Lasik Eye Surgery and Eye Care

If you are like millions of Americans you have many questions about Lasik and the procedures. Unfortunately there are a lot of myths and misleading information about lasik.

Click here to educate yourself on a few Lasik myths by watching Dr. Richard Blue.

Thank you for choosing the Blue Laser Group. We serve the areas of Athens and Gainesville Georgia and Highlands and Franklin North Carolina with the most advanced LASIK eye surgery procedures utilizing advanced laser technology. Our Intralase technology is the premier choice for genuine all-laser Lasik procedures. The Blue Laser Group is NorthEAst Georgia and Western North Carolina's premier eye care facility, with thousands of success stories.

LASIK is the most commonly performed refractive surgery procedure which is short for "laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis”. It is very popular due to the advantages over other vision correction procedures.

Those advantages include;
*a quick in- house, typically painless procedure
*the ability to go back to your normal activities the next day
*and great vision.

It sounds like we are doing incredible things to your eyes and we are. In fact the procedure takes less than a minute and is done in our office using computer controlled lasers for both steps. Dr. Blue is with you through out your entire procedure talking to you as each step progresses. You are relaxed and see only light often described as a “dancing lights” during this procedure. Many patients report this as a great experience.

Those who are both nearsighted and farsighted can benefit from the Lasik procedure. We also now have a great solution to presbyopia (near vision) called monovision.

Lasik

Vision Problems

There are three main parts to the human eye: the cornea, the lens, and the retina. The cornea refracts (bends) light so it can be directed through the lens, onto the retina; giving a clear image. When we experience vision problems these are usually the result of disorders or irregularities of the shape of the cornea. LASIK solves these vision problems by using lasers to reshape the curve of the cornea so that normal, clear, sight is obtained.

Astigmatism:

Astigmatism is the inability to focus clearly at any distance due to an irregular or misshapen cornea. With astigmatism the cornea is shaped more like an football than a basketball, and light rays focus at differing points on the retina, causing blurred vision. LASIK corrects this oval shape, making the cornea more round and achieving clear vision.

Nearsightedness:

Nearsighted people see close objects clearly – but not distant objects. In Nearsightedness the curve of the cornea is too steep, or the eye itself is somewhat elongated, resulting in images being focused in front of the retina. LASIK corrects this condition by flattening the curve of the cornea.

Farsightedness:

Farsighted people see distant objects clearly, however all other objects are blurred. In Farsightedness the shape of the cornea is too flat, or the eye is not spherical, causing light rays to focus behind the retina. LASIK corrects this condition by shaping the outer area of the cornea so that it focuses correctly.

Did you know . . .

Lasik has two steps:

First, a thin flap is created using a femtosecond laser which at Blue Laser Group is the Intralase Laser.
In step two, an excimer laser which is the Allegretto Wave laser uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely reshape the cornea to achieve the desired results. When the cornea is reshaped in the right way, it works better to focus light into the eye and onto the retina, providing clearer vision than before. This all laser approach is unique to Blue Laser Group.

The actual LASIK procedure takes minutes per eye. You can expect to feel no pain at all, and perhaps just the slightest sensation of pressure. Inserting or removing contact lenses – or just rubbing tired eyes from wearing glasses produces more discomfort than an all-laser LASIK procedure.

Since LASIK became a household word in the late 90s, advances in technology have exceeded all expectations, with some of the lasers themselves becoming almost household words.

Intralase is one name you have probably heard, for good reason; Intralase was the first laser approved by the FDA to replace the vibrating hand-held microkeratome blade for the flap-creation step of LASIK. Intralase is the laser of choice for most US LASIK surgeons performing genuine all-laser LASIK.

Another name you may know and will certainly hear more about is Allegretto Wave.

Since Blue Laser Group introduced Northeast Georgia’s first Allegretto Wave laser we have been constantly amazed by the Allegretto’s superior results. Many patients who would have needed two treatments with other lasers have achieved 20/20 vision (or better) with just one treatment with the Allegretto’s advanced technology.

Lasik Gainesville What is Advanced Wave Front technology?

Your eyes are as unique as your fingerprints and the most precise laser vision correction technology addresses these highly individual characteristics. Wave front technology captures each eye’s unique imperfections with far greater accuracy than ever before, translates that information into digital treatment instructions and sends them directly to the Allegretto Wave Excimer Laser System.

