IQ Lasik Blog.com

Tired of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses? Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, more commonly known as LASIK, is an increasingly popular alternative to glasses or contacts. LASIK is a type of refractive eye procedure, during which an eye surgeon uses a laser to reshape your cornea and correct focusing problems in your eyes.

Over the last two decades, LASIK has become the most popular surgical procedure providing long-term results to treat conditions such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. Patients who have undergone the LASIK procedure will attest to its life-changing benefits and results.

LASIK is the most advanced procedure available and is the procedure of choice amongst refractive surgeons worldwide. LASIK uses an excimer laser to treat many levels of nearsightedness as well as farsightedness and astigmatism with incredible accuracy and precision. Patients’ eyes can be corrected in just a single visit. Patients’ experience minor post-operative discomfort and visual recovery is rapid –patients are often able to return to work and other normal activities the next day.

At the age of forty most people experience a decline in the quality of their reading vision. The natural aging process within the eye slowly decreases your ability to see objects up close. This problem is age related and is due to a weakening of the focusing mechanism of the lens of the eye. LASIK can provide good distance and reading vision to many patients by readjusting the focus of their eyes.

In general, patients who see well with glasses or contact lenses are good candidates for laser vision correction. To determine if the LASIK procedure is right for you is a decision that should be made after a comprehensive exam by a skilled ophthalmologist who specializes in laser vision correction. Some of the tests surgeons may perform to assess your candidacy may include measurements of the curvature of your cornea and surface scans to detect aberrations or vision problems. Your doctor will also take a comprehensive medical history.

The procedure takes only 15 minutes for both eyes with the actual laser treatment time approximately one minute per eye. Your eyes will be fully anesthetized with eye drops and patients’ are ensured comfort throughout the procedure. Medication will be provided to patients’ that experience mild discomfort. Patients commonly describe this mild discomfort as a “scratchy feeling” that often disappears within a few hours post-procedure. LASIK has been clinically proven to permanently change the shape of your cornea, correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

When choosing a refractive surgeon for your treatment candidates should consider the following criteria: the surgeon should be a Board Certified Ophthalmologist and have extensive training and expertise in the refractive field with knowledge of the most up-to-date procedures and technology. Most importantly, request that your actual surgeon sit down and meet with you directly to discuss all your LASIK options.

IQ Laser Vision offers a complimentary consultation to meet with Dr. Lin and discuss your options. Call today to book your appointment at 1-888-539-2211

The cost of laser vision correction has steadily risen in recent years due to increased use of Wavefront technology.  In 2002, leading industry survey revealed an average price of around $1550 per eye, and by late 2005, the average price had just risen over $1950 (Marketscope).  Although there are Centers that advertise Lasik for $299 an eye, a look at the financial reports of these Centers will show that the actual average price of Lasik per eye is $1,350. 

When analyzing the cost of LASIK, it is first necessary to clearly define exactly what is included in the price and then to understand the factors that influence LASIK prices.  For example, a preoperative examination is an obvious necessity.  However, some discount centers charge separately for the examination in order to quote a lower price for the surgery, so it’s important to verify that the preoperative examination is not an extra charge.  This applies to postoperative care as well.

The outside factors that influence the cost of LASIK are numerous, such as office overhead, staffing, the type of equipment used and maintenance of the equipment.  The excimer lasers used in laser vision correction are expensive.  We contract maintenance service directly with the manufacturer using OEM parts with periodic upgrades that are often priced in excess of $100,000.  Many low-cost centers use 3rd party repair service companies that use aftermarket parts.  These parts may come from a source without any credibility and are not warranted by the laser manufacturers.  Practices that invest in the latest technology and utilize parts and service directly from the manufacturers typically charge higher fees.

There has been an increasing trend in the number of cheap centers that cut corners to maintain the lowest price.  These centers rely on scheduling in as many patients as possible in a given day.  Just because a center is crowded does not signify that it is a genuinely good and busy center.  Crowded centers most often lack quality level of personal service.  Centers that genuinely care about each of their individual patients provide undivided one-on-one attention.  This level of VIP treatment ensures that a patient is comfortable throughout the whole process and comfortable before, during and after the procedure with no unexpected surprises.  After all, this is a procedure for the only pair of eyes you have and many would agree that a few hundred dollars saved is not worth giving up for a safe, sound and personable experience.

Perhaps it is a testament to laser vision correction’s high rate of success that some patients shop for discount surgery.  After all, who shops for discount heart or brain surgery?  With the right knowledge on the many factors that influence prices, patients can now go in with confidence and be selective on what they are willing to spend their money on; the fancy Beverly Hills office or the modest facility with the most advanced technology? The discount center that charges per service or the thorough post-operative patient care of a well-known facility?  Patients have the power to make an informed decision and understand that you really do get what you pay for!  If faced with a decision between a more experienced surgeon with a higher price and a less experienced surgeon with a lower price, always choose the better surgeon and obtain financing, if necessary.  Virtually all LASIK practices now offer financing and even some places offer interest-free financing making monthly payments quite affordable!

