By CGehringer at Citysearch August 03, 2011
Our 3 kids have been seeing Dr. Stikeleather since they were 3 years old. Two of my three kids started wearing glasses before they started going to school -- now they're in 5th&7th grades. Love the new location -- the staff is professional and the practice is well-run. Highly recommended!! ...read more
By allwayzbithesea at Citysearch March 29, 2011
Iv'e been to several practices over 30 years due to moving around from place to place and changing insurances, so I have some experience in comparing eye doctors. Dr. Stikeleather's exams are very thorough, not to mention he's a very nice guy who takes the time explaining things to you. The practice moved to a really nice new office near Preston with a large optical department. My family and friends have all been very impressed with the doctor, the office and the staff. ...read more
By bob luke at Citysearch January 29, 2010
1/29/2010 1:00 pm Customer service very poor. Wanted to check on cost for replacement lens. Treated very poorly and not helpful. Did everything to avoid helping me since, it was apparent, I was not buying their frames. Ignorant support. DO NOT USE SEARS CARY OPTICAL. ...read more
Risk Free LASIK? by Dr. Dean Dornic of Laser Eye Center of Carolina LASIK is the most commonly performed elective eye surgery in America. One of the biggest reasons for the renewed interest in LASIK is the improved safety and outcomes that have resulted from the continued refinements in laser and flap making technology. Still, surveys suggest that the main obstacle to patients proceeding with LASIK is fear. Many patients who could benefit from the visual freedom afforded by LASIK fail to make the final commitment because of the perceived risk of the procedure. Most patients overestimate the risks associated with LASIK and many will continue wearing poorly tolerated contact lenses which have a higher risk of profound vision loss than LASIK. The LASIK procedure is a two step process which is a refinement of an earlier eye surgery that has been around since 1958. The first step involves the creation of a corneal flap and the second step is the reshaping of the underlying tissue with a laser. Both steps have had numerous refinements over the years maximizing safety and precision. Flap creation has become more automated and involves a computerized device or a laser (all-laser LASIK). The reshaping step has also had numerous improvements including such innovations as eye trackers, and wavefront-guided procedures that include iris registration. Significant flap complications are now rare and visually adverse side effects such as night driving difficulties are 20 times less likely to occur compared to the pre-wavefront era of laser vision correction. The net result is a better, safer procedure. Just as there are a group of people who will refuse to jump in the ocean for fear of a shark attack, there will be patients who will forego refractive surgery because they are waiting for LASIK to be "perfected" i.e. they want a no risk guarantee. Of course, this time will never come as there has never been a medical procedure for which the risk is zero. However, there is plenty of evidence that the enormous benefits and the elimination of other risk factors, such as those associated with contact lenses, far outweigh the risks associated with LASIK. It is no wonder why the one group with the highest penetration of LASIK is eye doctors themselves. There are two parts of the LASIK procedure to which risk is associated; that associated with the equipment and that associated with the patient. Some patients have eye characteristics that increase risk and it is important that these characteristics be identified before the procedure. Changes in technique such as switching from conventional to wave-front guided LASIK or a switch to all-laser LASIK can then be made to ensure the best visual outcome. Alternatively a completely different refractive procedure such as implantable contact lenses can be offered. Of course, the patient or doctor can make the determination that the risk identified may make refractive surgery impractical. Patients can ensure their chance of success is maximized by choosing an experienced surgeon with access to the latest technology and who can perform procedures other than LASIK. It is important to meet with the surgeon ahead of time so that risk characteristics and surgical options that will give patients the best visual outcome can be discussed. When it comes to something as valuable as your sight it is wise to be as informed as possible. Many surgeons offer free consultations so patients have nothing to lose and a wealth of information to gain. ...read more
By Laser Eye Center of Carolina August 12, 2008
Glaucoma is often called the "thief of sight." It affects individuals over age 40 by slowly increasing the liquid pressure inside the eye, damaging delicate internal eye structures. There is no specific level of inner eye pressure (IOP) that causes glaucoma. It is a complex eye disease characterized b... ...read more
If you need to replace the lenses in your glasses, do so carefully to keep your glasses in good condition. To replace lenses, remove the screws from your frames and push out the lenses. Place your new lenses into the frame, and replace the screws making sure they are tight and lenses are secure. ...read more