Whether you're exploring LASIK, preparing for cataract surgery, or just curious about your eye health, this page is here to guide you.
Below you'll find short explanations, downloadable tips, and a few common myths I hear in the clinic — and the truth behind them.
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Myth Buster Section
Myth Buster Section
🟣 Myth #1: Laser is always used in cataract surgery.
✅ Truth:
Not all cataract surgeries involve a laser. Many are performed with ultrasound technology (phacoemulsification). Laser-assisted cataract surgery is an option in certain cases for added precision, especially in complex eyes.
🟣 Myth #2: LASIK doesn’t last — your vision will go back to baseline.
✅ Truth:
LASIK permanently reshapes the cornea. Most patients enjoy long-term stable vision. If your vision changes later, it’s often due to natural aging, not regression of the laser correction.
🟣 Myth #3: Corneal transplants mean removing the whole eye surface.
✅ Truth:
Most modern corneal transplants are partial — replacing only the diseased layer (like DMEK or DALK) rather than the full thickness. This leads to faster recovery and better visual outcomes.
🟣 Myth #4: LASIK is painful.
✅ Truth:
LASIK is typically painless. You may feel pressure for a few seconds, but numbing drops are used before the procedure. Most patients are surprised how quick and comfortable it is.
🟣 Myth #5: Cataract surgery only improves vision, not quality of life.
✅ Truth:
Cataract surgery doesn’t just restore clarity — it can dramatically improve contrast, night vision, and daily function. For many, it reduces dependence on glasses and brings renewed confidence.
🟣 Myth #6: If you have dry eyes, you can’t have LASIK.
✅ Truth:
Dry eye symptoms can be managed before LASIK, and modern diagnostics help ensure safety. In some cases, other vision correction options like PRK may be better — but dry eye is not an automatic disqualifier.
🟣 Myth #7: Only older people get cataracts.
✅ Truth:
Cataracts can develop in your 40s or earlier due to genetics, trauma, medications, or systemic disease. Age is just one factor — early diagnosis makes a big difference.
🟣 Myth #8: If I wait too long, my cataract will “mature” and become better for surgery.
✅ Truth:
Waiting too long can make cataract surgery more complex and riskier. Early treatment ensures safer surgery and faster recovery.
🟣 Myth #9: All sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays.
✅ Truth:
Only sunglasses labeled 100% UV protection (or UV 400) block harmful UV A&B rays.
🟣 Myth #10: Dry eye is just a minor irritation.
✅ Truth:
Dry Eye Disease is a chronic, often progressive condition that can significantly impact your vision, comfort, and quality of life.
🕶️ Sunglasses & UV Protection:
🕶️ Sunglasses & UV Protection:
What You Need to Know
What You Need to Know
Why UV Protection Matters
Why UV Protection Matters
Just like your skin, your eyes are vulnerable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Prolonged exposure can lead to serious eye conditions over time — even if you don’t feel immediate symptoms.
Common UV-related eye problems:
Cataracts
Macular degeneration
Pinguecula & pterygium (growths on the eye)
Photokeratitis (sunburn of the cornea)
Increased risk of eyelid skin cancers
Choosing the Right Sunglasses
Choosing the Right Sunglasses
Not all sunglasses are created equal — a darker tint doesn’t always mean more protection.
When choosing sunglasses, look for:
✅ UV400 or 100% UVA & UVB protection
✅ Wraparound styles that block peripheral light
✅ Polarized lenses to reduce glare (great for snow & water)
✅ Anti-reflective coating to reduce eye strain
✅ Optional: Blue-light filtering for digital screen comfort
Tip: Even clear lenses can offer full UV protection if properly coated!
Special Considerations
Special Considerations
🌊 Around Water or Snow?
Reflected UV is much stronger on water, snow, and sand — wear sunglasses even on cloudy days.
⛷️ Going to High Altitude?
UV exposure increases by 10–12% for every 1,000 meters (~3,280 ft) of elevation gain. Proper protection is essential in the mountains.
💡 Had Eye Surgery or Have Eye Conditions?
UV protection is especially important after LASIK, cataract surgery, or in cases of macular degeneration and dry eye.
What to Avoid
What to Avoid
🚫 No UV label? Skip it.
🚫 Fashion-only tints may dilate your pupils and increase UV exposure.
🚫 “Cosmetic” lenses without real protection do more harm than good.
Get Your Sunglasses Tested
Get Your Sunglasses Tested
If you're unsure whether your glasses provide full protection, bring them to your eye doctor or optician for a quick test to measure the amount of UV blocking.
Questions about protecting your vision?
📍 Schedule an eye exam or bring your sunglasses to your next visit — we're happy to help.
Lens & Zonules:
Lens & Zonules:
Why They Matter in Eye Health & Surgery
Why They Matter in Eye Health & Surgery
Anatomy of the Lens and Zonules
Anatomy of the Lens and Zonules
Lens: A transparent, flexible structure behind the iris that focuses light on the retina.
Zonules (Zonules of Zinn): Fine, fiber-like structures suspending the lens in place. They act like “guy wires,” connecting the lens capsule to the ciliary body.
Function: Allow the lens to stay centered, change shape for focusing (accommodation), and remain stable during surgery.
Importance of the Zonules
Importance of the Zonules
Provide 360° support to the lens capsule.
