Lately, I realized that I was due for some new contacts. Since I fall into the "blind as a bat" category, I've been wearing soft contacts for 20 years now. (I'm one of those people who needs my glasses to find my glasses!) I'm a recent transplant to northern California, so I had to do the great eye doctor search to find a new guru to care for my "baby blues." (OK, so they're actually green, but that doesn't flow as well.) Either way, I had to endure some serious eyestrain to find a new professional for my peepers.

A new generation of extended wear soft contact lenses have been introduced that the FDA has approved for up to 30 days of continuous wear. Not everyone can tolerate 30-day extended wear lenses for a full month of continuous wear, just as some people cannot wear 7-day extended wear lenses safely and comfortably for a full week. Flexible wear may be a safe and comfortable alternative if you are unable to tolerate full-time continuous wear of extended wear lenses.

A new generation of extended wear soft contact lenses have been introduced that the FDA has approved for up to 30 days of continuous wear. Not everyone can tolerate 30-day extended wear lenses for a full month of continuous wear, just as some people cannot wear 7-day extended wear lenses safely and comfortably for a full week. Flexible wear may be a safe and comfortable alternative if you are unable to tolerate full-time continuous wear of extended wear lenses.

According to a study carried out at the University of Illinois, Chicago and published in the December, 2006 issue of the American Journalof Ophthalmology, there are no clinically-significant differences in safety, reliability, and effectiveness when the two major types of laser eye surgery (LASIK and LASEK) were compared in a retrospective analysis.

Both LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) and LASEK are used to treat the three most commonly encountered forms of visual disturbances: nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Okay, now it's a year later. Being conservative in all things, I reined myself back from scheduling the second eye surgery before the first one healed completely. Recovery during that year was entirely uneventful, although a significant annoyance earned my attention instead.

When you ask most people about how to improve eyesight, their first response is typically an offer of their favorite eye doctor's telephone number. Most people, at that point, submit to the thought that they will be buying new glasses, contact lenses, or even investing in laser surgery. Very few people in this position step outside the box and pursue an alternative approach, even though it is capable of providing get better vision without glasses, and doing so using natural methods.

LASIK is a simple laser surgery that can be done to help a person see better without glasses. This is accomplished through a number of little cuts that change the shape of the cornea - the cover of the eye. When this surgery is done correctly, it can eliminate or reduce a person's need for prescription lenses. I have worn glasses since I was a teenager. Since my vision is fairly stable, I would be a good candidate for LASIK. Therefore, I have considered the idea of LASIK as an alternative to glasses and done a little research on the subject. Here is what I have found out.

The eye surgery known as LASIK is no longer an operation that only a few of us can afford. As a matter of fact, it is so common that we all know someone who has had a LASIK procedure performed for their vision. However, in spite of its growing acceptance and popularity, very few people outside the medical profession understand what LASIK surgery is and where to begin if interested.

Lasik Cost in the Front Range communities of Denver, Aurora, Loveland and other areas are not the highest in the country. That's the good news.

The not-so-good news is that most insurers consider it to be an elective cosmetic procedure and therefore will not normally cover lasik cost. However, most lasik providers in the Denver Colorado metro region offer generous financing that is often interest-free and can be arranged to fit virtually any budget.

If you wear corrective lenses and are nearsighted or you have astigmatisms, then you may want to consider LASIK surgery. This surgery is still fairly new, but it has a high success rate. LASIK is considered an elective cosmetic surgery and may not be covered under some insurance policies.