the process.
* The face, neck and ears are cleansed of the lubricant used for the massage and a facial moisturizer is applies.

Facial massages may also include the removal of facial hair as well as the removal of blackheads and whiteheads which will necessitate a moist steam treatment. These three elements will be included right after the massage session and before the application of the moisturizer. In addition, the entire process may be culminated with the application of full or partial makeup and sometimes even a hairdo.

The benefits of the Western style Facial massage are:

* Improvement of the facial skin and its muscle tone.
* Relaxation of the facial and eye muscles.
* Alleviation from tension headaches and general facial pain.
* Relief from stress and anxiety.
* The overall release of stress from the body and mind.

Facial massages are part of full body treatments in Eastern therapies where pressure is applied to points on the face which correspond to various internal organs such as the stomach, the liver and the gall bladder. With such different techniques, it is not surprising therefore, that the benefits of the Eastern Facial massages are very different from those of the West:

* The stimulation of meridian points on the face.
* Relief from eyestrain and neck tension.
* Correction of liver and fall bladder imbalances.
* Recovery from nervous disorders of the stomach.
* Release from premenstrual water retention.

Facial massages, Eastern or Western, are not recommended under the following circumstances:

* While clients are wearing contact lenses.
* Open sores, boils, cuts or recent scar tissues in the face or neck areas.
* Inflamed, infected or bruised skin of the face and neck.
* Acne, psoriases or eczema, all of which can be worsened by the treatment.

Facial massages are most often performed with bare hands that are lightly lubricated by oils or lotions to help them glide more smoothly over delicate facial skin. However, there are some mechanical devices that may also be used instead of the hands or in addition to them. Best of all, in my opinion, Facial massages can very easily and effectively be self administered just about any time and anywhere, and there are countless resources on the Internet that will instruct interested persons how to master the art.

PPPPP
(Word Count 778)