Q: What does the number mean in regards to your corneas? After my exam, I was told my number was low - indicating a thin cornea - They didn't explain what that meant. A: Some people have thicker corneas, some have thinner ones. If your cornea is too thin, then laser vision correction is not an option. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com

Q: I had cataract surgery in 1992. My vision at distance (beyond reading length) is blurred, and I use prescription eyeglasses to see clearly when driving or playing golf. I would like to be able to see a golfball hit a green @ 150 yards. Can lasik accomplish this? A: Yes, assuming that the other parts of your eye are healthy. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com

Q:  Hello: I have a dry eye condition that has successfully been treated with a single punctal plug in each eye. I've heard that Lasik will dry the eyes (for some amount of time after the procedure). Will my condition exclude me from being a candidate for Lasik? If so, are there other vision corrections options I can persue (my vision eyeglass prescription is fairly mild). Thanks, Mark A: Lasik can make the eyes more dry in some people, at least temporarily but sometimes on an ongoing basis. Lasik without a flap seems to have much less effect upon dryness, so that might be the better option for you. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVison.com

Q:  I am 23 years old, and have had a lazy eye since my mom noticed it at about 10 months old. I have not taken care of the problem and it has been untreated for about 10 yrs. My left eye is the lazy eye and when closing my right eye all I see is severely blurred vission. I suffer from realy bad headaches everyday,dizziness and nausea. I feel my condition getting worse. Is there any surgery to correct the problem or so that my left eye could move left or so that I dont look cross eyed. Thank you. A: You need to be evaluated by an ophthalmologist to determine if there is treatment for you. Andrew Caster, MD

Q:  I was diagnosed with having keratoconus 7 years ago. Recently, I have started to wear gas permeable contact lenses (less than 6 months). While they do help me to see much clearer, my eyes are very sensitive. Mainly to light and wind. I do experience (eyebrow) glare, especially during night driving and if the wind blows while I'm outside, my eyes will tear excessively. Plus I suffer with seasonal allergies. Would I be a good candidate for corrective laser eye surgery? For which type? Why or why not? Thank you. A: Lasik is best avoided in people with keratoconus. Lasik without a flap can be performed, but the keratoconus will still progress, and there is some concern that Lasik without a flap may cause more rapid progression in some cases. We really don't know for sure. So I would recommend against laser vision correction at this time. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com

Q: Can your dominant eye change from one eye to the other with lasik surgery. A: Yes, the dominant eye can change. Dominance in the eyes is not as firm as handedness. Many people only show minimal or even no dominance with the eyes, and it certainly can change. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com

Q: Can excessive use of a computer cause my vision to decline from 20/20 to 20/30? Can LASIK correct this? A: We do not know for sure why some people become nearsighted, and whether computer use plays a role. Lasik can correct the problem. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com

Q: I've been wearing contact lenses for about 2 years now and currently my degrees are -4.25 on both eyes. I don't know if thats bad or not and whether I should get lasik surgery or not. I hate wearing ccontacts and just want my vision to be normal again. I am looking into getting lasik surgery but REALLY REALLY afraid that I might become blind as a result. So what are the chances that I might lose my vision permanently and what are the percentage of patients that went blind after surgery? Would you say that Lasik is a very safe procedure? Are the chances of losing vision very high? A: Although over 10 million Lasik procedures have taken place in the United States, I am not personally aware of a single person that has become blind from Lasik. It is theoretically possible, but obviously the chances are very, very low. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com

Q: Hi, I am researching about LASIK for my 8th grade graduation project. It is a very important project that I need to complete to graduate. I was wondering if you could please help me answer some questions for my project. I would really appreciate it so much!! Below are some questions I really need help on: What positive impact does LASIK have on the society? Who benefits from it? How is it important? What negative impact does it have on society? How will LASIK improve or evolve? Is it being experimented on animals? Thank you so much for your time! I really appreciate it!! From, Brieanne S. A: If you would like to call me, at 310-274-1221, I would be very happy to answer all of your questions. Andrew Caster, MD

Q:  Dear Doctor, I have had LASIK surgery on 6-March2006 which is about ten days from now. I have been treated from nearsightness and astigmatism as well .In my follow up appointment the day after surgery, the doctor checked my eyes ,the left one was 6/6 the right one was 6/9 and he told my that the right eye will be 6/6 after 10 days at least. I was having a large degree of astigmatism 2.75 on the right and 2.5 on the left and about -1.5 on the left and -1.5 on the right, but after one week I noticed that my right eye is really improving as the doctor said but unfortunately the left eye, which was perfect at the beginning, started not to be that accurate and look a bit hazy and blurry, it also keeps fluctuating when I try to focus on some thing. This was coincide with some thing like jelly suddenly appeared on the white of this eye,so is there any explanation for that or is there a connection between this jelly like spot and the hazy vision on this eye. I am regularly applying my cortisone drops and the artificial tears drops as prescribed by the doctor, so could you please explain what was wrong with my eye? What makes it good at the beginning then start to be blurry like that? Is there a connection between this jelly like stuff on the white of the eye and the blurry vision that coincide mainly with it? Thanks a lot , Amal A: I cannot comment about the jelly, because I cannot see it. But every person heals at a different rate and in a different pattern. If you heal in a pattern that results in some astigmatism, then you may need an enhancement. I would ask your doctor for an explanantion of what is happening. Andrew Caster, MD www.CasterVision.com