Almost every eye doctor in Las Vegas will tell you that dry eye syndrome is one of the most common concerns they treat. The warm, dry and windy climate makes this common condition even more of an issue for Las Vegas area residents. The redness, irritation and discomfort that come from dry eye syndrome actually don’t have to do with the quantity of tears produced. In fact, many dry eye sufferers have excessively watery eyes.

The problem lies in the quality of the tears the eye produces. For a variety of reasons, particularly age, the body may produce tears that contain less oil and thus have a less lubricant quality. The climate in our area can be a cause or a contributor to dry eye syndrome. Contact lenses may also be a cause, as they can absorb much of the eye’s natural lubrication. Dry eye syndrome causes discomfort, and may result in damage to the cornea if not treated. Options for treatment include:

• Artificial tears, which come in numerous, effective formulations
• Punctual plugs, which block the tear drain so that tears remain in the eye, keeping it moist
• Oral medications to improve the lubrication of the eye

Your eye doctor may also be able to recommend lifestyle changes to help you manage your dry eye syndrome so you can feel better and preserve your vision.

Even though cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss among women and men over 55, many people aren’t aware of the changes occurring to their eyes. Because the lens thickens and becomes cloudy gradually, the vision changes caused by cataracts sometimes go unnoticed.

At Westfield Eye Center, we have specialized in leading edge techniques in cataract surgery for over 30 years. Our Las Vegas patients often don’t realize how straightforward and comfortable this surgery is, and how much better they will see afterward. Many comment that they wish they had done it sooner. If they had recognized these signs, perhaps they would have:

• Hazy, clouded or blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light and glare
• Seeing halos around lights
• Increasing difficulty with night vision
• Fading or dulling of colors
• Double vision in one eye

If you have these symptoms, your eye care provider can help you to determine if you are ready for cataract surgery.

Summertime in Las Vegas is not just hot, it’s bright! The sun’s rays are out in full force, and as a Las Vegas eye doctor, I recommend making eye protection a top priority. Good sunglasses do more than make you look cool, they should offer protection from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and prevent damage to the eye as well as the skin surrounding it.

When choosing sunglasses, the larger ones not only make you look like a movie star, they offer more protection. But size isn’t all that matters. Be sure to look for sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB rays. If the product label does not offer UV protection information or the glasses do not provide adequate protection, skip them in favor of those that do. Otherwise, you could be in for a host of eye problems.

From a cosmetic standpoint, sun damage can cause premature wrinkling and sagging of the skin around the eyes. Furthermore, a sunburn of the eyelid skin can be very painful and can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. The sun’s UV rays can also cause damage to the cornea, lens, and other parts of the eye, and may contribute to the development of cataracts.

If this warning comes too late and you already have sun damage on or around your eyes, call Westfield Eye Center at 702-362-3937 today to schedule an appointment.

We’ve heard a lot recently about the risk of contracting hepatitis C from BOTOX®. Las Vegas women and men who choose a reputable BOTOX provider such as Westfield Eye Center need not worry. The concerns stem from an outbreak of hepatitis C in Southern Nevada, but it is important to note that no cases of hepatitis C have been connected to BOTOX injections.

The cluster of hepatitis C cases in our area has been connected to a medical center that reportedly administered anesthesia injections with previously used syringes. These were not BOTOX injections, and the practice of reusing syringes is not only unsafe and unethical, it is unheard of among reputable, board-certified physicians. At Westfield Eye Center, patient health is our top priority, and BOTOX is administered by physicians only. The strict safety protocol that we follow for BOTOX Cosmetic injections is as important as our eye surgery safety practices.

If you still have questions about the safety of BOTOX injections, we welcome you to contact us at Westfield Eye Center, or come in for a personal consultation.

Are you one of the many people who are considering a tummy tuck in Las Vegas? You, like most others, are probably wondering where you can get some real, useful insights about the procedure – information that will actually be helpful to you. While there are a variety of resources available, I’m going to focus on just one here: patient forums. There are many review sites and forums where people considering abdominoplasty can get first-hand accounts from patients.

RealSelf

If you are considering abdominoplasty, there are many review sites that you can visit to get that first-hand description. One that I personally like is RealSelf. Their rating on tummy tuck procedures is a whopping 86%. That means that 86% of patients who have undergone tummy tuck surgery who are participating on its forum (RealSelf has over 600 tummy tuck patient reviews) deemed the procedure “worth it.”

With reviews, though, you must take the good with the bad. Not everyone will agree about a certain procedure. That being said, by comparing the pros and cons, you will be able to get a clearer perspective on your potential surgery.

Why Forums and Reviews?

While it is important to understand the technicalities of a procedure, it is just as important to get a real, personal perspective on what the procedure is like for the patient. The only way to gain this perspective prior to surgery is to hear from people who have actually had the procedure you’re considering. Online forums are an opportunity to share information with a broad community of patients and get the perspective and advice you need.