Essential for safe cataract and refractive lens surgery.
Weakness or absence can lead to:
Lens decentration or tilt.
Capsular instability during surgery.
Long-term problems such as intraocular lens (IOL) dislocation.
Causes of Zonular Weakness
Causes of Zonular Weakness
Genetic/Connective tissue disorders: Marfan syndrome, homocystinuria, Ehlers-Danlos.
Ocular conditions: Pseudoexfoliation, advanced cataracts, high myopia.
Trauma: Blunt injury or surgical trauma, even vigorous eye rubbing.
Iatrogenic: Prior intraocular surgery.
Age-related degeneration.
Takeaway
The zonules are the invisible threads holding your eye’s natural lens in place. When weak, they can make cataract or lens surgery more complex. With modern techniques—like support rings, special lenses, or alternative fixation—surgeons can still achieve excellent outcomes.
Understanding Fuchs’ Dystrophy
Understanding Fuchs’ Dystrophy
Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy (often called Fuchs’ dystrophy) is a condition that affects the innermost layer of the cornea — the clear “window” at the front of the eye.
What Happens in Fuchs’
What Happens in Fuchs’
The cornea has a thin inner lining of cells (endothelial cells) that pump fluid out to keep the cornea clear. In Fuchs’ dystrophy, these cells gradually weaken and reduce in number. As a result, fluid can build up, making the cornea swollen and cloudy. Patients may notice:
Blurred or hazy vision, often worse in the morning
Glare or halos around lights
Fluctuating vision during the day
This process usually develops slowly over years.
How It Progresses
How It Progresses
Not everyone with Fuchs’ dystrophy will develop advanced disease. Many patients only have mild changes that never interfere significantly with vision. For others, swelling can worsen over time, especially after eye surgery such as cataract removal.
Treatment Options
Treatment Options
The good news is that we now have highly effective treatments. Depending on your stage of disease, options may include:
Eye drops or ointments like sodium chloride 5% to temporarily reduce swelling
Emerging new treatments — Exciting new treatments are being developed that may reduce or even replace the need for full corneal transplants in the future:
Descemet Stripping Only (DSO) + Eye Drops
A procedure that lets your own healthy corneal cells heal the center, often boosted with special drops called ROCK inhibitors.Cell Therapy Injections
Lab-grown donor cells can be injected into the eye to restore clarity — less invasive than a transplant and showing excellent early results.Gene Therapy (Still in Research)
Scientists are exploring ways to “switch off” the genes that cause Fuchs’ dystrophy, stopping the disease before it progresses.
💡 These treatments are not yet widely available, but they’re moving quickly through research and clinical trials. The future is bright for patients with Fuchs’ dystrophy.
Advanced surgical options — if corneal swelling is significant, modern partial-thickness corneal transplants (such as DMEK or DSEK) can replace only the damaged cell layer, restoring clarity and vision with faster recovery and excellent outcomes.
Why You Shouldn’t Worry
Why You Shouldn’t Worry
A diagnosis of Fuchs’ dystrophy can sound intimidating, but most patients maintain good vision and quality of life. Surgical techniques have advanced dramatically in the past decade, with success rates higher than ever. Your eye surgeon will carefully evaluate whether cataract surgery alone is safe, or if a combined procedure is best for you.
The bottom line: being diagnosed with Fuchs’ dystrophy does not mean you will go blind. With modern care, clear vision can almost always be restored.
Still have questions?
You can bring them to your consultation or reach out via the Contact page to learn more about your options.
Does Rock Climbing Affect a Surgeon’s Hands?
Does Rock Climbing Affect a Surgeon’s Hands?
Some patients worry that my passion for climbing big mountains and rock walls could make my hands less steady for eye surgery. It’s a fair question — but here’s the truth:
🧗♀️ Rock climbing does not harm fine motor control.
In fact, research shows climbers often develop stronger, more coordinated hands and forearms. This helps with endurance, like during long surgical days.
The only things that can temporarily affect hand precision are:
Fatigue after a very intense climbing day
Overuse injuries (like tendon strains), which are avoidable with proper care
With the right training, rest, and balance, climbing and surgery complement each other. My hands are kept strong, trained, and precise — both for the mountains and for the operating room.
👉 Bottom line: Rock climbing does not make surgeons “clumsy.” With recovery and care, it helps me bring more strength, focus, and endurance to your surgery.
Patient Information & Downloadable Resources
Patient Information & Downloadable Resources
Refractive Surgery: www.sightlinelaser.com/refractive-surgery/
Cataract Surgery: www.sightlinelaser.com/cataracts/
Corneal Diseases: www.sightlinelaser.com/corneal-conditions/
Other Laser Treatments: www.sightlinelaser.com/other-lasers-and-procedures/
Cataract surgery checklist: See below
LASIK checklist: See below
PRK checklist: See below
DMEK/DSEK checklist: See below
PKP/DALK checklist: See below
Still have questions?
You can bring them to your consultation or reach out via the Contact page to learn more about your options.
DMEK_Surgery_Checklist_Final (1).pdfCataract_Surgery_Checklist.pdfPRK_Surgery_Checklist.pdfPKP_Surgery_Checklist.pdfLASIK_Surgery_Checklist.pdfPage updated
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