What: Latisse Lash ‘n Dash Lunch on
When: Friday, February 10th from 11:30-1:00.
Where: Join us at the Park Avenue Medical Office Building, 710 E. 24th St. Suite 205, Minneapolis, MN  55404.

Click Here for Directions

Please stop in and fuller, thicker lashes are on the menu!

Receive $300 OFF Laser Vision Correction per eye!

CONTACT US TODAY SO YOU CAN SEE THE WORLD CLEARER!

*Dr. Keith Carlson is affiliated with Allina Medical Clinics. Offer is not being presented by all surgeons.

For more information, please contact Claris Eye Care & Surgery at 612.775.8009 or email us at info@clariseyecare.com.

Luke 1: 32-33, King James Version

Merry Christmas from all of us at Claris Eye Care and Surgery!

“Knowledge is power” is an axiom we are all familiar with. Making a decision about any corrective eye surgery that is supported by knowledge is empowering. Of course, as with any surgery there are significant benefits and risks associated with laser vision treatments. Having a highly experienced, trustworthy vision correction specialist to determine what is the right choice for you, as an individual, is key- because no two eyes are alike; even your own right and left eyes are not homogenous!

Even though our vision stabilizes by a certain age, for most people it’s not perfect… some kind of assistance in the way of glasses and contacts become necessary in order for us to read up close or to see things far away and it can really become a big hassle. Considering the cumulative amount of time and money spent on office visits and vision prosthetics, most of us are starting to wonder if laser vision correction surgery (LVC) might be a good option? It certainly would be nice to read a menu without having to dig for your glasses, or to able to hug someone without having to take them off! And it’s been reported that contacts can actually cause damage to our eyes in certain circumstances. So why not simplify, and enjoy life a little bit better?

“I think everybody who wears glasses or contacts should get it [ Lasik ]! It’s that simple. There seems to be no downside to getting it now.”
Micah E.

Lasik and Technology

Lasik has now become the most commonly performed type of surgery and is safe and effective for a wide range of common vision problems including: nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism or a combination thereof. Potential patients must have no systematic diseases or eye diseases, must have a stable prescription, must have healthy eyes, and must be at least 18 years old (sometimes 21 for patients with astigmatism). That being said, there are a number of circumstances that would prohibit someone from being an ideal candidate for Lasik in particular. In which case, there are quite a few other laser vision correction procedures available.

At Claris, Dr. Carlson utilizes the VISX STAR S4 IR laser, which represents the most advanced laser technology platform available today. VISX technology delivers extremely reliable and precisely controllable custom laser surgery. In addition, Wavefront technology, also being used at Claris, allows surgeons to achieve what many believed impossible before. WaveScan® based digital technology identifies and measures imperfections in your eyes 25 times more precisely than standard methods. The powerful WaveScan® software translates the information into a set of CustomVue® treatment instructions for the laser. These digital treatment instructions are then transferred to the laser, driving a new level of precision and accuracy.
VISX reported that one million laser procedures had been performed as of October 1999. Today, the company reports that there have been six million procedures performed with their lasers, suggesting a popular treatment option with a high success rate.

Cost

Affordability has been listed as one of the primary deterrents for pursuing LVC. However, when you start to look what your typical eye care costs are – glasses & sunglasses, daily wear disposable contacts (other lenses which cost even more), solutions, plus examinations – and do the math, the reality is that laser surgeries could actually pay for themselves within 4 years.

Even though laser procedures are not usually covered by insurance because they are elective surgeries, not having the large capital cost upfront can’t really be an excuse for postponing anymore either- because most surgeons can arrange financing at a low to 0%. By the time the procedure is paid for, you’ve realized half your savings. It might also be worth looking into part of these costs being covered by the use of flexible savings accounts and pre-tax dollars and writing off surgery as tax deductible

“The next best thing to knowing something is knowing where to find it.”
Samuel Johnson ( 1709-1784) - British author

Claris has the answer

The bottom line is that the best way to answer the question, is to gather a list of your Own questions! Schedule an appointment for a thorough evaluation with an experienced, credited and reputable vision specialist. Be prepared: bring in any detailed information you have about your medical, ocular and social history. Find out what you can expect before, during and after any surgery.
An overwhelming majority of patients who have had laser vision correction are fully satisfied with their results, having experienced the significant benefits of improved vision and now you can too.

Come in to CLARIS today for a FREE consultation.
Contact Claris: by phone at 612.775.8009 or by email at info@clariseyecare.com.

Trust & Experience

For nearly 20 years, thousands of patients have trusted Dr. Carlson with their eyes. He is a Mayo Clinic trained and board-certified ophthamologist. Dr. Carlson was among the first to work in laser vision correction, having begun before the opening of today’s mega-surgery centers. He is one of the most highly-experienced vision correction specialists in the region. Thousands of pairs of Minnesota eyes see better today because of his work.

In addition to helping you understand various laser vision correction options, Claris Eye Care & Surgery will explain the costs and help you identify the best means of financing your procedure. Also, there are no extra charges at Claris Eye & Surgery for higher corrections, astigmatism, preoperative ancillary testing, postoperative exams or enhancement surgeries for the first year.
For your eyes, the choice is clear, Claris.

