Have You Heard About LASIK?

The LASIK procedure has become increasingly popular due to enormous advances in technology with very small recovery periods following the surgery. Over 1 million procedures are performed each year in the United States, and that number will continue to grow as developing technologies improve the reliability, availability, and affordability of the procedure.

"Laser vision correction has been used for over 20 years. In fact, I participated in the 2nd LASIK procedure performed on a human in the United States. Since then, I've had the privilege of treating thousands of patients with LASIK to give them independence from glasses and contact lenses. It's important to remember that LASIK vision correction is the #1 elective medical procedure performed in the world today– and with the incredible advances in technology, LASIK has become safer, more reliable and more affordable with every passing year."

– Dr. Steven V. Scoper, Virginia Eye Consultants

In general, the LASIK procedure is performed in two steps:

1) Making a Corneal Flap. First the doctor will use a painless, cool laser to lift a small flap made on the protective surface of the cornea.

2) Reshaping The Cornea. In the second step, an excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea and correct vision problems. Once this is complete, the protective flap is put back into place and heals quickly on its own.

The LASIK procedure has gone through many advancements, evolving from the older methods of ALK and PRK. ALK used a hand-held instrument called a microkeratome to perform the procedure, and could only correct nearsightedness. Because this surgery was done completely by hand there was room for a larger margin of error. PRK, the precursor to LASIK, appeared in 1987. This procedure does not involve making a corneal flap but uses an excimer laser to work directly on the outer surface of the cornea. PRK can correct nearsightedness, astigmatism, and some farsightedness. LASIK combines the use of the corneal flap from ALK with the excimer laser used in PRK. These new laser technologies now make it possible to correct a more extensive range of refractive error, including the elimination of using the less predictable performance of mechanical microkeratome and surgical blades to create the corneal flap.

Virginia Eye Consultants uses the latest laser technology available today in order to perform our blade-free LASIK procedures at maximum efficiency and predictability.

Share With Your Family This Holiday Season

The Holiday Season is a time of coming together. A time for families, often divided by hundreds or thousands of miles, to travel to one location and enjoy the company of those they may see only a few times a year. This presents a valuable opportunity to discuss your families medical history. Many may be unaware of the fact that some common eye diseases, such as glaucoma, are hereditary.

Hereditary eye diseases carry much more significance as they frequently target younger individuals, even children, creating a heavy burden on the whole family who may also be at risk. It is important to be aware of your families medical history, and take a proactive approach should there be any cause for concern.

Having a relative with a hereditary eye disease does not guarantee that it will affect other family members, but one should be very aware of the increased risk. A family history of hereditary glaucoma can increase the risk of development by four to nine times. This underscores the importance of an aggressive stance with regard to having regular routine eye exams as well as making your ophthalmologist aware of your families medical history.

Virginia Eye Consultants provides the latest in testing and diagnostic procedures. Our in-house glaucoma specialist, Dr. Constance Okeke, will provide you with a wealth of knowledge regarding hereditary eye diseases. She is an incredible asset to the VEC Team and may play a vital role in your family's ocular health. For more information regarding hereditary eye diseases, glaucoma or any of our ophthalmic services and procedures, please call (757) 622-2020 and visit www.virginiaeyeconsultants.com.

Proudly Announcing: The ALLEGRETTO WAVE® Eye-Q

Here at Virginia Eye Consultants we are always striving to offer our patients the most up-to-date eye correction technology available. This is why we are excited to announce the latest addition to our facility, The ALLEGRETTO WAVE^® Eye-Q Laser System.

The ALLEGRETTO WAVE^® Eye-Q customizes each treatment to the patient’s specific prescription and cornea while attempting to improve what nature originally designed. It is a safer, faster all-laser procedure, and is used in conjunction with our IntraLase laser, allowing us to offer a truly BLADE-FREE procedure. At Virginia Eye Consultants, we believe that excellent surgical results depend on distinctive patient care. Every patient has unique vision needs that must be addressed individually. Our system of care is exceptional in that you will receive first class treatment with industry leading technology.

The ALLEGRETTO WAVE^® Eye-Q allows us to further tailor specific vision care treatments to each individual patient. We are here to serve you, our patient. Our rich history and experience, our mastery of the very latest technologies and our reputation have resulted in earning us the highest commodity: the trust of our patients.

Don't Miss This Amazing Opportunity!