At IQ Laser Vision our staff is dedicated to providing you with a positive experience and thorough care.  We are committed to holding your hand every step of the way to ensure your satisfaction with our services and dedication to our patients.  We currently offer up to 24-month deferred interest financing OAC.  Our initial consultation is always free with absolutely no obligation, so there is nothing to lose.  We hope you find an opportunity to visit and learn more about the vision correction procedure and free yourself from the daily hassles of contacts, glasses or both!

City of Industry, CA, April 23, 2009 – Dr. Robert T. Lin of IQ Laser Vision, located in City of Industry, received recognition for his exemplary successful career and for being named Taiwan’s Top 20 Overseas Entrepreneur and selected as one of America’s Top Ophthalmologist for 2009 by the Consumer’s Research Council of America. Dr. Lin received his Taiwan’s Top 20 Overseas Entrepreneur Award January of this year during a meeting with Taiwan president, President Ma Ying-Jeou.

A LASIK patient himself, Dr. Lin is a distinguished Lasik surgeon and has successfully performed over 15,000 refractive procedures to date. He is the pioneer of the MICRO-Lasik, which allows more patients to benefit from Wavefront-Guided Custom LASIK.  The City of Industry recognized Dr. Lin with this award as the “…founder and medical director of IQ Laser Vision, one of the most sought after LASIK doctors in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, and locally recognized by the City of Walnut’s Mayor, Mary Su”.   City of Industry Mayor, David Perez, honored Dr. Lin with the award as a City of Industry business owner who not only established an outstanding career but provides a service that benefits many people – by providing them the gift of sight.

Over the last two decades, LASIK has become the most popular surgical procedure to treat conditions such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. Boasting long-term results, patients who have undergone laser eye surgery will commonly share that their LASIK procedure was a life-changing experience for them. With the incredible technological advances in LASIK vision correction there is no reason to deal with the hassles of glasses or contacts.

Dr. Lin established his own practice, IQ Laser Vision, where he is currently the Medical Director in 1999. With over 15,000 successful procedures performed and over 10 years of experience, Dr. Lin received his undergraduate education from UC Berkeley. Upon graduation, Dr. Lin completed his medical training at UCLA and ophthalmology residency at one of the world’s most preeminent programs, Jules Stein Eye Institute of UCLA, where he is currently a clinical professor.

Dr. Lin pioneered the Micro-LASIK® procedure which allows more patients to benefit from “Wavefront-Guided Custom LASIK”. Dr. Lin’s Micro-LASIK® procedure was recently featured on HealthWatch on the Discovery Health Channel. As a Lasik patient himself, Dr. Lin continues to be one of the nation’s most preferred professionals in the fields of LASIK eye correction and ophthalmology.

Dr. Robert Lin can be contacted at 626-854-2020 or www.iqlaservision.com

Pregnant and Thinking About Lasik?

Many new moms come to us seeking vision correction shortly after giving
birth.  The common complaint amongst them is the hassle of fumbling around
for their glasses during those night time feedings.  Suffering from lack of
sleep and fatigue they quickly discover that wearing glasses is just another
issue they have to deal with, which can be easily corrected with the Lasik procedure.

Although Lasik is not an option for women who are pregnant or nursing
moms-to-be are able and encouraged to come in for their initial consultation.  
In doing so, doctors are able to monitor their initial eye condition 
and once the baby is born they are then able to check for any
changes.  By examining pregnant women for their baseline measurement, this
enables us to provide the most thorough care and offer optimal options when
it comes time for their Lasik correction procedure.  Since consultations are
complimentary, there is absolutely no obligation or upfront costs.

After giving birth, the rule is to wait three months postpartum and if
nursing three months from when a mother weans the baby to schedule their
procedure for Lasik.  Future pregnancies do not affect their Vision once it
is corrected.  Meaning no more fumbling around for glasses during those
middle of the night feedings!

Dr. Robert T. Lin of IQ Laser Vision receives recognition for his exemplary successful career and for being named one of America’s Top Ophthalmologists.

The City of Walnut recognized IQ Laser Vision’s Medical Director, Robert T. Lin, M.D., at their Regular Meeting of the Walnut City Council today. Dr. Lin, a resident of Walnut, has been distinguished as America’s Top Ophthalmologist by the Consumers Research Council of America.  Walnut Mayor, Mary Su, honored Dr. Lin with this recognition as a Walnut resident who not only established an outstanding career but provides a service that benefits many people – by providing them the gift of sight.

