close up of light shining on eyeball- Photorefractive Keratectomy laser eye treatment

Photorefractive Keratectomy: Is It Better Than LASIK®?

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close up of light shining on eyeball- Photorefractive Keratectomy laser eye treatmentPhotorefractive Keratectomy and LASIK® are both laser eye treatments that repair a damaged or impaired cornea. The cornea is a thin and transparent cover over the iris and pupil. When the cornea is damaged or impaired, you will struggle to absorb and focus light. People who have bad corneas are usually candidates for Photorefractive Keratectomy or LASIK, but is one better than the other?

How Is Photorefractive Keratectomy Different From LASIK®?

Ophthalmologists used Photorefractive Keratectomy laser surgery before LASIK became so widespread. Photorefractive Keratectomy is still a respected and useful laser eye surgery. Photorefractive Keratectomy, like LASIK, reshapes the cornea to enhance your vision.

During the LASIK procedure, a thin flap in the cornea is created. Then, the surgeon uses laser technology to correct the refractive issues in the cornea by reshaping the cornea. A surgeon will need approximately 30 minutes or less to perform this procedure.

In a Photorefractive Keratectomy procedure, on the other hand, the surgeon removes the outer layer of the injured cornea. A new, uninjured cornea grows in its place, thus restoring your vision. This procedure takes approximately half the time (15 minutes) of a LASIK operation.

Who Can Get Photorefractive Keratectomy?

Almost anyone who is suffering from an impaired cornea can benefit from Photorefractive Keractectomy surgery. However, today, the medical profession primarily relies on this laser eye treatment for two instances: you have large pupils or thin corneas.

What Is Photorefractive Keratectomy’s Success Rate?

Tests have demonstrated that an overwhelming number of Photorefractive Keratectomy patients (90-95%) experienced a vision increase to 20/40 if the patients needed a correction of up to -6.00 diopters. As many as 70% of Photorefractive Keratectomy patients had their vision improve to 20/20 after the laser surgery. Therefore, you are likely to be satisfied with the results post-surgery.

Honolulu, HI, Laser Eye Treatment

To experience of deteriorating vision is frightening. Thus, it is fortunate that modern-day technology has advanced far enough to provide us with laser eye surgery. Laser eye surgery will yield permanent results. Although you have two well-tested and established laser eye treatments available, it is highly recommended that you speak with a board-certified ophthalmologist to gain a clearer understanding of which laser eye treatment may be best for you. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Maehara of Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser, call 808-955-3937 now.

Cataract surgery

Cataract Surgery: How It Can Benefit You

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Cataracts can have a profound effect on your eyesight and negatively impact your ability to see clearly. Living with cataracts can blur your vision and take out the enjoyment in life. With today’s technologies and treatments, however, you are able to protect your eyesight and improve your vision.

At Maehara Eye Surgery & Laser, our professional team of doctors have expertise in numerous different types of eye surgeries, with one of them being cataract surgery. During this surgery, we remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). We want to restore your vision and bring back the joy in your life!

How Do Cataracts Affect My Vision?

In an eye where cataracts are not present, light enters and travels through the lens. This lens then focuses the light into a sharp and detailed image on the retina, which then relays the message and picture through the optic nerve to the brain. 

In an eye where cataracts are present, the lens will be cloudy, covered with a thin and painless film. This cataract will then block light, which distorts the image being sent to your brain. Cataracts can affect your vision with blurriness, sensitivity to glare, and cause second sight. If not treated, cataracts can also eventually lead to blindness.

When Do I Know Cataract Surgery Is Right For Me?

Cataracts can affect different people at different speeds, so it’s important to keep note of the side effects and symptoms. When your eyesight begins to deteriorate and it is difficult to see things that you once viewed with ease on a day to day basis, then it is a good time for cataract surgery. 

Nobody enjoys having blurred vision and difficulty seeing, as this can make simple day to day tasks such as driving and grocery shopping difficult. Reclaim your freedom by removing your cataracts. 

We’ve Got You Covered

At Maehara Eye Surgery & Laser, we offer affordable and reliable eye care, as well as surgical procedures handled by only the best surgeons. Eye Doctor Jeffery Maehara has studied under some of the world’s top LASIK and refractive surgeons. 

With extensive experience in numerous eye surgery procedures, including cataract surgery, Dr. Maehara brings the experience and knowledge you are looking for. Call us today at 808-955-3937, or visit www.maeharaeyes.com to schedule an appointment. 