You still have time to register for the first in Dr. Scoper's series of interactive webcast teleconferences! This conference, "The Missing Step to Achieving Better Premium IOL Outcomes", will take place on Thursday, July 30, from 8:30-9:30 p.m., EST. Please attend and discuss this topic with Dr. Scoper and others around the country!

To register for this event, call 800-668-0651 or e-mail the following registration information to registration@aristamktg.com:

-Name
-Complete office address
-Office phone and fax numbers
-Phone number at the time of the teleconference
-E-mail address

For more about Dr. Scoper, click here!

John D. Sheppard, M.D., M.M.Sc. Presents Keynote Address in Chicago, IL

John Sheppard, M.D., M.M.Sc., the President of Virginia Eye Consultants, gave the keynote address at Bausch & Lomb's Speaker Training Meeting on June 5, 2009. The meeting was held at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago.

Dr. Sheppard presented to 51 ophthalmologists and optometrists on Loteprednol Etabonate: A Decade of Milestones with a Unique Molecule including current research and articles that he was involved in.

Walt Whitley, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O. Presents at the Utah Optometric Association Annual Congress

Midway, Utah | June 9, 2009

Dr. Walt Whitley, Director of Optometric Services at Virginia Eye Consultants, was one of several lecturers invited to speak at the 2009 UOA Annual Congress on June 4-7, 2009. This year's conference was held at the Zermott Resort in Midway, Utah with over 125 optometrists and paraoptometric technicians in attendance. Dr. Whitley spoke on several topics including "Minimizing and Maximizing Ocular Surgery Complications" and "Corneal and Conjunctival Culturing: When? Why? and How?"

"This meeting was an enjoyable experience, because I got a chance to see several of my classmates, colleagues and friends," says Dr. Whitley.

His first lecture discussed the optometrist's role in the pre- and post-operative management of ocular surgery, such as conventional cataract surgery, ReSTOR® Premium IOLs, and LASIK eye surgery. The second lecture discussed the differential diagnosis of corneal and conjunctival infections along with various treatment options.

Walter O. Whitley, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O. Receives His Master's in Business Administration

On May 15, 2009, Walter Whitley received his M.B.A. degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. Prior to moving to Virginia, he began his pursuit of a business degree for both personal and professional reasons.

After three busy years of school, work, getting engaged, moving to Virginia, getting married to Lindsay, and starting a new position, he is excited to focus on his wife and his position at Virginia Eye Consultants (VEC).

Dr. Whitley has a strong interest in the business aspects of health care and plans on implementing the tools and skills that he learned in school in his position as the Director of Optometric Services at VEC.

Stephen V. Scoper, M.D. in Orlando, Florida for Premium IOL Course

Dr. Stephen Scoper, our vice president and lead refractive surgeon, will be in Orlando, Florida, for a series of discussions and courses for Premium IOLs on Friday May 15th and Saturday May 16th!

Friday, May 15th (evening) - Dr. Scoper will be leading a discussion group for ophthalmologists in Orlando about Premium IOLs.

Saturday, May 16th (morning) - Dr. Scoper will be presenting a 3 hour course to optometrists in Orlando about co-management of Premium IOLs.

For Saturday's course, Dr. Scoper will be presenting a comprehensive course for optometrists, preparing them to manage all aspects of pre-operative and post-operative care for co-management of Premium IOL procedures. Optometrists who already have experience in co-managing patients for routine cataract surgery will be taken to the next level of expertise in providing state-of-the-art multifocal and astigmatic technology to their patients. Integrating care with an experienced Premium IOL surgeon, they will have confidence in recommending the Premium IOL technology to their patients with whom they have developed a trusting doctor-patient relationship.

A comprehensive notebook will be provided to course attendees with extensive handouts and forms giving a step-by-step guide to take back to their practices. Premium IOL patients will describe their experiences and be available to answer questions to reinforce the lectures and consolidate the learning experience.

This CE-approved three hour course will conclude with the presentation of a Certificate of Completion in the Co-Management of Premium IOLs signed by the Course Director. This course has been approved by the Florida State Board.

A breakfast and registration period will begin at 8:00am and the program will commence starting at 8:30am until noon.

To learn more and register for this event with Dr. Scoper, visit http://events.SignUp4.com/ScoperOrlando

VEC Recognizes World Glaucoma Day with Free Glaucoma Screening on Thursday, March 12

Virginia Eye Consultants Recognizes World Glaucoma Day with Free Glaucoma Screening on Thursday, March 12

March 6, 2009 – Norfolk, VA. – Glaucoma is a silent thief that can steal your eyesight before you even realize it. That’s why early detection and treatment is so important.