Over the last two decades, LASIK has become the most popular surgical procedure to treat conditions such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism. Boasting long-term results, patients who have undergone laser eye surgery will commonly share that their LASIK procedure was a life-changing experience for them. With the incredible technological advances in LASIK vision correction there is no reason to deal with the hassles of glasses or contacts.

Has your surgeon gone through the LASIK procedure too?

When researching various LASIK centers to have your vision corrected, a prime question to ask your doctor is – have you had Lasik too? Not all doctors have had the procedure done themselves and many still wear contacts or glasses.  When selecting a doctor, having one that has already gone through the process has a far better advantage in explaining the procedure and knowing exactly your questions and concerns.

IQ Laser Vision’s Medical Director, Dr. Robert T. Lin, went through the LASIK procedure himself ten years ago.  A decade later he still enjoys 20/20 vision and is eager to pass on the freedom he has from contacts and glasses.  Dr. Lin’s confidence in the LASIK treatment for vision correction is apparent in his trust of performing the procedure on his loved ones.  He has performed the procedure on his parents, relatives, and all of his siblings.

With today’s advancement in WaveFront-guided LASIK procedures, there has never been a better time to have your LASIK procedure completed!

A very common question we often hear is: “How long has Dr. Robert T. Lin performed refractive surgery?”

This is a very good question about the vast experience of Dr. Robert T Lin, and you will find the answer reassuring.

Dr. Robert T Lin has performed refractive surgery for more than 11 years. This is the kind of experience that can only be gained from years of committment to refractive surgery and dedication to perfection as a surgeon. Dr. Lin received his undergraduate education from UC Berkeley and medical training at UCLA. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA, one of the world’s most pre-eminent programs, where he is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor. As well as being a board-certified ophthalmologist, the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance (CRSQA) has distinguished Dr. Robert Lin as one of few CRSQA Certified Refractive Surgeons in the United States. He is also named, “America’s Top Ophthalmologists” by the Consumer’s Research Council of America. He is often consulted by other eye surgeons who need assistance with challenging cases or by patients that need further improvement with their vision.

Although there are good surgeons with less experience, Dr. Robert T Lin has a proven track record of experience that is unmatched by surgeons with less experience. Experience is simple, it requires direct personal participation. This type of experience cannot be “learned” by reading a book or even by listening to a professor. The only way to attain this level of experience is simple and straightforward – by performing surgeries for more than 11 years. As a potential patient, you should demand a surgeon with a high level of experience that you can trust. Beware of “fly by night” discount operations that are here one day and gone the next.

When you have a complimentary consultation at IQ Laser Vision, we will gather data about your eyes including: visual acuity, refraction, measurement of current glasses, biomicroscopy, infrared pupillometry (measurement of nighttime pupil size), pachymetry (measurement of corneal thickness), corneal topography (using two different systems to measure both anterior and posterior surfaces), and if applicable, wavefront analysis.
Based on these findings, Dr. Robert T Lin will select the best treatment for your eyes. He will take as much time as necessary to thoroughly understand your expectations and explain the risks and benefits of the procedure.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the LASIK procedure. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (626) 854-2020 or at DrLin@IQLaserVision.com.

One of the most common questions we hear is: “Will I have perfect 20/20 vision after having LASIK?”

This is a very good question about the LASIK procedure, and the answer depends on your best correctable visual acuity.
When you have a complimentary consultation at IQ Laser Vision, we will gather data about your eyes including: visual acuity, refraction, measurement of current glasses, biomicroscopy, infrared pupillometry (measurement of nighttime pupil size), pachymetry (measurement of corneal thickness), corneal topography (using two different systems to measure both anterior and posterior surfaces), and if applicable, wavefront analysis.
Based on these findings, Dr. Robert T Lin will select the best treatment for your eyes. He will take as much time as necessary to thoroughly understand your expectations and explain the risks and benefits of the procedure.

Some of our patients achieve better than 20/20 vision! That’s right, it is actually possible for some patients to actually achieve better than 20/20 vision!

Most patients achieve their full desired visual acuity. If the desired visual acuity is not achieved, an enhancement procedure is usually performed three months after the initial procedure.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the LASIK procedure. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (626) 854-2020 or at DrLin@IQLaserVision.com.

I am often asked the very important question, “What is MICRO-LASIK®?”

Let me take a few minutes to explain exactly what MICRO-LASIK® is, describe the MICRO-LASIK® procedure, and describe the Advantages of MICRO-LASIK®.

The MICRO-LASIK® Procedure:
After your eye has been completely numbed using “eye drop” anesthesia, an eyelid holder will be placed between your eyelids to prevent you from blinking.

