“Until recently, the typical solution for the correction of presbyopia was to wear reading glasses or glasses with multi-focal lenses such as bifocals or progressives. Due to recent advances, many surgical remedies are now available for those who are qualified candidates,” explained Dr. Michael Gordon. “We felt it was important to share these advances with the Optometric community in order to increase their awareness and provide them with additional options for their patients.”

Presbyopia, a condition in which the lens of the eye loses its ability to focus making it difficult to see objects close-up, is an inevitable part of aging typically beginning between the ages of 40 to 45. For many, this loss of accommodation poses a major inconvenience to their existing lifestyle. Patients frequently comment on how bothersome it is to need reading glasses for tasks that were once completed without any form of vision correction. “The past few years I became permanently attached to my bifocals. It was frustrating,” says Dr. Tartaglia. “After a while, I saw so many surgery patients who were thrilled with their results that I decided it was time to have the surgery myself. I really feel like I’ve got 25 year old eyes again. It’s incredible!”

It is estimated that in San Diego, over 1/3 of the residents require some form of vision correction for reading. “With the several presbyopia correcting techniques our practice offers, we are able to improve the quality of life for San Diegans whose lifestyles are negatively affected by their need for reading glasses,” says Dr. Jack Weiss. “We are pleased to once again lead the way with more presbyopic treatment options than any other practice in San Diego and believe our patients will benefit tremendously from achieving spectacular visual outcomes.”

Dr. Michael Gordon and Dr. Jack L. Weiss are corneal specialists who perform refractive, corneal and cataract surgery at the Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute. They are among the most experienced and well-trained surgeons in the world and together they have performed thousands of successful surgical and laser vision correction procedures.

Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute has been a trusted provider of eye care and eye surgery in the San Diego area for over 15 years. With two highly-trained and skilled surgeons, a top-notch optometrist, and the latest in surgical technology, Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute is committed to the highest in quality patient care. For more information, visit www.gbwvision.com or www.seeasyoungasyoufeel.com.

The popularity of LASIK has risen with advances in technology and the FDA has stated that LASIK is safe and effective and nearly all patients are satisfied with the procedure. Patients have continually reported life-changing results allowing them freedom from the constraints of their glasses and contact lenses. According to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), 12.4 million LASIK procedures have been performed in the U.S. and about 95 percent of patients are satisfied with the procedure. LASIK has even been approved for use by NASA astronauts and U.S. Military Personnel, including Air Force Pilots.

LASIK has come under fire in recent days from patients who say they have suffered debilitating side-effects from the popular surgery. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today will hold a public hearing to discuss the potential post-operative effects of LASIK and whether more screening is needed pre-surgery. LASIK patients and surgeons will address the FDA.

Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute uses multiple lasers, and is one of only a few practices in the U.S. using the combination of the Intralase blade free LASIK with the Allegretto Wave & VISX S4 lasers. The use of the Intralase laser, unlike the traditional LASIK using a hand-held mechanical blade, is clinically proven to improve safety and deliver more results to 20/20 vision or better. Also, the Allegretto Wave and VISX S4 lasers have the broadest range of custom treatments and provide excellent vision day and night – reducing the risk of experiencing glare and halos at night.

LASIK surgery isn’t for everyone – according to ASCRS approximately 20-25% of individuals seeking LASIK are not eligible to receive the surgery. “The common conditions that can make someone a poor candidate for LASIK are dry eyes, thin or irregular corneas, cataracts and certain medical conditions. In these patients there may be other options besides LASIK to correct their vision; a thorough evaluation by an eye care professional is needed to determine the best option for a patient.”

There are numerous available options, including Advance Surface Ablation and premium intraocular lens implants (implantable contact lenses), for those patients who are not candidates for LASIK.

The FDA is now enlisting the help of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery – organizations in which the Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute are active – as well as the National Eye Institute to conduct a study to focus on how a patients’ quality of life is affected by laser eye surgery.