Senior man on his mountain bike outdoors

Tips To Recover From Cataract Surgery To Have The Best Chance of Success

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The thought of losing your vision can be very concerning. Even with healthy eyes, many factors and causes cause vision issues. Although most symptoms go away on their own, other vision issues require medical or surgical intervention to reverse or cure, and some may cause complete vision loss if left untreated.

Cataracts are a condition of the eye that, although not an emergency, does require treatment by an ophthalmologist to restore lost vision. They are more common in older adults and occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and distorts or blurs your sight. Some contacts or glasses may help, but cataracts generally worsen over time.

Cataract surgery is a common surgery that almost 80% of adults will undergo and a relatively straightforward procedure that takes about 30 minutes per eye. Although how commonly it is performed has increased its safety and effectiveness, there are still a few things to remember during your recovery to give the best chance of achieving the best result.

Since cataract surgery replaces the clouded or damaged lens with an artificial one, it is important to allow the body to accept the lens and begin the healing process before stressing the eye or the muscles attached to the lens. To help with this, you will likely need to wear an eye shield for the first day after surgery and while you sleep for a few weeks.

During this time, it is also essential to apply any medicated eye drops prescribed to you at the frequency of the dosage. This will help give your eyes every advantage to accept the artificial lens and speed recovery.

If you usually wear contacts or glasses, you will likely need to refrain from using them until your eyes are fully healed. In most cases, a new lens prescription will be required.

If you have cloudy vision or any other issues with your eyes or eyesight, call Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, at 808-955-3937 or visit www.maeharaeyes.com to schedule an exam today.

business lady perfect appearance beaming smiling taking off specs good eyesight

Resolve Cornea Issues Without a Complete Replacement

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The clear outer layer of your eyes, called the cornea, is responsible for focusing light and images for the retina and optical nerve to give your sense of vision. This thin layer on the front of the eye is susceptible to damage, injury, or other condition which can make your vision cloudy or foggy.

In many cases, these conditions will subside on their own or with conservative treatments such as eye drops or other treatment methods. In more severe cases, the damaged part of the cornea must be replaced to regain clear vision.

Previously, the best option for resolving corneal issues was a complete corneal transplant using donor tissue. This was a relatively successful procedure. However, it also came with a rather extensive recovery period and was not without risks of tissue rejection or procedure failure.

Now, instead of replacing the entire cornea, ophthalmologists like Dr. Jeffrey Maehara are able to perform Descement-Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK). This new procedure delicately and precisely removes only the damaged layers of the cornea, leaving the healthy tissue intact.

Patients who undergo DSAEK are able to return home the same day of the treatment and, with the anesthetics used, feel only minor pressure during the procedure. Although patients must refrain from bending below the waist or doing any strenuous activity or exercise for the first three weeks following the procedure, recovery is relatively easy with a great success rate.

The DSAEK procedure allows Dr. Maehara to help patients regain their vision with a higher success rate and a much shorter recovery than a complete replacement of the cornea. There may be some changes in your vision, including periodic blurriness, for a few months after the procedure. Still, these are temporary, and most patients are able to see better after 3 months.

Since many of the tissues that make up the cornea do not grow back if damaged or injured, the partial replacement offered by DSAEK is a safe and effective way to regain your clear vision. If you have chronic blurriness or fogginess in your vision, call Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, at 808-955-3937 or visit www.maeharaeyes.com to schedule an exam today.

How Belotero Balance® is Different Than Other Dermal Fillers

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Many dermal fillers and injectable treatments are available to address nearly every effect of aging around the face. Each of the treatments works best when treating specific aesthetic conditions and changes.

From injections like BOTOX® that temporarily block muscle contraction to others that restore lost volume with hyaluronic acid (HA), these treatments are safe, easy, and provide excellent results. With so many options, there are not a lot of specific formulas that stand out among the others in the same category.

Belotero Balance®, however, takes the benefits of HA and is created with a proprietary Cohesive Polydensified Matrix (CPM) process, which can provide even better results than other HA treatments available.

Although our bodies naturally create HA, this production decreases around age 20. Along with the decrease in collagen production, this can create sunken areas on the face where decreased volume does not push outward on the skin. This can lead to lines and wrinkles and even larger creases to form.

Belotero Balance® restores this lost volume with its HA that absorbs nearby water molecules and increases volume from below the skin. And with the specific formulation, Belotero Balance® blends much better into the skin than many other HA treatments. This can lead to a more even and natural-looking enhancement to the aesthetics of your face.

Not only does Belotero Balance® give exceptional results, it blends in with the surrounding skin tissue, making it safe and successful at addressing many areas around the face, including the nasolabial folds around the nose, chin wrinkles, and creases around the lips.