There are many reasons to consider cosmetic surgery – and many reasons to decide against it. One of the most important reasons why people who consider plastic surgery do not ultimately pursue a procedure is finances. According to a recent online survey conducted by Harris Interactive (on behalf of cosmetic treatment web community RealSelf.com), interest in cosmetic surgery is rising, and more of these surgeries would take place if finances were not an issue.

Considering the state of the economy, the fact that money is an inhibiting factor will not come as a shock; however, there are a few things that might come as a surprise:

• Of the 2,148 adults polled, the percentage interested in cosmetic surgery (but unable to pursue it due to finances) was 69% – that’s up 15 points from a November 2009 poll.
• Additionally, the survey shows that prospective patients (those in the 69%) are as interested in major changes (with procedures such as tummy tucks, facelifts, and liposuction) as they are in less invasive procedures such as BOTOX® Cosmetic or injectable fillers.

I know that finances are a concern for my plastic surgery patients in Las Vegas. What are your thoughts? Are you considering cosmetic surgery? Is money the biggest issue standing in the way of your procedure?

This past April, attendees at the annual meeting of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Washington D.C., discussed the hot topic of laser liposuction. The debate: is laser-assisted liposuction safe and effective? Some surgeons believe that this procedure does not improve results and only adds to the cost of traditional liposuction (as well as increasing side effects). Others think that it can tighten skin, encourage collagen production, and lead to less bruising and faster recovery time than the traditional approach. Unfortunately, there is no definitive “yes, it is effective” or “no, it is not,” so surgeons must decide for themselves.

Although there is no “correct” answer, I choose not to offer laser liposuction to my Las Vegas liposuction patients. Instead, I offer 3 great alternatives: the super-wet technique, the tumescent technique, and ultrasound-assisted lipoplasty (UAL). What is my rationale for avoiding laser-assisted liposuction? I need proof that a procedure is safe and effective before I’ll perform it. It’s that simple. And this procedure just hasn’t met that basic requirement. However, I will continue my research and stay up-to-date on the latest liposuction studies.

If your plastic surgeon prescribes an antibiotic for you to take following your breast augmentation in Las Vegas, don’t let it frighten you. The truth is, the use of an antibiotic after breast surgery is merely a precaution – part of your surgeon’s plan to ensure your safety and health.

As my colleague Dr. Mark Freeman explains in his recent blog post, there is some evidence to suggest that capsular contracture (a complication of breast augmentation that causes excessive scar tissue around the implant) could be caused in part by the presence of certain bacteria. If this is true, antibiotics could help minimize the risk of capsular contracture.

So, like I said, don’t be scared by your prescription for antibiotics. There’s no unusual trend in infection after breast surgery (in fact, every single surgical procedure carries some risk of infection); your surgeon simply has a responsibility to show the utmost caution.

I want to share some information about an organization I’m proud to be a member of: the NOVO Council for Leaders in Breast Aesthetics. The purpose of this group is to investigate methods and technology, for breast enhancement to ultimately improve the quality of care and results. The advice and guidance of the Council has proved valuable for manufacturers and other professionals as they work on these new developments.

As a Las Vegas cosmetic surgeon, I have always emphasized the importance of creating new and better ways to perform breast enhancement. For example, I offer endoscopic breast augmentation, a technique that allows for smaller incisions, less disruption to surrounding tissues, and greater precision. It is advances of this very nature that the NOVO Council encourages.

Solange Magnano, a former Miss Argentina, recently passed away due to complications from plastic surgery. The procedure she had performed was gluteoplasty, or buttock enhancement. There are several ways that butt enhancement can be accomplished, such as the Brazilian Butt Lift (a procedure that transfers fat liposuctioned from another area to the backside). However, it appears that Magnano received injections of a foreign liquid substance, not her own fat. This kind of procedure is exceedingly rare in the U.S. and I certainly don’t offer it at my cosmetic surgery practice in the Las Vegas area.

Magnano died from a pulmonary embolus (PE). Most often, a PE is caused by deep vein thrombosis – a blood clot that forms in a large vein in the lower body that travels to the lungs. However, in Magnano’s case, the PE was caused by particles of the liquid substance that traveled from the injection site into her heart and lungs. The chances of this occurring with injections of patient’s own fat are much lower.

What I think my Henderson and Las Vegas plastic surgery patients can take away from this story is the importance of choosing a plastic surgeon who has the strong ethics and sound judgment to perform only safe and proven procedures (this can be accomplished by carefully examining a surgeon’s credentials, such as board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery). Also, I think it should encourage patients to take the time to research and understand a prospective procedure so that they know about any exceptional risks.