What does all this mean to you? It means highly personalized treatment of the corneal conditions that been creating your vision problems, plus the confidence that your surgeon is using the most advanced state-of-the art technologies to help you attain your vision goals.

Investment in state-of-the-art technologies such as these is a factual measure of commitment to results. A full-time independent LASIK surgeon like Dr. Richard Blue, committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for his patients, will choose the technology that meets his exacting standards. He won’t compromise those standards by less precise but less expensive equipment.

In the final analysis, your successful LASIK outcome depends most on the skill, commitment and experience of the surgeon who performs your procedure. Once you have satisfied yourself that you are in the best possible hands, trust your surgeon to use the best possible tools to bring your vision into the 21st Century.

The Pentacam

The Gold Standard of Diagnostic Equipment

Understanding the shape and thickness of the cornea is important to any refractive procedure. The Pentacam is a diagnostic test that analyzes and measures the cornea, which is the clear front surface of the eye where light rays enter. The Pentacam uses a specialized automatically rotating camera which provides sharp, crisp images of the ocular structures from the front (anterior) surface of the cornea to the back (posterior) crystalline lens capsule. In less than 2 seconds, 100 scans of the eye produce an accurate 3-dimensional mathematical model of the front of the eye. A precise analysis of the central cornea is carried out in this process. These measurements are non-contact and agreeable to the patient.

These results provide precise measurements of the central corneal and illustrations of the individual corneal layers. The Pentacam has enabled us to analyze the eye with an accuracy what was previously not available. You can have the confidence that the most accurate clinical data is being collected for your refractive surgery procedure. When considering laser vision correction, this advanced diagnostic instrument is a real advantage over all other ocular diagnostic equipment available today.

How Affordable is LASIK?

A lifetime of wearing glasses and contacts can be a lot tougher on your pocket book than the one-time cost of LASIK. According to one industry survey, 20 years of dependence on lenses could cost around $12,000. And that doesn’t include the loss of quality of life while you deal with the irritations and hassles.

The average price for a “basic” LASIK procedure across the US thru the second quarter of 2007 was $1958 per eye. The average price for customized all-laser LASIK was $2357 per eye. This average includes discount centers. According to a report given before the US House of Representatives in 2006: “Indeed, only 3 percent of LASIK procedures cost less than $1,000 per eye, and the average price is about $2,000.”

Do I Have To Discount My Vision to Afford LASIK?

A recent Wall Street Journal survey shows that over 15% of patients who received ‘discount’ LASIK were unhappy with their results. 15% may not seem like much, until you realize that less than 8% of applicants even qualified for the discount price.

Our fees for LASIK are usually $1450 - $3100 an eye. Dr. Richard Blue provides financing options that make LASIK as affordable as a latte a day, literally 20/20 vision for around three dollars a day:

Best Payment Plans for LASIK

We've worked hard to provide the best payment plans in Northeast Georgia and Western North Carolina... that means the low monthly payments,plans with no interest and plans with very high approval rates.

Financing Available

We offer 0%-interest* and Low-interest extended payment options through our financing partners. We can help you fill out and submit your credit request and have an answer in minutes without affecting your credit report in any way.

Many insurance plans offer a LASIK discount benefit. Please inform us prior to your surgery date if you have insurance coverage, so we can work with you and your provider to apply any savings possible to your fee. Some vision plans that provide discounts for LASIK are VSP, Spectera, EyeMed, Davis and Cole.

We accept Cash, Cashier’s Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Flex Spending plans.

*NO Interest if Paid in Full within 12 months on purchases of $1000 or more with your Carecredit card. Interest will be charged to your account from purchase date if the promotional balance, including optional charges is not paid in full within 12 months or if you make a late payment. Minimum monthly payments required.
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In the beginning we could only correct nearsightedness, later astigmatism and finally farsightedness. Today because of the remarkable accuracy of the latest lasers, patients can even choose to eliminate reading glasses.

Many of my very happy patients had actually been told that they were not candidates for Lasik. Because of the amazing refinements in technology in 2011, the great majority of patients who wear glasses or contacts are actually excellent candidates for laser vision correction. They just don’t know it! Lasik evaluations are performed in our office at no charge, allowing you to truly know your options. I had Lasik myself and I love providing this freedom for my patients. Lasik is one of the only procedures where the Doctor actually can make you better than you have ever been before. I am 57 and after my Lasik, I don’t even need reading glasses!

“I have now had the privilege to perform over 25,000 vision correction procedures in my career. The two statements that I hear over and over from my patients are “Lasik is the best thing I have ever done for myself” and "I should have done this years ago”. I look forward to hearing that from you.