Like other HA treatments, however, the results are not permanent, and as the body metabolizes the HA, you may notice a decrease in volume. However, since this special formula blends well with your skin, the results generally last at least a year.

The doctors and aestheticians at Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, have the experience and knowledge needed to select the best dermal treatment from all the options available to help best meet your aesthetic goals. Visit www.maeharaeyes.com or call 808-955-3937 to schedule a consultation and get started on your aesthetic journey.

Pretty smiling woman with clean skin in white fluffy sweater

Are Restalyne® Treatments Painful?

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The effects of aging can be on many areas of our face. From brow lines and crow’s feet to frown lines around your mouth, creases and wrinkles can continue to grow or deepen, despite a dedicated rigorous at-home skincare routine.

When your regular cosmetic routine is not enough to lessen the appearance of these lines and wrinkles, dermal injectables are a safe and effective way to achieve the look you want.

For mild to moderate lines and creases around the lower portion of your face, Restalyne® is an FDA-approved and proven way to reduce their appearance safely and effectively. Using hyaluronic acid (HA), a molecule produced by and found in your body, the Restalyne® injections fill in lost volume by pulling in nearby water molecules.

Since your body already produces HA naturally, there is minimal risk of severe or adverse reactions. The Restalyne® treatments just boost the normal production of HA that decreases over time. Although the results from Restalyne® are temporary, the treatments are safe enough to be repeated to maintain the desired youthful look you want.

Restalyne® treatments are performed in the office and often take less than 30 minutes. Best of all, the FDA recently approved Restalyne®-L. This new formulation takes all of the proven results and aesthetic benefits from Restalyne® and adds lidocaine to the injection to help alleviate any minor discomfort that might occur with the treatments.

Although many dermal fillers and injectables available today can be used in many areas of the face, it is important to choose a doctor or aesthetician with the experience needed to know which will best address your specific concern. Restalyne®-L is a great option to treat lines and creases on the lower areas of the face nearly painlessly.

The team at Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, has the experience necessary to create the perfect aesthetic treatment plan to meet all of your goals. Whether you are interested in Restalyne®-L or other aesthetic treatment methods, call the office at 808-955-3937 or visit www.maeharaeyes.com to get started with a comprehensive consultation today.

How Glaucoma Affects Your Vision

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Your vision can be affected by any number of environmental or internal factors. Since your eyes are so delicate, it is essential to protect them as much as possible to help prevent vision issues to even a loss of your vision. Unfortunately, the causes of many eye conditions that can lead to severe vision issues are largely unknown.

Glaucoma is one such disease of the eye that, while a specific cause is unknown, can lead to serious vision issues and, if left untreated, complete vision loss. Glaucoma refers to a build-up of pressure in the eye that compresses the optic nerve. Over time, this can lead to permanent vision loss.

The most common cause of glaucoma is a water or fluid build-up that becomes trapped between the iris and the cornea. This occurs when the drainage canals become blocked, or the fluid in the eye is a different consistency or make-up than normal.

As more and more fluid fills this area, pressure begins to increase at the back of the eye, near the retina, and compresses the optic nerve. Although rare, glaucoma can also occur in patients with normal eye pressure.

Depending on the type of glaucoma, your ophthalmologist may prescribe specific medication to reduce the pressure in the eye that comes in either tablet form or eye drops. If there is a build-up of fluid in the area between the iris and cornea, laser or surgery or another procedure may be required to drain the fluid and reduce the pressure.

Although glaucoma is primarily considered a hereditary disease, there are several steps you can take to reduce the chances of it occurring and lessen the symptoms and risk of vision loss. Maintaining a healthy nutrition plan and regular exercise can help keep the fluid in the eye at a consistency where it can flow easily and reduce the chance of blockages in the drainage canals.

There is no reason to wait to contact an experienced ophthalmologist if you have any eye issues or sudden changes in your vision. Early treatment can make a difference in preserving your eyesight. Call Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, at 808-955-3937 or visit www.maeharaeyes.com to schedule a consultation today.

Cataracts Do Not Have To Permanently Rob Your Vision

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The thought of permanently losing your vision can be tough to imagine. As important as our eyes are, they are very susceptible to damage or other issues related to medical conditions. Although many of these can cause a decrease in visual acuity and clearness, some treatments and procedures may be able to restore your vision, depending on the condition being treated.

One of the most common conditions of the eyes that causes vision issues is the formation of cataracts. Cataracts are the buildup of proteins on the corneal lens of the eye. In 2020, it was estimated that over 30 million people suffered from cataracts in one or both of their eyes.