Next, an instrument known as a microkeratome makes a protective flap in the cornea. During this process you may feel a little pressure, but no discomfort. You will be asked to look directly at a target light while the laser reshapes the cornea, usually in less than a minute. Then, the protective flap is folded back in place where it bonds securely without the need for stitches. After LASIK, some patients report a slight discomfort that usually goes away within twelve to twenty-four hours.

Advantages of MICRO-LASIK®
To improve the safety of your refractive procedure, Dr. Lin has developed a technique called, “MICRO-LASIK®”. He has performed over 11,000 procedures using MICRO-LASIK® and has published and lectured on this technique nationally.

With MICRO-LASIK®, corneal flaps are almost 50% thinner than flaps created by other microkeratomes. A thinner flap means there is more cornea tissue under the flap, to give the cornea strength. Patients will benefit from this extra margin of safety, especially those patients with larger pupils and higher refractive errors, because more corneal tissue needs to be treated. The extra corneal tissue available with MICRO-LASIK® allows Dr. Lin greater flexibility in treating your eyes, and can reduce side effects such as halos, cornea ectasia and dry eyes. Dr. Lin’s MICRO-LASIK® results are superior to most published LASIK results.

When the pupil is large, a larger optical zone should be used to decrease glare and halos at night. Therefore, more corneal tissue will be removed. Currently most surgeons agree that the residual cornea should be at least 250 to 300 microns (µm=1/1000th mm). With LASIK a 180 micron flap is usually created so we are unable to safely utilize the 6.5mm optical zone.

With MICRO-LASIK®, a 100 micron flap is created, so we are able to use a 6.5mm optical zone. More residual cornea is available to give the cornea strength after reducing side effects using MICRO-LASIK®.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about MICRO-LASIK®. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (626) 854-2020 or at DrLin@IQLaserVision.com.

Dr. Robert T. Lin is the founder and medical director of IQ Laser Vision. The mission of IQ Laser Vision is to provide the best vision correction experience available. Our center is equipped with the most up-to-date technology, designed specifically to provide the best environment for the delicate lasers, and staffed by highly trained professionals. Dr. Lin is one of California’s most experienced eye surgeons having successfully performed over 15,000 refractive procedures over the last 11 years. He believes in the importance of personalized care and takes pride in developing a genuine relationship with each patient. Dr. Lin’s philosophy of practice renders a professional and warm environment where the patients trust him as their surgeon. 

Over seven million people in the United States have undergone LASIK and the vast majority of patients are now free of the dependency on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK utilizes a computer controlled ultraviolet light beam called an excimer laser to change the shape of the cornea and is effective for correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism. Patients over 40 years old that have difficulty reading can also be helped by LASIK. This procedure is virtually painless, takes only minutes to perform, and most patients return to work the next day. Dr. Lin has performed refractive surgery on celebrities, fellow physicians, staff members, his two brothers and parents. Moreover, Dr. Lin understands the concerns and excitement that a prospective patient has, because he underwent the LASIK procedure 11 years ago and still enjoys 20/20 vision. 

Devoted full time to refractive surgery, Dr. Lin is a pioneer in ultra-thin flap LASIK (MICRO-LASIK^®, Trademark #2681144, U.S. Patent Office) and LASEK. The advantages of these published, tissue-conserving techniques are less dry eyes, decreased weakening of the cornea, and more available treatment options. Dr. Lin has been featured on nationally televised “Health Watch”, because his Micro-LASIK^® technique enables more patients to safely undergo wavefront-guided customized procedures that can decrease glare and halos at night, and in some cases improve vision to a level better than with glasses or contact lenses. Because Dr. Lin is a leading researcher in refractive surgery, he is also able to offer a wide array of vision enhancing options other than LASIK. He will recommend the option that is best suited for you, but if you are not a good candidate, Dr. Lin will let you know.

Dr. Lin received his undergraduate education from UC Berkeley and medical training at UCLA. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA, one of the world’s most pre-eminent programs, where he is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor. As well as being a board-certified ophthalmologist, the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance (CRSQA) has distinguished Dr. Robert Lin as one of few CRSQA Certified Refractive Surgeons in the United States. He is also named, “America’s Top Ophthalmologists” by the Consumer’s Research Council of America. He is often consulted by other eye surgeons who need assistance with challenging cases or by patients that need further improvement with their vision.

Dr. Lin also teaches refractive surgery procedures to ophthalmologists and certifies LASIK surgeons. In addition, Dr. Lin devotes a great deal of his personal and professional time to research, has lectured nationally and internationally, and has published numerous scientific papers in ophthalmology. 

Dr. Lin can be contacted at (626) 854-2020 or at DrLin@IQLaserVision.com