Call: 612.775.8009
Email: info@clariseyecare.com

Sources:

www.eyes.com/femtosecond-lasers.html
www.inventors.about.com/od/lstartinventions/a/laser_2.htm
www.lasikeyesurgerycorrection.com/lasik_surgery_cost.html
www.lasikinstitute.org/
www.lasikinstitute.org/LASIK_Patient_Screening_Guidelines.html
www.clariseyecare.com/procedures/laserlasik/
www.online-eye-info.com/save-money.html

With such an ambitious and outstanding venture, it’s only fitting that the venue and audience reflect the cause. Taking place at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins, the event was filled with some of the cities’ top doctors and entertainment provided by the New Standards. With food stations of holiday-themed eats such as turkey on rolls with cranberry sauce, the season’s sense of giving was in the air and definitely felt everywhere.

The evening couldn’t have been complete without a little shopping. Live auctions were in copious amounts with items from spectacular trips and amazing stays to a case of fine wine. Naturally Claris Eye Care wanted to participate and give to the cause and offered their products and services to the benefit. Providing to the live auction items and services with a total value of $2500, Claris Eye Care hopes their and other’s generosity will be felt by those in need of proper eye care and treatments, especially during this season of giving.

With the venue, the company and the cause, it was easy to see that support for vital eye health was in fashion that night.

Improving your quality of life doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive. Seeking preventative medical care is not a common occurrence here in the western hemisphere- we tend to adopt an“ If it ain’t broke don’t fix it ” attitude when it comes to our health and our lifestyle. This often ends up meaning that we spend more time in waiting rooms, having tons of tests done and having to take out a second mortgage in order to pay for our surgeries! All of which could have been avoided with proper care and preservation.

However, if you are a patient with diabetes Type I or Type II, you would be well advised to pay attention and adopt the attitude of “you can’t put a price on your health”. If you have diabetes, it’s imperative that you are aware of the risk of permanent vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. The risk increases with the duration of the disease. Of the 17.9 million people in the United States who have actually been diagnosed with diabetes, only about 50% of patients seek out and receive proper eye care. Preventing the development and progression of complications from diabetes will not only improve your current quality of life, it will ultimately decrease the cost of future health care.

A little information can go a long way, so here are some things you should know if you are a patient with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy results from the effects of diabetes on blood vessels in the retina (the tissue which lines the inner eye)- it causes retinal blood vessels to leak and grow abnormally. There are two main stages of diabetic retinopathy: non-proliferative and proliferative. In the non-proliferative stage, although there is damage, patients may have normal vision. But if any of the leaky fluid accumulates in the central part of the retina, vision will be affected, causing a condition called macular edema. In the proliferative stage, new abnormal blood vessels grow and extend over the surface of the retina, thus causing a variety of complications, leading to decreased vision and possible blindness.

If that all sounds a little daunting, well, it’s serious stuff! However, there are promising new advantages available with proper medical care. In the past few years, research has started to focus on different therapies such as anti-VEGF ( vascular endothelial growth factor) as a new and promising option for patients with diabetic retinopathy. In addition , laser photocoagulation has been shown to reduce the risk of moderate visual loss by 50%, and there are a few intravitreal medications currently available which also may be beneficial. If necessary, we will refer you to a retinal specialist for other treatments as needed.

So why wait until the “worst case scenario” has become your reality? Why put off a simple office visit and evaluation which could greatly reduce the risk of blindness? At CLARIS you know that you will receive optimal care and improve your chances for healthy eyes, and a healthy life.

There are many things to consider as a patient with diabetes. But having a place to go for trustworthy and caring ophthalmologic evaluation and treatment should be high on the list. Let CLARIS help take care of one of your most precious gifts, your eyesight.

“Dr. Carlson goes beyond treating symptoms. He gets to the root cause of things. In doing so, Dr. Carlson quite literally saved my eyesight when he helped detect a hidden tumor behind my eye. What’s more, he responded quickly to an urgent email from me on this same topic during his vacation. Dr. Carlson has been my physician for a long time, and will continue to be. If he moved to Duluth I would still go see him.”
Chris C. Patient at CLARIS since 1994

DJO- Digital Journal of Ophthalmology, www.djo.harvard. Edu., “Diabetic Retinopathy”, author: Magdalena Krzystolik, MD, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School

www.emedicine.medscape.com, “Macular Edema in Diabetes”, author: Emmanouil Mavrikakis, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr. MD

We had a great day at Jubilee 2011 in Apple Valley this past Saturday. Nearly 2000 people experienced the love of Christ through the gift of food, clothing and other services provided by area churches and business. Claris was blessed to be a small part of the day. We did vision screening on over 60 people. 22 people were refracted and given prescriptions for new glasses. Some had never had glasses before. When the trial glasses lenses were put on, it was wonderful to see the expression of amazement on the person’s face as things looked clear for the first time! Other eye problems like cataracts, pterygia, allergies, and dryness were either discussed or treated, too. Our thanks to Johnson Ophthalmic, the Phillips Eye Institute, Ista Pharmaceutical and Allergan Inc. for supporting us with equipment and eye drop samples. The day went by very quickly, but was a joy to Give Back to others. As Proverbs 11:25 says, “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed”. We at Claris experienced this truth at Jubilee!