State-Journal.com - Reshaping how people see LASIK

Photo By State Journal/Hilly SchifferDr. Irfan Ansari performs LASIK surgery at the Frankfort Eye Center.

“I didn’t know I was missing things until I got it done.”

That’s how Liberty Hall, 29, describes the outcome of recent LASIK eye surgery performed by Dr. Irfan Ansari of the Frankfort Eye Center.

Hall says she felt great when she walked outside and could see everything clearly – without her glasses.

Ansari, 34, has performed LASIK on 19 in the Frankfort area since opening the Frankfort Eye Center in August.

“My father was an ophthalmologist, so I have been interested in working with eyes since I was a boy,” Ansari says.

Originally from Pakistan, Ansari grew up in England and received his education in Canada. He moved to the U.S. 10 years ago, where he practiced in Illinois.

Last year he moved his wife and two children to Frankfort to start the full-service Frankfort Eye Center, which includes optical services to complement the eye health procedures Ansari provides.

“My wife has friends in Lexington, but we like the small-town feel of Frankfort,” Ansari says.

Ansari performs numerous surgical procedures for cataracts, retina treatment, diabetic eye disorders and glaucoma. Eyelid conditions, such as droopy eyelids, are the second most-requested procedures he performs.

But LASIK is first and foremost what people are interested in today.

LASIK, an acronym for Laser Assisted In-situ Keratomileusis, uses a laser to reshape the cornea. It requires no incisions and no stitches, and the healing time is rapid.

In most cases, like Hall’s for example, the patient can immediately see a difference in reading or driving without having to use glasses or contacts.

Nevertheless, Ansari says the public should be clear on what LASIK is and what it is not.

First, the majority of LASIK surgeries are to correct distance only vision.

“In some cases, you can have one eye corrected for distance, and the other eye corrected for near vision,” Ansari says.

Second, not everyone is a candidate for LASIK.

“Some of the conditions that would prohibit someone from receiving the surgery are: pregnancy, eye infections or some immune conditions, predisposition to dry eyes, a scarred or irregular cornea, and a cornea that is too thin for the amount of correction needed,” Ansari says.

“We do a preliminary evaluation, which takes about an hour and involves six different types of tests, to determine whether LASIK is right for you.”

A third concern is the risk involved in the procedure.

“Nothing is 100 percent safe,” Ansari says. “But research from the more than a million of these procedures already done show a less than 1 percent risk of injury to the eye, and only a 0.2 percent resulting in infection.”

And, finally, there’s the cost Ansari says can run up to $3,000 for both eyes.

“Right now, you will find our prices much lower than most places because we are introducing the procedure into the Frankfort community,” Ansari says.

He is encouraged about the advances in eye health care that have occurred in just the last 15 years.

“I remember my father telling me when I was about 10 years old that even if you don’t want to wear glasses, there is nothing you can do,” Ansari says.

Today there are so many alternatives, and research on the eye itself is promising.

“The eye is an extension of the nerves,” Ansari explains.

“Right now we cannot regenerate nerves that have been destroyed. We hope to achieve this in the near future.”

13.	Posted by BIGBROTHER June 15, 2009
	I am a Citizen of Frankfort, and I am proud to say that! But, I am ashamed of several city commissioners and vow that I will dedicate all my free time to campaign AGAINST any City Commissioner that votes for taking the Longevity pay from the City employees! Keeping financial information from the citizens of the city as well as other City Commissioners! The $190,000 donations to charities is a direct violation of Federal and State law. This will addressed very soon. It's obvious that the finance director of the City is responsible for the majority of the City's financial chaos! These problems did not start until he was hired, Jimmy Rogers ran a tight fiance dept, he was not afraid to say no to the mayor or city commissioners! This IS what happens when you put a yes man in charge of money! Now the City commissioners make $14,000 annual salary, Plus health benefits, vacation and retirement? Part time and full benefits? What's wrong with that picture? YET, YOU DARE CUT BENEFITS FROM FULL-TIME CITY EMPLOYEES!?!?!?!&^%$#@# Mayor Gippy said, Danville trash is 7.50 a month and ours would only be 5.00 a month. Well Danville City commissioners only get 50.00 dollars per meeting WITH NO BENEFITS! "YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES"! IF YOU THINK THERE ARE NO JOBS OUT THERE AND THEY WONT LEAVE! YOUR WRONG! AND WHEN THEY LEAVE YOU'LL HAVE SECOND RATE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE JUST HERE FOR A CHECK! A LAW SUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN!$$$$$$$THE CITY HAS VERY PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY ON A DAILY BASIS! ANY POOR DECISIONS THE CITY COMMISSIONERS MAKE THIS MONTH WILL CAUSE A DOMINO EFFECT THAT YOU WILL ALL END UP REGRETTING! THE CITY WILL PAY AND THE CITIZENS OF FRANKFORT WILL PAY! A STORM IS COMING AND YOU HAVE CREATED IT YOUR VOTES WILL NOT BE THERE FOR THE NEXT CAMPAIGN!!! CARTER YOU HAVE FLIP FLOPPED FOR THE LAST TERM! GIPPY YOU ONCE SAID, THAT AS MAYOR YOU HAD NO POWER. THAT YOU WAS JUST A PUBLIC FIGURE! WELL YOUR WRONG YOUR VOTE DOES HAVE POWER! YOUR POLITICAL CAREER SPEAKS VOLUMES, I VOTED FOR YOU! BUT, YOU SEEM TO BE IN CATHY CARTERS BACK POCKET! TAKE CHARGE DO TO BE LED AROUND BY HER! I THOUGHT YOU'D DO GREAT THINGS IN OFFICE BUT, YOU ARE TURNING OUT TO BE ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT TOWN! TAKE TIME, DO SOME RESEARCH, GO TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, EACH DEPT! BEFORE MAKING ANY HASTY SECOND HAND DECISIONS THAT WILL EFFECT YOUR FUTURE IN FRANKFORT! IT'S TO LATE FOR CARTER AND WILLIAMS! THEY HAVE SEALED THEIR FATE FOR THE NEXT ELECTION!