Dr. Michael Gordon, and Dr. Jack L. Weiss are corneal specialists who perform refractive, corneal and cataract surgery at the Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute. They are among the most experienced and well-trained surgeons in the world and together they have performed thousands of successful surgical and laser vision correction procedures.

Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute has been a trusted provider of eye care and eye surgery in the San Diego area for over 15 years. With three highly-trained and skilled surgeons, a top-notch optometrist, and the latest in surgical technology, Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute is committed to the highest in quality patient care. For more information, visit www.gbwvision.com.

The faster speed is important for several reasons. Shorter treatment times have been shown to reduce healing time while decreasing the risk of post-operative infections due to the minimization of influences from the external environment. It increases outcome predictability which results in better night vision and less sensitivity to glare. In addition, patient comfort significantly increases as the procedure is notably shortened.

“Our clinic has always been devoted to providing our patients with the safest and most advanced technology available,” said Dr. Jack L. Weiss. “With the new laser platform, we can now perform laser treatments much faster than before. This allows us to achieve the best outcomes possible while ensuring the highest level of comfort and care for our patients.”

Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute uses multiple lasers, and is one of only a few practices in the U.S. using the combination of the Intralase blade free LASIK with the Allegretto Wave™ Eye-Q, Allegretto Wave™ & VISX S4™ lasers. Unlike the traditional LASIK using a hand-held mechanical blade, the combined use of these lasers are clinically proven to improve safety and deliver more results to 20/20 vision or better. Also, the Allegretto Wave™ Eye-Q, Allegretto Wave™ and VISX S4™ lasers have the broadest range of custom treatments and provide excellent vision day and night.

“Superior vision following the LASIK procedure is dependant not only on the surgeon’s experience, but also on the technology used to deliver the treatment,” Dr. Weiss added. “In addition to our 70 years of combined experience performing refractive surgery in San Diego, we are excited to bring the most advanced LASIK platform to Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute. We believe our patients will benefit from the highest level of safety and precision possible while achieving spectacular visual outcomes.”

Dr. Michael Gordon, Dr. Perry S. Binder, and Dr. Jack L. Weiss are corneal specialists who perform refractive, corneal and cataract surgery at the Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute. They are among the most experienced and well-trained surgeons in the world and together they have performed thousands of successful surgical and laser vision correction procedures.

Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute has been a trusted provider of eye care and eye surgery in the San Diego area for over 15 years. With three highly-trained and skilled surgeons, a top-notch optometrist, and the latest in surgical technology, Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute is committed to the highest in quality patient care. For more information, visit www.gbwvision.com.

The FDA recently completed its review of the keratoconus and ectasia clinical study protocols and gave permission to begin enrollment of 160 patients into each study at up to 20 investigative sites in the United States. CXL is a procedure that stiffens the cornea by exposing it to ultraviolet (UV) light after it is saturated with riboflavin (vitamin B2). The light interacts with the riboflavin to produce chemical bonds between collagen molecules. This makes the cornea less likely to bow forward as it does in keratoconus or ectasia after LASIK.

Corneal collagen cross-linking was developed at the University of Dresden in Germany, and has been under investigation there since 1998. Studies in Europe have shown that corneal collagen cross-linking improves biomechanical stability of the cornea and either stops or slows the progression of keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia.

“The procedures were simple to perform and no adverse effects were encountered” according to Dr. Perry S. Binder of Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute. “We are eagerly awaiting additional procedures to gain further insight into the safety and effectiveness of this treatment for a disease that heretofore was only treatable with corneal transplantation.”

Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute is one of ten sites in the United Statesselected to participate in the collagen cross-linking study. The local participating surgeons are Dr. Michael Gordon, Dr. Perry S. Binder, and Dr. Jack L. Weiss, corneal specialists who perform refractive, corneal and cataract surgery at the Gordon Binder & Weiss Vision Institute.

For complete details regarding the Collagen cross-linking clinical trials and study criteria, please contact Nichole Yeakle at (858) 455-6800.