Over time, this buildup can grow larger and interfere with your vision. Although cataracts are well established when they start to show symptoms, they will first appear as cloudiness or haziness. Eventually, they will begin to distort the images in your vision and, if left untreated, can lead to permanent blindness in the affected eye(s),

There is no “cure” for cataracts. But thankfully, there is a surgical procedure to remove and replace the damaged lens and restore your vision. In a procedure performed in the office setting that takes less than 30 minutes, Dr. Jeffrey Maehara or Dr. Dennis Maehara will make a small incision and replace the damaged lens with a clear, artificial interocular lens.

Most patients report almost no discomfort during the procedure. An eye pad or protective shield is usually worn for the first few days after the surgery. Complete healing and recovery will usually happen within two months. Although there may be some itchiness and discomfort during this time, they are generally very mild and can be ignored.

If caught early enough, vision issues caused by cataracts are treatable. However, since permanent damage and blindness can occur if the symptoms are ignored, contact Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, if you have any vision issues. A consultation can be scheduled by calling 808-955-3937 or visiting www.maeharaeyes.com.

How Radiesse Can Add Volume and Smooth Lines and Wrinkles

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As we age, our body begins to slow its production of collagen and hyaluronic acid that helps keep even volume in our skin. Along with the decrease in the elasticity and how often it is used for talking or showing emotion, the skin around our faces and especially mouths can begin to look dull and sag,

There are several dermal injections available on the market that help replace the lost collagen and hyaluronic acid in targeted areas. Since these essentially supplement the natural production of those molecules, they are great for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. However, for moderate to severe folds, creases, and wrinkles, Radiesse is an FDA-approved dermal injectable that can help you regain that youthful and toned look on your face.

Radiesse works very similarly to other dermal injectables on the market. However, it does not merely replace lost collagen or add volume by using a hyaluronic acid that absorbs nearby water molecules. Radiesse is a special formula of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) suspended in a gel.

Once injected, the body breaks down the suspension gel, allowing the CaHA to help stimulate and promote the natural growth of collagen in the targeted areas. This new collagen helps to smooth moderate to severe lines and wrinkles on the face and is a great option to use around the mouth and nose.

Radiesse is also approved by the FDA to be mixed with lidocaine. Although the injections are small and relatively painless, the lidocaine further eases any pain that might occur during the sessions.

Results are nearly immediate, and there is no recovery after each treatment session. The results for most patients last between 6 months and a year after the treatment course of 2 sessions. Although the results last a long time, they are temporary, and touch-up treatments may be required to meet your aesthetic goals.

If you have moderate to severe wrinkles, creases, or folds around your mouth and nose, contact the expert staff at Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI, to see if Radiesse is right for you. The office can be reached at 808-955-3937 or www.maeharaeyes.com.

How Restylane Can Smooth Lip Wrinkles

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As a non-surgical procedure that can give you the fuller and more voluptuous lips you want with almost no recovery needed, lip fillers are a great solution. Using the state-of-the-art injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) Restylane, you can smooth wrinkles around your mouth and increase lip volume.

Restylane, as well as Juvederm can be used as lip enhancement to treat several potentially unflattering lip shapes, including thin or small lips, uneven lip shapes, a flat cupid’s bow, etc. During your consultation, the doctor will work with you to create a plan based on your wishes. The improvement can be small or minor refinements or a more robust treatment plan to perfect your mouth shape.

With either product, the HA, which is also naturally found in your body, binds with nearby water molecules to add volume and hydration to your lips. This creates a smooth and natural-looking enhancement to flat or thin lips.

Not only are these proven safe and effective, they are also FDA-approved fillers for lip augmentation. Both fillers can also be incorporated into a more comprehensive facial treatment for a complete cosmetic plan to give you the look you want. Since there is nearly no recovery period needed, you can enjoy the results almost immediately, with little inconvenience.

At Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser, we know that not every patient is the same in their expectations and recovery. Regardless of the procedure, the expert staff will combine state-of-the-art technology and years of experience to provide you with the best care possible while meeting your expectations.

The doctors at Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser know that no two procedures are the same, even of the same type. Your doctor will use their artful eye to guide precise surgical operations to meet your specific aesthetic goals. You will receive warm and compassionate care from the entire team, as well as a board-certified doctor who understands the importance of creating results that are both elegant and natural-looking.

Call Maehara Eye Surgery and Laser in Honolulu, HI at 808-955-3937, or visit www.maeharaeyes.com to schedule a consultation, today.