Knowledge and understanding are a vital component to any vision correction procedure. To ensure our patients are knowledgeable about and comfortable with their procedure, Blue Laser Group offers free informational seminars on laser vision correction procedures.

Each seminar will give you a detailed description of the procedure. You will also get a chance to meet Dr. Blue and have a question and answer session. In select seminars, Dr. Blue will perform the procedure live.

Browse our schedule of upcoming seminars, and register online or by calling (888) 237-2583. Seating is limited, so reserve your seat today. Please arrive 10 minutes early. The seminar starts precisely at the time selected.

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For detailed information about the different plans please see our lasik procedure methods.

Blue Laser Group Lasik Plans
Options available	BASIC Plan	UPGRADE Plan	PREMIUM Plan	LIFETIME PLAN
PRICE per Eye	$1450	$1950	$ 2450	$3100
Seminar discount per eye	No	No	-1000 total (-500 per eye) $1950 per eye if attended seminar	No discounts at all- due to the nature of the plan.
Post op Period- visits at no charge as related to lasik procedure only	60 days - there will be a charge for visits after this time	6 months - there will be a charge for visits after this time	1 year -there will be a charge for visits after this time	1 year - there will be a charge for visits after this time BUT NO charge for enhancements *see note below
Bladeless Technology	YES Surface Ablation/AW	YES Surface Ablation/AW	YES Intralase Allegretto Wave	YES Intralase Allegretto Wave
Monovision (reading)	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Medication	Valium Moisturizing drops Pain pill	Valium Moisturizing drops Pain pill	Valium Moisturizing drops Pain pill	ALL provided for procedure; Antibiotic Anti-inflammatory Valium Moisturizing drops Pain pill
Enhancement	$750 per eye	Free within the 1st year $750 per eye after	Free within the 1st year $750 per eye after	Lifetime enhancements with Dr. Blue.* No charge
Financing- for qualified consumers through Care Credit	36-60 months at interest No 0%	36-60 months at Interest NO 0%	0% for 12 months OR Up to 60 months at interest	0% for 24 months OR Up to 60 months at interest

* Patient must come in every year for an annual exam with Dr Blue and must not have had any other refractive procedure at another facility or with another physician.

There are two equally effective methods of laser vision correction, LASIK and Surface Ablation also called PRK.

Both approaches, LASIK and Surface Ablation, are two step procedures that typically take approximately one minute to perform. The important vision correction (2nd step) is identical for the two procedures.

In step two, an excimer laser, which in our practice is the Allegretto Wave laser, uses a cool ultraviolet light beam to precisely reshape the cornea and correct your vision. When the cornea has the perfect shape, it focuses light into the eye and precisely onto the retina, providing clear vision.

In order to reshape the cornea, the epithelium (skin) which covers all of our body including the eye, must be temporarily removed. This can be accomplished in one of two ways, by the creation of a flap of tissue (LASIK) or removal of the skin (Surface Ablation).

With lasik, in our practice, the 1st step of the procedure utilizes a femtosecond laser (Intralase) to create a thin flap of tissue containing the skin. This thin flap is elevated, the vision correction performed (2nd step), then replaced.
With Surface Ablation, in the 1st step of the procedure, the corneal epithelium (skin) is gently removed prior to performing the vision correction (2nd step). The epithelium is a rapidly re-growing layer of cells that can completely replace itself within a few days with no loss of clarity.

Lasik offers the advantage of more rapid healing and quicker return to full activities. Surface ablation offers advantages for the patient with certain pre-existing eye conditions and requires slightly fewer resources for the physician to provide care.

The final visual results are virtually identical with the two procedures. For most patients either procedure can be used to provide the desired results. An experienced laser vision correction specialist will be very valuable in helping guide your decision.

At Blue Laser Group, you'll notice that we don't use the term "lasik surgery" very often. Of course, the procedures we perform are technically classified as surgical, but the problem is that the term "lasik surgery" can bring inaccurate connotations. When most people think of "lasik surgery," they think of scalpels, blades and long recovery times. Using Intralase technology, The Blue Laser Group creates a very different experience. Planned using computer-driven mapping technology, executed with lasers accurate to microscopic scales and overseen by an Opthaomologist with over two decades of experience, your Lasik procedure at the Blue Laser Group will be a lot easier than any experience with lasik surgery you have probably ever had.