In recognition of World Glaucoma Day, Virginia Eye Consultants will offer a free screening open to the public on Thursday, March 12. Screening will take place from 4-7 p.m. at the central office, located at 241 Corporate Blvd. in Norfolk. No appointment is necessary.

“We are pleased to offer this valuable public service to the greater Norfolk community,” says John Sheppard, M.D., a board-certified corneal specialist at Virginia Eye Consultants. “World Glaucoma Day is a global initiative to raise awareness about this serious eye condition – the second most common cause of blindness.”

On World Glaucoma Day, Virginia Eye Consultants will be joining hundreds of other vision care centers around the world, from China and Hong Kong to Europe and the United States to offer education and screenings for the public.

There are several types of glaucoma, but the most common is a gradual, progressive condition that slowly damages the optic nerve, a vital structure in the eye that sends visual information to the brain and makes eyesight possible.

“There is no cure for glaucoma,” says Dr. Sheppard, “but there are several effective treatments that can stop its progression and prevent blindness.

The risk for developing glaucoma increases with age, so it’s important to have a regular eye exam, especially after age 40, even if your vision seems fine. Typically glaucoma has no symptoms or warning signs until vision loss occurs. Usually peripheral or side vision is the first to be affected.

What can you expect during your glaucoma screening? Virginia Eye Consultants will be conducting a simple 10-15 minute exam of both eyes to check for visual acuity, the health of interior structures like the optic nerve and the overall pressure of fluids within the eye.

For more information about glaucoma screenings, please call Virginia Eye Consultants at 757-622-4866 or go to www.virginiaeyeconsultants.com.

About Virginia Eye Consultants

Virginia Eye Consultants has been Eastern Virginia’s leading vision care center since it was established in 1969. All of the physicians are fellowship-trained and board-certified specialists, which sets a high standard for care. The center has a national reputation for comprehensive medical and surgical vision care, with expertise in cataract surgery, glaucoma, corneal transplantation, refractive surgery, retinal diseases, macular degeneration and more. Two locations are offered in Norfolk and Hampton. More information can be found at www.virginiaeyeconsultants.com

VEC Announces Addition of All-Laser LASIK Platform to On-Site Laser Suite

Virginia Eye Consultants Announces Addition of All-Laser LASIK Platform to On-Site Laser Suite

Norfolk, Va., February 10, 2009 – Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, VA, announced today that it has added the IntraLase FS Femtosecond laser to its on-site laser suite, featuring the world’s most advanced LASIK technology.

The IntraLase FS Femtosecond laser has redefined vision correction by raising standards for optimal vision results from the LASIK procedure. During the first step of the LASIK procedure, your surgeon will create a corneal flap in order to allow him or her to reshape the corneal surface with an excimer laser. The flap is traditionally created with a microkeratome blade, but the IntraLase FS laser system provides a more accurate, all-laser method for creation of the corneal flap. Additionally, this revolutionary IntraLase technology precisely measures factors unique to each patient’s eye, including corneal thickness, steepness, diameter and pupil position to create a procedure individually customized to each patient’s specific vision needs. The elimination of the microkeratome blade allows for a safer and more accurate all-laser, blade-free LASIK procedure. In conjunction with the B&L Technolas excimer laser, the IntraLase FS Femtosecond laser offers patients of Virginia Eye Consultants a faster procedure that reduces already minimal discomfort and yields more accurate long-term results for improved vision.

“This level of advancement in LASIK not only optimizes the level of vision improvement our patients receive, but allows for customized treatment in the first stages of the LASIK process for results acutely tuned to each patients individual vision needs,” said Stephen V. Scoper, M.D. “It has completely enhanced our ability as ophthalmic surgeons to offer our patients a safer, comfortable and more accurate procedure for ideal vision results.”

About Virginia Eye Consultants

The expert team at Virginia Eye Consultants has been providing exceptional eye care to patients throughout Virginia for more than 30 years and is dedicated to helping each patient achieve optimal vision results. With the world’s most advanced technology and a team of committed eye experts, their many areas of expertise include cataract surgery, ophthalmic plastic surgery, corneal transplantation, refractive surgery and general eye care. A dedication to teaching, research and surgery has earned Virginia Eye Consultants an outstanding national reputation in the field of eye care. For more information about Virginia Eye Consultants visit www.virginiaeyeconsultants.com or call (757) 622-2200.