LASIK Holiday Special!




'Tis the Season for Clear Vision



If you’re not already our patient, don't miss out on the holiday special Carolina Ophthalmology Associates is having on LASIK. Finally, with zero money down and financing provided, having Advanced Custom LASIK by one of the most experienced surgeons in North Carolina is now affordable. Dr. James Bryan has been helping patients achieve their best possible vision with LASIK for over a decade and is offering $1000 off (both eyes) for anyone who books their procedure by December 31st!

With so many festive events and family celebrations on the horizon, why wait to upgrade your lifestyle and increase your quality of life? For more information or to schedule your consultation, please call me 877.321.EYES.

Pamela Andrews, COA

Refractive Surgery Coordinator

Local Families Need Assistance

Thanksgiving may be over, but our food drive isn’t.  Have an eye appointment scheduled soon?  Don’t forget to bring a non-perishable item!

Several local families are in need and this is Carolina Ophthalmology Associate’s 8^th year collecting items for the InterFaith Council (IFC) Food Pantry.  We will be collecting goods until the end of December.  Items in need range from canned tuna, canned meats, soups, rice, beans, canned vegetables, canned fruits, juice, dry milk, cereals, spaghetti pasta and sauce;  as well as diapers, soap, tooth paste, tooth brushes, shampoo and related personal hygiene items.

For information regarding donations or assistance, you may call IFC and its

Food Pantry at 929-6380 or visit them on line.

Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

Are you one of the 29 million Americans that have diabetes? During November's Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Carolina Ophthalmology Associates want to remind those with diabetes to protect their vision by having a dilated eye exam every year. 

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of legal blindness among working-age Americans.

Each year 12,000 to 24,000 people lose their sight due to diabetes. This includes people as young as 18 years old.

Diabetic retinopathy can also appear within the first year or two after the onset of the disease. For some people, diabetic retinopathy is one of the first signs they have diabetes.

Pregnant women with diabetes should have an eye exam in the first trimester – since diabetic eye disease can progress rapidly during pregnancy.

If you're diagnosed with diabetes, be sure to schedule a complete dilated eye exam once a year. Don’t smoke and keep your blood sugar under control through diet and exercise. Remember, it's your sight for life.

Just Launched!

Our newly designed website has launched and is getting glowing reviews! The new site has more information, links and videos, better navigation and much more. We’ve made it easier for patients to find the information needed for their particular eye condition.  If you haven’t checked out our new web site, you should definitely take a peek!! 

http://www.carolina2020.com/

You can also find us on   Facebook and Twitter.

Have a Happy & Safe Fourth

Did you know that more often than not, fireworks injure bystanders more often then they injure the person setting them off?  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 5,000 Americans are sent to the emergency room during the Fourth of July holidays because of injuries due to fireworks.

Approximately 1,000 of those injuries were to the eyes.

“What surprised me was that children under the age of 15 account for almost half of the total injuries,” said Mark Scroggs, MD. “Parents need to understand that even consumer - approved fireworks require the use of fire and are dangerous.” So this year, go to the local park and see the fireworks from the safety of your blanket or car!

Want Cheap LASIK?

Most of you have seen ads for $999 (or less) LASIK and think, “Wow, is that really possible?” Generally, LASIK surgery costs over two grand per eye, so people are shocked to see the difference. If you stop and think about it, you may have spent close to that on the last pair of glasses you bought. How can a high tech, precision surgery like LASIK cost almost as little as a pair of designer glasses?

The obvious answer is that it can’t. The ads are designed to get you in the door but are deceptive in many ways. This tactic is called the bait and switch. Unfortunately, by the time all of this is revealed to the patient, you’ve already invested your time, and may have been charged a consult fee that is nonrefundable if you do not proceed with the surgery.

Another tactic used is up-selling the patient with “optional” benefits which are not truly optional. The surgery itself is billed as one component, but the preoperative visit and follow-up care are then added onto the price. It is impossible to perform the surgery without doing a complete examination beforehand and of course post operative care will be needed afterwards, so the price skyrockets when you add everything up.

Another way to offer a cheaper LASIK procedure is to use inferior, out dated technology. In fact, the technology that is used is usually VERY old and doesn’t apply to most people that truly need LASIK. How else could it be offered at such a price difference? They may even say this is “cutting edge technology” when it is not.

Wouldn’t it be better to work with a practice that is honest and only uses the highest levels of technology? The choice is yours, but if you are interested in a free LASIK consultation with no strings attached, you should first visit Carolina Ophthalmology Associates.  Why would you want less than the best for your eyes?

Great Lasik Experience!

I had lasik surgery in December 2008. Until that time, I wore glasses for 37 years. I spent my lifetime keeping up with my glasses, purchasing new glasses annually, and constantly having my glasses adjusted. I also worried about keeping a second pair available for accidents.
The actual surgery was an easy process. I felt no discomfort, and my recovery was just 1 day! Pam explained exactly what would happen before, during and after surgery, and Dr. Bryan directed me through the process. I felt as though I was the only patient that day. Immediately after surgery, I sat up and read the clock on the wall across the room! I slept through the afternoon with no issues and no pain. A week after my surgery, my eyes became very dry causing my vision to be blurred with some discomfort. Dr. Bryan worked with me to resolve the dryness which restored my clear vision.
Lasik has changed my life! I am able to play with my kids, exercise, swim, but most of all I can see clearly. I have sharper vision, and I can see smaller details. It has opened my world! I do not have to keep up with my glasses nor do I have the expense of purchasing glasses. I enjoy waking up each day and getting dressed without having to put on glasses in order to see my hair, put on makeup, or if my clothes match!!!
I recommend anyone who is interested to make the commitment to lasik so you can change your life for the better! You will not regret the ease of life without the worry of glasses or contacts. You will be able to do more things and enjoy more moments in your everyday life!!!

Rebecca

Eye Care is Essential to Good Eye Health

As you can imagine, eye examinations are very effective in detecting potential eye problems.  Why then do most of us fail to schedule regular exams until we need new glasses, run out of contact lenses or it is time to visit the DMV?

Our eyes are greatly ignored, though they are very important to us. Generally, receiving eye examinations is very effective to detect some potential eye problems. But because most of us fail to do this, many eye diseases become worsened when they are diagnosed.

People seldom pay any attention to their eyes till they become sick. However, those problems can always not be treated easily when finally diagnosed.

For example, the damage caused by glaucoma is not reversible and if left untreated, can cause blindness. This disease does not show any noticeable symptoms until it’s done a significant amount of damage.  But if detected at an early stage and treated properly, vision can be saved.

Prevention is much more effective than cure and receiving routine eye examinations is one of the best preventive methods.  We can have the joy of good vision -even as we age- by scheduling regular eye exams.

To A Happy & Healthy 2010

Looking back on the months gone by,
As a new year starts and an old one ends,
We contemplate what brought us here,
And we think of our patients and our friends.
Recalling all the surgeries and eye exams,
Hoping how they enriched your lives,
We reflect upon who really counts,
As the fresh and bright new year arrives.

And when we ponder those who do,
We immediately think of all of you.
Thanks for being one of the reasons COA will have a Happy New Year!