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?